To the Lesson!

And now, a vacation!

2012-02-18T06:55:00.000-05:00

Oh, what an eventful week! In between bouts of illness and various appointments, we had fun putting the finishing touches on our Valentine mementos, enjoyed celebrating our friendships during our Valentine's Day party, and continued to progress with our Montessori lessons and activities. Needless to say, we are all ready for our February vacation and a little break!

Exploration with the Constructive Triangles, Box C.

Land, Air, and Water: Sorting pictures.

Tracing numbers - We have so many kids who love tracing numbers!

Balancing marbles on golf tees.

On Tuesday, we had a very special celebration for Valentine's Day. The children were thrilled beyond measure to enter our classroom and see this:

Valentine Balloons!

And after a meaningful exchange of Valentines, we enjoyed a most delicious snack together:

One of our Valentine's Day tables.

Coloring a Valentine-themed mandala.

Working with the turtle puzzle

Geometric Demonstration Tray - sensorial exploration of shapes while preparing the hand for writing.

Reading and matching the Days of the Week.
(Click on caption to learn more about this lesson.)

Dynamic Addition with Golden Beads: 3,466 + 3,557 = 7,023. I also had a couple of Dynamic Subtraction lessons, and our first Multiplication lesson, but didn't have the chance to take pictures of them...

Extension work with the Teen Beads and Boards. This photo shows a student making the numbers 11-19 with the beads and board. Next, she completed a paper where the beads were colored according the number and then the number was written.

Extension work with the above mentioned Days of the Week lesson. I especially appreciate the care and attention this student gave to decorating the edges of the work and filling it in with a pattern, clearly demonstrating the child's pride in his own work.

Exciting exploration with the Superimposed Geometric Figures.
(Click on caption to read more about this material.)

On Friday, when the weather kept us indoors, I placed a basket of yarn with some sewing supplies on a table. The kids assembled themselves and created an impromptu sewing extravaganza!

I'll be taking a small break from posting about our classroom during this much needed week long vacation. Be on the lookout, however, for some March-inspired fun upon our return!

Shape Mosiac

2012-02-16T05:36:00.001-05:00

I try to vary art experiences in the classroom so that the children have opportunities for learning and practicing different skills. I also feel that each child's creation should be just as unique and different as the children are from each other and try to stay away from "cookie-cutter" crafts. To that end, one of the lessons I've presented is the following Shape Mosaic.

First, I demonstrated how a straight line is formed and pointed out the beginning of the line and the end of the line. I drew a few more so the children could identify and name the beginning and end of each line I drew. Then, as dramatically as I could, I showed how a line can be connected at the beginning and the end to create a shape. This step was repeated several times as the children watched intently. Next, I presented the materials for the lesson:

Three jars each with six inch strips of varying shades of a color (I used purple, but any color would be great...); six inch squares of oak tag; small tray with one jar for black marker and pencil and another jar with scissors and glue (the larger space is where the child places their papers to carry everything to a workspace).

To complete the activity, the child chooses a few strips of each color, one square paper, and brings everything to a table. Just as in the lesson about connecting the ends of lines, I showed the children how to make three shapes with the black marker on the oak tag. Next, each strip of colored paper was cut into small mosaic pieces and collected in the tray. Lastly, each shape was filled in with one color from the mosaic pieces with the glue stick.

Here, the child has set up his space, drawn the three shapes with marker, and is gluing some small mosaic pieces which he has cut and collected on the tray.

The lesson requires much concentration and attention to detail. I've been enjoying watching the children working at their individual paces as they meticulously create their Shape Mosaic. And as always, each one is quite unique:

Some finished Shape Mosaics in our hallway.

Montessori Monday Link-Up

A Valentine Keepsake

2012-02-14T05:36:00.000-05:00

The kids have been intrigued and excited by the following little project I put together for Valentine's Day - simply because they got to put their hand in wet paint! The children have been waiting with eager anticipation to present their Valentine poem as a gift to their families on Valentine's Day.

Let me hold your heart in my hand,

This is where your heart needs to be!

My love for you will always be true,

Your heart will be safe here with me!

Valentine keepsakes.

In all honesty, we didn't have a lot of time to put these together. So to speed up the process, I assembled the papers ahead of time and printed the poem on some clear, standard mailing labels. Once the child's hand print was dry, they chose a heart sticker to place in the center and Voila! A Valentine keepsake for families to keep forever! Enjoy! :)

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Staying on the Path

2012-02-11T07:10:00.000-05:00

Sometimes in the classroom, I like to remind myself to simply stick to the classics and remain on a straight path. "Just keep to the order of the lessons and don't change anything..." I find myself thinking. Over the years, I have found when I do this, the kids not only progress seamlessly from one lesson to the next within one area of the classroom, but also across all curriculum areas. The following pictures from our week illustrate how the children work best when allowed to move forward at their own pace in their own time. Meanwhile, my personal mantra is "Just stay on the path...!"

I introduced the First Box of Constructive Triangles to another child this week. It is always a pleasure to watch the children's amazement when they realize that new shapes are formed when two triangles are placed together.

Using the printed labels to make a parade of animals around The Farm. Later, this child symbolized the labels with the Grammar symbols.

Writing practice with theSandpaper Numbers.

Hearts and Flowers math - The child in this picture set up the hearts with numbers all in order beginning with the number one. Then, to place the flowers, he wanted to "start backwards with number nine." (I didn't have enough flowers to include the number ten...)

Matching number symbol to quantity.

Introduction of the Tens Board.

Working with the Large Hexagonal Box of the Constructive Triangles.

More number writing practice with the Sandpaper Numbers. Here, an older child is tracing each number and passing it on to a younger students - a perfect illustration of how the older students teach the younger ones! :)

Static Subtraction with the Golden Beads.

Words with 'th' using the Small Moveable Alphabets.

Initial introduction of the Stamp Game...

...followed by Static Addition. I wish you could see the face of this student during this work- pure delight! :)

Valentine preparations - decorating our Valentine bags.

Matching and naming colors (while strengthening pincer grasp!) with the Second Color Tablet Box.

Math work with the Cards and Counters.

Exploring dimension with the Knobless Cylinders.

Weaving with Valentine colors.

Working with the Trinomial Cube: "Look, I made the top!"

Passage of Time

2012-02-09T05:39:00.000-05:00

Ok, so the title sounds a bit dramatic...but I recently completed making some new materials having to do with the calendar and the passage of time. These activities, along with our "Calendar" during circle time, are vital to the child's understanding of history and their place in the world. Specifically, the students will learn and identify the names of the days of the week and months of the year. Additionally, they will learn the order of the names and abbreviations.

This set of materials was included in my Geography and Social Studies Albums from my Montessori training program. The first set consists of a labeled chart with the days of the week in the first column followed by two columns with blank spaces.

Days of the Week chart. Corresponding labels are in the small container on the left.

First, the child matches the labels to the chart.

Then, the abbreviations are introduced. These can be presented at the same time, or at a different sitting, depending on the child.

The material for the Months of the Year also consists of a chart, only with the names of the months printed in the first column.

Months of the Year chart.

Months labels are matched to the column...

...and abbreviations, too.

This set of materials will undoubtedly complement circle time daily calendar lessons. Also, I plan to provide additional paper copies of the charts so that children may write the names and abbreviations if they would like. We have many students who love to record their work through writing, so I have a feeling we'll be seeing more of this!

Nurturing Quiet

2012-02-07T05:57:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite games to play in the Montessori setting is the Silence Game. This activity, while promoting a child's awareness of the sounds around them, also cultivates an inner sense of peace and quiet. As a Montessori educator, I feel it is critical to provide children with opportunities to simply 'be,' without interruption, and give them a chance to know 'quiet.' For a detailed description of the Silence Game, read THIS POST from Montessori Print Shop. Be sure to follow the link at the bottom and read what Maria Montessori herself had to say about the Silence Game.

In our classroom, we have enjoyed playing this game as a group. The sense of intrigue and awe is evident each time no matter how many times we play. I always begin the activity by asking the children what the word 'silence' means. Then I bring our special "Silence" frame, reserved only for this purpose, to a mat along with the Silence Game candle. The candle is lit and and we begin the game. Usually, the children choose to close their eyes.

The Silence Game

After the last time we played this game, one of the children enthusiastically shared, "Ms. Sasha! We should have the Silence Game set up as a work!" What a perfect idea - and to make it even more perfect, this child had recently given me a sea-glass decorated photo frame which I could use in putting the lesson together for an individual activity:

Individual Silence Game set up.

The items for our individual Silence Game include the sea glass frame with the word 'silence,' battery-powered tea light candle, a copy of Jennifer Howard's book When I Make Silence, and a three-minute egg timer. Some children might find the "quiet" by simply watching the sand move through the timer! The blue mat not only coordinates with the other items, but it's color also designates the mat's only purpose for use with the individual Silence Game. Additionally, it is the only blue mat in the classroom, so I imagine that its significance will become a major point of interest for the children in our class.

It has been a pleasure watching the children take this activity out and actually use it! They close their eyes, take deep breaths, and simply enjoy the silence.

Montessori Monday Link-Up

A Week of Valentine's Delights

2012-02-04T07:32:00.000-05:00

It must be Valentine's Day soon... :)

Painting with Do-a-Dot Painters on heart-shaped paper.

Water transfer with dropper.

