Welcome Back Heroes!

We had a fabulous first week of school and our heroes are already establishing routines. The learners experienced both fun and hard work as they got to know each other and their studio. We are confident that they have laid the foundation for what will be an AMAZING school year!

Two girls in white tops and black skirts pose barefoot in a classroom

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LH Kindness Curriculum

Thank you to Mrs. Molley who led three kindness curriculum circles this week in the Little Hero’s studio! The topics of this week were “Mindful Bodies and Awareness of Attention”, “Growing Seeds”, and “Growing Friendship with Kindness”. The learners planted lima bean seeds and are excited to watch them grow. They are also building a “kindness garden” in their classroom where Little Heroes can add a butterfly to the wall when they are observed being kind to someone.

Children and a guide sit on a rug around cups, planting seeds in a Little Heroes classroom

Three children sit on a classroom rug around a cup of soil during a planting activity

A guide leads a circle discussion on a classroom rug with Little Heroes seated around her

Children and a guide sit in a circle on a classroom rug with books and cups during group time

Poster reading A = Attention with two children sitting cross-legged in meditation poses

Young girl waters planted seeds in classroom cups during a growing seeds activity

Four young children kneel on a classroom rug around a cup of soil, planting seeds together

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Yoga

The Little Heroes participate daily in yoga before their closing circle and the ES learners will be doing yoga on certain days during the mid-day circle!

Children do yoga on colorful mats in a classroom with string lights

Little Heroes lie on colorful yoga mats during daily yoga in their classroom

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Core Skills

At HJA “core skills” are considered math, reading, and writing. In the Little Hero’s studio they work on their computers for the first part of core skills and then they work on their Montessori core skills. The Montessori work consists of hands-on manipulatives off of the shelves and their writing books. In the Elementary Studio, they complete their core skills on the computer and read books from our library.

Heroes work on computers and reading books at cubicles in the Elementary Studio

A young hero sits at a table with wooden Montessori manipulatives in a classroom

Montessori materials, books, and a globe displayed beside a colorful Morocco map project

Young girl arranges Montessori blocks at a table in the Little Hero’s studio

Young girl in pink glasses studies a globe at a classroom table

Young hero arranges Montessori blocks on a blue mat in the Little Hero's studio

Young girl works with a Montessori bead counting frame at a table in the Little Hero’s studio

Young hero uses a Montessori math board and colorful number tiles at a wooden table

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LH Spark Play

Afternoons in the Little Hero’s studio are dedicated to spark play time! This can be a variety of things consisting of outside play, occasionally participating in quest with the older heroes, art, building blocks, story time, or work from the practical life, sensory, and wellness shelves in the studio.

Young learner at a table places animal figures on a colorful map during spark play in the studio

Young girl at a table uses a magnifying toy and string during spark play in the Little Hero’s studio

Colorful block tower and scattered pieces on a rug beside a name label during spark play

A young hero leans over a table, placing shapes on a wooden puzzle in the Little Hero’s studio

Two learners color at a table in the Little Hero’s studio during spark play, with crayons and flowers

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ES Comms

This year “Writer’s Workshop” has transitioned into “ES Comms” which stands for ES Communications. Comms will focus on all aspects of quality communication including writing, speaking, drawing, and body language! On Tuesday we discussed the recipe for holding a proper conversation with someone. Next we practiced this through a game of “Get to Know You” BINGO. On Thursday we introduced character call-outs and practiced writing positive affirmations for each other in the studio. At the end everyone shared their call-outs with the group!

A smiling hero leans on a table with a pencil and papers during a Get to Know You BINGO activity

Two heroes write on papers at a table in a classroom

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ES Quest

Our first quest of the year is called “Prediction Tools”. The ES heroes are working through several challenges that will prepare them for the rest of the year. Through these challenges, they get to know the studio, themselves, and each other better. This week we talked about the “Hero’s Journey”, and read the book “Six Dots” by Jen Bryant which is a story about Louis Braille. The learners also completed the tech tools challenge and signed their chromebook contracts to receive their computers. Our focus this week was on accountability, organization, and SMART goals. With these foundational studio tools in their belt they will be able to successfully navigate any trials they come across this year.

Two learners work on laptops and papers at a table in a blue classroom during a tech tools challenge

Three learners sit at a table with laptops during a classroom tech tools challenge

Four learners work on papers spread across a classroom rug beside a laptop and whiteboard

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PE began with an obstacle course designed by the ES heroes. Everyone practiced their speed and agility by jumping through hoops, balancing on beams, weaving around obstacles, and crawling through tunnels. Next up was the game “Icicle of Doom”, the learners took turns freezing and unfreezing each other in a game of tag involving pool noodles! After that was “Duck, Duck, Goose” and we wrapped up with each hero leading the group in a yoga pose.

