When We Make Silence

 
We played the Silence Game today. So much fun!!                                                                  

Feeling Better!!

Everyone was out sick last week:( I was so happy to see most of them back to school today!

               Working with the Africa continent tray.

                                                   The pink tower.

                                  Threading a heart.      

                             Beginning microscope work.

                            Looking at pictures in the Africa continent folder.  

Just two more children still down with the flu, praying that they will feel better real soon!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

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Geography Work For All

When I spotted this mini bulletin board set in the Teacher's Store I just couldn't pass it up.

 Since learning the names of the continents and the start of our Africa study the kids interest in geography has become strong. Since the kids knowledge of geography is all over the place I figured this work would interest everyone on various levels.

                            
 Learning the different directions are new for some and for others a fun review is always welcomed. NE, NW, SE and SW are new directions for all of them which makes this work a great one for peer learning.

 The compass rose is something I always like to introduce with a real one, but since I have misplaced the one I own this will have to do until I am able to get another one. After illustrating the understanding of the Compass Rose I always like for them to make one with a magnet and needle and also have the Free Compass Rose printables from Montessori Print Shop available on the shelf.

 This will be the first work with a Map Key since their introduction to Maps using a lesson from Karen Tyler's Geography album. I can see a lot of excitement coming from this work, especially as they will be shown how to make their own using the map first pictured at the beginning of this post.

 Here are some pictures that they will use as symbols on the map to learn and to make their own map key.

 Again this work is geography for all and I have included work that my 8 year old son could benefit from. I know he will be excited to work with others and will probably help the preschoolers with this work so I wanted to include an aim for him too. It is possible that the primary students will learn about the Map Scale as well:)

 Here is an example of labeling the map with directions.

 I also included some cars and community helpers since my son interjected while I was putting this work together that he wanted to make some map command cards.

I stored the labels according to the work in boxes and the larger pieces in an Art portfolio. Hooray for Geography!
                                                                         

On The Book Shelf

Unfortunately all of my little friends didn't come to school today. It appears to be a nasty bug going around town:(The temperature right now is at 11 degrees Fahrenheit feeling like it is the negatives. Snow is in the forecast, hopefully the little ones will stay inside or be well bundled up if going outside.  With some unexpected extra time on my hands today I thought I would share what I have planned for our read aloud times in the coming days.

                                       

 HANDA'S SURPRISE by Eileen Browne is a wonderful picture story. It is set in the villages of Africa, along the way Handa counts the fruits she will be carrying to give her friend who lives in a neighboring village and throughout the story are  pictures of the animals eating the fruits along the way. This will sure get the kids to want the know the animals of Africa.

This story lends well to making a story map. I found wonderful activities to make memories of this book from
Collaborative Learning and Learning Parade and of course the kids always love sharing their twist on stories by making their own work.

                                                                           
HANDA'S HEN  is a story about Handa and her friend Akeyo looking for Handa's grandmother's hen Mondi.

I also will have fruit and vegetable work in the practical life area. On the language shelf the children will be learning the names of fruits and vegetables and then sorting the groups accordingly.

Counting is part of the story that definitely leads to some sequence work.

Don't you just love a good book?                                                                        

Practical Life: Coin Wrapping

I have been studying my Practical Life Manual intensively. I am very pleased with my training so far! I decided to put together an activity from the manual, Coin Wrapping.

 It has been a well received work.

This activity also led to a request to polish pennies:) 

                                                                   

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.