montessori workjobs

1-10 valentine heart counting book

2012-01-29T20:37:00.000-08:00

Children enjoy the process of making books. These books can be printed in different colored pieces of paper. Paper clip the pages needed for one child to work on. You will need heart stickers or paper punch outs of hearts. I was fortunate enough to score a heart paper puncher (you know, the scrap booking kind) that punches one inch hearts. I make sure to have enough on hand for the first lesson (55 hearts total). Please make sure that your children are familiar with 1-10 concepts, can cut a piece of paper in 1/2, and that the child can use a glue stick independently. You can decide if you want to place a small stapler with the job on the shelf so that the child can staple their book when they are all done. The steps for making the books are as follows:

You or the child writes their name on their book using their name tag to reinforce the concept of writing their name on their work.
Use the scissors to cut the pages of the book on the thick black lines.
Start with page one paste one heart on the page for "one".
Use a pencil to trace over the grey lettering for the number one.
Repeat steps 3 & 4.
Punch out more hearts as needed.
Let the pages dry if the glue is still a bit sticky.
Staple the pages of the book together in order 1-10.

NOTE:

Younger children that are mastering 1-5 can have books made for them by you. Just omit pages 6-10 until a later lesson and keep the 1-5 books in a separate area so as not to be confused with the 1-10 books. I would suggest having a tray for making 1-5 books and a tray for making 1-10 books.

buttons, buttons, get your buttons!

2012-01-28T09:00:00.000-08:00

I finally took the time to figure out how to make a button for this blog. Please feel free to grab it.

This is what it will most likely look like:

Montessori Botany: The Seed

2012-01-21T17:09:00.000-08:00

<<< This is a job I made when I wanted the children to learn the names of plants and the seeds they came from. I took the leftover seed packets from the seeds we had just planted. I mounted the pictures to cardstock, with the labels below (century gothic font) and laminated them. I then took seeds that I had saved and placed them in small vials with the same matching labels. How I was able to place an example of the seed next to its label on the card was simple. I just used some clear tape, taped the seeds down and ironed around the edges of the tape to seal it to the laminated card. I was so pleased with this material. The vials are labled as well so the children are not only object matching but they are scanning to see if the names match as well. I taped the lables to the vials. I bought the small glass vials from sunburst bottle company. I love this company, I use them alot. You should check them out.

Seed sorting is a fun tweezing activity. It's always a good way to cover all you bases when the seeds have been accidentally mixed up in the planting process. Storing seeds and showing the children how to store seeds is easy when you have an embroidery box. You can label the compartments also so you know what is there. I didn't label this box and I didn't know what the seeds were. Ooops! :P

Here are some links to other seed activities that you might enjoy:

SEED PUZZLE
Check out the Montessori Place for more ideas about planting seeds. The Pictures speak for themselves.
Check out Absorbent Minds Montessori for seed to plant stamps. In the past I've made based on these stamps.

Extensions and Experiments:

In which liquids do seeds grow best?

Books for your library:
A Seed is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston (author) and Sylvia Long (illustrator)

Parts of a SEED 3 part cards:

Dissecting seeds:
Soak Lima beans overnight - make sure that you have one for each child as well as a paper towel for each child. In a group, hand out the paper towels to each child. Pass out the seeds and allow the children to comment on what they see. Show the children how to remove the seed coat. Next, open the two parts of the Lima bean. "This is two parts of the cotyledon which is the food for the plant." Now look more closely to find the embryo which is the undeveloped plant inside the seed. Explain to the children that the baby plant or embryo could have grown into a large plant. Encourage the children to examine the seed parts while completing the three part cards and book.

Montessori Botany - The Root

2012-01-20T19:53:00.000-08:00

This is a 3 part card pouch I made to hold the parts of the root.

I downloaded these parts of a root cards here by Tanya at the montessorimaterials.org website. There is also booklet there that is meant to a accompany the 3 part cards. During a time, present the roots of the plant using a similar presentation as that of the parts of the plant. Remove the plant from the pot and place it in a large bowl of water to help remove the soil from the roots. Place a wet towel on a cookie sheet or plastic tray. Remove the plant from the water and place it on the wet towel. Give the children a magnifying glass and ask the children what they see. Name the parts of the root that pertain to the 3 part cards you have: primary root, secondary root, root hair, and root caps. Place the plant with roots covered on your science table for the children to observe. Place the plant in water when you leave overnight.

Primary root: thickest root of the plant

Secondary root: thinnest roots growing out from the primary

Root hairs: hair-like growths on the roots that absorb water and minerals from the soil

Root caps: the protective part at the end of a root

For an in depth presentation to the function of the root system you will want to do an experiment with a flowering plant (preferably light or white colored petals on the flowers), colored water, and a bucket. During a group time, present the flowering plant to the children and go over the parts of the plant as a follow up lesson the parts of the plant. Remind them of the primary function of the roots which is to receive water and nutrients through the soil. Remove the plant from it's pot, soaking it in water to remove loosening the soil from the roots and root ball. Place the plant in the dark colored water. Place the plant in the appropriate sunlight and allow it to remain there for a few days. Everyday ask the children to observe the changes in the plant. The flowers should begin to turn the color of the water. This experiment gives the children a concrete example of how plants receive water through their roots.

<<< This was a little booklet I made from pictures I cut out of an old gardening book about edible roots. I put it on the botany shelf with the root nomenclature material. Here you can see a gardener digging up edible root potatoes

For a fun root extension, I cut off the back of my cooking magazine that had beautiful illustrations of edible roots. I went to my local produce market and bought as many of these roots I could find, I cut them up into small sample pieces for the kids to taste. We had fun root tasting. The children to my surprise, sampled them all! Note you can also peel sample pieces with a potato peeler :)

Montessori Botany: the plant

2011-12-05T07:40:00.000-08:00

Introducing the plant

Place a small houseplant on the shelf for observation. Introduce the potted plant to a group of children. Carry the plant around the group and allow every child to carefully observe the plant. Ask the children if they have noticed plants in their homes or outside. Encourage conversation about the plant concerning: color, parts, texture, smell, size, etc.

Talk about the needs of the plant in comparison to other living things. "In order for the plant to stay alive, it needs to be cared for properly."

Show the children where the plant care material will be located (a watering can on a tray, with a sponge) in practical life. Show the children how to care for the plant: water it and place it in a sunny place. "The plant is a special living thing because it makes its own food from the sun."

Set up a watering schedule for the plants.
Encourage each child to bring a small plant from home to care for in the environment. Send a note home asking them to assist the child in purchasing a plant. Explain to them that their child will learn how to care for their plant throughout the year. Keep a record of who owns which plant, the name of the plant and plant care instructions.
Go on nature walks to observe plants outside the classroom

Introduce the parts of the plant the same week and incorporate a hands on lesson. Discuss the difference between inside plants and outside plants. Talk about how many different kinds of plants there are in the world. "A plant can be small as the one on the shelf or as large as the tree outside."
Material:
a small plant, a small bucket with water, a large piece of newspaper, a wet towel
Presentation:
Spread out the newspaper over your workspace. Place the potted plant to your left, place the bucket of water to the right of the bucket, and place the towel to the right of the bucket. Carefully remove the plant from the pot and gently shake off the soil. Talk about how the plant needs soil to stay grounded and takes nutrients from the soil through its roots. Use the water in the bucket to help remove the remaining soil from the roots. Use the damp towel to help preserve the roots when they are not in the soil. Transfer the plant while it is on the towel to a tray to be used in a three part card lesson using the cards below:
Definitions:

Plant Any living organism belonging to the vegetable kingdom

Root The part of the plant that grows into the ground. The root holds the plant in place and absorbs water and minerals from the soil

Stem The main part of the a plant above the ground. The stem supports the branches, flowers, etc.

