Art music nature Science P.e.

Our team of specialists lead important classes that delve further into the Arts & Sciences. For elementary students, these classes enhance standard academics with hands-on learning in chemistry, physics, and study of the natural world. For all children (primary and elementary) art, music, dance, sports and play supplement work and activities in the classroom. Each specialist visits our school 1-2 times per week.

Children learn music fundamentals such as beat, rhythm, pitch, form and phrasing in a playful progressive way using movement, singing and instruments. Each lesson builds upon the former in a cumulative learning experience that is experiential and fun.

Jim McGrath shows students the preening gland of a house sparrow. Birds use the oil from this gland to clean their feathers. Nature study with Jim is always hands on and often involves interactions with different kinds of living creatures including amphibians, reptiles, birds, and rodents.

Student’s play 'squirrel get your tree' tag game. This game incorporates children's imagination with movement. During gym class, Kim McKeon strives to help children discover their own personal connection to active movement – whether that is through sports, running, stretching or play.

Upper Elementary students learn about the teamwork needed to play cohesively as a band. They gain exposure to many different instruments by trying them, hearing them, and listening to instruction for all the instruments in the band. Their learning culminates in performances at our Holiday Program and Spring Concert.

Students combine baking soda with vinegar in one beaker and magnesium with vinegar in another, predicting whether the reactions will be endothermic (heat absorbing) or exothermic (heat releasing). Additionally, they write and balance the chemical equations.

Students in the upper elementary learn the science behind climate change and look at how it has affected us locally. The Michigan cold climate mink frog population is being depleted as the green frog moves further north. Green frogs are able to mate with mink frogs, diluting their DNA. Carol McGrath’s science classes looks at the world through scientific observation.

Heard of Sandtray WorldPlay? Our younger students currently have the unique opportunity to work with Pat Taylor, (former primary teacher of 30 years) to create a world using sand, miniatures, and figurines. They then tell a story about that world. The activity promotes creativity and language through play and storytelling.

Art is an everyday occurrence in the classroom. Here students have created planets to enrich their learning of our solar system. In addition to art being incorporated into the curriculum, lower-elementary students occasionally have the opportunity to have directed art lessons from Pat Taylor, former teacher and volunteer art consultant.

5th year students experiment with Paint by altering their own photo to create a superhero. They also use Word to write the story of their hero. Technology is taught to 3rd-6th year students. Students work on their keyboarding, word processing and internet research abilities culminating in projects such as planing and outlining their dream vacations, buying a car and getting a job. 6th year students design our annual yearbook.

Music

MEGAN HIGLE has been teaching music since 1999. She is an active vocal coach and piano teacher, has worked with numerous choirs and musical productions and is the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of the Lansing Children's Choir. Music classes with Megan include voice technique, playing instruments, rhythm, movement and dance as well as music from other cultures. Megan earned a Bachelor of Music: Vocal Performance summa cum laude from Marygrove College and a Master of Music: Choral Conducting from Oakland University.

Band

JAIME DeMOTT works with our upper elementary students in band instruction twice a week. Instrumentation varies from year to year with many instruments represented including trumpet, saxophone, clarinet, and horn. Jaime, contracted to us through the MSU Community Music School, holds a bachelor’s degree in music education and a master’s degree in youth development, both from Michigan State University.

Nature Study

JIM McGRATH of Nature Discovery (located in Williamston, MI) has been the Nature Specialist at Montessori Children’s House since 1990. Each week, Jim arrives with interesting stories (often with live creatures) to speak with our toddler, primary, and lower elementary children. Jim got his B.S. degree in Wildlife Biology from MSU, but claims that most of his study is self-taught. Jim’s love of the natural world goes back to the days of his childhood and he enjoys sharing this passion with our children. Jim’s enthusiasm is contagious. He builds on the children’s natural curiosity and love for the outdoor world.

Science

CAROL McGRATH works with the upper elementary and middle school students teaching chemistry, physical science, and biology. Students are engaged in hands-on lab experiments and activities such as launching rockets, taking measurements, performing chemical reactions, predicting outcomes, balancing equations, designing and building a working simple machine, frog dissection and more. Carol encourages students to use the scientific method to observe the world around them by making hypotheses and performing experiments to gather data. She has a B.S. degree in Biology from the University of Illinois, Chicago. After working several years as a chemist in the private sector she turned to science education.

Physical Education

KIM McKEON helps children find joy in movement and exercise. She has been working at MCH in various capacities since 2005. She has been a softball coach at Bowling Green State University and an assistant softball coach at MSU. In addition, Kim has directed numerous youth sport camps and clinics and spent time as a personal trainer. She has her B.S. in Physical Education and her M.A. in Education in Athletic Administration.

Art

PAT TAYLOR has been teaching young children since 1971. She was a primary classroom guide at MCH for over 30 years. We are delighted to have Pat back on staff working with the Primary students as an art specialist. Coordinated lessons create art awareness through stories, styles, mediums, artists, and cultures.