Sensorial

The Sensorial materials are intended for young children to work with as they explore their world in relationship to themselves, via the 5 senses.  Within this area of a Montessori 3-6 classroom children visual grade materials from large to small or thick to thin; learn names of colors, color match and gradation of colors from darkest to lightest; and develop visual discrimination of geometric shapes.

The tactile materials introduce the concept of rough & smooth, fabric matching, temperature and weight.

Tasting Bottles, Sound Cylinders, and Smelling Bottles  complete the materials that deal with the sense of taste, hearing, and smell.   

           

Gross Motor in Practical Life = Concentration

The Practical Life materials in the classroom help children adapt to their cultural environment as well as offer an opportunity to do purposeful work while developing independence and concentration. 

 

 

The washing works in particular offer a chance to develop motor coordination and control along with an understanding of the importance of following a sequential order when carrying out a task.

The children in Room 3 have an array of works available to practice these skills.

 

 

 

Table Washing Sequence

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Center for the Homeless Classroom

 

 

Room 4 Windfall Project – Mosaic Birdbath

 Our Mosaic Birdbath has come alive!  The children in Room 4 have thoroughly enjoyed assisting in the creation of our Windfall project.  The best parts were getting one’s hands dirty and wearing smocks!  The children primed two terra cotta pots and two saucers, and then painted them with beautiful blue paint.  We learned about mortaring, and how to spread mortar on the tiles like making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  Mayah’s Dad Doug Williamson is graciously grouting the bird bath and adding the finishing touches – Thank you Doug! 

Come see our class project!  It will be in the classroom during conferences, and then displayed in the Library until the Windfall Auction.  A very big thank you to all the parents who worked with the children and helped make our project such a great success!

 

 

Espanol Update

Vocabulary and phrases that you can practice with your early childhood student.

 

*El libro se usa para leer.               (The book is used for reading)

*Las tijeras se usan para cortar.  (The scissors are used for cutting)

*El lápiz se usa para escribir.         (The pencil is used for writing )

February Facts from Room 5

v  It snowed!

v  We are getting quicker at putting on our winter gear

v  We have had lots of fun sledding down our Montessori Mustang Sledding Hill

v  We have read books about:

o   Abraham Lincoln

o   George Washington

o   Louis Armstrong

 

 

 

 

 

 Here are some questions to ask your son/daughter?

1.    George had?  (false teeth)

2.   George’s usual bedtime was? (9:00 p.m.)

3.   What did Martha, his wife call him? (old man)

 

4.   Abraham Lincoln wore a black hat because? (he kept important papers and letters in it)

5.   How tall was Abraham with his hat on? (7 feet tall)

 

6.   What did Louis sell to make money? (onions)

7.   How much money did Louis pay for his first trumpet? ($5.00)

Celebrating Snow!

The children in Room 4 have been discovering many ways to artistically celebrate the snow.  Many children enjoyed making snowflakes by twisting together pipe cleaners and then stringing on beads.  They also punched snowflakes with a decorative hole punch, and cut out many beautiful coffee filter snowflakes, which we are currently displaying on our window.  Snowmen have been an important theme: many children created their own snowman with construction paper and glued the pieces together.  Children took turns building a snow friend out of boxes, and enjoyed sorting buttons before counting and matching them to the dots on five snowmen.  Our classroom has been a panorama of beautiful, wintry art.

 

Pin-Pricking a Snowman

Snowman Building Craft

Button Counting

Snowflake Punching