Branches The parts of a plant that grow out from the stem.

Leaves The thin flat green parts of the plant that grow on the stem

parts of a plant 3 part cards from montessorimaterials.org

parts of a plant book from montessorimaterials.org
5 PLANT activities to do here

parts of a plant salad:

Present the initial lesson to a group. Lay the labels out in a circle to represent the life cycle of a plant. Allow the children to touch and feel the whole fruit during this lesson. In the lessons to follow, in food prep the children can work with them more closely.

try to obtain fresh vegetables so the children can relate parts to whole.
In a group setting lay out all the parts cards in a circle. Hold up a food item and help the child classify it according to the card.
If you use dressing for the salad you can explain the ingredients to the children
In practical life , have the children prepare the vegetables for the salad to be served at lunch.

Serve the salad at lunch family style.

salt dough maps

2011-11-27T13:34:00.000-08:00

Australia by child age 3 1/2

salt dough recipe: equal parts water, sea salt, and (a little more) whole wheat flour
materials:
(day 1)

prepared salt dough

small containers for prepared salt dough

prepared pieces of thick cardboard (not the cereal box type) with outlline of the continent or land mass

tool to spread salt dough; examples: tongue depressors, plastic butter knife, plastic spoon.

blue paint for water on the map

paint brushes

small container to hold blue paint

(day 2)

paint (corresponding to the montessori continent maps)

paint brushes

small paint containers

2 day process:
Prepare this activity well in advance. Decide whatever land mass you want to focus on. Prepare the children for this activity by showing them where the continent or land mass is located on the globe and/or the hemispheres map. Invite the children to make their own maps. "Would you like to make your own map?"

DAY 1:

Have a piece of cardboard with a traced outline of the continent prepared for each child. Have the child write their name on the back of their peice of cardboard before you start.
Show the child where and how they will be spreading the salt dough. "When you spread the salt dough on the map, make sure you stay inside the lines. This will be the land part of the map. When they are done spreading the salt dough all over the inside of the black outline allow them to clean up their work area to prepare for the naxt step of the process. Allow them to take their time and make sure that all the salt dough is washed off of the tools and wiped off of the surface of the table.
Next, show them how you will be painting the outside of your landmass - siginifying water or "ocean".
Watch but do not hover to make sure that they are not painting the wet land mass.
Have the child place their map in a safe and clear area to dry over night.
have the child wash their tools and return the materials to their storage area.

DAY 2:

After the salt dough map has been drying for 24 hours the salt dough should be dry enough the paint over. Check when on your own (when the children are not around) by poking the salt dough with your finger or a toothpick to make sure the dough is fully dry.
Paint the continent the color it is on the continent map :

RED : EUROPE

ORANGE : NORTH AMERICA

YELLOW : ASIA

GREEN : AFRICA

PINK : SOUTH AMERICA

WHITE : ANTARCTICA

BROWN : AUSTRALIA

Continent/Geography shelf: Step (1) tray set up; one person job

Montessori Botany: The Fruit

2011-11-25T23:03:00.000-08:00

parts of a pear

During group time explain to the children that you are going to examine the fruit. Place a pear onto the cutting board, and talk about the shape, color, texture, plant v. animal, where it grows. Carefully cut the pear in half. Otherwise have a pre-cut pear on hand. Be sure to sprinkle the exposed part of the pear with lemon juice to preserve the color so it doesn't start to turn brown. Return the knife and lemon juice to a safe place. Have the children take turns describing what they see. Assist the children in naming the parts of the fruit. Use the 3 period lesson. Place the fruit on the nature table for the children to observe. Make 3 part cards and books available to children.
parts of a pear 3 part cards:

parts of a pear book:

Nomenclature:

pericarp- the walls of a ripened fruit

exocarp- the outer layer of a pericarp

mesocarp- the flesh part of the fruit

endocarp- the inner layer of a ripened fruit
stalk- the part of the fruit attached to the stem
seed- the part of the fruit used to reproduce the species
calyx- the set of fruit sepals of the pear blossom that reamains on the fruit

History:
Pears are native to coastal and mildly temperate regions of the Old World, from western Europe and northern Africa and east across Asia... read more here

parts of a dump truck

2011-11-24T23:53:00.000-08:00

model dump truck bought at rite aid

Dump Truck 3 part cards

Dump Truck BOOK

Three part cards are used in Montessori classrooms after the child has had sufficient familiarity matching pictures and patterns - also known as 'graphic matching'. Graphic matching is one of the first pre-reading activities that young children can do. By matching pictures that are exactly alike they are using visual cues and one-to-one matching skills important to reading. The primary aim with this work is the development of visual discrimination. Three part cards on the other hand are the next level up and incorporate all of the above plus the vocabulary associated with the picture.

Three part cards lesson:

Materials:

three part card tray or container to hold 3 part cards
model of object if the subject is learning the "Parts of..."
three part cards
rug or mat

Direct Purpose:

development of visual discrimination
preparation for vocabulary

Indirect Purpose:

development of left to right tracking needed reading

3 part card KEY

Presentation: Gauge the interest and readiness of the child. Show the child where the material is located on the shelf. Carry the job to a mat or rug. Remove the model dump truck and all the cards from the container and place the container in the upper left hand corner. Place your three sets of cards in their own piles to the left of you on the rug/mat. Place the model dump truck in front of you. Place the control cards (set 1: picture + label) in a horizontal row at the top of the rug/mat. Say the names of the parts of the dump truck and point them out as you lay down each card. Next match the second set of cards (set 2: picture no label) to the top control set (set 1). Do this slowly from left to right allowing the child to discriminate. Allow the child to match one card at a time as you have shown them with the first few. Next match the labels (set 3: label only). Do this slowly as the child has more abstract things to discriminate. Use your finger to point out the first letter in the control set (set 1: picture + label) and compare it to the label (set 3: label only), do this for every letter on the label until you find the matching control card.

Points of interest:

variety of cards (should be changed often)
classification of cards
learning new words

Control of error:

control cards (set 1)

Isolation of difficulty: classifying by a common factor or characteristic

sewing in the montessori primary classroom

2011-11-19T01:32:00.000-08:00

Direct purpose is to develop hand-eye coordination, and muscular control.
Indirect preparation for writing.

PREPARATION OF THE ENVIRONMENT:
Traditionally the sewing material has been stored on the practical life shelf layed out in baskets (which takes up lots of room). I have stored each step in drawers such as those made of plastic (ikea no longer makes the FERA wooden drawers :( you'll have to score them second hand). The drawers serve as a storage unit for the materials. The children use a flat basket or small tray to gather the tools and materials from the drawer they are qualified to use.

