Undefeated

Sunflower Softball's first game was a win against the Sno Pros. There were so many obstacles to overcome: The rain and wind. The fact that we didn't have enough players until the last second, and almost had to forfeit. That the team had never practiced together before. But the team triumphed in the face of adversity, making us the Rocky Balboa of Missoula Co-Ed Novice Softball teams.

Calia's face summed up the weather conditions nicely:

I hope more of you can join us to cheer on the team as the season progresses. The weather has to get better, right? RIGHT?!?

-Brooke

June Lunch Menu

What You're Doing This Wednesday

Greetings, Sunflower families:

Hope you're enjoying your Summer "break." Are you enjoying sun and fun with your family, relishing the chance to commune with each other and share some delightful quality time? Or, are you counting the minutes 'til Sunflower re-opens like no one I know?

In light of everyone's varied and hectic summer schedules, our monthly family dinner nights are going on hiatus. Instead, may I suggest a more fun, outdoorsy, trash-talking alternative? Sunflower has a softball team, and their season begins this Wednesday evening at Fort Missoula. Pack a cooler, wear something green in support of your new favorite team, and let your young'uns run wild in the grass.

"Are we any good?" you ask. "Did you miss the part about bringing a cooler?" I reply.

Here's the schedule. Hope to see you and yours there:

Wed 5/29 7:15pm

vs. Sno Pros

FT Missoula Field 6

Wed 6/5 6:00pm

vs. Montana Peterbilt

FT Missoula Field 6

Wed 6/12 7:15pm

vs. The Iballers

FT Missoula Field 5

Wed 6/19 6:00pm

vs. Baseliners

FT Missoula Field 5

Wed 6/26 6:00pm

vs. A Cruel World

FT Missoula Field 3

  
No game 4th of July week.

Wed 7/10/12 7:15pm

vs. WSP Dead Pixels

FT Missoula Field 6

  

Wed 7/17/12 7:15pm

vs. Village Peeps

FT Missoula Field 3

  

Wed 7/24/12 7:15pm

vs. Villagers 

FT Missoula Field 5

Here we go, Sunflower, here we go!

-Brooke

Graduation / Michaelmania

I hope everyone had fun at the graduation ceremony & potluck yesterday. As always, I put all the pictures I took on the school Shutterfly site. My official and very, very scientific method for labeling the photos is to bribe my three year-old with a bowl of ice cream to sit next to me at my desk so I can point to my computer screen and say, "Do you know this kid's name?" Sometimes she does, sometimes she doesn't, and sometime she makes one up. I just put that out there in case you click on a photo of your young'un only to discover she's been renamed Sarsparilla Gonzales. 

The funniest thing about the party in the park to me was the crowd following Mr. Michael. Remember that scene in A Hard Day's Night when the Beatles were pursued through London by a crowd of crazy, screaming fans? 

It was just like that, with Michael in the role of Paul McCartney:

A special thanks to the parents who helped with some of the last-minute set-up tasks. And thanks to everyone for bringing delicious dishes to the potluck. Being from Alabama, I assumed that, by law, everything at a potluck had to involve cream of mushroom soup, Ritz crackers and Velveeta. Color me shocked. If you're the parent who made that barley thing, holler at me; I want to know how you did it. 

Best of luck to the new kindergarteners and their families!

-Brooke

"Walk Around The Sun" - A Montessori Birthday

Posts on the Montessori Method are a recurring feature on the blog, written by Crystal Herzog, mom to Iris (Sunflower) and Margot (Elementary)

Summer birthdays are coming and my sweet Margot turns six this week, so today’s post focuses on birthdays.  The traditional birthday celebration for children in a Montessori classroom includes the “Walk Around the Sun,” a powerful, special, and educational Montessori tradition.  The basic form is used by Sunflower Montessori: to place a lit candle in the center of class floor to represent the sun, while the birthday child’s classmates form a large circle, or an ellipse, on the floor surrounding the candle, to represent the Earth’s orbit.  The birthday child holds the continent globe and begins to walk a circle around the sun, while her classmates surrounding her sing:

 “The earth goes round the sun,

  The earth goes round the sun,

  It takes 12 months for the earth to go around the sun,

  And then Margot was one…

“The earth goes round the sun,

  The earth goes round the sun,

  It takes 12 months for the earth to go around the sun,

  And then Margot was two…

(And on until the child’s age)

“The earth goes round the sun,

  The earth goes round the sun,

  It takes 12 months for the earth to go around the sun,

  And now Margot is six!”

