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Language Development
Montessori Essentials: Grammar Boxes
When I began homeschooling my kids in a 1,000 sq. ft. condo, I spent a few days pondering which materials were truly essential and which we could live without. I narrowed down our math essentials, but was stumped by the language materials. How was I going to fit a huge set of wooden Grammar Boxes into our very limited shelf space? It was during this moment of panic that I discovered Jennifer Kilgore and Branch to Bloom. Jennifer had the ingenious idea of converting the cumbersome Grammar Boxe…
Cosmic Calendar
Connecting math, language, history and other academic subjects to your child's real-life experiences makes learning relevant, increases participation, and supports development. A hands-on home calendar is an ideal tool to learn and practice a variety of skills (whether you homeschool or not!). It also provides many opportunities for cultural explorations. Here's how we use it in our home...
MATH: The first day of each month, I take down the calendar numbers, divide them into three piles (1-10,…
MATH: The first day of each month, I take down the calendar numbers, divide them into three piles (1-10,…
Unschooling: Soap Bubble Edition
My four-year-old found an old bubble wand and asked if we could make bubbles, so I googled this recipe and we set to work. She had a great time measuring, pouring and stirring, and she got to experience sugar disappearing in water to make a solution (yay, science and vocabulary!).
We were having so much fun blowing bubbles on our back patio that my seven-year-old decided to join the party. He wanted to see how far the bubbles could travel without popping, and noticed that there were several upd…
We were having so much fun blowing bubbles on our back patio that my seven-year-old decided to join the party. He wanted to see how far the bubbles could travel without popping, and noticed that there were several upd…
BOTW: Kingdom of the Sun
The only thing I like more than discovering good children's books is sharing them with others. I'm starting these "Book of the Week" (BOTW) posts to spread the joy of quality children's literature and will try to post a new book every weekend. (This post contains an affiliate link.)
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"Where do the names of the planets come from?", asked 7-year-old Zachary. I knew they were first named after Greek gods and then were changed to the equivalent Roman gods, but didn't know much else. Then I f…Tricks of the Three-Period Lesson
In an earlier article we discussed the basics of using the Three-Period Lesson to introduce vocabulary. Did you try it with your child? How did it go?Veteran Montessori guides will tell you that when you give a child a lesson, things don’t always go the way you expect them to. You might have noticed this when you tried doing the Three-Period Lesson with your child. If things didn’t go exactly as you planned, don’t fret! Click here to read a helpful article and watch the video to learn great tips…
Three Steps to Academic Success
Thirty thousand. 30,000! That’s the number of words scientists say you should be speaking to your child daily to increase his chances of academic success. Most parents reach and exceed this magic number, but how do you know if your child is really benefiting from your efforts? Do you feel you might be choosing the wrong words or confusing your child by rambling?I’m about to share with you a simple but powerful Montessori technique that will put your worries to rest. To find out what it is, and …
If You Only Do ONE Montessori Activity...
I challenge you to think of one activity that exposes your child to math, language and science, while helping her develop concentration, motor skills, and delayed gratification. It’s not found in workbooks, and you probably won’t see it taking place regularly in most schools (unless they’re Montessori schools).If you want to know what it is, click here!
On Our Shelves: materials for a 9-month-old and a 4-year-old
I recently posted a picture of 9-month-old Nadia's shelves on my Facebook page, and several people wrote to me asking for links to her toys and materials. I hope this helps you when you set up your baby's shelves!
Top row of cubbies (left to right):
Takane ball: I made the ball for Zachary when he was a baby, and both kids have gotten a lot of enjoyment out of it. I used this tutorial from Beautiful Sun Montessori, but there are many other tutorials out there if you search for "takane ball instr…
Top row of cubbies (left to right):
Takane ball: I made the ball for Zachary when he was a baby, and both kids have gotten a lot of enjoyment out of it. I used this tutorial from Beautiful Sun Montessori, but there are many other tutorials out there if you search for "takane ball instr…
Bathroom Botany
I was sitting outside, enjoying a bit of sunshine, when Zachary walked out of the bathroom and approached me with an inquisitive look. "Mom, can plants grow with pee?"
The question from my just-turned-four year old caught me off guard.
"Uh, I'm not sure."
He reasoned: "Well, pee comes from water, right? So maybe they can."
"Huh. Maybe they can." And then I realized the potential this question had.
"Hey, do you want to do an experiment? We can try to see if plants will grow if we water them with u…
The question from my just-turned-four year old caught me off guard.
"Uh, I'm not sure."
He reasoned: "Well, pee comes from water, right? So maybe they can."
"Huh. Maybe they can." And then I realized the potential this question had.
"Hey, do you want to do an experiment? We can try to see if plants will grow if we water them with u…
Extensions
One of the activities I felt was lacking in my child's previous Montessori experience was the use of extensions. No, I'm not talking about artificial hair pieces! Extensions are activities that are introduced after the initial presentation with a material, in order to encourage the child to re-visit the material and solidify the skills and/or concepts it's designed to provide.
Yesterday, my son came out of his new school with a huge smile, holding this painting:
This is a perfect example of an e…
Yesterday, my son came out of his new school with a huge smile, holding this painting:
This is a perfect example of an e…
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