Here is an example of what I mean:

pin cushion practice

Practicing pushing pins into a pin cushion is an absorbing fine motor activity appropriate for the mature child that is interested in sewing. This job is also perfect for children who are not quite ready for the multiple steps required in most sewing activities.
Materials: extreme caution, watchful and attentive adult, 12-18 pins varying colors to be sorted, small dish for pins, pin cushion, dish for pin cushion, tray to hold all materials.
Presentation: Invite the child to do the exercise. Show them where the material is located on the shelf. Carry the tray carefully to the table. Sit on the child's dominant side. Talk about the precaution needed in using this material. 'These pins are only for the pin cushion' , 'Always make sure the pins stay with the job', etc. Remove a pin from the dish using your dominant hand holding it between the index finger and thumb. With your sub dominant hand, hold the pin cushion in place so it doesn't get away from you while you are pushing the pin in to it. Finish the task of pushing each pin into the pin cushion. Remove the pin from the pin cushion before replacing the job on the shelf. Allow the child to do this job if they have had a lesson. Use your best judgment in placing this material in you classroom. The intent is to teach children how to the sewing materials responsibly.

oil cloth / embroidery practice stitch practice

1.
This would be considered drawer (1) of your storage unit if you are choosing to consolidate this unit. This is an extension to the lacing boards we are all accustomed to. This activity is SUPER easy to make yourself and with the varieties of oil cloth these days, the possibilities are endless!
Just make sure to pre punch the holes with a hole punch.
Materials: small wood embroidery hoop, oil cloth of your choice & shoe lace (one side stiff / one side knotted).
Presentation: Invite the child to the lesson. "We are going to practice stitching." Show the child where the material is located on the shelf. Show them where the baskets for gathering the materials are located. Get a basket, hold it firmly in one hand and open the top drawer with the other hand gather one lace, one embroidery hoop with oil cloth attached. Take your materials back to the table. Place the basket in the upper left hand corner of your work area. Place the hoop with oil cloth attached to the right of the basket. Begin by unwinding the lace and placing it across the table in front of you. Place the stiff side to the left and knotted side to the right. 3 finger pincer grasp the left side of the lace with your dominant hand. Pick up the hoop with oil cloth attached with your sub dominant hand. Flip the hoop over and thread your lace through one of the holes. Gently pull until you can pull no further - the knot at the end of the lace should stop you from threading any further. Flip the hoop over and continue the over and under motion until there are no more holes to be stitched. Before returning the material to the drawer make sure your remove the gently remove the lace from the oil cloth. Oil cloth can tear if it is pulled to hard so to preserve the integrity of the material make sure that you are gentle when removing the lace. Once you have removed the lace from the holes in the oil cloth, you can begin winding up the lace. Use the middle and index fingers of your sub dominant hand to wind the lace. Finished!

The oil cross stitch practice is also stored in the first drawer. It is one step up from the stitch practice above. The challenge in this job is that the holes for stitching are smaller and the child is expected to cross stitch. Assume the lesson plan for stitching but be aware that you are to continue your stitches diagonally so as to create the cross stitch design.

oil cross stitch practice

You will want to make this material too. It is a little more detail oriented to make. I bought gingham oil cloth for this. I imagine you can use whatever oil cloth you can find for this. You will notice with this material that the holes for practice are much smaller than the holes made by a hole puncher. The way that I did this was by burning the holes with a heated extra large safety pin. I made this material in a well ventilated area away from children. I pre marked the holes with a permanent marker before I began making the holes. I used a lighter and an extra large safety pin. First, I heated the safety pin and while it was hot, punctured the places I marked. I had to heat the pin every time I punctured and there was a tiny bit of smoke. Allow the melted oil cloth to completely dry before working with it, I suggest overnight. The type of lace I used for this was slightly smaller in width only because I had some extra laying around.

running stitch on burlap

This activity is another stitching activity except the children can take this one home. Burlap can be found in many colors. I myself have found colors for every season. Can you guess what month this picture was taken in? Drawer (2) Materials: extra small embroidery hoop, squares of burlap with one line pulled out, extra large needles and yarn/embroidery floss.

Presentation: Invite the child to the lesson. Show the child where the material is located in the shelf. Show the child where the baskets are located to gather the material from the drawer. Hold the basket with you sub dominant hand while using your dominant hand to pull open the drawer and gather your material. For this activity you will gather one embroidery hoop, one piece of burlap, one large needle and yarn/or embroidery floss. Go to the table. Sit on the dominant side of the child. Place your basket in the upper left hand corner of your work area. Show the child how to open the embroidery hoop by unscrewing the clasp and opening the hoop. Place your burlap over your small hoop and then place your larger hoop over that. Screw the clasp to the hoop shut. Next you will need a pair of scissors from the art shelf. Bring the scissors back to the table on a small scissor tray. Place the scissors just below the basket of materials. Take the yarn/ or floss from the basket and measure one arm length and cut it at that length. Thread the yarn/or floss through the extra large needle and tie off the end. Place your threaded needle through the far left side of the hoop and pull. Stitch up and down through the burlap where you had pulled the burlap string out before. Make sure you stitch through each opening in the burlap so that the stitches are real close. When you have reached the other end of the burlap, you can stop and tie off the yarn or floss. Show the child how to take the burlap out of the embroidery hoop and how to carefully put the hoops back together without splitting the wood. Return the material to the drawer and the scissors back to the art shelf.

Note: due to the size of the needles I stored them in a left over piece of burlap instead of a pin cushion, you can also store the needles in an extra small tin box. Also you do not need an embroidery hoop for this lesson, I use it initially for control of movement. Good Luck!

embroidery prep on thick grid plastic

Drawer (3) materials: embroidery patterns, large needles, variety of colored floss.

Assume the lesson plan for the lesson for the burlap stitch lesson. This activity is a more direct preparation for embroidery while still using the regular stitch. Prepare this activity by purchasing stiff embroidery material and/ or plastic shapes from your local craft store. Children can stitch in and out of the open spaces filling all of them until there are no more to fill. I like to give the children a choice of embroidery floss color. Children love this activity because they get to use the stitching skills they have learned to fill in interesting shapes.

4.
Button sewing can be fun for you, the children and the community. Ask parents in one of your school newsletter for button donations. If you end up with more buttons then you can sew, you can always use them in other areas of practical life such as pouring, sorting, spooning, whole hand transfer, etc. This would be Drawer (4) and you will need: 1 embroidery hoop, cloth, variety of buttons, medium needle, pin cushion, and thread/floss.

button sewing

Invite the child to the lesson. Show the child where the material is located. Retrieve a basket to hold the materials you will be gathering: 1 arms length of embroidery floss/thread, one needle in pin cushion, scissors (on tray from art shelf), small box of buttons, 1 small piece of cloth, and 1 small embroidery hoop. Begin by pulling out one arms length of floss/thread, cut it, thread it, and knot it. Place it back into the pin cushion for safe keeping for now. Open the embroidery hoop carefully so as not to split the wood. Place the piece of cloth onto the small embroidery hoop and close the larger hoop over it, clasp it shut and place it to the left. All the while choose a button you would like to sew to the cloth. Begin sewing the button to the cloth by pushing the needle through the bottom part of the embroidery hoop and pulling it through. String the button you have chosen on to the needle and thread. Push the needle through the cloth close to where the initial thread was pushed through and pull. Now the button is held in place by this one stitch. Continue as before 2 or 3 more times until you end up on the bottom side of the embroidery hoop. Tie a knot and cut the string. Start sewing another button but remember to tie the end of your string first! Let the child sew to their hearts desire. Help them as needed, like when they accidentally go around with the needle and get all tangled up. Go slow when you are showing them and over emphasize the up and down motion of the button sewing.
Note: in the past I have used heavy fabric like canvas, when you go into the craft store this material can be pricey. If it is not with in your budget to pay for the going price of a heavier cloth consider second hand cloth napkins. I have bought stacks of cloth napkins from goodwill with the sole intention of cutting them up and using them in the sewing drawers.

5.

finger puppet

This possibly the climax of the child's whole sewing experience. As with all the jobs on the shelf there are lessons that must come before others. In this case, drawers 1-4. In this picture the templates have been pre cut for the children. I have seen it where the child gets a piece of felt and is supposed to trace and cut the finger puppet template themselves. I would love to that. I made the tiny pin cushion for this job because I needed a pin cushion.

