Autumn

September
 
Hello song – introducing children to teachers and to each other.

 
Starting school – story-time – group discussions help build confidence and alleviate 
anxieties. Familiar nursery rhymes and action songs -basic painting, pasting, cutting – introduce the farm – animal sounds - story of cow.
 Group collage – Autumn – discussion, songs etc.

 October:
 Difference between farm and wild animals, activities appropriate to same.
Leaf rubbings, story of squirrel, tree, fruit etc.. Halloween arts and crafts. Halloween party– dressing up.

Winter

November:

 Plant bulbs, make hedgehog, discuss hibernation and winter.
 Group collage – Winter – discussion songs etc.

 
December:
 Christmas arts and crafts, decorate classroom. Christmas party – Santa’s visit.

 
January:
 Make winter snowman, polar bears, penguins with cotton wool and paste.
 Introduce solar system, paint sun, discuss planets.

Spring

February:

Introduce continents, activities appropriate to each one, e.g. (African continent) elephant story/craft, springtime song and Valentine crafts.
 Group collage – Spring – discussion, songs etc.

 March:

 Learn about March hare, activities appropriate to springtime, e.g. Mother’s Day.
 Discuss changing weather, springtime flowers etc. St Patrick’s Day crafts, decorate classroom, party, marching songs, parade.

 
April:

 Time line, dinosaurs, early man etc. – activities to coincide with same. Easter story, baby animals, spring lamb, baby chicks – craft activities – Easter party.

Summer

May

Life cycle of the butterfly -appropriate crafts
School tour to Glenroe Farm.
Summer collage - crafts, stories song




June

Summer crafts, stories, songs, activities - starfish-
sea creatures. Discuss summertime,& climate, holidays, beaches, show pictures, paint shells etc.
Graduation party- concert for parents.

Topics/Themes

The examples given above may vary slightly from year to year as we are constantly exploring new ideas, so there is not necessarily a repetition of the same topics every year. The topics’ chosen will build on children’s direct experiences as children learn best when activities are relevant to themselves.

The following are some examples:

· Colours, weather, seasons, animals

· Transport, families, places we live, time, rhymes.

· Numbers, opposites, shapes, sea, farms

· People at work, fireman, busman, builders.

Cultural Festivals and Religious Celebrations.

The majority of children in Ireland celebrate Christian festivals, such as Christmas, St. Patrick’s Day and Easter. However we are aware that there are many other religious and cultural groups in this country and as we have a policy of inclusiveness we would welcome suggestions from parents with ideas for activities / crafts etc which may be appropriate to their own culture.

 Birthday Celebrations !

We organise and supply all the necessary food/cake for children who’s birthday falls during the school year. They love the excitement of a birthday party and really enjoy celebrating this special day with their Montessori friends.