Teddy bear transfer - irresistible, as predicted!

Mixing primary colors.

Constructive Triangles

Math work with Hearts and Flowers.

Heart shaped pin-pushing.

Static Subtraction with Golden Beads.

Using tongs to transfer pom-poms.

The Adjective lesson with 'The Farm' and grammar symbols.

Spooning red stones.

Painting at the easel with red and white on black paper.
"Look, I made pink!"

February Math

2012-02-02T05:26:00.000-05:00

My students look forward to the seasonal and holiday changes in the classroom throughout the year. The following Math activities provide fun festivity in the classroom during these Valentine days:

A Valentine variation...

...of hearts and flowers. Handling these tiny flowers requires plenty of concentration while helping to promote fine motor development.

Matching number symbols with quantity...

...to "mend the broken hearts!"

On the Shelves: February

2012-02-01T13:34:00.000-05:00

Can it really be February already? I set up the February shelves last weekend, so the children have been all smiles this week with the new activities available to them. Here are some highlights:

Sponging colored water: I think the color and shape provide a meaningful point of interest for the kids, and I appreciate how the containers fit the tray perfectly when one is upside down.

Simple transferring using pincer grasp...

...to place these adorable teddy bears in to each heart shape. I decided not to have a utensil for the lesson because I wanted the children to be able to feel the soft bears - which are completely irresistible! ;-)

These wooden heart shaped containers are perfect for spooning...

...colored rice. Opening and closing the boxes provide an additional point of interest for the children.

Water transfer with a small dropper...

...to fill each tiny cup of this suction cup mat (I seriously don't know what these are called!).

Our Valentine's Bead Tray which we will use to make...

...beaded hearts...

to hang on a Valentine branch.

Art Appreciation: Degas Dancers.

Group Art Project: Snowflake Cuttings

2012-01-31T14:27:00.001-05:00

Last month, the children enjoyed cutting paper snowflakes featured in THIS POST. They turned out so beautifully, I thought it would be fitting to preserve them. So, I set up a (reused) canvas one morning and had the children take turns painting the background.

Painting a reused canvas - the blue parts are bits of paper from a previous project...

I had some gray paint leftover and thought it would make an ideal background. We also added some black and white which the children enjoyed mixing. The end result was interestingly textured with moving shades of gray. Unfortunately, the photo I took of this stage came out blurry, but you can still get a sense of the varying shades:

Background completed.

Once the children had taken turns painting the canvas, I photographed each of them holding their individual snowflake. These photos will allow viewers of the art piece to identify whose shape is whose - and while I cannot share pictures of the children's faces on this blog, I must tell you how adorable they came out! The pictures capture each child's personality more than I could have ever imagined they would have. When I ordered the prints, I chose to assemble a collage, which we plan to hang next to the group artwork. Anyway, back to the snowflakes...here they are mounted on the canvas with a coat of matte Mod Podge:

Group Snowflake Cuttings project.

And finished off with a black frame, adorning the wall near our cubbies:

Loving the black frame! Our latest group project: Snowflake Cuttings.

Montessori Monday Link-Up

A Sweet Surprise

2012-01-31T14:25:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, I hear people complain about all the emails waiting for them upon return to work after an absence, and all they have to do to "catch up." Well, I returned to the classroom today after missing one day and this is what was waiting for me on the morning message board:

Each morning, we typically read a message together beginning with Dear Friends,...and ending with Love, Ms. Sasha. On the day I was out, the kids, with the help of my assistant and substitute, wrote a message for me! And right under the message waiting on the shelf...

...a perfect bouquet of flowers!

I don't think anyone will ever find me complaining about the messages which await me when I have returned from being away! :) Thank you, little friends of mine, for this act of kindness!

Keeping Up with the Crowd

2012-01-28T06:36:00.001-05:00

Well, it's been one of those weeks when it feels as if one can hardly keep up with everything that's happening...! Thankfully, this was due mostly to fact that many of my students were ready for new lessons which is yet another sign of positive developments in the classroom. And then, in the midst of all this activity, we had a snow day! Additionally, I've been fortunate to be participating in a trial with Montessori Compass, an online record keeping system for Montessori schools and teachers. Consequently, I've been inputting information and data regarding our lessons and activities in the classroom while learning the details of the program. I'll let you know more about that as I become more familiar with the system and its impact in the classroom. Meanwhile, here are some highlights of our week:

Flower Arranging

Mittens and Snowflake math.

Celebrating Chinese New Year by making good luck banners.

More word building with the Moveable Alphabet.

 

Numbers 11-19 with the Teen Beads.

Numbers 11-19 with the Teen Boards and Beads.

The Article lesson.

Painting on canvas (which are are reusing from a past project) for the second part of a group art project. I'll post about it in the near future! :)

Table Washing lesson - always a favorite with the children!

One of the moms came in to talk to the children about Chinese New Year. We listened to Chinese music, learned how to say, "Happy New Year!" in Chinese, and even tried a few Tai Chi moves! Good fortune was already upon us because she gave us these beautiful banners to hang in our school. Thank you, thank you!

Dynamic Addition with the Golden Beads.

A "Puzzle Party!"

Exploring shapes with the Geometric Solids. Two children in the back were reading a set of Phonetic Word Cards - you can see the word 'stop' in the background...

It appears I'm left with fewer pictures than usual this week with the combination of many lessons unfolding in the classroom, me learning the latest record-keeping system, and the snow day. Next week will bring new works on the shelves and the completion of our latest group art project!

'Total' Reading

2012-01-26T05:26:00.000-05:00

The Montessori classroom provides a language rich environment from which the child is able to absorb information. While lessons within the curriculum areas and adult interactions nurture language growth, they also simultaneously form a foundation for future reading. We are able to provide the tools necessary for the child to form his own thoughts as he progresses through the stages of writing. Therefore, it is recognized that writing precedes reading. In order to write, a child must analyze and decode his own word or thought. Reading on the other hand, presents an entirely new process. Here, the child is first required to synthesize outside information, followed by analyzation and decoding of information before putting it back together again. As we refer to the teaching of reading, one must also remember that reading is to be taught in totality. That is, a child must not only be able to decode words, but we also strive to cultivate his understanding of meaning, thought, and expression conveyed by an author. The Montessori teacher facilitates this process by providing the child ‘keys’ for learning.

Reading practice with the Phonetic Object Box lesson.

The initial lessons in the Montessori classroom for reading involve the Single Word Exercises. First, the child is introduced to the phonetic sounds of words so that he may experience isolation of sound. This is an essential element to learning as the child will know what to expect. Next, phonograms are introduced and the child realizes that sometimes, more than one letter is necessary to produce one sound. The children are also introduced to puzzle words (sight words) which assist the child in practicing words which do not follow established reading rules. The final lessons of the initial stage involve a combination of phonetic reading lessons, phonograms, and puzzle words.

Word building with the phonogram '-ow.'

The next set of lessons, The Function of Words, allows the child to explore relationships between words. Through various lessons involving articles, nouns, and adjectives, the child comes to understand the power of words. Grammar Symbols are also introduced along with lessons of conjunctions and prepositions. Verbs are introduced after much work with the nouns. The Function of Words exercises provide the ‘keys’ necessary for the child to experience the forceful impressions elicited through word.

The 'Conjunction' lesson with grammar symbols.

Lastly, the child is provided ’keys’ for Reading Analysis. These lessons provide opportunities for the child to explore relationships among parts of sentences. As the child progresses through the individualized exercises, his reading level increases along with his self-esteem. Of paramount importance is the support of the child’s self confidence and providing him the tools needed for success.

The importance of books in the classroom should not be neglected. The modeling of correct treatment of books is emphasized in the Montessori classroom. Children are taught how to properly handle books and carefully turn pages. The teacher should also take care to provide an array of books with varying degrees of reading levels. Introducing a variety of literature is a positive reinforcement not only to the Language curriculum, but also to the development of the child’s ability to read.

Reading should be regarded as an extension of one’s speech. Teaching methods for learning to read can be adapted and enriched to maintain a child’s interest and desire to read. Reading is an integrated process involving language experience, interrelated skills, phonetic instruction, and analyzation. It is also a culmination of a child’s curious mind responding to the adult’s enthusiastic approach to the teaching of total reading.

Chinese New Year Banners

2012-01-24T05:27:00.000-05:00

We've been having a fun time learning about this holiday and marking the occasion with a special activity - making Chinese New Year good luck banners! First, we read this book:

We read this book at circle time.

Then, we talked about the 'Fu' symbol and how these banners help welcome good luck to those who hang them in their homes. Finally, I showed the children an activity I put together to make our own Chinese New Year good luck symbols. I was going to have the kids place these on some decorative tree branches inside the classroom, but they had the better idea to hang them up around our door in the classroom instead!

Materials for Chinese New Year good luck symbols: Popsicle sticks; Tap-n-Glue bottles; two red markers and two pencils; copies of small 'Fu' symbols; 'lucky pennies'.

This material is set up for two children to complete at a time. After coloring four sticks and the good luck symbol, the kids assembled their popsicle sticks onto the paper symbol. Then, they each glued a lucky penny onto their project. After they dried, we taped some ribbon to the back.

Ready for some good luck!

Here is a collection of symbols which hang along the sides of the door inside our classroom.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Short and Sweet but Packed with Power!