Here are the materials needed for this drawer: various colors of cut felt small enough to fit a child's finger (1.5'' x 2''), thread, needle, 2 pins, pin cushion, tacky glue, googly eyes, cotton balls (or balls of wool), and scissors from the scissor shelf.

Presentation: Invite the child to the lesson. Show them where the material is located, they should already be familiar with gathering the materials. Instruct them on what to get. Let them choose two alternate pieces of felt or matching. Alternating patterns help them control the pattern of movements needed for the proper stitch. In order for there to be consistency and so that the edges of the pattern don't crinkle, keep with the same stitch we've been using all along - up and down stitch (not the round about stitch). The thread is not shown in the picture because by this time I was using the thread station shown below. This station is aesthetically pleasing, a curiosity to the children, and incorporates movement! Place the basket in the upper left hand corner of your work area. Lay out your materials in the order in which they will be used: pin cushion, thread, two pieces of the puppet, one cotton ball, and two eye balls. They should already know how to thread the needle, they may need help tieing. Pin the two pieces of felt together and begin stitching in the lower left hand side of the puppet. STOP before you sew the puppet shut. Stuff the puppet with the cotton and glue on the eye balls. You may choose to draw a face with a permanent marker. Finished!

LINKS:

tiny pin cushion tutorial from "How About Orange" blog
printable finger puppet templates from "free kids crafts"

dolls and pillows

Drawer (6) follows the same lesson as the drawer prior except, before you sew it all the way shut you stuff it with filler. you can buy filler at the fabric store or you can buy a pillow for under $5 at a store that sells home stuffs. Again, you could have the children trace and cut their own patterns or you could prep them. You'll need more than two pins depending on the size of your pillow. This a really fun activity because you can tailor it to the seasons and holidays.

thread station made from a wooden paper towel holder ;)

table setting

2011-11-12T00:39:00.000-08:00

This is a one person job. It is meant for the young child just entering the Primary Montessori classroom. It is simple enough and rewarding. You'll want to make this material yourself, as I did.

First, I bought a plain white piece of thick vinyl for the mat. Then I shopped around for a small cup, cloth napkin, small dish and small silverware. I had some left over extra small espresso cups left over from a broken pouring job so that is what you see for the cup. I bought the rest at Cost Plus World Market - I just love that store! Anyway, once I had all my items together I layed them out on the vinyl and measured out how much vinyl I would actually need to fit all the items. I trimmed the mat down. I then traced the outline of the items with a pencil so I didn't mark anything up with permanent marker. After the pencil, I cleared off the items and traced over the pencil with a permanent marker and let it dry over nite. Once everything was dry I was ready to transport my items to the shelf. I happened to have a flat 8"x12" rectangular basket that I could store the items in while they are on the shelf. The basket is not actually part of the job or lesson. In fact, you could use a tray to store the items on the shelf if you wanted.

Make sure to check the items daily for smudges. But, there shouldn't be any because part of your lesson should include hand washing before table setting. :) ENJOY!

montessori botany - the garden

2011-11-09T08:43:00.000-08:00

The purpose of growing a garden is to raise the child's awareness of plants. All aspects of a curriculum can be accessed through the garden. You can design a whole years worth of study around plants - studying their germination (birth), life and death (decomposition). Children learn where natural consumer products actually come from. Before taking on this endeavor, introduce the children to fruits, vegetables, and trees native to where you live. Prepare activities aimed at introducing fruits,vegetables, trees and plants familiar to the children.

winter garden snap pea blossom

winter garden snap pea

carrots mid December

salad garden to feed the

classroom pets

the garden mid march (California)

Gardens awaken an enthusiasm for work, nutrition, learning and community cooperation, responsibility and preservation of the environment. Gardening with children helps develop their understanding of their relationship with nature. Advance planning is important for a successful garden. Consider a sensory garden when selecting your plants. Either way, maintaining a garden promotes gross motor development. Gardening chores such as digging, carrying watering cans full of water, planting and weeding.

Schedule field trips to local lavender farms, berry farms, pumpkin patches, farmers market, orchards, nurseries, etc. Use your local libraries to check out books on plants and horticulture to fill your classroom library. Ask parents if they have old gardening magazines they would be willing to donate for you to use in your classrooms study of plants.

Materials Needed:

buckets, seed markers, desire, commitment, volunteers, sun,water, drainage, soil, access for little people, tools for little people, tool storage, add flowers in the garden to attract pollinators, start a garden newsletter as soon as you have a plan. Plan backwards decide when the harvest will be - preferably before the school year ends so you can have a harvest party!

deadheading the garden in the early spring

WORMS are vital to the health of your soil & the
kids love to observe them and hold them.

cabbage moth larvae

pests: the children enjoyed seeking these
guys out and picking them up with
tweezers and observing them outside
of the garden

montessori turkey nomenclature FREE 3 part cards & book

2011-11-05T12:10:00.000-07:00

Since you may not have access to a real life turkey I would suggest having a turkey replica to go along with the turkey nomenclature 3 part card lesson. Above is a picture of a male domestic turkey from safari ltd., included is a link: http://www.shopatron.com/products/productdetail/part_number=242929/740.0.1.1

Here are some turkey nomenclature cards if you are interested

FREE parts of a turkey 3 part cards

FREE parts of a turkey book

Three part cards lesson:

Materials:

three part card tray or container to hold 3 part cards
model of object if the subject is learning the "Parts of..."
three part cards
rug or mat

Direct Purpose:

development of visual discrimination
preparation for vocabulary

Indirect Purpose:

development of left to right tracking needed reading

3 part card KEY

Presentation: Gauge the interest and readiness of the child. Show the child where the material is located on the shelf. Carry the job to a mat or rug. Remove the model turkey and all the cards from the container and place the container in the upper left hand corner. Place your three sets of cards in their own piles to the left of you on the rug/mat. Place the model turkey in front of you. Place the control cards (set 1: picture + label) in a horizontal row at the top of the rug/mat. Say the names of the parts of the turkey and point them out as you lay down each card. Next match the second set of cards (set 2: picture no label) to the top control set (set 1). Do this slowly from left to right allowing the child to discriminate. Allow the child to match one card at a time as you have shown them with the first few. Next match the labels (set 3: label only). Do this slowly as the child has more abstract things to discriminate. Use your finger to point out the first letter in the control set (set 1: picture + label) and compare it to the label (set 3: label only), do this for every letter on the label until you find the matching control card.

Points of interest:

variety of cards (should be changed often)
classification of cards
learning new words

Control of error:

control cards (set 1)

Isolation of difficulty: classifying by a common factor or characteristic

occupy constructive education for peace

2011-11-04T15:08:00.000-07:00

Artist	Pablo Picasso
Year	1937
Type	Oil on canvas
Dimensions	349 cm × 776 cm (137.4 in × 305.5 in)
Location	Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid

                   All that we have in this world we should give to the children who will 'Occupy' tomorrow. I say Occupy Constructive Education for Peace. Teach the children how to become confident independent thinkers and use the Montessori model to educate a new world of competent problem solvers. It is obvious that our current system is not working. We should not initiate our future generations into a world that fosters indifference and breeds victims and totalitarians. Set our children FREE!! As I watch what has gone on around the world from the Arab Spring to the Occupy Wall St. movement I am reminded and invigorated by a series of lectures Maria Montessori made from 1932-1937 in which she caught a glimpse of the future of humanity. I would like to share this with you now:

