Sizing Up Pumpkins,Squash,and Gourds

I set up another work for the children to explore sizing . One way that they can do this is by sequencing the objects. The other way is by wrapping the string around the objects and then matching the object to the correct string.

 

The children call this the "Pumpkin Patch Work" :)                                                              

Children In Action: Montessori Monday

The work period is so smooth around here. Lately we have been working past our normal stop time. Looking up at the clock and asking "Has it been three hours already?" Here are a few pictures to share.

                               First lesson with the Metal Insets.

          Moveable Alphabet with pink series.

                          Things That Go Together puzzles.

                            Continent Map Puzzle.

                                  Binomial Cube.

                      Making a pumpkin seed necklace.

                          Matching fabrics.

                                           Color Box #2

                                   Sandpaper Numbers.

                                         Spindle Box

To see other children learning inspired by the Montessori method please visit Living Montessori Now and One Hook Wonder for Montessori Monday                                                                               

Speechercise

Speechercise is a program avaliable on CD by TwinSisters. It is fun to do and it gets the children mouths moving and geared up. They have been learning various tongue twisters, and without knowing it have made great leaps in letter sound recognition. The music is just catchy! We work this into our work period whenever I notice most of the children becoming wanderers in the classroom. It has created a postive way to get the children back on track. I first found this resource when my daughter Ken was in second grade and one of her teachers recommended special needs services for speech. We gracefully declined,  I found Speechercise at a local teacher store, and we worked wtih this every night. At the next parent conference the teacher gave glowing comments about Kens' speech improvement , and was glad we changed our minds on her seeing the Speech Therapist! There you have it a personal account on how this resource positively changed Kens' life. The teacher ran out the next day and brought the CD for her classroom and says how it has improved the childrens' speech and reading. True Story. Here are some action shots of a Speechercise activity.

                                                Tongue Up

                                        Tongue Out

                                      Tongue Slide

Today after doing Speechercise a child asked me to work with the Sandpaper Letters. We were having a fun time with the letter F. Franklin shared with me how much he loved the letter F, I told him I liked the letter F too. It was fascinatng to see how much the children paid attenton indirectly to our lesson. Everyone wanted to show me their favorite letter.             

                                                                                                                          
                                                                               


                                                                         

Take Home Bags

In response to the request of the parents of the childreni in my care I have put together two Take Home Bags that contain a simple activity for the child to do at home. The bags are to be return the same way the very next day, so I can rotate them with the children. I plan on sending these home just once a week per child. All the parents say their children want to do school at home! I say that is fantastic! I am against "homework" but parental involvement I pray for every night. Each week I will put together a new activity that I think the children will enjoy doing and the parents can assist if necessary. The main role of the parent in regards to the Take Home Bag is to show their child how to care for others' property, and return the materials to school the same way they received it (no missing materials).
                                                                             

                                                  Count and Clip

                                           Number Sequencing Puzzle

                                                                           
 All of the printables are from Homeschool Creations.                                                                          
                                                                    

Where Did Last Week Go? Montessori Monday

O.K last week was a blast! Except it went by so fast for me. I had time to do some presentations, read quite a few books. All of the kids kept asking me to read more stories to them. I think they are liking our book selections and the many voices I use. I love reading aloud, and telling stories straight from the heart. Here  are some pics of the children last week.

Seriously! Everything has been pretty much the same. The kiddos have been enjoying doing the same works over and over. Last week was very sensorial, and may I add the children worked for three hours straight four days last week. I was able to actually observe a bit :)
Here are some works I will be putting on the shelves this week.

Halloween cards I made into 2,4,and 6 piece puzzles. I copied the card and glued the picture to the front of the envelope. The puzzle pieces are inside the envelope.

 Making a Pumpkin Seed Necklace with needle and thread.

  Spooning Candy Corn. It is decorative but it looks real, I hope no one tries to eat this.

         Transferring beads with fingers.

  
To see other children doing activities inspired by the Montessori Method please visit One Hook Wonder and Living Montessori Now for Montessori Monday.                                                                                                                                                

Apple Stamping

    " Slow and Steady Wins The Race"

                     

Everyday we are getting closer to achieving the goals of independence. I don't believe you can force "normalization" it is a process that you must only guide the children to achieve. Right now individual lessons are a hit or miss. I have faith in the children that one day they will take over ownership of the classroom.  There is one thing that is certain Apple Stamping rocks!!                           

Montessori Monday

We had a wonderful Montessori work week! All of the dhildren are still enjoying our daily rhythm. Our work period is still mostly made up of small groups, but it is to be expected for right now. I bet soon maybe I will be able to sit and observe and add more flavor to the childrens' liking. They are enjoying what is avaliable to them now and are even doing lots of extension lessons that some weren't interested in doing before.

                                           
                                        Practical Life

                                           Pouring beans

                                            Scooping beads

                                  Scrubbing carrots for vegetable soup

                                                                              
                                              Language
                                   
                                                Moveable Alphabet

                                                 Pin Punching

                                                  Coloring

                         
                    Sensorial/Math   
                         
                                                  Mystery Bag

                                 
                           Melissa & Doug Sequence Shape Sorter
                                                

                                          Color Tablets Box #2

                            
                               Tracing Number 2 Book
                                               

Proof! Multiage Groupings work. Happy is modeling what she has seen her peers do with the Blue Constructive Triangles. See? She even has the design cards turned over.

                              
                               Pink Tower/Brown Stairs extensions.
                                           

                                                                              
Now imagine the sound of children laughing and humming along while enjoying the days work. Yes it was a beautiful week. To see other children doing activities inspired by the Montessori Method please visit One Hook Wonder and Living Montessori Now for Montessori Monday.