2012-01-21T06:26:00.000-05:00

Although our week was shortened by one day, we had plenty of exciting events and activity! It all started with our winter nature walk on Tuesday morning...

Nature walk observation: "Ouch! Those needles hurt!"

...which we used to make these ice collages.

And inside the classroom...

Using a small water dropper to fill the suction cups.

Phonogram Box: This lesson is using the phonogram 'ar' ( as in the word 'card').

The second part of the above mentioned phonogram lesson - Making 'ar' words with the Small Moveable Alphabet.

Initial introduction of the Decimal System Cards with the Golden Beads.

Land and Water Forms: System of Lakes and Archipelago.

Reading practice with Three-Part Cards of the Land and Water Forms.

Practical Life: Wood Polishing

Snowman Sequencing: color, cut, and paste. This is a lesson which I demonstrated at circle time and set up in the Language area of the classroom for the children to complete independently. I've left my demonstration on the shelf for the children to refer to as they complete the lesson - you can see it in the background of the photo.

Comparison of height and refinement of visual discrimination with the Red and Yellow Knobless Cylinders.

Reading practice with the Small Moveable Alphabet. Here, the child had used a set of picture cards to sound out each word. Then, for an added challenge, I mixed up the cards and had him match them to the words. Lastly, I had the child read the words to me without the cards.

I love when my students make connections between activities. This child was using the play dough and declared, "Look! I made a mini Pink Tower!" :)

Initial lesson of 'Labeling Objects of the Environment'.

Working with the Botany Cabinet.

More Decimal System work.

Winter Nature Walk: Part Two - Ice Collages

2012-01-20T05:29:00.001-05:00

Upon return from our winter excursion, I set up a table in the classroom for the children to make ice collages. The filled baskets from the nature walk were placed in the middle of a table and each child began placing items in a pie tin. Next, we poured water into the tin and placed a loop of twine to hang the collage once it freezes. Then, we placed them right outside of our door to let them freeze overnight. Of all nights, however, the temperature remained above freezing! The cold front which moved in the following day put smiles on our faces - we knew that this meant freezing temps...and successful ice collages!

Assembling the bits of nature from our winter nature walk into pie tins for ice collages.

Arranging the objects in water. A loop of tied twine was used to create a hanger.

Here they are all lined up outside our door, waiting to freeze...

And the big reveal...

So pretty...

...in the trees around our play area...

The sight of such loveliness brought all of us much joy!!!

Montessori Monday Link-Up

Winter Nature Walk: Part One

2012-01-19T05:28:00.002-05:00

I 've had this idea brewing in my mind for quite some time and have been waiting for the ideal time to try it with my students. Meanwhile, my assistant found this beautiful book and brought it to school:

As I leafed through the pages and read this gorgeously illustrated book, an idea came to me. I thought it would be meaningful to not only read this book to the children, but also use it as a starting point for a special winter nature walk. Along the way, we could compare trees we see in nature and those described in the book:

A page from Winter Trees by Carole Gerber; illustrated by Leslie Evans.

As we walk, we can not only identify trees, but also collect bits and pieces of nature - pine cones, berries, cedar, spruce, and pine branch pieces... These treasures could then be assembled to create ice collages to be hung throughout our outdoor play areas (more on that part in another post).
The children were excited when I told them we would be taking a Winter Nature Walk. We bundled up, brought a couple of baskets, the book, and the camera...

First, we spotted the, "'V' formation of the birch."

Then, we saw the, "egg shape of the maple tree."

The beech tree whose, "tan leaves still cling to limbs and branches."

"...older needles near the trunk drop off and fall onto the ground."
(The kids had a blast clamoring for the needles...)

"The hemlock lives for centuries. Look how huge this tree has grown!"

Along the way, we enjoyed the sight of gently falling flakes and the sound of crunchy snow under our feet. We gathered our treasures in some baskets and eagerly filled them up!

Working together gathering nature's treasures.

When we returned to the classroom, each child assembled the collected nature finds into ice collages - I'll share more about those in the next post! Stay tuned for more winter fun...

Blizzard Effect

2012-01-17T05:29:00.000-05:00

The last snow storm prompted me to document a painting/stamping activity the children have been enjoying this month. As with most art activities in the classroom, this lesson is set up as an individual lesson which the child completes independently.

Materials on the shelf: Basket of blue construction paper with apron; art board (underneath the basket); small tray with white crayon, snowflake stamp; dish with stamp pad (dampened sponge with white and blue paint mixture).

Initially, the child puts on the apron, takes one piece of blue paper, places it on the art board, and brings it to a table. Next, they return to the shelf to retrieve the small tray and bring it over to their workspace being sure to place the small tray to the left of the art board. This seemingly small detail is actually quite important as this placement aids the child in training their eye movements in a left to right direction in preparation for writing and reading.

The materials ready for use at the child's workspace. The white crayon is for the student to write their name on the paper.

I made this stamp by simply hot-gluing a cork onto a snowflake ornament.

The lesson all set up and in use.

Once the child is finished, they rinse the stamp off at the sink and return it to the tray. The paper is brought to the classroom drying rack and all materials are returned to the shelf.

Altogether in our hallway, these stamp paintings create quite a blizzard effect...

...art imitating life!

Finger Knitting, Again

2012-01-16T07:10:00.000-05:00

Recently, we've been getting back in to finger knitting - both during our 'after school' hours and at home! Some of my readers and followers might remember THIS post from last summer about this very topic. Just as I envisioned in those hot summer months, we've been enjoying finger knitting in the warmth and coziness of our home during the winter.

Yesterday, after a many-month hiatus, Mr. Man and I completed our project which was mentioned in last summer's post. First, we finger knitted three long chords using the method shown in his video with four fingers. Here they are laid out across the kitchen floor:

Finger-knitted chords...

Next, we braided them together:

The three chords braided...

And then, we carefully coiled it around, sewing the edges together as we went along... This was all very exciting for the both of us as we've never attempted anything like it before. We ended up with a "very special" (according to Mr. Man) little rug.

Our new finger-knitted creation.

What a delight it was to spend time with my boy making this treasure - his enthusiasm was contagious! If anyone ever asks me why my family doesn't play Nintendo or own any gaming devices, I'll just tell them we have other ways to keep our fingers busy! ;-)

Progress...

2012-01-14T07:43:00.002-05:00

...is everywhere in the classroom! It is evident in the lessons I am giving, in my student's work and their choices, and certainly in these photos from this past week:

Three-period lesson with Puzzle Words (sight words).
Read more about the 'Three-Period Lesson' by clicking on the caption above.

Weaving paper.

Grading the Touch Tablets from rough to smooth. This activity not only promotes lightness of touch needed for writing but it also refines tactile discrimination.

Pouring into four cups. The children are really drawn to this work - I think it's the tiny size and beautiful, blue glass!

Geography and Culture: Exploring pictures of Australia.

Sketching and watercolor painting our blooming amaryllis plant.

Extension work with the Brown Stair: I have a set of corresponding Brown Stair cards which the child can match up to the prisms. This student has set up the cards across the room from where he had initially built the Brown Stair. Consequently, he is playing a distance/memory game while refining visual and spatial discrimination skills.

Two more students were ready for Static Addition with the Golden Beads this week! (I LOVE these Collective Exercises in math!) This picture shows two sets of Small Number Cards from which the addends are chosen (by me). Then, they take their tray to the shelf where the Golden Beads are housed and retrieve that amount. Next, they bring everything to the "meeting mat," (pictured above, far right) where we proceed to count all the beads together. The Large Number Cards, from yet another mat, are used for the sum. Do you notice the visual impression the different sized cards give to the child?
As you might imagine, this lesson takes up a lot of space in the classroom! As a result, we have many curious eyes throughout the room watching the lesson unfold.

Fine-motor practice using a strawberry huller to transfer silver pom-poms.

Living or Non-Living sorting.

Word-building with the Moveable Alphabet.

Transition from writing to reading: Here, the child has been introduced to the manuscript Moveable Alphabet because he is now able to read words. Children who work with the cursive letters are able to sound out each letter but are not necessarily able to read the words back. This material is introduced when the child is reading and can therefore, read the words back to me once they have written them with the (manuscript) letters. The pictures, which are not used with the cursive Moveable Alphabet writing lessons, provide an additional point of interest. Additionally, any child who is working with the manuscript Moveable Alphabet, has previously worked with printed letters with the phonogram work.

This child is making a word booklet by writing words from the Phonetic Object Box lesson onto sticky-notes.

My college freshman step-son was a special visitor to our classroom on Wednesday! This accomplished pianist brought his digital keyboard for a demonstration. The children were awe-struck and marveled at the many sounds this instrument created! Each child had the opportunity to play and listen to many instruments such as various drums, guitar, organ, violin, and even choir voices. We were also treated to a melodic rendition of 'La Plage' by Yann Tiersen.

Table-top Number Rods and Cards

Binomial Cube

"A robot," with the peg board.

Practicing putting on a coat, zipping it, taking it off and hanging it back up!

The Hundred Board with extension work.

And, I just have to share with you a photo of a collection of some the amaryllis watercolor paintings. We ran out of space in our hallway, so these beautiful works adorn the space on the back of a door in the classroom. What a sight!

Amaryllis watercolor paintings.

Snowflakes, Snowflakes Everywhere!