At Sunflower, classmates of the birthday child help count and talk about significant stages or developments that happen in each year.  Ms. Correy notes the tradition is extra meaningful when a child brings photos of themselves at each year for their teacher to share with the class as they circle the sun.  The “Walk” has many variations and each teacher at Sunflower adds their personal flair.  A common variation is laying down the months of the year around the sun, allowing the birthday child to start their walk on their birth month and step from month to month as she circles the sun.  A variation of the birthday song lyrics can be sung to the tune “Happy Birthday,”

“We celebrate your birth
  And your place on the earth.
  May the sun, moon, and stars
  Bring you peace where you are.”

In addition to the “Walk Around the Sun,” Sunflower welcomes a child bringing treats from home (if he wishes) to share with his class, but asks that the treats not be edible.  Past ideas include pencils, tattoos, little wooden trains, and glow-sticks.  If you would like to send your child to school with treats for the class, please be sure to give them to Ms. Katie or Ms. Correy at drop off so they can remind the lead teachers to celebrate at circle time.  If you need help figuring quantities, Ms. Katie and Ms. Correy are happy to provide a head count as well.  Happy Birthdays!

An Update From Farmer Max

For those of you who purchased a CSA from Sunflower's Farmer Max, please check out the guest post below. 

Howdy Sassparillas,

This is your farmer typing.  It's been a rainy day, and it was nice to get out of the muck for a while and write to you all.  It would make my day if you grabbed a beer or a lemonade, and sat down to read this most recent of the farm blog posts...

http://missoulagvc.wordpress.com/2013/05/18/talkin-watertown-blues/

This chronicle of the first month has important implications for what the first few weeks of deliveries will shape up to be for you all.  It's the nitty gritty - I didn't pull too many punches about what the experience has been like up there.  But then again, you don't want anyone to sugar-coat what goes in your mouth anymore.  You've made it clear with your financial support that you have a different vision of what you want to grace your plate, and the plates of people you share a meal with.

This is farming.  And it's our first year in business.  The first spring, really, for the apprentices and I to be out on our own.  Although in the first few weeks of June you won't exactly be able to invite your whole neighborhood in to feast, we will make it up to you all in time.  I'm thinking of the months of July, August, September and October when these rains of water turn into rains of fleshy fruits. It will come.

Thanks for bearing with us on this journey, and I look forward to seeing many of you again (and some of you for the first time) super, super soon!

Peas and Purple Carrots,

Max

Information Round-Up

 Reminder: Graduation is this Friday at 10:00am. The original blog post with all the details can be found here. Remember to bring a blanket and a covered dish. Katie and Correy are still looking for a few volunteers to help with set-up. If you're interested and available, please let us know. 

Don't forget that Sunflower is closed for Summer Break for the week of May 27-May 31, with classes resuming on June 3.

We've got spirit, yes we do. We've got spirit, how 'bout YOU?!? Sunflower has a competitive adult softball team. The team is stocked with returning members, but they're looking for a cheering section. Captain Jeremy Watterson can fill you in on all the details over at the team's facebook page, but we'll also be posting the game schedule here. There's no family dinner this month (we're busy enough with graduation), but maybe we can all meet up at the team's first game on May 29th. More info to come.

Missoula police seem to be cracking down on speeding along Orange Street, and frequently, there are officers stationed at Orange & 1st, and Orange & Front. The speed limit along that stretch is 30mph. I can tell you from personal experience that there's nothing worse than getting a ticket with your preschooler in the car. Every morning since it happened, she's asked, "Hey, remember that time that you were driving too fast and the policeman made you stop and gave you that piece of paper and you were so mad? And then the same thing happened to Dad the NEXT DAY?!?" Yeah, it rings a bell.

See you at graduation!

-Brooke

Practical Life / A Message from Ms Melodie

Hello!  Some of you know me from the Parent's Association, and still others of you may know me as Ovi or Lio's mom.  I am now teaching Practical Life for the Sunflower kids (3-5 years) as Ms. Jessi is moving to Helena.  During the month of May, I work with Ms. Lindsay's class on Mondays, Ms. Indima's class on Tuesdays, and Ms. Sam's class on Wednesdays and Fridays.  In addition to Ovi, who is almost 7, and Lio, who is almost 5, I also have baby Mo who just turned 1.

