A is for Africa

All of the kids know the shape and names of the continents!! In November they had much fun learning about North America. I used the Africa continent puzzle piece in a sound bin and every one of them have been going bananas saying Africa while sorting sounds. I thought it would be fitting and timely to introduce them to the history and geography of  this beautiful continent.

 The Africa map puzzle is a toughy, and by no means do I expect all or any of them to learn the names and places. Through repetition they may certainly be capable of sensorially mastering it. For the child(ren) that truly gravitate to this work it is possible!!  They are happy, happy, happy to be able to touch this puzzle.

Instead of introducing the objects associated with Africa in a continent box, I leaned toward using a continent tray. I really want them to learn the names of the objects and didn't want to overwhelm them with a box full of "stuff".  Later I will put all of objects along with various three part cards that will be introduced into a continent box.

                                                    A closer picture of the objects.

                                                   Our Africa continent folder,

 The folder contains an All About Africa information page, a map of Africa, and photos of people, places, and animals of Africa.

Here a picture of some of the photos.

All of the contents in the folder are from the Africa Continent Kit available at Montessori For Everyone.

      Lastly, this picture book has been requested to be read more than I can count:)                                                                

 I am linking this post to Montessori Monday.
                                                                         

Photo Dump!!

I finally got a chance to upload some photos of the children working. The work you see happened the last week before Christmas vacation and our first week back after Christmas vacation. Take a look!!

                            
This number dice game was a big hit. So sorry I can't track down where I got this from. If this is your work please let me know, I would love to link back to you and tell you Thank You. The kids loved it!!

                           
                    Number Rods with Sandpaper Numbers.

                           
                   Touch Math Cards with buttons. The cards came from here.                                                           

                           
       Playing " Knock, Knock" with the Sandpaper letters.

                                                              Color mixing.

                                                            Spooning pasta.        

                           
          Using the Moveable Alphabet to match letters to the Sandpaper letters.
                                               

                           
         Stringing beads to make a bracelet.
                                                                 
Last week work activity.

                            
       Shoe polishing at least once a day.

                                                  Wood polishing.

                            
 Beginning sewing. After Jaida was done we talked about what she made, discovered an uppercase A. Do you see it?

                                                       Hammering.

                                                              Spooning beads.

                           

                     Spin Art all day, everyday!
                                                                                                                                                

                                                   Knobless Cylinders.

                            
                                                  Matching numbers.
                                                              

                                         Making a classes of vertebrate booklet.

                            
    Admiring successful completion of her work! Matching pictures to shadows.

                                                           Metal Inset work.

                                                        Preparing a snack.

                                          Enjoying the Peace Table.

Linking this post to Montessori Monday.                                                                                         

How Many Brown Stairs Tall Are You?

While working with the Brown Stairs the children intuitively explored non-standard measurement.

 Janessa posed the question "Who wants to know how many Brown Stairs tall are you ?"

 They had so much fun working with the Brown Stairs and Pink Tower I don't think any of us will forget this day.

Sorry about the picture angles.                                                                                                                                                  

Polishing Wood

My daughter Ken inspired this work on the shelf that has quickly become a big hit with the children. On Christmas my daughter received a couple of dollhouse furniture sets. After Ken finished playing with the sets she would polish them. When I observed this I quickly put a work together for the children.

 So much new vocabulary has been used since the introduction of this work. Even our Living Room Classified Cards have been pulled off the shelf. I like how this work is reaching quite a few other areas as well. Some have been counting the chairs and the drawers. My oldest in the primary group asked me " How did I make this". I shared with her that I brought it from Hobby Lobby who got it from a person who makes things out of wood, who got it from someone who cuts wood. "Well" she said "Where did the wood come from" and we preceded to talk about trees.

  I placed all of the necessary materials in the box. This is how it looks all put together, ready for another child's use.

This is by far my best Practical Life work yet.  

Thank you Ken!!                                                                  

Snack Table Love

 Tomorrow I will be reintroducing the beloved Snack Table that I think I finally found the right spot for.

 Here is our makeshift Handwashing Table. The child sits on the comfy seasonal pillow while performing this work.

Do you have a Snack Table? If so what kind of snacks do you have the kids to prepare in the beginning phase? Tomorrow they will have apple slices and fruit dip. Yum!!

Linking to Montessori Monday

                                                           

PEACE

Every since the horrible tragedy that happened at Sandy Hook Elementary I been really in my own silence. It is real, but yet unimaginable that life can be taken away so quickly by another. I have had a difficult time doing normal lesson planning and all the while trying to figure out what exactly can I do to help the community that is grieving.

It came to me while I was reading the classroom manual and another primary theory album last night that what should be the center of our studies here, actually isn't. The Peace curriculum that Dr.Montessori implemented is necessary, in all ways that we do school and how we live our everyday lives. Since I am blessed to have children of my own and care for other peoples' most precious gems, I must start with Peace Education before anything else.

Teaching Peace allows the child to understand their own emotions, understand other people's emotions(empathy) and understand diversity. Starting with Peace Education at an early age can help transpire a world of Peace Makers.

With all the academic lesson planning set aside I was able to focus on the importance of our Peace Table.

It is real simple, but it was important to me to for them to see beauty that will hopefully bring calmness to the child who sits here.

         Just one chair for now, encouraging silence for the individual child.

            A snow globe that plays a soft melody.

                                                    A hourglass, so mesmerizing!!
                                                                 

           A heart to give to a friend to acknowledge that we are friends, let's make peace.

              The bell to ring when peace has been made. What a wonderful sound!!

I have seen a lot of different Peace Tables set up on the blogosphere and I love each one of them. This is where we are at right now and it will help bring more order to our day. One day at a time right and then maybe I can add more things to it.

It is amazing how my creativity started flowing once I set this table up. It won't be hard after all to do my lesson planning since I have found the foundation.

Linking this post to Montessori Monday.