2012-01-12T05:26:00.000-05:00

One of the cutting exercises on the art shelf this month is cutting snowflake designs. This is a lesson which I showed at circle time and have a couple of different options from which the children may choose. First, the children were shown how to gather the necessary materials to complete the lesson.

White construction paper circles, folded into fourths then unfolded; colored paper squares; on the sliver tray: small container with scissors, glue stick and pencil. Under the tray is a small gluing mat.

The child chooses one circle and one colored square, places them onto the silver tray, and takes everything (including the gluing mat) to a table. Next, they fold the circle (into fourths) on the lines and begin cutting into the folded edges. Some children found it easier to draw cutting lines first. We found that the youngest members of the class had the most success cutting on pre-drawn lines. Therefore, a selection of circles with pre-drawn lines was also placed with the blank circles on the shelf:

Example of an unfolded circle with pre-drawn cutting lines.

Here, the child has folded the paper and is cutting on the lines.

Next, the child uses the glue stick to adhere their snowflake shape onto the colored paper...

Here some of them lined up in our hallway along with the snowflakes from a gluing lesson.

Each shape is truly unique. I am saving these snowflakes for a special group art project which you will learn about in the near future!

Flower Arranging

2012-01-10T05:38:00.001-05:00

One of my absolute favorite lessons in the Montessori Practical Life area is Flower Arranging. Each year, I introduce this lesson in the wintertime because it adds such a lovely warmth to the classroom during the cold, Maine, winter days! While providing the children additional opportunities for practicing everyday skills such as pouring, cutting, measuring, and estimating, this activity also cultivates an essential component in any successful Montessori setting. That is, the child's sense of ownership and pride in their learning environment.

Overhead view of our Flower Arranging lesson: These materials are set up on the top shelf of the Practical Life shelves which house the wet transferring lessons: large vase (filled with white carnations); silver tray with assortment of tall and short vases and basket of doilies; clear tray with bowl, small pitcher, funnel, dish towel, and scissors. (You can also see the materials in the title photo at the top of the blog page - that photo is from the end of last school year...)

To complete the activity, the child chooses two flower stems from the large vase, one vase and one doily from the silver tray, and places them onto the clear tray. The clear tray is then taken to a table.

Next, the child takes one stem, measures against the vase to determine how much to trim, and cuts the stem. Remnant pieces are placed in the dish to be discarded later.

Then, I show the child how to remove the leaves which would otherwise be submerged in the water. These are also placed in the bowl.

After the child has placed each stem in the vase and arranged them accordingly, they take their vase and doily to a any location they choose in the classroom. The smiles on their faces are priceless as they beautify our environment and admire their work!

At a work table,

...on a shelf,

...in the Language area,

...and by the central rug.

One child even placed an arrangement next to our sign-in/sign-out board - how cheerful is that?!

And, isn't this the perfect spot for a tiny vase?

Montessori Monday Link-Up

Working in a Winter Wonderland!

2012-01-07T08:35:00.001-05:00

While the snow outside has melted, we have much in the way of winter in our classroom these days! The children have returned from our Christmas break and are relishing the new activities out on the shelves:

Making felt snowflakes.

Winter-inspired art with oil pastels on black paper.

Mittens and Snowflakes counting.

Fun with 'Snowdough!'

Painting with a snowflake stamp.

Yay! The first lessons of the Collective Exercises - Static Addition with the Golden Beads.

Playing the Memory Game of Numbers with snowflakes.

Opening and Closing variation.

Reading practice with the Phonetic Object Box. I recently changed the objects which generated a renewed interest in the lesson.

Refinement of writing skills with the Metal Insets. This child had the lesson of using three shape and three colors.

Playing the "Winter Tree" game which is described here.

Gluing snowflakes.

Parts of a Flower Puzzle and collage...

...which is remarkably similar to our amaryllis plant which bloomed this week!

Pink Tower

Using the Sandpaper Letter booklet (from the post here) to practice writing letters in cornmeal.

Let's hope the Mother Nature will take some cues from our classroom and send us some snow! :-)

January Math

2012-01-05T05:35:00.000-05:00

To help the children solidfy basic math concepts, I've placed the following lessons on the shelves. I appreciate how these types of materials add interest and intruige to the Montessori math materials for some children.

Snowflake Count and Clip: Here, the child counts the number of snowflakes...

...and clips the clothespin to the corresponding number. This activity promotes one-to-one correspondence and number symbol recognition while enhancing fine-motor control with the clothespins. The child can check their work...

...on the back of the card. These cards are available to make from Making Learning Fun.

One of my favorites that I look forward to each year: Mittens and Snowflake Counting.

Here they are all laid out, sparkling snowflakes and all...! :)

Snowflakes and Numerals...

...all matched up. Depedning on the child, they can either count the snowflakes first and then find the matching numeral, or the other way around (numerals first...).

All three lessons on the shelf.

Also, a new math game with a variation from ones in the past await the children. I happen to have a clear, plastic tree which to me, looks very 'wintery.' While setting things up in the classroom, I also found some craft-type decorating icicles, snowflake ornaments and white pom-poms. The idea came to me to have the children cover the winter tree with theses items - After rolling the game die, the child hangs the corresponding number of items onto the winter tree. Whoever uses up all of their pieces first wins the game. As always, we encourage the children to shake hands at the end of the game and say, "Good game!"

The 'Winter Tree Game' all set up. Each child has a bucket filled with three decorative icicles, three snowflake ornaments, and three snowballs (white pom-poms).

The 'Winter Tree' all covered - game over!

On the Shelves: January

2012-01-03T05:40:00.004-05:00

Welcome back and Happy New Year! Our classroom has been transformed into a 'winter wonderland' (which is great, considering the general lack of snow around here...)! ;) In this post, you will find some features of our January prepared environment:

Practical Life Dry Transferring activities. Top shelf: spooning rice, spooning flour, spooning marbles (with my all-time favorite mustard spoon from Montessori Services!!!). Middle shelf: sorting small winter-themed objects; tweezing pom-poms; tonging sugar cubes (Sssh! The kids don't know it's edible... and I plan to keep it that way!) ;) Bottom shelf: pouring ice-crystals (saved from last year's science experiment...); pouring blue rice into two vessels; pouring pasta (which has been painted white to look like snowflakes).

Practical Life Wet Transferring activities: Top shelf: sponging (always a favorite in my class); pouring water; pouring water (identical vessels with handles); Middle shelf: pouring blue water (no handles); pouring blue water into two vessels; pouring into four vessels; Bottom shelf: water transfer with baster (and I see that the baster is not in the photo -oops!); using a dropper to fill suction cups with blue water (another very popular activity in the classroom...).

Bead stringing tray: The kids will bead these onto pipe cleaners to make 'icicles'.

'Wrapping yarn' materials on the shelf: clear tray with oak tag paper cut into 4x6 rectangles with small slits around edges; Ziploc bag full of pre-cut, arm-length yarn pieces; divided tray with tape pencil, tape dispenser, and space for yarn. To to the lesson, the child takes one piece of oak tag and a few pieces of yarn from the bag and takes the divided tray to a workspace. After writing their name, they tape a piece of yarn to the back of the oak tag and begin wrapping the yarn around making sure it goes through the slits... Then, they tape the other yarn end to the back and repeat with another piece of yarn, if desired. Any unused yarn can go back in the Ziploc bag when they return the materials to the shelf.

This is one example of the activity which I've left on the shelf next to the materials for the lesson.

And because the children have enjoyed weaving with ribbon and have been so successful with it, now we'll try weaving with paper: Various sized strips of colored paper (weft strips); basket (with pencil) to collect weft strips; tray with paper mats (construction paper with 1in. warp strips).

Weaving with paper.

I've seen this golf-tee and marble activity circulating around the blogosphere lately and knew I had to try in our classroom! My students love hammering golf-tees into clay, so I am looking forward to watching them with this variation...

...they will have to be oh, so careful as they place each golf-tee and balance the marbles!

More posts about other lessons will be coming soon. I'm looking forward to spending time in our classroom's 'winter wonderland!'

I'm linking this post up to What's on the Tray Wednesday at H is for Homeschooling.

Best Blog Award!!!

2012-01-01T16:27:00.000-05:00

What a perfect way to ring in the New Year! A big thank you to Natasa at Leptir for sending this award to me!

The only rule is to pass it along...

Now, the award goes to:

Sewing School
Fairy Dust Teaching

I recently came across these blogs and LOVE them - full of wonderful ideas...! Enjoy!

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T08:06:00.000-05:00

Wishing you peace and every happiness in 2012!

Signs of Winter

2011-12-28T08:07:00.001-05:00

Living in Maine gives ample opportunities for our little ones to practice suiting up for the snow. In the classroom setting, as any teacher can attest, getting ready to go outside during the winter takes time, patience, and practice! While my older students are well versed in getting themselves dressed and helping the younger ones, I have seen how the entire process can be quite overwhelming for some children. To address this issue, I've made some (hopefully) eye catching signs to be posted by the cubbies where the children get ready to play outside:

Before hanging these mini-posters on the wall, I talked to the children about them at circle time. We discussed the importance of the sequence of how to get dressed for outside and how it impossible to put one's snow pants on after they have already booted up! The children also appreciated how it is much easier to zip up a coat without wearing mittens or gloves. These concepts, seemingly simple to an adult, are easily overlooked by the young child. This can lead to frustration and upset while attempting to do something they otherwise could accomplish independently. So, this is how I decided the little signs can come in handy. As the children are getting themselves ready, they now have a visual reference which they can check themselves!

