Montessori Elementary Homeschool Blog - with documentation of our infant Montessori, toddler Montessori, and primary Montessori experiences; as well as preparation for the upcoming adolescent Montessori homeschool years.

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Is smiling without a tongue really SO hard?

(taking some blog posts out of draft - and combining some)

Goofy - I just wanted a smile. I have deleted many where he is hiding, ones with the tongue obnoxiously out, etc. Here are the few that remain from this past year.


































Happy New Year everyone! 

And may the coming year bring many smiles and fewer tongues!




Saturday, December 27, 2014

Early Montessori Activities - Display - shelving - trays

Early work (appropriate for age 2 1/2 but could be started later as well, or SOME of it a wee bit earlier) ---

Storage suggestions noted.
Total of 6-7 trays.

Excellent good news for a homeschool on limited space ;)



for more information on Montessori Trays, click here
For a great 5-point list as to why a combination of SOME Exercises of Practical Life trays are great in a homeschool that still practices those skills at the life-appropriate times, click here.
Indeed I would add one more point: the child has time to repeat and practice and master during a time when the pressure is not on (so practice dry pouring, then wet pouring --- then pour drinks at the table dinner table)



Most of the early work does not even require materials, just guided experiences.



EPL: Control of Movement
Walking on the Line
(tray of extension items for OLDER children --- 
 not younger)
Spoken:Vocabulary Enrichment
Orientation Game

Spoken:Vocabulary Enrichment
Naming Objects in the Environment

Spoken:Vocabulary Enrichment
Collecting Classified Objects
tray to carry objects, but objects are in the environment.
Spoken:Vocabulary Enrichment
Classified Cards
(could be on a tray, but more likely in pouches or envelopes)
Spoken: Language Development
Storytelling

Spoken: Language Development
Reading and Books in the Library
books are on shelves, some are on display
some could be in baskets of interest
Spoken: Language Development
Poems

Spoken: Language Development
Conversation

Spoken: Language Development
Conversation

Spoken: Language Development
Question Game

Spoken: Language Development
Cultural Folders
in folders
Spoken: Language Development
Extension: fictional story telling

EPL: Preliminary Exercises
How to Carry a Working Mat

EPL: Preliminary Exercises
How to Place a Pitcher

EPL: Preliminary Exercises
How to Carry a Tray

EPL: Preliminary Exercises
How to Roll a Working Mat

EPL: Preliminary Exercises
How to Put Down a Chair

EPL: Preliminary Exercises
How to Sit On a Chair at a Table

EPL: Preliminary Exercises
How to Fold Napkins
square tray
EPL: Preliminary Exercises
How to Pour Grain
tray
EPL: Preliminary Exercises
How to Pour Water
tray
EPL: Preliminary Exercises
How to Fold a Dust-cloth to Put Away
tray or holder
EPL: Preliminary Exercises
How to Fold a Dust-cloth to Dust

EPL: Care of Self
Snap Frame
on a display
(at home could be a dish rack)
EPL: Care of Self
Hook and Eye Frame

EPL: Care of the Environment
How to Dust a Table
supplies kept together in a bucket
EPL: Care of the Environment
How to Use a Dustpan and Brush

EPL: Care of the Environment
How to Sweep

EPL: Care of the Environment
How to Wipe Up a Spill
cloths are kept in a basket
EPL: Care of the Environment
How to Dust Leaves
duster could be hanging OR on a tray
EPL: Care of the Environment
How to Make Lemon Water and similar
items are on a tray in the kitchen; rotated with other food prep appropriate to family needs
EPL: Grace and Courtesy
How to Walk Around A Mat

EPL: Grace and Courtesy
How to Introduce Yourself

EPL: Grace and Courtesy
How to Apologize

EPL: Grace and Courtesy
How to Observe

EPL: Grace and Courtesy
How to Draw Attention

EPL: Grace and Courtesy
How to Accept a Compliment

EPL: Grace and Courtesy
How to Blow Your Nose

EPL: Grace and Courtesy
Own Grace and Courtesy

Writing
Sound Games
objects from environment
Language Extension
How to Teach a Song

Monday, December 22, 2014

Homeschool Skedtrack - REVIEW POST


Legoboy has recently begun using Homeschool Skedtrack for his work plan and journaling. This is an online schedule tracking system that we have used at various times over the last several years; this is the first time Legoboy is using it himself. I foresee using this into adolescence for his planning and journaling.

What he did was plot out his work plan goals, divide up by activities, and record it all. He plotted everything out so that each area shows up each day, but he doesn't necessarily DO each subject every day (in fact, he does NOT). He likes it because 1) it is on the computer 2) he can see what he has up next in each area 3) he can edit what he actually DOES compared to what is actually written there.

He records the length of time spent along with any pertinent details. He still keeps a written record of some of his work as well as noting details of his goals and plans (still monthly), but Homeschool Skedtrack IS his Montessori work journal now.


http://www.homeschoolskedtrack.com/



We make the plans together, but more and more it is on him. I must emphasize that: he creates these plans and he modifies them as we go.

I am happy to re-organize some of the work and add in the pieces we've not typed in yet - to illustrate each of the threads in the elementary Montessori experiences; in a way these are already available via the elementary Montessori task cards (Montessori guide cards) available at Garden of Francis.


Legoboy's current "Courses":
Life of Fred and Cover Story are ready to go when some items above are to certain stages or are completed. Some of the items are more or less ongoing, but again not every day - some things might be once a week or even less with significant time spent when he does do them.

I originally set the activities either blank or with suggestions. As he works with this program more and more, he has started editing future activities.

What we love about it is that you can map out all the steps, or insert generic activities --- then edit as you complete (length of time spent, what actual activity done). If he does more than listed for the day, he can go into the activities tab and delete the future to-be-posted that he has already done. If he doesn't do something, it just shows up the next time that it is scheduled. He plans out his day, but we do have this set for every subject to show up every day (you can have certain things show up just on particular days - such as "Boy Scouts" or "choir practice" or "TKD" or "Grandma and Grandpa visiting".

We list everything as 10 minutes as a generic start; then he tracks the time spent. It has been an interesting exercise for him to see things in this manner - automatically calculated. AND to see the same thing that HE planned, staring him in the face day after day. Hm. Better planning there, son ;)




Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Geography River Model - Indoor Personal Follow-Up


I still need to get photos up of our "official river model" - Legoboy requested that I take and post photos of his personal follow-up work though, so here it is ;)  

Built with (surprised!?) Legos. 

Not entirely water-proof - and he learned some lessons on how high the banks should be to hold in the soil and keep the water flowing through the desired direction of the river, rather than out the sides. 

Thus, he learned some additional lessons on water-flow. 

We just set this one up on our dining room table with a bucket underneath to catch the water. As much as the official presentation is ideal (a full 3-d model and/or a low hill and a hose outside), I hope this post inspires you to create any of the Montessori key experiences out of whatever you have on hand! 

And yes we did all of this the day before Thanksgiving. We ate dinner at this table. ;) 


inserting rocks and stones

added some mulch and soil to see what would happen
as compared to JUST sand and soil

propped up the whole thing when the water wasn't running
the way he expected

pouring in the waterfall from "melting snow and rains"

the water is going underground -
underground rivulets ;)  


Sudden torrential rains caused some of it to wash away suddenly ;) 



He loved it :)


Here is a link to another idea too: 3D Geography - just before half-way down