                     "Education as it is commonly regarded encourages individuals to go their own way and pursue their own personal interests. Schoolchildren are taught not to help one another, not to prompt their classmates who don't know the answers, but to concern themselves only with getting promoted at the end of the year and to win prizes in competitions with fellow pupils. And these poor selfish little creatures, who experimental psychology has proved are mentally exhausted, find themselves in later life like separate grains of sand in the desert; each one is isolated from his neighbor, and all of them are barren. If a storm comes up, these little human particles possessed of no life-giving spirituality are caught up in the gusts and form a deadly whirlwind. An education capable of saving humanity is no small undertaking; it involves the spiritual undertaking of man, the enhancement of his value as an individual, and the preparation of young people to understand the times in which they live. The secret is this: making it possible for man to become the master of the mechanical environment that oppresses him today...Today these energies are scattered; or rather, they are repressed and misdirected through the errors perpetuated by a kind of education that still holds sway all over the world. The adult does not understand the child. Parents unconsciously battle with their children rather than helping them in their divine mission. Fathers and sons do not understand each other. An abyss yawns between them from the day the child is born. And this lack of understanding is man’s undoing; it leads him astray, sickens his spirit, impoverishes him, and makes him fail to realize his potential. The lack of understanding between children and adults precipitates the tragedy of the human heart, which in later life manifests itself in lack of sensitivity, in sloth, and in criminality. Those who have been humiliated are ashamed of themselves; the timid withdraw into their shells; the fearful seek their own personal comfort. All the potential wealth of man’s personality comes to nothing. Education must take advantage of the value of hidden instincts that guides man as he builds his own life. Powerful among these instincts is the social drive...The youngsters personality must come into contact with the world of production after an apprenticeship in experience; man must be guided first and foremost toward and awareness of his responsibilities with regard to human social organization...Society can be organized in short, only if education offers man a ladder of social experiences as he passes from one period of his life to another."

-Maria Montessori

Education and Peace, pgs. 30-32 (Clio Montessori Series: Vol. 10)
ISBN 1-85109-168-8

Taken from a selection of speeches, delivered by Maria Montessori at international congresses and peace councils.

MONTESSORI fall pin punching

2011-11-02T12:48:00.000-07:00

Pin punching is a fine motor activity for the young child who cannot yet cut with scissors, who are developing thier pencil grip and who are fullfilling their need for attention to detail. In a Montesori classroom you would find this work on the art shelf. Children love this work and it is not uncommon to find a child stay with this work for hours - perfecting their fine motor. Please make sure that the proper procautions are made for this material to exist in your environment. Express to the child dangers involved in using the punching tool. Make sure the child is holding the puncher with the proper grip.

Materials needed: watchful and tentative teacher, 1/4 inch thick felt sqaure (5.5"x5.5"), paper of varying thicknesses, patterns to trace (metal insets, botany cabinet, geo. cabinet, etc.), tray to hold materials, pin puncher (jumbo push pins).

Presentation:

Invite the child: "Would you like to learn how to seperate paper and create a beautiful paper design?"
Show the child where the material is located on the shelf. Take the material to the table. Give yourself enough area to work and place the tray with materials just above the area you've designated for your work. Take the 1/4" felt from the tray and place in front of you. Retreive a peice of paper with a pattern with a thick black outline. Trace the outline with the tiip of your index finger indicating where you will be punching. With your dominant hand (actually you should be sitting on the dominant side of the child-so if your child's left handed, your dominant hand is left. haha!). With your pincer grip, glide your hand down the center of your punching tool. Pick it up slowly. Show the child the sharp end. "This tool is sharp. It is only for poking paper. Be careful because it could hurt you if your are not careful." Begin your punching slowly and in the same way in which you would hold a pencil. Punch from top and continue clockwise until the pattern is completly seperated from it's oultine. To accomplish this completely, make sure that each hole you punch is as close to the last as the next. :) The paper should come apart easily once you have punched so many holes.

LINKS:

http://www.montessoriservices.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=punching

montessori practical life color mixing w/ coffee filter leaves

2011-11-02T01:35:00.000-07:00

color mixing coffee filter leaves

You will need to first introduce color mixing work first. You may place the color mixing work on the shelf set up as shown in the picture below. The leaf coloring work should go after, as it is an extension.

initial color mixing work

You may purchase the coffee filter leaves for this activity from Lakeshore - follow the link below. I always buy my bottles. eyedroppers, small containers etc. from Sunburst Bottle Co. They are very reasonable and reliable. I made a control that matches the outline of some of the leaves offered in the leaf packet from Lakeshore. Print, laminate and keep on the shelf with the job.

Materials needed:

tray

small sponge for spills

small container of toothpicks

laminated color mixing control that matches the patterns of the coffee filter leaves

3 small eyedropper bottles full of colored water (1 blue, 1 red, yellow)

leaf coffee filters from lakeshore

basket to hold leaves

dry rack for leaves to dry

Age 4-6 is an approximation; maturity is key

Presentation:

This activity can be presented to a group or individual child. Invite the child to the lesson (be mindful of the children who still need lessons in the initial eyedropper transfer and color mixing work). Show the child where the material is located on the shelf - practical life (high level of difficulty).

Carry the tray to the table. Sit down on the dominant side of the child. Place the tray above your designated work area. Retrieve the laminated color mixing control and place it in front of you. Place eyedropper bottles in a line on the tray (red, yellow, blue). Place your coffee filter leaf to the left of you and the control. Begin by twisting the red eyedropper bottle cap off with care. Slowly and carefully place one drop of colored water on each corresponding red colored dot. Continue until all the colored dots are covered with their appropriate colored water. The droplets will resemble candy dots as they stand alone on the surface of the laminated control. Carefully (don't shake the table or move the control) take out one toothpick from the toothpick container. Take the toothpick and with a small circular motion mix one circle full of color at a time. When all the circles have been mixed place the coffee filter leaf on top of the control and watch how the color bleeds in to the white. When there is no more white, peel the leaf off of the control like you would a sticker and place it on the dry rack. Next is perhaps the most important part of all - clean up. Make sure the whole job is dry (you may need a drying towel) and return it to the shelf. Replenish for the next person by placing a leaf on the job for the next person. When the leaves are dry, which doesn't take very long at all, they can be hung or taped up in the window for the light to shine through.

LINKS: http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/general_content/free_resources/teachers_corner/projects/colorMixingLeaves.jsp

http://www.sunburstbottle.com/glass-bottles/clear-glass-boston-round/2oz_glass_bottle_bc2d

montessori turkey and thanksgiving activities

2011-11-02T00:03:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving takes place on the last Thursday in November. It is apart of our heritage to come together and eat a feast surrounded by our loved ones. There is of course history and funny stories that come from telling the story of Thanksgiving from generation to generation. Young children find their way into the occasion usually by making things at school and bringing them home to decorate the table or home. Here are a few experiences that I thought the children/families have really enjoyed and remebered over the years...

There is a fun thanksgiving cutting and folding exercise at: PAPERFOLDABLES.BLOGSPOT.COM . The children will need tape and scissors. Hopefully you have a supply shelf located in your art area. Supply shelves are great for conserving space, so that your art trays hold primarily the tools involoved in the job.

PAPERFOLDABLES.COM IS AWSOME!

Here are some cards to learn the name of different types of turkey.

These are meant to be 3 part cards to learn the names of turkeys. Print on cardstock, cut and laminate.

...i will add more later.

montessori primary math - Graphing

2011-10-27T21:35:00.000-07:00

Purpose: To show the child how to keep a record of things they have gathered and sorted.

Materials: tray to hold materials, small basket to hold items to be sorted, 5 different kinds of items in varying quantities (not to exceed 10), a vinyl mat marked (with a magic marker) as a control graph, colored pencils, and graph paper to record findings.

Note: I made this mat myself out of vinyl i bought at the fabric store. I used a ruler and magic marker to draw the graph lines on the vinyl. The happy faces are magnets I bought at the dollar store.

