Cowles Montessori Crier

More than 40 preschool families met with the Children's House team to learn about Montessori education! We are excited for our three-year-olds to begin their education at Cowles and for our four-year-olds to return in September!

Cowles Families,

Please join us on the blacktop at 10:15 on Thursday, August 31st, to celebrate peace and Dr. Maria Montessori's birthday! We will follow a brief ceremony with our annual Peace Walk.

Welcome – Ms. Cain

Peace Pledge – Upper Montessori Students

Light a Candle for Peace - Lower Montessori Students

Student Speaker – Middle School Students

Peace Pledge – Children's House Students

Peace Walk – Principal Johnson

Dear Families,

In Montessori classrooms, social studies and science lessons come under the topic of culture. Maria Montessori believed in the power of storytelling to ignite the child’s imagination to explore and learn more about the world around them. Her stories are known as the Five Great Lessons. These lessons are presented year after year and become a much-treasured tradition.

We will begin the year by discussing the scientific perspective on how the universe came to be through the First Great Lesson: The Creation of the Universe. The story is told in a way that inspires students to research and learn about topics such as the laws of physics, the solar system, seasons, tides, moon phases, volcanoes, earthquakes, and chemistry. We recognize that many family beliefs exist and encourage the children to explore them. We will introduce creation stories from other cultures as we research ancient civilizations throughout the year. Many families see this as an opportunity to discuss beliefs that you share. We welcome any stories you would like to share with us from your culture.

We will then focus on the Second Great Lesson: The Coming of Life. In this story, children investigate how each life form was introduced into the world. The students are presented with a timeline that begins with the early creatures that formed in the oceans, explains how the creatures moved onto land, and shows how some have adapted to be able to fly. Humankind appears at the very end of the timeline. After this lesson, children flock to studies about classifying plants and animals, fossils, prehistoric life, and time-related terms such as periods and epochs. They begin to understand that each living thing plays a role in our universe.

Another special story is the Third Great Lesson, which brings to light three things humans have that make them unique from other living things: A heart to love, a hand to work, and a brain to imagine with. This lesson allows children to study early humans, civilizations, history, cultures, and inventions. It also emphasizes peace education, where we are responsible for loving those we do not yet know.

Children are introduced to the earliest forms of communication. Students will imagine what the first word might have been. This story then takes them on a journey through writing as they learn how our alphabet was formed. The Fourth Great Lesson creates interest in language, reading, communication past and present, etymology, writing, and foreign languages.

The Story of Numbers introduces how early civilizations needed a way to keep track of things. Students learn that the earliest ones used only numbers 1 and 2. Over time, more numbers were added. Students will learn the decimal system that we use today. The Fifth Great Lesson leads students to study numbers, mathematical concepts, and geometry.

Please let your child’s teacher know if you have any questions about the Five Great Lessons that will be shared among our classrooms in the upcoming weeks.

- Mrs. Gibson, Mrs. Romeo/Mr. Egherman, Dr. Doug, Mrs. Alexander

Parent Volunteer Training with Taylor Tompkins, Communty In Schools Coordinator

• Wednesday, August 30th, at 3:30 p.m. and September 10th, at 9:00 a.m.
• In the Cowles Library
• For new and returning classroom parent volunteers
• New volunteers may submit a DMPS volunteer application (click HERE)

Annual Peace Walk/Dr. Montessori's Birthday

• Thursday, August 31st at 10:15 a.m. (weather permitting)

Labor Day

• No School for staff and students
• Monday, September 4th

First Day of School (Preschool)

• Thursday, September 7th
• Doors open at 8:15 a.m. School begins at 8:30 a.m.
• Half Day PreK ends at 11:30 a.m.
• Full Day PreK ends at 3:25 p.m.

OneRun 2023

• When: Saturday, September 23, 2023, 8am
• Where: Water Works Park (new location!)
• Registration is open!
• Link to information and registration: http://www.dmpsfoundation.org/events/

Cowles Montessori Golden Birthday Celebration!

• Saturday, September 30th, from 5:00-9:00 p.m.
• Carnival games, inflatables, food truck, birthday cake, train rides, face painting, & more!
• Movie and snacks from 7:00-9:00 p.m.

OneRun 2023

When: Saturday, September 23, 2023, 8am

Where: Water Works Park (new location!)

Registration is open!

Link to information and registration: http://www.dmpsfoundation.org/events/

Thank you!

Jazlyn Fitz

DMPS Foundation

OneRun School Liaison

Our partner, Raygun, created the Cowles Montessori Store for children, adolescents, and adults to buy T-Shirts. A portion of your payment is donated directly to Cowles!

You can purchase mugs, hats, and other T-Shirts through our Cowles Shop.

#WeAreCowles

Email: todd.johnson@dmschools.org
Website: cowles.dmschools.org
Location: 6401 College Avenue, Windsor Heights, IA, USA
Phone: 515-242-7818
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CowlesMontessori/
Twitter: @Cowlesdmps