For his Eagle Scout Service Project, TNSM student, Carl (“Rob”) Meeks, planned and helped build a Ga-ga pit for TNSM’s elementary playground. Rob and Boy Scouts from Troop 191 dug numerous 2-foot-deep holes to support the octagonal structure. The New School Montessori is grateful to the Boy Scouts for volunteering their efforts and to Lowe’s Home Improvement and Menards for donating and/or discounting the raw materials for the project. Here are some photos from the Ga-ga pit construction site. The scouts worked over a day and a half putting the project together. TNSM alumni student (7th grader Eito) emailed a …
TNSM orchestra “bows” it out of the water!
We are thrilled to have Melissa Robinson, former NKU director of strings, leading our orchestra program. Not many elementary schools are able to offer a program like this, and we are grateful to have so many beginning and advanced string players involved. The Beginning Strings Class joined the advanced players for a song, and then the video ends with Katherine on violin joined by the rest of the orchestra.
Did you know strawberries aren’t true berries but bananas and tomatoes are?
TNSM teachers Catherine Pray Bollmann and Alex Shields delivered a delicious botany lesson with 2nd and 3rd graders. Catherine said she loved seeing the students’ surprise at the polka dot insides of dragon fruit and their twisted smiles with the sourness of the kumquat. To reinforce the content of the lesson, students practiced matching fruit names with pictures and descriptions.
All about the cheetahs!
The non-nappers have been learning about cheetahs and were excited to know how fast they can travel and the foods they like to eat. They really enjoyed making cheetah masks and then playing “cheetah” outside!
Silas made a 3-way switch
Nancy Buchman’s students are studying electrical circuits. Silas took on the challenge of creating a three-way switch which allows a light to be turned on or off independently at two different locations — for example, at the top and bottom of a staircase.
Backstage at the Nutcracker
New School kindergartners enjoyed a backstage peek at the Cincinnati Ballet’s Nutcracker rehearsal and received some ballet lessons as well. Teachers, students and parent chaperones had a wonderful time “pirouetting” and “pleaying” around the room.
Orff Arrangement of Simple Gifts
Simple Gifts is a Shaker dance song written in 1848 by Joseph Brackett. Andrea Rosenthal Warnken’s 6th grade music class discussed the meaning of the text and learned to sing the melody before turning their attention to the Orff mallet arrangement in the video. The song has remained popular through the years and has been used in compositions by artists as varied as Aaron Copland, Judy Collins, REM and Weezer!
Annual Annex Community Party
On Friday, December 4, we had our annual annex party which is an auction fundraiser. Students in grades 3-6 were invited to the annex where we had snacks, pizza, movies, games, and music. The kids and the teachers all had a great time together. We can’t wait till next year’s party.
School House Symphony visited TNSM
School House Symphony introduced preprimary students to various instruments through song. They listened to some German polkas, some foot-stomping fiddling, and a song from Disney’s Pocahontas.
Bead making at its finest
Kindergartners rolled clay into small balls, pressed gems and sparkles into place, and poked holes into the centers in their homemade beads.