Two kindergarten students at Gulfport Montessori Elementary School stop to read a poster in a hallway decorated with ocean creatures and motifs – including a depiction of the Gulf Stream and turtles on the ceiling – on Friday, January 13. The kindergarten teachers decided to turn the entire kindergarten wing into a marine environment and to relate all the subjects in their curriculum to the ocean for a two-month period. “Every subject revolves around the sea,” said teacher Jillian Cook. In math class, for example, students are counting fish, and in science they’re learning about new fish being discovered in the dark depths of the ocean. The seven teachers, who also include Madison Buchert, Cheryl McCullers, Joanne MacConnell, Rachael Yousey, Mashainah Mallory and Senen Balce, are all planning the curriculum together. A poster in the hall display reads: “Just keep swimming Kindergarten.”