Young heroes sit in a circle on a gym mat while one girl stands leading the group

Three children sit smiling cross-legged on gym mats in a gym

Heroes hold plank poses on mats in the gym during yoga practice

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Art

In art we watched a video on how Moroccan tiles are made for their beautiful mosaic architecture. Next we learned how to make mosaics out of paper. The heroes were able to choose their colors and designed a mosaic out of paper “tiles” on a plate. We also listened to Moroccan music in the background!

Colorful paper mosaic of Morocco on white paper with a green border

A young hero colors a paper mosaic tile design at a table with crayons and glue sticks

Paper mosaic tile designs on black plates arranged on a patterned tablecloth

Colorful paper mosaic of square tiles arranged in a spiral on a black plate

Heroes make paper mosaic tiles around a table in art class

Children make paper mosaic tiles on plates at tables during art class

Young hero colors a paper mosaic tile at a classroom table during art class

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Cooking

Thank you to Mrs. Molley who came on Friday to lead cooking with our heroes! This week they made Moroccan chicken and couscous! They grated cheese, chopped up cilantro, zested a lemon, and mixed it all together. After cooking, the Little Heroes used a Montessori work on place setting to set up the tables for everyone to try the food. The dishes were delicious and several learners came back for seconds!

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Two young heroes use a grater and peeler at a table during cooking class, with a bowl of rice nearby

A pot of couscous simmers on a hot plate while a wooden spoon stirs it during cooking class

Guide and two girls cook at a classroom table, stirring couscous and chopping herbs

Learners and a guide cook in a classroom kitchen, with one girl zesting a lemon at a table

A young hero grates cheese at a table during cooking with a guide

Guide and two children stir food in a classroom kitchen during cooking with heroes

Skewers of Moroccan chicken cooking on a griddle while children blur in the background

A guide helps a child serve Moroccan chicken and couscous in the classroom kitchen

Moroccan chicken skewers and couscous on a table during cooking with the heroes

Heroes and a guide smile and give thumbs up in a classroom cooking activity with tables and string lights

A young learner arranges Montessori materials on a rug in the classroom

Learners sample food at a classroom table with plates, napkins, and flowers during Welcome Back Heroes

Two children sit at a classroom table with paper plates, napkins, and pink flowers in a vase

Two children sit at a small classroom table set with plates and napkins, smiling at the camera

Two young children sit at a small table with plates and a vase of pink flowers

Three children sit at a small table in a classroom, smiling and making peace signs

Child at a table gives a thumbs up beside a mostly empty plate and a vase of pink flowers

Smiling girl in an apron holds a paper plate in a classroom with other children at tables

Two heroes eat lunch at a table in the cafeteria

Boy eating a snack at a table with a paper plate and napkin, with another child partly visible

Recipe page for Grilled Moroccan Chicken with ingredients, prep times, and 7-step instructions

Free Time

The older heroes held a “Town Hall” on Friday to propose and vote on a way to make free time more organized, fair, and safe. They came up with an excellent plan that worked very well on Friday afternoon. Two claps for the ES heroes improving their community!

Two boys smile at a table playing a board game in the classroom

A young hero kneels in a chicken coop feeding two chickens

Heroes play with toy food at a table during free time in the classroom

Four heroes sort toys in bins at a table during free time

Four heroes stand in a gym with hula hoops during free time

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Fun Friday

We love our “Fun Fridays”! If they have been working hard all week the heroes get to earn their ticket to participate in certain activities on Fridays. In the Little Hero’s studio they have “show and tell” in the morning where they can bring something special to them to share with the studio. We saw all kinds of amazing things including Isabelle’s pet tortoise! Afterwards we gather to cook a new recipe each week before snack time. In the afternoon, all heroes have the opportunity to watch a movie. This week they watched “Home”!

Children climb and play on a green dome jungle gym in the grass under a bright blue sky

Children sit on chairs and the floor in a classroom watching a movie on wall-mounted TVs

Young children sit in a circle during show and tell in a classroom with a round rug and low shelves

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ES Hero of the Week

In the Elementary Studio they started voting each Friday on the learner who displayed the most heroic traits all week long. These are things like focus, positivity, helpfulness, kindness, holding people accountable, being respectful, etc. The hero of the week gets to choose between a few prizes. This week everyone unanimously voted for Aubri! Congratulations Aubri!

Aubri smiles in the Elementary Studio beside a table, blue chairs, and bookshelves

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