The signs hang at the children's eye level near their hooks for snow pants.
If interested, you can read more about the hook labels here.

Happy Snow Days!

Montessori Monday Link-Up

Liebster Blog Award

2011-12-26T13:46:00.000-05:00

A few days ago, I was surprised to find an unexpected gift awaiting me - Lisa, from Criss-Cross Applesauce, had awarded me the Liebster Blog Award! I am both humbled and honored to be considered for this award with the recognition for my contributions to the field of early childhood education. Thank you Lisa! If you are in need of some creative and fun learning ideas, be sure to check out Lisa's blog for inspiration!

The rules of this award are as follows:

1. Show your thanks to the blogger who nominated you by linking back to their blog.

2. Nominate five other happy little blogs (200 followers or less) by posting a comment on their blogs.

3. Post the award on your blog.

4. Check out what these other blogs have to offer!

And this award now goes to...
(in no particular order)

The Work Plan

Olives and Pickles

The Learning Ark
Kathy's Montessori Life
Inspired Montessori and Arts

Merry Christmas to All...

2011-12-23T17:29:00.000-05:00

...and to all a good break! Here are some photos to share of our classroom from the last week of school prior to our Christmas vacation - I'll be honest and tell you that I did not take as many pictures as I usually do...we were just busy getting our gifts made and wrapped while enjoying some fun activities together. And despite the extra "busy-ness" of the classroom, I found myself giving new lessons to many children!

Lots of Sandpaper Letter practice!

Offering our friends slices of bananas during worktime. The children love this and it is a wonderful Grace and Courtesy lesson.

Table-top Number Rods and Cards. I pulled this material from my storage closet because several of my students could benefit from the extra practice. I observed that some of the kids have been avoiding the (large) Number Rods, for reasons I still do not know... In any case, this smaller version of the same material has brought renewed interest to the Math area. I only introduce these table-top Number Rods to students who have already worked with the large ones.

Exploring combinations of ten with the table-top Number Rods.

Number writing practice on the grid chalkboard.

Caring for plants.

Decorating gift bags for our ornaments...

...and here are some of them lined up on the counter ready for home delivery!

Playing carols on the Melody Harp - Really, there is no better background music than this! :)

Creative exploration with the Constructive Triangles.

Coloring nutcrackers while listening to The Nutcracker ballet music.

Here, two children are working with the 'Christmas Wreath' poetry basket.

Parts of a Bird Puzzle and collage...

...with labels.

Months of the Year: Here, the student has placed the Earth ball on his birthday month. Next, he held the ball and walked around the mat singing, "The Earth goes 'round the sun, the Earth goes 'round the sun, it takes a whole year for the Earth to go around the sun!"

And, it finally snowed - just in time for Christmas vacation!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Milkweed for Christmas?

2011-12-22T05:31:00.001-05:00

Oh, just wait until you see what the children have made with the milkweed my assistant and I plucked from the sides of the road!

As my assistant informed me, milkweed is the only plant that monarch butterflies eat. Have you ever noticed its beautiful sheen or the way it floats like a cloud? While brainstorming ideas for ornament making with the kids, we decided to give this one a go...

First, I decided to place the milkweed pods in Ziploc bags so that we would not have the seeds floating all over the classroom. The clear bag allowed the child to see the pod and seeds within while taking small finger-fuls. Then, we showed them how to carefully place the seeds inside of a glass ornament. (We made sure there were no sharp edges before letting the children use their fingers... Luckily, the ornaments I purchased from a craft store were really smooth so we didn't have to worry about it as much, but we still checked to be sure...) Handling the milkweed seeds was a sensory delight for the children! I appreciated how they were able to see how the seeds are stored within the pods while completing this craft.

Here, you can see how the activity was set up. We placed the ornament in a small cup while the children worked to fill it so it wouldn't roll around so much... Also, the black tray was the perfect contrast to the milkweed and the children could easily see what they were doing. We let the children fill up their ornament as much as they wanted. Really, they were so excited and intrigued by the whole process!

We finished them off with a ribbon and red bow... Can you just imagine how beautiful these will be hanging in the glow of a Christmas tree?

'Christmas Wreaths'

2011-12-20T05:45:00.002-05:00

We have been learning a new poem this month called, 'Christmas Wreaths.' The following poem and pictures used in the lesson were graciously offered from My Montessori Journey. To introduce the new poem, first I recited the poem aloud without photos - I simply let the children close their eyes and listen to the words. We discussed vocabulary and what the words convey. After several days of listening, I then introduced the pictures, giving the kids visual cues as they memorized the poetry.

'Christmas Wreaths'

Our Christmas wreaths are fat and round
Made of woodsy things we found.

We tied brown cones upon the green,

And stuck red berries in between.

Upon the wreath for our front door
We tied red ribbon from a store.

Once the children were comfortable with associating the words and the pictures, then I added the written words in a wall chart. We practiced reading the poem - the red dots under each word assist the child while using a pointer or "reading stick" as they point to each word.

Classroom poetry chart.

Lastly, I introduced the children to the poetry basket. Inside is a (small) copy of the poem with a reading stick along with the necessary objects to dramatize the poem.

Poetry basket copy of the poem with a reading stick...

...and the objects needed to "act" it out.

Here are the components of the poetry altogether in our poetry basket, ready for the shelf. The children love to complete this lesson in pairs - one child reads while the other one acts it out, then they switch!

Every once in a while, we will have a volunteer who will want to recite the poem for our class during circle time. This elicits a warm applause from classmates and usually, others will want to recite the poem as well! Also, we discovered that the poem can be sung to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," and we have been listening to its steady beat. This prompted me to get our our jingle-sticks out and tap out the beat while 'singing' the poem. Jingle bells and Christmas wreaths....can it get any more festive around here?!

December Days

2011-12-17T05:53:00.000-05:00

I am excited about these December days in the classroom! The children are working well, both individually and as a group. Of course, we have our moments (you know, those ones when you think, "Where did I do wrong?" as several pairs of feet are galloping across the floor, or in those moments of 'false fatigue' in the classroom when it appears as if no one is doing anything....). My experience tells me however, that allowing the children to work through exactly these moments is what makes our Montessori classroom truly authentic. I am proud of the children's progress and observe their accomplishments with sincere reverence.

Geography with the Land and Water Forms: Learning 'System of Lakes' and 'Archipelago.'

Understanding dimensions with the Pink Tower.

Creating a pattern while making a jingle-bell necklace.

Another child received the Hundred Chain lesson this week!

Cards and Counters which prompted...

...these Bells and Jingles to be used!

A new "discovery." This child found out on his own that the green Knobbed Cylinders fit exactly on top of the red ones.

Making wreaths and...

...ornaments which we...

...tied with ribbon and hung in the hallway.

Listening to the music of The Nutcracker and reading labels for the decorative nutcrackers.
(Click on caption to read more about this activity.)

Exciting extension work with the Knobbed Cylinders.

Working with the Constructive Triangles
Hexagonal Box.

Puzzle Map of Africa.

Extension work with the Pink Tower and Brown Stair.

A colorful array with the Third Color Tablet Box.

Matching seasonal pictures.

And, we got started on something special, but shhh! It's a secret! You only get this little clue:

A sneak peak!
Stay tuned for more next week... :)

Visions of Sugarplums...

2011-12-15T05:38:00.002-05:00

The Nutcracker season is upon us and as a former ballet instructor, I love to introduce this holiday classic to my Montessori students each year! My favorite Nutcracker book for this age group (3-6) is by Susan Jeffers:

After reading the story during circle time for a few days, I introduce the music. While we are listening, I point out several key elements of the storyline. The children are always captivated and become so excited when we begin dancing like the toy soldiers in the party scene or the snowflakes in the forest on the way to the 'Land of the Sweets'... Of course, great care is taken when we are dancing to the music of the Sugar Plum Fairy!

After a few days of listening the story and the music together at circle time, I introduced the children to headphones for listening to music individually. Also, I placed some easy to read stickers on the CD player so the children can easily set up and complete the activity by themselves. After situating themselves in front of the player and putting on the headphones, they can then listen to the music of The Nutcracker while reading the book. This is now an option they now have during our Montessori morning work sessions which has been immensely popular!

I also set out a set of three decorative nutcrackers for the children to explore. To give a sense of direction to the activity, I placed three labels for the children to read and match to the nutcrackers - large, medium, and small. After they match the labels, I showed them how to rearrange the nutcrackers so they may repeat the reading and matching. Lastly, they leave the nutcrackers in order from largest to smallest and put the labels in the small container, leaving everything ready for the next person. The kids are able to complete this lesson while listening to the music as well.

Our music, turned Nutcracker, shelf. The headphones are housed in a basket under the CD player.

A closer look at the labels matched to their nutcrackers.

I feel it is critically important to offer these types of music, movement, and language opportunities for children in the classroom. Not only are they better able to appreciate the music, but also, these types of activities promote learning opportunities while integrating multiple intelligences in the classroom.