Prepare this job everyday by increasing or decreasing the items so that the child's findings will be different every time they return to do the work. Some children will only be able to do the initial sorting of the different objects the first time. Children who are mastering 1-10 concepts enjoy this actvity very much. This activity is a clear transition from the concrete to the abstract because it requires sorting the concrete data and recording it on a bar graph. Children can use skills they already know such as sorting, coloring, writing numbers and/or reading.

LINKS:
http://www.kindergarten-lessons.com/graphing-activities.html

montessori cultural nature table

2011-10-26T16:55:00.000-07:00

PURPOSE: To cultivate and inspire a love of nature and curiousity for what is not yet known or understood.
Suggestions:

Make sure when planning the layout of your classroom, to incorporate a place for a nature table. The table should be stable and there should be enough room for the children to walk around it. The nature table should be short enough for the children to reach across it without having to stand on their toes to reach. This is a special place. Children are expected to treat the items with the utmost respect as if they were in a museum environment. This is why I try to dedicate at least one shelf in the classroom to botany in addition to the nature table which can house things that the children have collected themselves as well as things from a teacher's private collection. It is the teacher's responsibility to make sure that there are always items of interest on the table and to rotate them regularly. I like to keep a basket of magnifying glasses on the table for the children to examine more closely.

Some suggestions for starting a nature table in your home or classroom: seasonal items, botany experiments, vase of native flowers, leaves, seeds, once living specimens, etc.

Wooden drawers available at Ikea

EXTENSIONS:

Allow children to bring nature items from home and display them on the table.
Provide dusters and shelf/ table cleaning work in practical life so the children can help keep the table clean and learn to care for the display items.
Buy some drawers from Ikea and orginize your specimens -children can be allowed to take out one drawer out at a time. Drawers are not to be mixed.
Make it a job to maintain the table. A "classroom scientist" whose task it is to maintain the appearance of the table can be placed on your daily job chart

LINKS:

www.michaelolaf.net/1cw36plants.html
http://www.wired.com/geekdad/tag/nature-table/

montessori HALLOWEEN pin punching

2011-10-24T23:05:00.000-07:00

classroom pets

2011-10-21T21:34:00.000-07:00

hermit crabs

If you were to ask me what in my opinion is the best classroom pet to have I would say hermit crabs. Ideally it's best to have atleast one representative from each of the five kingdoms such as a reptile, bird, mammal, amphibian, and/or fish. This admitedly it is a lot of work or too much work. If you are looking for a super easy classroom pet that never stinks, is fascinating, and commands a certain amount of self control from the children, then you should seriously consider hermit crabs. Expect the inital cost for substrate, serving dishes, thermometer, spray bottle, hard water treatment and humidity gauge.You may also consider luxuries like a heating pad, light fixture, salt water treatment and/or something for them to hide under when they don't feel like burrowing. Hermit crabs are so much fun. I must admit that they were kind of creepy to me at first but as I learned to care for them and taught the children to care for them, I came to enjoy them. You will find a set of hermit crab care instructions that I put together from reading all about hermit crabs. I printed this sheet out, cut it out and taped it to the side of the terrarium so that whoever caring for the little guys in my absence knew how to care for them too. Just below the care sheet are three part cards & a book to be presented to the children as interest is sparked. Enjoy! :)

HERMIT CRAB HABITAT CARE instructions:

EVERY DAY:

· Check the glass and soil for signs of moisture if any of these parts are dry to the touch then spray the crabitat

· Replenish the water with fresh bottled water or treated tap water – only one drop of blue chemical to treat tap water please

· Replenish crab pellets one for each hermit crab and a tablespoon of assorted foods (see diet details below)

OCASSIONALY

· Turn the soil and spray as the soil may get too dry

PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES

· Hermit crabs are great escape artists always keep an eye on them when they are out of their crabitat.

· Handling hermit crabs can be tricky. Please pick them up by the shell using your index and thumb fingers. Hermit crabs are known to pinch so never hold the hermit crab on your bare hand.

· Always wash your hands before and after feeding or handling hermit crabs.

HERMIT CRAB DIETS :

Here is a small list of some foods that they can be given from the 4 basic food groups for a Hermit crab:

· Bread and cereal group: dry cereals, bread, crackers, cooked rice, popcorn(popped), cookies, biscuit pieces, cooked pasta, oatmeal and cornmeal.

· Fruit group: (cut into small pieces) apples, bananas, peeled grapes, pears, avocadoes and coconut meat.

· Vegetable group: spinach, lettuce, broccoli, bean sprouts, cooked beans and potato's

· Meat group: fish and shellfish cooked or raw, meat, cooked bacon pieces and peanut butter.

· Do not feed: any acidic or dairy foods

Location, location, location!

Choose a spot for the crabitat where you will see the crabs often, making it easier to remember to feed, water and look after them. Keep in mind that they are nocturnal, and will be livelier at night so a bedroom is usually the worst place to house them.

HERMIT CRAB 3 PART CARDS

parts of HERMIT CRAB BOOK

LINKS:

http://biologyweb.org/hermit.htm

montessori nomenclature FREE human skeleton 3 part cards & book

2011-10-19T18:22:00.000-07:00

Here are the parts of the human skeleton 3 part cards and book if you are interested:

3 part cards in three parts:

NOTE: There was a problem with the skeleton nomenclature cards -the PELVIS card was missing. That problem has been resolved. Please download #4 for the missing card. Download #3 has been updated to show the missing card. Thank you Ajar for bringing this to my attention. :)

Parts of a skeleton book:

http://www.box.net/shared/qrbzhemntnyyrtu2esqa

montessori Pumpkin Crafts

2011-10-17T15:19:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Ornament:

http://www.marthastewart.com/268708/bewitching-tree-decoration

I think I first saw this activity as a Halloween decoration in a Martha Stewart magazine and decided that I'd teach children 4-6 how to do it as long as they knew how to use scissors and had the attention span. This activity contains multiple steps so be prepared to work closely with your group or child depending on your classroom dynamics. The way that I saw these ornaments displayed was on an ornamental tree. Materials that you will absolutely need are brads, orange paper (not card stock), a hole puncher (w/ small tray), scissors, tacky glue, green yarn and a tray to hold the materials. Make sure that there is a place accessible to the children where the templates can be stored.

Invite the child to the activity. Tell the child, "Today we will be making a pumpkin ornament. An ornament is a decoration. This particular ornament is a decoration for Halloween." *smile* Show them where the tray for this job is located and where the paper template is stored on the paper shelf. Take the tray back to the table. Return to the shelf to retrieve a paper template. Return to the table. At this point, run the tip of your finger along the dark black lines of the template where you will be cutting. "This is where we will be cutting. I should get scissors." Carefully retrieve the scissors in the same manner you would in an initial scissor work exercise. (~walking carefully with the scissors on a tray) Begin cutting on the thick dark lines of the template and place the strips you will be using to the left of you. Place any scraps on the scissor tray and use it to discard the scraps. Return to the table after discarding the scraps. Place the scissors back on the scissor tray and place them to the upper right of your work area. Take your materials off of the job tray you originally got from the shelf. Place them in order leaving enough area to work.
1. paper strips
2. hole punch on its small tray
3. small container of brads
4. small green ball of yarn
5. scissors
6. tacky glue
"Now we are ready to construct our ornament." Hold the hole punch properly so that the child can see how your are using it. Punch where ever there is a black dot at the end of each strip. Allow the punched paper to fall onto the small tray. Discard any punched paper and return to the table. Replace the hole puncher above your work area. Take the container of brads and get 2 brads. Count, "one-two". Carefully place one side of each strip of paper onto the brad. Open the brad to secure one side of the ornament. Next, secure the opposite end of the strips of papers in the same way. Except make sure that the brad is pointed into the ornament and not out of the ornament. The ornament should begin taking a round shape at this time. Try not to tear the paper. Your ornament is almost finished! Take the green yarn and wrap it two times around your hand and cut that piece off. Now you have the string that will hang your ornament. Tie a loop on one of the brads for the child if they cannot do it them selves. (Children can learn how to tie at at least age 4 1/2.) You will have a rectangle piece of paper with jack-o-lantern face on it. You may choose at this time to let them take home the card or cut out the black shapes and tacky glue them onto their jack-o-lantern.

