“The absorption of the environment is an intellectual activity. It is a psychic necessity that the child explores the environment; it satisfies his spirit. After he has had the satisfaction of observing one thing that interests him, he goes on until he is attracted by something else. In this way the child can walk for miles. ”
Maria Montessori
The 1946 London Lectures
A Week of Beautiful Fall Weather
Monday, October 17
Today we were delighted to welcome our new assistant teacher, Ms. Kristen, to the classroom. We had a busy work period, in which several children chose to work on letters with Ms. Sarah. Others could be seen working on their math booklets, candy corn collages, or art work of their own creation. Towards the end of the work cycle, yoga seemed to take over the rug area:
Tuesday, October 18
Today was a busy day. We had music class with Ms. Ida, and listened to an excerpt from Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. The children became especially enthusiastic while singing a song about walking along and meeting different kinds of animals. Each time Ms. Ida cued a new animal sound, she was met with a boisterous response.
After music class, we headed to the barn for the October Community Meeting, hosted by the junior high. The children sat in a line in the front row, and listened quietly as each class shared a song, news, or a favorite work.
Our class chose to share three works: the sunflower seed tweezing work, the barn lock puzzle, and the playdough work.
After such patient sitting at the Community Meeting, the children enjoyed some recess time before heading inside to lunch.
Wednesday, October 19
Today Ms. Kaya prepared a special art project for the children, the Thumbkin Patch. Many could be seen carefully painting their thumbs and placing them on a paper to make this adorable keepsake.
After a busy morning work period, Ms. Sarah presented a lesson on three important parts of our world: air, water, and land, showing them a bowl of each. Children also took turns holding the Sandpaper Globe, a Montessori geography material that provides a sensorial introduction to the concepts of land and water.
Exploring Air, Land, and Water
Exploring the Sandpaper Globe
Other Wednesday Candids:
"Sit down, Ms. Sarah. Let's talk about dinosaurs."
"OK. What is your favorite dinosaur?"
"Yellow."
Sorting Leaves and Pumpkins
Playing the October Guessing Game
Fall Still Life Matching, a Visual Discrimination Activity
I have a bat. Who has a cat? A Reading Game
Thursday, October 20
Today at calendar time, children were excited to welcome the number twenty, after all those teens for the past ten days of October. We were please to see new playdough waiting for us in the shape of a witch's hat, courtesy of the Upper El. It was another busy morning, with many children choosing the preliminary exercises in the Practical Life area. Candy corn collages were a popular choice all week long, and many children were seen working on this material. Playdough, painting, blocks, yoga, the colored math beads, and letters continue to be works of interest.
The Practical Life Preliminary Activities
Working with the Chinese Character Blocks
New Playdough! Thanks, Upper El.
Making a Candy Corn Collage
Letter Work
Building Block Time
Reading to a Friend
At mid-morning circle, Ms. Sarah gave a lesson on the difference between a map and a globe. She showed them the Montessori Continents Puzzle Map, and the children took turns handling the Continents Globe. To illustrate why some of the continents, such as Antarctica and Asia, appear on two places on our puzzle map, Ms. Sarah sliced an apple in half, and showed the children how the green part of the apple was one patch before it was cut, and could be seen in two patches after it was cut. The children learned the classic Montessori geography song, Tell Me the Continents. It goes like this:
Tell me the continents, tell me the continents, tell me if you can,
Tell me the continents, tell me the continents, tell me if you can,
North American, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa,
North American, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa,
Don't forget Australia,
Don't forget Antarctica,
These are the continents, these are the continents,
Tell me if you can.
Other Thursday Candids:
Adding with the Colored Beads:
Passing the Talking Stone
Waiting Patiently for the Talking Stone
Friday, October 21
With the frosty fall weather, and Halloween only ten days away, the children were full of excited energy today. This morning, several children enjoyed working with a continents map, placing felt animals in their proper continental habitats. Other children enjoyed a continent rubbing activity, in which they could see the continents of the Western and Eastern Hemisphere appear as they rubbed crayon on a textured map. Yoga, blocks, candy corn collages, playdough, and bead stringing were other popular choices today. At circle time, two children shared objects they had found in nature: a feather and a wasp's nest. Another child shared a favorite book.
Working with the Animal/Continent Map
Working with the Continents Rubbing Activity
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