Montessori Monday Link-Up

Montessori and Multiple Intelligences: Part Two

2011-12-14T05:37:00.002-05:00

Continued from Part One:

The very nature of a Montessori classroom allows for children of varying personalities and learning styles to unify themselves into a community of caring individuals. Within this special environment the child may either choose to work alone or with others at any given moment. In fact, the use of a work mat is a concrete representation of a child’s intrapersonal needs being met in the classroom. Likewise, a child may choose to work with another individual and is at liberty to engage in pleasant conversation throughout the day. Here, one can identify another blend of Gardner’s theory in to Montessori pedagogy. The use of a mat to define a personal workspace is in direct correlation to Gardner’s theory of the Intrapersonal Intelligence. Children of this intelligence are not only capable of expressing their emotions well but also require private space and time which can be respected by the defined space a work mat creates. Additionally, Gardner identified the Interpersonal Intelligence as “the sensitivity one has towards others, along with the ability to work well with other people, understand others, and assume leadership roles (Driscoll & Nagel, 2005). The Montessori setting undoubtedly allows for children’s interactions with one another to enhance the educational experience.

Maria Montessori developed her approach to education based on scientific research and observation of young children. She realized the unique capabilities within each child which need only to be encouraged by the right environment in order to reach maximum potential. Montessori realized the significance of each area of intelligence in the materials and experiences she created in her schools. Remarkably, in the creation of her method, she seems to have touched upon many of the core operations of the eight intelligences described much later by Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory (Vardin, 2003), as illustrated in the table below.

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences in the Montessori Setting

Intelligence	Characteristics	Montessori Representation
Linguistic	Play with words; enjoy stories; Interest in sounds of language	Sandpaper letters; Moveable Alphabet; Stories; writing – Language Area
Logical/ Mathematical	Exploration of patterns; counting; Reasoning/problem solving	Knobless Cylinders, Solid Cylinders – Sensorial and Math Areas
Spatial/ Visual	Visualization of concepts	Order in the environment – specific place for each material; Practical Life Area
Bodily/ Kinesthetic	Strong motor skills and coordination; Learning through movement	All areas of classroom and curriculum studies.
Musical	Ability to produce and appreciate pitch, rhythm; understanding of musical expressiveness	Montessori Bells; songs, rhymes; music specialists
Naturalist	Classification of living things – plants, animals, features of natural word.	Geography and Social Studies curriculum; Care of Environment (indoor and outdoor)
Intrapersonal	Understanding of one’s self; ability to discriminate and act on one’s feelings.	Respect of personal spaces; ability to choose to work alone
Interpersonal	Ability to understand others and work well with together; availability of leadership roles.	Working in pairs or small groups; encouragement of interaction; mixed age setting

Table 1

In order to fully appreciate Montessori’s influence and approach to education, one should begin with a study of her pioneering and innovative contributions to the profession. Her work likely inspired and supports contemporary human development theorists such as Piaget, Ericson, and Vygotsky. In our nation's ongoing debate on reforming the public school system, it would behoove policy makers and administrators to closely examine how the introduction of Montessori principles would enhance every child’s social, emotional, and cognitive needs.

References

Berk, Laura E. Child Development. Needham Heights: Massachusetts, 2000 (fifth edition).

Driscoll, Amy and Nacny G. Nagel. Early Childhood Education: Birth to 8. The World of Children Families and Educators. Pearson Educational Inc.: 2005 (third edition).

Gardner: Multiple Intelligences. (handout)

Vardin, Patricia A. Montessori and Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences. Montessori Life, Winter 2003. Online.

Montessori Monday Link-Up

Montessori and Multiple Intelligences: Part One

2011-12-13T05:31:00.003-05:00

Maria Montessori’s scientific approach to the education of young children revealed to the world her profound understanding of children’s learning processes. Although she was a pioneer in the field of education, many of her contemporaries scoffed at the notion that young children demonstrate proclivities for knowledge acquisition which are directly related to stages of development and sensitive periods for learning. Remarkably, almost eighty years after her initial findings, and thirty years after her death, more recent studies revealed Montessori’s innovative findings as decades ahead of her time. Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences (1983) parallels the very essence of Montessori philosophy and its function in the classroom. Gardner suggested that “rather than having one fixed intelligence [or intelligence quotient, IQ], people can be intelligent in many different ways” (Gardner: Multiple Intelligences). Furthermore, Gardner theorized there are eight such intelligences which can be defined in terms of distinct sets of processing operations that permit individuals to solve problems, create products, and discover new knowledge (Berk, 2000). This article will demonstrate the direct correlation between Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences and the founding principles of the Montessori method of education.

Gardner’s concept of intelligence stems from an accumulation of knowledge about the human brain. Additionally, every human being has the capacity for developing within each of the eight intelligences (Driscoll & Nagel, 2005). Similarly, Montessori previously uncovered comparable concepts during her careful observation and study of the child. Gardner’s concept of a Linguistic Intelligence is seen in the individual who demonstrates sensitivity to the sounds, rhythms, and meanings of words and the different functions of language. Children who demonstrate proclivities to linguistic intelligence enjoy the sounds of language, storytelling, books, and experimenting with writing. The Montessori setting directly promotes linguistic intelligence through the use of materials in the language curriculum. Montessori designed specialized materials to promote language learning. For example, the Sandpaper Letters not only introduce the child to letter sounds, but is also presented as a pre-writing exercise. Reading and literature are also highly promoted in the Montessori setting. The notion of Gardner’s Linguistic Intelligence can also be demonstrated through the use of the Montessori Three-Period Lesson. During this specialized lesson, the teacher introduces the child to precise language. The Montessori classroom is infused with similar opportunities for language learning promoting Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences.

The Montessori setting is also representative of Gardner’s Logical/Mathematical Intelligence. “Children who show talent in this area may like to reason and solve problems; explore patterns and categorize objects; ask questions and experiment; and count one-to-one correspondence” (Gardner: Multiple Intelligences). This precisely describes not only the Montessori Early Childhood math curriculum, but also, and even more obviously, the specialized apparatus of the Sensorial area. While enhancing and refining the child’s sensory discrimination skills, these auto didactic materials also encourage a mathematical process of thought.

Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences can be identified across other areas of the Montessori classroom, oftentimes covering more than one type of intelligence at a time. For example, lessons of the Language or Math materials are also representative of Spatial/Visual and Bodily/Kinesthetic Intelligences. Children are able to create visual images of a potential entity, such as a project or specific idea, and consequently act on their visualization. This is a manifestation of exercising the Spatial/Visual Intelligence. Likewise, the ability to use one’s body or parts of the body as a medium of expression or to solve a problem refers to the essence of a Bodily/Kinesthetic Intelligence (Driscoll & Nagel, 2005). This can be identified across all Montessori areas including the exercises of Practical Life.

Montessori also realized the importance of musical understanding and its relationship to a solid foundation of learning. She therefore, incorporated the use of the Bells as part of a specially prepared environment for young learners. Montessori’s promotion of a musical component of education further demonstrates how Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences is revealed in a Montessori classroom. Another aptitude included in Gardner’s theory is a Musical Intelligence characterized by the ability to produce and appreciate rhythm and pitch and the understanding of forms of musical expression.

Gardner also theorized that a Naturalist Intelligence “is used to discriminate among living things, such as plants or animals, as well as an understanding of other features of the natural world” (Driscoll & Nagel, 2005). This very idea is likewise represented in the Montessori setting through Montessori’s endorsement of a cosmic education. She advocated the necessity for children to be exposed to nature and how the development of a relationship to the universe provides nourishment for the child’s intellect and soul. Young children in an Early Childhood setting can be seen not only caring for plants and animals in the classroom, but also participating in gardening and care of the outdoor environment.

Montessori and Multiple Intelligences: Part Two

Montessori Monday Link-Up

More Montessori...

2011-12-10T08:57:00.002-05:00

Another week filled with 'more Montessori' lessons and activities! Here are just a few snapshots of our mornings:

Letter writing practice with the chalkboard.

Decimal System Cards and Golden Beads.

Food Preparation: Slicing bananas.

Tens Board and Beads. Here, the child is counting from 10-99 and is on 29.

Introduction of the Knobless Cylinders - comparison of height.

Memory Game of Numbers with jingle bells.

More jingle bell math!

Poinsettia craft
(Click on caption to read more about it.)

Seasons Timeline
(Click on caption to learn more about this material.)

Walking the maze: You might notice the child in this picture holding a small vase of flowers... The children doing this activity decided walk the maze holding onto an item, similar to the Montessori 'Walking the Line' exercises. This adds a degree of difficulty to the lesson - I'm sure you can appreciate the amount of concentration and coordination necessary to complete the maze without touching the rods while holding the flowers! :)

Number line of Gingerbread men...Somehow, the picture would be more complete if there was a fresh layer of snow in the background...!

Sensorial work with the Baric Tablets. This material not only heightens the child's awareness of weight, but also gives language to their experiences, for example 'light, lighter, lightest; heavy, heavier, heaviest...'

Linear and skip counting with the Hundred Chain.

Reading practice with Farm Animal Three-Part Cards.

More reading practice: Four-letter Phonetic Word Cards
After reading each word and using it in a sentence, this student wanted to write the words.

Binomial Cube

Practicing putting on gloves.

Exploring dimension and patterns with the Pink Tower and Brown Stair.
The children said this creation was their "dragonfly."

Matching similar works of art. The child completing this activity took the Audubon cardinal print and found...

...his own association right in our classroom!

Labeling the Parts of a Tree puzzle. After labeling the parts, this student decided to make her own 'parts of a tree...'