NOTE: I try and have a small container of leaf templates for the child to cut out, punch out and write their name on. Either way you will have to decide in your preparation of the activity when and where they will put their name. If you choose not to provide leaves, strips of tape, or pre-printed name tags - they will have to write their name somewhere. It is much easier to write on a flat surface then on a finished round ornament. Just sayin'.
LINKS:
http://www.marthastewart.com/268708/bewitching-tree-decoration
http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/cg_display.asp?cmd=display&seed_id=30366
http://bytesizedpieces.wordpress.com/2010/04/18/stash-bust-pacman-paper-lantern/
http://www.naturallyeducational.com/2010/10/paper-pumpkin-craft/

montessori nomenclature - parts of a bulb 3 part cards & book

2011-10-13T22:34:00.000-07:00

http://www.boston.com/yourlife/home/gallery/1109_tulips/

Its that time of year again! October through November is the perfect time to plant bulbs for early spring blooms. I can't help but get excited by such surprises. Last year when there was nothing much to plant october and november we planted lots of bulbs and we had lots of flowers to study in the spring. If you are planting bulbs with children have them dig the holes and you can apply the teaspoon of bulb food. Always make sure you wash your hands after handling bulbs. Make sure to use real terms when giving directions for planting. For example, "The roots will grow down into the soil; The roots emerge from the basal plate; The tunic will help protect the bulb from the dry cold" etc. etc. There are other ways to observe bulbs. Forcing bulbs is the easiest way to literally watch them as they grow from bulb to bloom. The best bulbs to force (that I've had success with atleast) are amarylis and hyacinths. Another way to learn about bulbs in depth are by learning about the only ones that are edible.

DEFINITIONS of UNDERGROUND STORAGE SYSTEMS:
http://www.montessorimaterials.org/Science/bulbmaterial.pdf

Picture Cards of EDIBLE BULBS:

www.forums.gardenweb.com www.specialtyproduce.com www.science.howstuffworks.com www.blackbookcooking.com www.dealtagger.com www.folkremedies.net www.healthnewsonline.org www.bonapetit.com www.pyroenergen.com http://www.sciencephoto.com/media/217553/enlarge

Parts of a BULB 3 part cards

Parts of a BULB Book:

LIFECYCLE of a BULB cards:

Definition of BULB lifecycle terms:

Dormancy The bulb is dormant and has been gathering energy after its spring bloom for the last several months. It will remain this way unless it is harvested for fall planting.

Planting The bulb has been planted and is now forming roots to prepare for winter. It is continuing to gather energy for its blooms.

Pre-Bloom New growth emerges through the soil as soil temperatures warm in the spring and late winter.

Bloom Time The bulb has spent almost a whole year gathering energy for its spring blooms. It has rested and received the proper amount of light, moisture and cold temperatures and is now ready to bloom.

Preparing for Dormancy Once the blooms have faded, the foliage begins to yellow and fade away. The bulb is not dying, but rather gathering energy through the leaves for the next season's blooms.
links: http://www.hollandbulbfarms.com/newtogardening.asp

montessori nomenclature FREE Parts of a Pumpkin 3 part cards & book

2011-10-06T05:33:00.000-07:00

During group time explain to the children that you are going to examine the fruit. Place a pumpkin onto the cutting board, and talk about the shape, color, texture, plant v. animal, where it grows. Carefully cut the pumpkin in half if it is a small pumpkin. Otherwise have a pre-cut pumpkin on hand. Return the knife to a safe place. Have the children take turns describing what they see. Assist the children in naming the parts of the fruit. Use the 3 period lesson. Place the fruit on the nature table for the children to observe. Make 3 part cards and books available to children.

Nomenclature:

pericarp- the walls of a ripened fruit

exocarp- the outer layer of a pericarp

mesocarp- the flesh part of the fruit

endocarp- the inner layer of a ripened fruit

History:

The origin of pumpkins is not definitively known, although they are thought to have originated in North America. The oldest evidence, pumpkin-related seeds dating between 7000 and 5500 BC, were found in Mexico.Pumpkins are a squash-like fruit that range in size from less than 1 pound (0.45 kilograms) to over 1,000 pounds (450 kilograms).
Pumpkins are a warm-weather crop that is usually planted in early July. The specific conditions necessary for growing pumpkins require that soil temperatures three inches (7.62 cm) deep are at least 60 °F (15.5 °C) and soil that holds water well. Pumpkin crops may suffer if there is a lack of water or because of cold temperatures (in this case, below 65 °F (18.3 °C); frost can be detrimental), and sandy soil with poor water retention or poorly drained soils that become waterlogged after heavy rain. Pumpkins are, however, rather hardy, and even if many leaves and portions of the vine are removed or damaged, the plant can very quickly re-grow secondary vines to replace what was removed.

You might also like:
Life cycle of a Pumpkin- by Montessori for Everyone
http://www.montessoriforeveryone.com/assets/PDF/Life_Cycle_of_a_Pumpkin.pdf

Links:

montessori art appreciation

2011-10-06T00:11:00.000-07:00

Here is my link to identifying feelings in art. There are 3 jobs in this one file. It starts out with intro. to emotions/feelings -a page to use with 2.5+yrs. The next one is an extension that main purpose is to show physical actions and body language. The final job can be introduced last and should come with some knowledge of the piece.

http://www.box.net/shared/mxkbvru1i2

montessori physical science Simple Machines

2011-08-13T01:24:00.000-07:00

If you have small objects for this job, I would strongly recommend preparing this activity as an object to picture matching activity. Also, consider introducing the machines two at a time to effectively compare and contrast.

montessori peace shelf - emotions / feelings

2011-08-10T03:58:00.000-07:00

From Montessori workjobs

I really needed vibrant provocative displays of emotions and feelings to give the children because often times they would ask for help in solving a problem they have with another child. In order to get to the root of the problem we refer to the ways in which ones actions have made them feel. The picture emotion cards with labels aid and empower them in that problem solving process. I got lucky with this job. I found a wooden drawer with a built in flap mirror at a thrift shop. I took it home cleaned it up and I cut a black piece of felt to line the inside of the drawer. I cannot take credit for the pictures. I gathered the pictures from various google image searches and clip art. I designed this job to be a quiet reflective job for one child to do. It can be made into a two person memory game but then I would not include the mirror. Please print, cut (mount), laminate these photos and place them on your peace shelf/table. This was a fun job to make, enjoy:)

montessori preschool classroom job chart

2011-08-10T02:42:00.000-07:00

Part of creating community (almost effortlessly) is by having a job chart. Job charts can be found at any teacher supply store. Dedicate a place in the classroom where the chart can be displayed. Picture cues are essential considering not all children in the primary Montessori classroom can read yet. You will find that children will be drawn to check the chart everyday when they arrive. Children love helping and completing tasks that care for the environment. You can choose to make tasks available for the children to help with everyday or for the whole week. Each child should have an initial lesson on the task depending on the level of difficulty. Make sure it is hanging in a noticeable place in the classroom at the child's level. Keep a basket of clearly printed name tags on a teachers shelf. Choosing the jobs/tasks should be the responsibility of the teacher and not the child. Opening or closing teachers should incorporate assigning tasks into preparation of the environment. Please feel free to print, cut and laminate the pictures above. They are for you to put in the slots of you job chart with a child's name placed the right of it.