While "Practical Life" frequently translates to arts and crafts projects, the chief objective is not to teach art, but instead to give the children ample opportunity to find their way toward independently completing common day-to-day activities.  This week, for example, I am working with the children to make sidewalk chalk.  But the two skills we are focussing on are stirring (not too fast!  not too full!) and pouring (steady with the spout down.)  We are also working on our clean-up skills (as I expect we will do every week!)  Last week we made Mother's Day cards*, but focused on learning the practical steps you need to take to mail a letter.  You can extend our Practical Life activities at home by asking questions which draw your child's attention to the process behind the product, such as:

1) What did you do first to create this project?

2) What was the most difficult part of this project for you?

3) Could you teach me how to do this project?

The recipe for the chalk, by the way, is:

1 cup plaster of paris, available at hardware stores (much more expensive at craft stores)

3/4 cup water with about a Tbsp of tempura paint mixed in

Mix until the mixture resembles a milkshake, pour into molds (silicon baking cups work great!) and allow to set for at least 1 hour. (Note that plaster of paris dust is not great to inhale- I did the initial mixing of 1/2 of the water into the plaster to calm the dust.  There is still ample amounts of stirring to do after the rest of the water is added, and it's a dust-free experience.)

Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns at melodiestenger@gmail.com.  Next week we will be working on making a "Summer Bucket List."  

Warmly,

Melodie Stenger

*Ms. Sam's class- we didn't get to make Mother's Day cards last week because I had a sick kid at home.  So sorry!    

Curriculum Notes: SUNFLOWERS (Ms Lindsay's Class)

MAY

We will be finishing up the last of our continents this month with the study of Antarctica.  The animals & sea life found in/near Antarctica will be part of our study.

This month we will learn the “Months of the Year” song.

What’s new in science curriculum? Space, the final frontier!  We are excited to explore the planets & solar system.  We will be reading a book called The Universe.

Curriculum Notes: SPROUTS

Notes from Miss Jenn and Miss Kim:

MAY

This month we will be talking about springtime. We will also talk about our mommies and do some special projects for Mother's Day! 

Our new song this month is "A Butterfly Song."

In science, we will be growing sunflower plants and studying butterflies. While outside, we will be looking for bugs with magnifying glasses.

For practical life this month, we will be taking care of plants by planting, pruning, watering them and washing the leaves.

Our special book this month will be I Love You, Mommy by Jillian Harker.

Special note from the teachers: With springtime brings the sunshine! Please apply and bring sunscreen, sun hats, sunglasses etc for your child. 

JUNE

This month we will be talking about water safety. We will also be talking about our daddies and be doing some special projects for Father's Day!

Our new song this month is "Five Green And Speckled Frogs"

In Science, we will be doing a drip painting activity and milky color explosions. With droppers, we will teach them about gravity, simple color recognition, and color mixing.

For practical life this month we will continue encouragement in working in the garden. We will also be doing a fishing activity and water transfer work.

Our special book this month will be the I Love You, Daddy by Jillian Harker.

Special note from the teachers: This is the perfect age to start swim lessons for water safety if you haven't already started. 

Curriculum Notes: SEEDS

According to Ms. Kate, here's what's going on in the Seeds house:

MAY

1.) Song:  "Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes"

Lots of videos to choose from, but this one was the creepiest

2.) Life Skill: Body Parts (identifying, accurately pointing to)

3.) Book: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

JUNE

1.) Song: Ring around the Rosie 

2.) Life Skill: Basic colors

3.) Book:  Planting A Rainbow by Lois Ehlert

From Ms. Kate: "I'd like the children to be able to hold hands and walk in a circle during "Ring around the Rosie."  I would like children to be able to point to or pick up items when asked questions like "Can you bring me the yellow ball?".  The book Planting A Rainbow would tie in with learning colors and its about the process of seeds growing into flowers which I think would be relevant to the season and Sunflower!"

________________________

ON A PERSONAL NOTE TO SEEDS PARENTS - 

You know when you go to a big, cheesy arena concert (for purposes of an example, we'll use Lionel Richie) and Lionel invariably asks from the stage, "Where are all my pretty ladies tonight?" And then there's a high-pitched squeal from half the audience?

When it comes to school events like Parent Forums and Family Dinners, I feel like if Lionel asked, "Where are my Seeds families tonight?" we'd hear crickets. 

Don't feel like you shouldn't participate because your student is "only" in the infant program. We'd love to have you! Love, love, love. Get involved now so we can form friendships that will last through our children's time together at the school. Lionel would want it that way. 

-Brooke