First, she traced each puzzle piece onto paper...

...then cut each piece out,

and glued them onto paper.

After over an hour of meticulous work and concentration, she was finished. Watching this student work reminded me of one of my favorite Montessori quotes:

"Free the child's potential, and you will transform him into the world."

I'm linking this post to Teach Me Tuesday at
Whole Child Creative Curriculum.

'P' is for Poinsettia

2011-12-08T05:40:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite gluing activities of the year is the following simple poinsettia craft. I always introduce the work by showing the children a real poinsettia plant. We talk about the leaves and their colors and feel how soft they are...

Then, during circle time, I demonstrated the steps to make a poinsettia decoration. To do the work, the, child takes the necessary materials from the shelf where they are set up. Here is a photo of the how it looks on the shelf:

Green construction paper with a sign to take one piece; red leaves with a sign to take four; small container filled with corn kernels. On the white tray: a small dish holding a pencil, castor, and 'Tap-n-Glue' bottle.

First, the child places the appropriate papers on the white tray, then puts a few pieces of corn in the small castor. Next, they take all the materials to a table where the white tray is placed to the left of the workspace. Here is a photo of a student who is in the process of making the poinsettia decoration (although the corn kernels cannot be seen in the castor...):

Poinsettia craft in progress.

The 'Tap-n-Glue' bottle is something new for all the students and I can tell they are intrigued by it! If you are not familiar with its use, all the child has to do is point it on the paper where they want the glue and press the bottle down - only a drop of glue comes out each time. This was demonstrated during circle time, along with how to position each red leaf on the green paper. (By the way, I almost set up the lesson to have the kids complete their own cutting of the red leaves. I decided, however, that one purpose of the lesson was to learn how to use the new glue bottles, so I pre-cut the leaves so the kids could focus on the use of the 'Tap-n-Glue.' Surely, one could easily do the same lesson and have the kids complete the cutting...) Once all the leaves are in place, then the child places glue in the center where the corn kernels are then placed. Altogether in our hallway, these cheerful poinsettias make a festive statement!

December Math

2011-12-06T05:38:00.003-05:00

In addition to the traditional Montessori math activities, the children have delighted in the following seasonal Math lessons:

Top: Gingerbread Men with numbers 1-10 with ten clothespins to clip on the line, similar to our Autumn Leaf number line seen in the post here.
Middle: Christmas Bells (shapes) with numbers 0-10 and a basket of bells for counting.
Bottom: Beads on a Wire with number cards 1-10.

After all that beading on a pipecleaner, a special surprise awaits...

...a Christmas tree!

And, if there was ever any doubt about how children make meaningful connections between materials, or how the Montessori sensorial apparatus directly prepare the Mathematical Mind:

...one child lined them up line this and declared, "It's just like the Brown Stair!" :)
I can see it, can you? ;)

Montessori Monday Link-Up

Sleigh Bells Ring...

2011-12-03T06:18:00.000-05:00

Are you listening? :)

If one were to stand outside the classroom door and do nothing but listen, they would hear the soft jingling of little bells coming from our classroom! This week has brought much cheer and festivity as we rang in the new month:

Scooping large jingle bells - This is one of my favorite Practical Life exercises because as the child scoops one bell into the 'scooper,' they give it a little shake to hear the delightful jingle sound!

Balsam Fir Play dough: I added balsam fir to this green play dough for a fun sensory experience. It smells just like a Christmas tree and the texture is a new point of interest for the children. The small box contains craft beads which the kids have been using to decorate their play dough trees and wreaths.

Painting with watercolors.

Opening and Closing boxes. I added a special trinket to each box which the kids have been discovering as "little treasures."

December Math Game with holiday erasers as game pieces.

Sensorial exploration of shapes and preparation of the hand for writing with the Geometry Cabinet.

A pair of polishers: Metal Polishing (red) next to Glass Polishing (blue). I appreciated how these two students decided together who would polish what, and how they situated themselves at the table... :)

Pink Tower work.
(Click on caption to read more.)

Tens Board

Triangular Box of the Constructive Triangles.
(Click on caption to read more.)

Reading practice with the Phonetic Object Box. This pictures shows the child working with the written (cursive) labels from the initial presentation with me...

... and here is the student working independently using the printed labels. I love how a child is able experience both cursive and print with the same material!
(Click here to learn more about the Phonetic Object Box.)

Paper cutting exercise using green and red cutting strips and strips of wrapping paper...

...which some children turned into a Christmas collage.

Phonogram word building.

Holiday-themed lacing cards - a wonderful way to reuse Christmas cards!

Also in the classroom this week, many children received brand new lessons in Math and Language, moving them forward in the Montessori sequence of materials for these subjects. Presenting these lessons reminds of the ongoing progress the kids are making and I'm so honored to be a part of it!

The Three-Period Lesson (from a third set of eyes!)

2011-12-01T05:41:00.004-05:00

This semester, I have had the privilege of having an intern from the University of Maine join us for three days each week in the classroom - hence "the third set of eyes" after mine and my assistant's... :) One basic tenant of the Montessori method of education which I wanted to impress upon her is the significance of the 'Three-Period Lesson.' While there are many resources available on the web and in the blogosphere, the following contribution written by my intern, clearly illustrates the components of this hallmark of Montessori education. I think it is a valuable post not only because it allowed her understand one fundamental aspect of Montessori theory, but it also serves as a guide to the parents of my students as they learn more about their children's experiences in our school.

The Importance of the Montessori Three Period Lesson

and Its Connection to Scaffolding

The three period lesson is used to introduce new concepts and valuable lessons in the Montessori classroom. This method fosters the child’s understanding and in turn mastery of a skill. Additionally, it broadens a child’s vocabulary and enriches their experiences with language.

During a three period lesson it is important to keep things simple and focused. The Montessori teacher begins the lesson by presenting the child with three contrasting objects and isolating them one at a time on a table or mat. The first period is the naming period when a teacher may say, “This is the ___.” The teacher repeats herself; to be sure the child is following, with clear slow speech.

The second period allows for recognition and association. Here the teacher rearranges the objects and asks the child, “ Please show me the _____.” or, “Can you place the ______ in my hand?” The objects can be rearranged several times providing the child with increased kinesthetic memory and ample opportunity to recognize the items. In turn, this increases the level of fun and creativity. It is a well-known fact that children learn through play and here, by increasing the level of fun, we increase opportunities for learning.

Photo from North American Montessori Center.

The third period demonstrates recall. At this point the objects in the lesson are placed in front of the child and the teacher points to the first one and asks, “What is this?” This is the testing period. A teacher will only proceed to this stage if, through careful observation she is confident that the child will have success with recall. If a teacher finds that the child does not have recall, simply providing the name for item and ending the lesson will wrap up the work.

The three period lesson is an effective teaching strategy that maintains a developmentally appropriate approach. The uniqueness of the three period lesson is in its connection to scaffolding. Scaffolding is a process of providing and then removing external support. The original task is not changed; rather how the child participates in the task is made easier with assistance. As children take more responsibility for pursuing an objective, assistance is gradually withdrawn. In early childhood education, we use scaffolding techniques on a consistent basis to challenge children in performing tasks slightly beyond what they can easily do on their own. A Montessori teacher is constantly observing her students to gauge the amount of support and challenge that is necessary to allow for optimal growth. By slowly decreasing support for the child, a teacher allocates for their autonomy. The Montessori classroom promotes children's learning through independence, thereby validating the importance of the three period lesson and its impact in the Montessori method of education.

On the Shelves: December

2011-11-29T05:37:00.001-05:00

Either I have way too many Christmas and holiday things or I just love this time of year, because I've spent a very long time in the classroom getting these (and other) shelves ready! It is sure to be a festive month:

Jingle Bell Necklace tray.

Practical Life: Dry Transferring
One of my all-time favorites (which is impossible to see in the photo, top left) is spooning Balsam Fir. The other trays contain various items such as small and large jingle bells, red and green pom-poms, colored rice, and tiny Christmas tree-shaped beads.

Even our Handwashing Table is ready - the Santa soap dispenser is sure to be a major point of interest! :)

I would share with you a photo of the Wet Transferring activities, however, the picture came out too blurry. But you can only imagine the fun I had with all the Christmas trays and items I've accumulated over the years! :) Instead, I'll share with you some super fun Practical Life extension materials I made:

Braiding Board
For this material, I simply tied three pieces of ribbon together and clamped them under the clip of the clipboard. I found this wooden clipboard at the craft store and I like it because the clamp is tight enough so the ribbon stays in place.

The small clothes pin at the top will be used...

...to clip the end of the braid.

Putting on a Pair of Gloves
I am confident I'll be thanking myself for introducing this lesson to my students everytime we get dressed to go outside!

Matching Socks and...

...folding them, too!

Christmas Bow-Tying
I re-used part of an old Pink Tower I had in my storage closet to make this material. To do the activity, the child will take the cubes from the shelf, just like in the Pink Tower lesson. Then, they will be able to practice tying bows as they did with the Bow-Tying Frame. I predict a bow-tying frenzy in my classroom! :)

Here are the three lessons on a top shelf: Putting on Gloves, Christmas Bow-Tying, and Matching/Folding Socks.

