Upper School News December - Math, Science, and Farm

Science:

In science, we are studying the anatomy and physiology of the cell. In a recent guided-inquiry lab, students discovered enzymes and their importance in each living cell through a reaction that occurs between potatoes and hydrogen peroxide. Discovery is one of the most important elements in Montessori. We know it as an "aha" moment!

We continue to explore the structure and function of the cell parts. Some students might have already noticed the strange assortment of many different solutions available for our next guided-inquiry lab. Thanks to our youngest scientists for acting as lab assistants in measuring and preparing the solutions for our next experiment.

Math:

Movement through the Montessori math curriculum starts with the concrete materials (a golden bead ten bar holds ten units) to the symbolic (a blue wooden stamp in the stamp game and a blue bead on the bead frame concretely represent the number 10) to the abstraction. Abstraction means that both concrete and symbolic are understood to be utilized. Memorization of facts and formulas must be tied to understanding of concepts. Learning math is not chronological, but developmental. Montessori math curriculum is the reverse of traditional math curriculum.

The younger students are progressing through their individualized Albanesi work plans. On any given day, students may be practicing addition with the bead bars (concrete), subtraction with borrowing using the bead frame (symbolic), learning how to use the racks and tubes material for long division (symbolic), or learning how to find equivalent fractions with the fraction circles material (symbolic). 

Others have been working on adding and subtracting decimals, and they have applied this knowledge to developing a weekly lunch budget. Through this process, students have made astute observations and developed an awareness of how much it costs to eat. This folds beautifully into their farm work, as students have been watching documentaries about food insecurity and where our food comes from.

Some of the older students have been reviewing the coordinate plane and created coordinate plane drawings. They developed instructions for their designs, and then other students used the instructions to test the drawings for accuracy.

Another material that aids in building the executive functions needed in math is completion of pin maps using an Atlas. This requires locating information, using coordinates, holding it in working memory, and finding the location of the place on the wooden map. It also requires dexterity of movement to insert all of the pins in the map without disturbing those already placed.

After the midterm elections, some of our students analyzed graphs and charts of the results using percents, decimals, and fractions.

Farm:

In "Winter Farm Class" we have been exploring the story of the food we eat. We discussed the difference between a local food system and an industrial food system and researched the origin of ingredients on food labels. Working in groups, students are preparing presentations telling the story of two different foods and where all the ingredients came from as well as how the food is produced. It has been shocking to map out how many miles food travels to get to us!

This week we are looking at seasonal foods within 150 miles of Nashville and where we might be able to find them. We will also be compiling resources to help our school community find locally produced food through farmers markets, CSA's (Community Supported Agriculture), and restaurants using locally sourced ingredients.