Refresh Button

The classroom felt as if we pressed the 'Refresh Button' having returned from Christmas vacation.  What a delight to go back to our lessons with a renewed sense of direction and accomplishment.  Many of the children interested in receiving new lesson presentations and I am looking forward to watching them return to the materials for practice and refinement.

Spelling practice with the Small Moveable Alphabet.

"This one is the biggest," comparing size and height with Knobless Cylinders.

Multiplication with Bead Bars.

Lining up two edges of the Pink Tower cubes.

Linear and skip counting with the  Short Chain of Nine.

Static Addition with the Golden Beads.

Making paper snowflakes.

Metal insets - using three shapes and three colors to create patterns and designs.

Labeling phrases with the grammar symbols.

Word family reading booklets.

This student wanted to use the reading booklet for writing practice.

Using a funnel to pour.

More addition!

Retrieving quantities using Decimal System Cards and Golden Beads.

I made a set of these small, cardboard looms for the children to make small weaving projects.  They seem to enjoy it very much and are eager to make these into wall hangings.

The reading booklets are fun to read to friends!

More multiplication.

Walking on the (portable) line gross motor activity.

Addition Snake Game.

Tracing, coloring, and labeling the Layers of the Earth.

Using picture cards to sound out and write words with the Large Moveable Alphabet.

Another weaving lesson - this one using a kitchen shelf rack.

Learning about the function of words - This is the preposition lesson.

Negative Snake Game - Here, the student has completed the lesson and checked the work - it matched up just right! :-)

When you can't make copies...

…wonderful lessons are made!
We have been learning about the layers of the Earth and I wanted to introduce the children to an extension activity.  The only problem was that I didn't make it to the copy store before the day I planned to show the lesson.  A solution was found in my recycling bin at home!

Various lids for tracing, coloring, and labeling the layers of the Earth.

Here, the lesson is set up along with a model from our Science shelf.

It has been quite a popular activity since introducing it the children.  I have also enjoyed listening to their conversations about the different layers and how the "inner core is the hottest place on the planet!"  

Some New Lessons for the New Year

To add some variety and maintain interest in the classroom, most Montessori educators periodically rotate, add, or change some lessons in the environment.  Over the years, I have concluded that too much change too soon can be detrimental to the overall goals of our program.  Changing lessons too often might not leave ample opportunities for children to practice and refine skills.  Too many changes at once can also be overwhelming for children and teachers alike!  It is a fine balance that requires careful observation and noting when children are ready for change or for something new.   Practically speaking, changing the shelves during vacations allows time for thinking about and developing new activities, while giving the children something new to look forward to upon their return.

On this note, we have been enjoying some new lessons on our shelves having returned from our winter break.  Most of the lessons coincide with our ongoing theme of the Montessori Bead Stair, which we began a year and half ago.  We have now reached the number eight which is represented by the color brown.  Here is a sampling of some new Practical Life lessons:

Dry Transfer activities.

Wet Transfer lessons.

Close up of a spooning lesson.  The tray seems to be a big point of interest!

Sorting and tonging.

Using tweezers to place brown pom-poms into each section.   It is encouraging to see the development and practice of  concentration and control while completing this type of lesson. 

Art activities:  The brown tray contains materials for practicing brush strokes.  The lesson on the right with light colored paper is for making snowflakes - perfect for this time of year! :-) 

Other new lessons to share will be coming soon, so stay tuned! :-)

From 2015

As we begin the new calendar year, here's a look back on the last week and half in the classroom before school ended for vacation.  Looking forward to starting 2016 where we left off along with some new activities that were set up during the break.  More soon!

Helping a friend with an apron.

Quantity, counting, and symbols.

Matching objects to their outlines.

Nuts and bolts.

Exploring with shades of color.

Reviewing Sandpaper Letters.

Learning names of igneous rocks.

Careful work with the Pink Tower and Brown Stair.

Symbolizing noun phrases.

Pairing fabrics by touch.

The function of words: conjunction.

Laying out the Decimal System Cards.

Tracing Botany Cabinet leaf shapes.

Subtraction using the Stamp Game.

Addition: Memorization of  math facts.

Handwriting practice.

Enjoying the watercolors.

Exploring Sensorial materials.

Paring primary and secondary colors.

Learning to write numbers.

"Six eight times is forty-eight!"  Multiplication with Bead Bars.

December calendar work - days of the week and sequencing numbers. 

"Number 7" collaborative art joins the line!