Montessori Monday Link-Up

"The Seasons Come and Go"

2011-11-28T06:05:00.000-05:00

I have noticed over the years how much my students enjoy watching the seasons change. I too, appreciate the opportunities these observations of the passing of time allow me to integrate specific materials in the classroom. Recently, with the help of my intern, I put together a lesson which highlights each season while giving a visual impression of the passing of time. Just as in our 'Thanksgiving' poem when, "The seasons come and go," this activity highlights the coming and going of each time of year.

While going through some materials at home, I came across a set of Seasons pictures from Montessori For Everyone (I think!) which had been in my files for years. I still cannot remember my original plan for this set, but when I found them, the idea to make a timeline came to fruition. The set includes five photos representing each of the four seasons. Also, each set has a heading card for the season with the word - for example, the card says, "Winter". One of the reasons I have held on to this material for so long is because the photos are so beautiful!

To demonstrate the idea of a timeline, four pieces of colored ribbon were sewn together to form a line. Each color is representative of a season: red - autumn; white - winter; green - spring; yellow - summer. Then, each card was cut out, mounted onto corresponding colored card stock, and laminated.

To do the work, the child lays out the colored ribbon and matches the heading cards with each color of the ribbon in the timeline. Next, the child examines each card and determines which season it represents and places it underneath the appropriate color in the timeline. The control of error is within the material with the color coordination of the cards and ribbon. Here is a photo of the completed lesson:

Seasons Timeline

Fall pictures.

Winter pictures.

Spring pictures.

Summer pictures.

As you can see from the photos, this lesson is ideally suited not only for a cultural/science perspective, but also for a language enrichment opportunity! I am very much looking forward to introducing my students to this material.

The materials ready for the shelf: Heading cards and ribbon which is clipped with clothespin in smaller basket; and pictures for each season (which are not grouped by color) underneath...

Montessori Monday Link-Up

An Attitude of Gratitude

2011-11-19T07:21:00.001-05:00

I try my hardest to instill a sense of gratitude within my students as they navigate their world. This is a concept that is present in our classroom all the time and not just during Thanksgiving! One of the first songs we learn together as a class is one of gratitude:

Gratitude Song

(tune: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)

Thank you, thank you very much

For everything that I can touch.

Thanks for all of nature's food,

And for when I'm feeling good.

Thank you, thank you very much

For my family, friends, and such!

I share the following photos from this week with my own sense of gratitude for the opportunity to work with such a talented, intelligent, and unique group of children! Thank YOU, my students and their parents, my readers and followers of this blog, and mostly my dear family for giving me their understanding and encouragement while I set out to do what I love each and everyday! :)

Understanding Geography concepts with the Land and Water Forms: Peninsula and Gulf

This child has combined the Sound Box objects with the Sandpaper Letters, allowing him to make meaningful connections to the letter sound and symbol. While I typically do not present this as a formal lesson to my students, I encourage this association if it is child-initiated.

Three-Part Cards of the Continents. Here, the child is in the process of making his own set of cards, an idea he came up with completely on his own! :)

And here is the the self-made material after one and half morning sessions of hard work!

Elements of the Earth: Land, Air, and Water
(Click on caption above to read more about it.)

Art Appreciation with Child-Sized Masterpieces: Matching identical paintings.

Writing words with the Moveable Alphabet.

Using our November poetry basket to read and dramatize our 'Thanksgiving' poem.

Practicing the preliminary Practical Life exercise of Sponging, this month with the help of leaf bowls! :)

Refinement of the thermic sense with the Thermic Tablets.

Learning the countries of South America with the Puzzle Map. This child came to school with a book about Pink River Dolphins of the Amazon. So, we got out the map and later...

...wrote about them with the Moveable Alphabet: 'Pink river dolphins. Their ears are inside their heads. They live in the Amazon river.'

Fun sensorial work with the Smelling Bottles.
(Click on the caption above to learn more.)

Seasonal Practical Life: Tonging Acorns

Grading and pairing the Touch Tablets from 'rough' to 'smoothest.' This exercise is not only beneficial for training the tactile sense, but also in preparing the hand for writing by practicing lightness of touch.

Practicing threading a needle.
(Click caption to read more.)

Preparing our 'Thanksgiving Gratitude Snack'.
(Click on caption if you missed that post!)

I'll be taking a little break from blogging during our vacation, but am looking forward to sharing with you all that I have planned for December upon my return. Wishing you all a wonderful time with your families and a very Happy Thanksgiving!

"The Best Snack, EVER!"

2011-11-17T14:35:00.002-05:00

Our 'Thanksgiving Gratitude Snack', AKA "Cornucopia Snack!"

According the my students...! The children shared a special 'Thanksgiving Gratitude Snack' today. This was a special event, not only because we sat altogether to enjoy each other's company over food, but also because we took the time to think about the things we are thankful for. To mark this special holiday, the kids prepared their own cornucopias, which were sugar cones, and filled them with fruit salad. We have been discussing how the cornucopia is a symbol of abundance and serves as a reminder of everything for which we are thankful. In addition to assembling a cornucopia, each child was able to frost a pumpkin cookie. As you can imagine, this was met with much enthusiasm and glee! The following is a picture of how I set up the snack preparation table with the materials necessary for the cornucopia and cookie icing.

First, the child takes a plate and one "cornucopia." Then, they fill it with the fruit salad. Next, they take a cookie and spread on some yummy icing - they did really well with this and resisted temptation to use too much icing! :)

'Thanksgiving Gratitude Snack' in the making, and next to the table for some inspiration...

...our Thanksgiving poetry basket along with a pilgrim lady decoration. She has been aptly named by the kids, "Cornucopia Girl." :)

Giving thanks together at the first set of tables...

...and at a larger table. Notice the wheat stalks for centerpieces? They are representative of the "yellow fields of grain" from our "Thanksgiving" poem.

In my perfect Montessori world, I would have had the children cut and prepare the fruit salad themselves. These days however, have been passing much too quickly, and with the upcoming week long vacation, I found myself without enough time to have the kids do that part! So, I am writing with much gratitude and thanks to the parents who graciously sent in the fruit salad and festive plates and napkins. The kids declared, "This is the best snack, EVER!"

Throughout their time eating together, the following cheerful words were heard from the children: "I am thankful for the whole wide world." "I'm thankful for my whole family!" "I'm thankful for my food." "I'm thankful for this classroom." "I'm thankful for everything!" :)

Thanksgiving Poem

2011-11-15T06:14:00.005-05:00

The children have been learning a new poem this month called, "Thanksgiving." It brings me so much joy to hear the children take pride in memorizing and reciting poetry - what better way foster appreciation for language than to experience poetry?! The following is a video of my daughter (2 years, 9 months) reciting our "Thanksgiving" poem at school. If you are a parent of one of my students, your child knows this poem too - I hope they will be able to share it with your during this Thanksgiving season!

Our 'Thanksgiving' Poetry Basket.

Thanksgiving

The year has turned its circle,

The seasons come and go.

The harvest is all gathered in

And chilly north winds blow.

Orchards have shared their treasures,

The fields their yellow grain.

So open wide the doorway,

Thanksgiving comes again!

Montessori Monday Link-Up

Re-decorating!

2011-11-13T11:09:00.001-05:00

Photo credit: nelszchow.blogspot.com

As you may have noticed, I've been having fun rearranging the design of this blog! It all started when I changed the title picture... Really, there were no intentions other than to switch the photo, but now you can see what happens when one thing leads to the next. Let this be a lesson of how good things happen when you least expect it! I hope you enjoy the "new look!"

A Whole World of Photos

2011-11-12T06:38:00.000-05:00

You'll understand the title of this post at the end of the following collection of photos from this (short) week in our classroom:

Setting up the Short Bead Stair for some teen number work.

Working with the First Color Tablet Box.

Gluing lesson with smalls bits of crepe paper.

Solid Cylinder Blocks: Two at a time. This lesson allows the child to practice visual discrimination of size while helping to prepare the hand for writing through the use of the pincer grasp.

Matching Geometric Solids onto their bases and onto each other!

Playing our Melody Harp to understand scale. We have been singing a song about leaves to go along with playing this instrument. What a peaceful sound it makes during our mornings... :)

Practicing the Lacing Frame.

Combining the Golden Beads with the Decimal System Cards.

The beginnings of a Map of the World...

...with each continent meticulously pin pushed...

...and labeled...

A complete Map of the World!

Favorite Quotes

2011-11-10T13:24:00.000-05:00

In an effort to raise awareness of the profound impact Maria Montessori had in the field of human development as it relates to the education of the child, I will periodically share with you some of my favorite Montessori quotes.

“The most important period of the life is not the age of university studies, but the first one – from birth to six. For that is the time when man’s intelligence itself, his greatest implement is being formed.”

Montessori theorized that human beings are born with natural motivations for development and learning. We are born with natural impulses leading to further potentialities such as movement and language. Montessori referred to these impulses as critical forces which need stimulation from the environment to develop. These internal factors are exhibited in the unconscious absorbent mind, a term Montessori referred to as the unique way in which children acquire information. Due to the fact that these unconscious memories are stored in the brain, Montessori expounded that the formation of the child’s personality should be protected during this critical stage. Children absorb information unconsciously through their environment. For this reason, it is of paramount importance that the environment provides the most beneficial activities so that optimum learning may take place. It is during the stage of the Absorbent Mind, from birth to six, which forms the very foundation upon which will lay all other learning.