NOTE: the hand washing picture is to be laminated and placed next to the sink just as a reminder ;)

The pictures are as follows:

rug rolling - checking the rugs and making sure they are tidy
compost - taking out the compost after lunch
sweeping - primarily in practical life
chair - making sure all the chairs are pushed in
classroom pet - help prepare food and water for pets
plant watering - you may want to design markers for plants that need less water
dusting
food prep and serve - this can be a special job besides what is already available for single serving snacks on the snack shelf
table setting - helping set the tables for lunch
librarian - gets to choose the story of the day and keep the library tidy
paint easel helper

montessori zoology - beaks as tools

2011-08-08T19:57:00.000-07:00

What a fun way to go into depth about birds. Please visit the National Aviary of Pittsburg to find more ways to bring zoology into the classroom. They have a whole curriculum about birds!

http://www.aviary.org/curric/beaks.htm#

http://www.box.net/shared/3or4n5dxzd9vrvr7oma1

PRINTABLE parts of a bird book @ Little Wonders' Days

montessori Absorbent Mind

2011-08-07T03:14:00.000-07:00

The concept of the Absorbent Mind is the idea that all children derive conscious intelligence almost instinctively from their environment in specific periods of mental and physical growth from birth to age six. Maria Montessori’s ideas on the mind of the developing child are based on scientific observation. The term sensitive periods is used to describe profound and moving events in a child’s life.

Maria Montessori was a medical doctor and took meticulous observations of the children she worked with. Maria compared the mind of the child to that of the butterfly that undergoes many physical changes in its life.

“We must, then constantly bear in mind that the growth of the child from birth to maturity is not like that of an oak tree which grows by simply getting bigger but is rather to be compared to that the butterfly; for we have to do with different types of minds at different periods.”

-EM Standing

From her observations Maria Montessori found that children have minds like sponges and they have an extraordinary ability to absorb experiences in the environment and incorporate them unconsciously into their life. She broke down human development into planes of development.

The Montessori planes of development are as follows:

1. The Absorbent Mind (0-6 years old)

a. Period of instability

b. Unconscious Absorbent Mind (0-3 years old)

· Focus is on the external environment

· Mind is “like a sponge”

c. Conscious Absorbent Mind (3-6 years old)

· Refine tasks learned in first 3 years of life

· Independent Work = heightened self-esteem and a healthy orientation to the environment

· Tendencies Displayed During this Period:

1. Repetition – leads to mastery

2. Coordination of Movement – children learn through movement during this stage of development

3. Work – Children want to do REAL work (practical life, care of self, care of the environment)

4. Order – Environment MUST be ordered for the child to successfully negotiate their surroundings

5. Imagination

6. Adaptation

7. Exploration

8. Communication – Both verbal and nonverbal

2. 6-12 Years Old

a. Shift from focus on the environment to focus on the intellect (rather than ordering their environment, they are ordering their mind)

b. Period of stability

c. Fantasy play – the distinction between fantasy and reality becomes clear

d. high social

3. 12-18 Years Old

a. Period of instability

b. Resembles 1^st Stage

4. Adulthood

a. Period of stability

The child is in perpetual motion, the changes and transformations are intimately bound to corresponding physical changes that take place at the same time. The first stage of being is the time the child enters this world at birth. Montessori refers to this time as the spiritual embryo or psychic embryo when the transition from the womb to the world takes place and must be smooth and conditions should be so that the baby has the least amount of trauma as possible. This is a period of huge transformation from 0-3. Montessori believed that this first part of the child’s life, the unconscious absorbent mind, is a time of adaptation for the new being, a time when every experience is absorbed and stored in the unconscious. The child’s work at this period is to become independent of the parent. They learn to speak, walk, and to master bodily functions. Once these basic functions are attained the child’s mind moves into a new state of being which Montessori referred to as the conscious absorbent mind.

“[At] the age three, life seems to begin again; for now consciousness shines forth in all it’s fullness and glory…what he wants to do is master his environment” -Montessori

The fundamental tasks at this time in life are of freedoms. Freedom is key; the freedom to concentrate, the freedom to move purposefully, and freedom of choice. As the child grows their sensitivity to environmental conditions grows with him and open doors of discovery everywhere.

“[From] the age of three till six, being able to now tackle his environment deliberately and consciously, he begins a period of real constructiveness” -Montessori

A cornerstone of Montessori’s contributions was use of the term sensitive periods describing several overlapping periods during which the child is particularly sensitive to certain type of stimuli. Sensitive periods are when a child changes a potential in to a skill or ability. Components of that skill reach down into the unconscious where instincts from environmental stimuli around him have helped him adapt to his surroundings. The sensitive periods are critical to a child’s development. He unconsciously knows that the time to learn a specific skill is now. For, once the period passes he will have to learn the skill with much more difficulty than before. Sensitive Periods are not always detectable. However, through careful observation one can determine when a child is in a Sensitive Period. The child repeats and repeats until their need is satisfied. When that skill is mastered, the child experiences great satisfaction and joy. Acquiring a skill after the Sensitive Period has passed does not come as natural. As educators and learners ourselves, we need to understand that we cannot plan their development for them, so we should watch the child closely to see where their mind goes to next. We must make full use of the child's natural and impulsive need to gain knowledge during the Sensitive Periods.

The sensitive periods are as follows:

Age	Sensitivity
Birth to 6 years	The absorbent mind: the mind soaks up information like a sponge using all five senses - touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing - to understand and absorb information about his or her environment. The child has a natural interest in sensorial impressions. They are very sensitive to their surroundings and can make distinctions with a clear perception of the senses. Now is the time when their senses are most heightened and open to exploration
6 months - 5 years, strongest around 2 – 2.5	ORDER: Child needs external order to create internal order. Consistency for points of reference allowing for orientation and adaptation to the environment. Change in routine can cause frustration and insecurity
3 months - 5 years	Auditory – The child absorbs the pitch of the language around them and sound of the human voice Visual -watching the mouth of the speaker, parroting, making sounds Understanding that words have meaning- learning languages
1.5 – 3 years	Storing vocabulary - "explosion" into speech, child absorbs experiences related to vocabulary
1.5 – 4.5 years	Attention to detail: heightened awareness of every detail. A child will notice small objects and be fascinated by them. Montessori materials are prepared with scientific precision. Their preciseness is what draws the child to them. Anything unattractive will repel the child, because he will focus on the imperfection rather than on the object itself. Development and coordination of fine and large muscle skills, advanced developing grasp and release skill
2 to 4 years	Very mobile with greater coordination and refinement of movement, increased interest in language and communication (they enjoy telling stories), aware of spatial relationships, matching, sequence and order of objects. Children develop coordination of movement through repetition. They have a strong interest in practicing tasks that are challenging to their coordination (think of the one year old who is constantly climbing the stairs). To meet this need, we offer children Practical Life activities. Each activity offers a challenge to their coordination. The exactness required to complete these activities engages the child's mind and body. We should be sure to offer activities for both coordination of hands and of the whole body
3 to 6 years	Interest in and admiration of the adult world: they want to copy and mimic adults, such as parents and teachers.
4 to 5 years	Using one’s hands and fingers in cutting, writing and art. Their tactile senses are very developed and acute.
4.5 to 6 years	Reading and math readiness, and, eventually, reading and math skills.