Continent Folders - Primary Montessori

Continent Folders? You're thinking, "You mean Continent Boxes, right?"

Nope. I mean Continent Folders.
They actually also go by "Montessori cultural folders" as well. Either name is accurate and neither name fully describes them!

These were originally going to be our Montessori Continent Boxes.
Now they are toy boxes. 

I like the idea of the continent boxes (cultural boxes) - and I had even bought a set of stackable drawers to use for just such purpose, before I went to AMI Primary Montessori training. We could still use them as continent/cultural boxes, but I never really found the need for them in my household. Instead I re-purposed them to hold Legoboy's small toys: small animals, train tracks, cars, small scenery pieces, etc. He still uses them, but now has them reorganized according to his own (internalized, elementary-level, crazy-from-the-outside) organization.



Ultimately, I went with what I received in Montessori training. Folders. The continent/cultural folders spark discussion, they promote interest... and then we can pull out the objects we have around the environment which the child is surrounded by for further discussion and experiences: books in the reading area, artifacts used as decoration around the environment (also used for polishing, dusting, flower-arranging, etc.), games to play with friends and family, etc. The objects and experiences are throughout life, rather than kept together in one box. The child is surrounded by cultural objects rather than having them boxed up. The child can go into the environment and gather appropriate objects for this study.


LATER UPDATE (just this paragraph) - these materials seem so SIMPLISTIC and many people have told me "no, the cultural/continent boxes are a much better idea because it is all 3-d; some pictures can be added there too." That is your choice. Here are some points to consider to ensure a full Montessori balance/experience:

• are you providing keys? so that your child can explore and have something to discover for his own self? 
• do you still have some cultural objects around the environment that your child can discover and say, "Oh! this is the Eiffel Tower from France! We have a picture of this in our Europe culture folder!" And it is something they can polish, clean, draw, etc. thus part of the environment around the child. 
• the continent/cultural folders are also intended to incite conversation and story-telling (these are extensions on the album page)

I personally decided that this one material, the Montessori cultural folders, allowed me to provide ALL of the above, with fewer actual objects from the get-go --- we could explore culture and continents and countries without spending hours/days/weeks/months/years collecting objects before even getting started. We could get started with the images, then discover all the cultural items already around our home! For me, my time is precious and I chose not to spend it on deciding which continent box to place a polar bear in (polar bears are present in Asia, Europe and North America by the way - and I have photos of each kind of polar bear in their proper continent - so much easier to find pictures than objects - and cheaper ;) -- then we have a few polar bears around and we discuss what all continents they belong on). 

At the time I created these cultural folders, I was just coming off a $5/month Montessori materials budget (I upped the budget a bit for during the training course - I spent what was needed, but also strove to minimize expenses - I think with lamination (paid at the training center), folders, colors, pencils, colored paper (most of which I had on hand already but a few things I purchased), donated magazines, I MAYBE spent $4 on the entire set - if that. I also pooled resources with other trainees, which helped. Time: 4 hours, plus 1/2 hour gathering items, 1/2 hour cleaning up ----- 5 hours. 

(END UPDATE)

Image traced on with a print-out of the continent
or with the world puzzle map pieces
Colored in.
Displayed in an elevated rack

The images inside the cultural continent folders contain a variety of images from that continent - mounted on appropriate colored paper or cardstock, with a brief description on the back. They are intended to spark conversation and questions - leading to further studies as the children get older. This work can start at age 3 after they have worked with the world puzzle map and we want to share information on each continent. There are animals represented, people from various cultures on that continent, photos of food and national dress, etc. Our images all came from National Geographic magazines, but cut-up books could be used, images printed from the internet, etc.


The continent folders then sub-divide into a variety of topics (not photographed here) - these can be smaller packets or pouches, or even a book on the topic (that's what we did - just read books, watched videos, or had real-life experiences with the sub-topics).


This work is found in the Spoken Language section of the AMI Language album.

The continent folders photographed here I had made for training and then used them at home with Legoboy. I was marked down for them because I didn't use all lowercase letters (since these are for such young children - younger Montessori children will write in all lower-case to start, then move to capitals at age 5 and 6, without the use of sandpaper letters). Technically I could have left them unlabeled altogether and not been marked down at all.

Disclaimer though: My son has a hard time "caring" about capital letters anymore (despite starting to write with capital block letters) - so I do not regret having this material available to him with proper capitalization. At least he KNOWS where the capital letters go.

How was this particular set of cultural folders made? 
It is a set of file folders - 1 file folder for each continent (in this set) - I chose to keep the tabs all in one place, but could have alternated them (the original plan was that the sub-sets would have tabs in different locations, so the children re-sort them easily based on the tab location). I used packing tape to close up the sides; then covered it in color construction paper (wish I'd used cardstock because construction paper fades) just over the folds. Laminated the whole thing (had to slit the lamination to re-open the pouch).

If I were to do it again, I think I would prefer to use contact paper - only because the contact paper could wrap around the sides more securely. Or use colored pocket folders (now that pink and white are more easily found than when I was in primary training) and laminate those for sturdiness.



I always thought Legoboy would add to these picture sets in elementary - that was/is his typical thing. For some reason, he didn't; instead he delved into cultural studies, loves reading books and watching videos - he can talk to you about different things when he is interested - and he loves to learn about other cultures. But he has never sought to add to the images. Just when I think I have him pegged ;)


Continent folders can be an alternate to the bulkier continent boxes - or can be an addition to them. I highly recommend having multi-cultural items around your home - not just in the boxes. Alternate what is out at various times so that items can rotate into the box and out to the environment. I personally prefer to have an image of someone using the chop-sticks, with a quick description on the back, have a conversation with my child - then he "discovers" we have chopsticks in the kitchen where they would actually be used (instead of as an artifact in the box) - perhaps because I conveniently left them where he would find them (hehe - that's called strewing - homeschool moms get good at that) - and then we pull up a YouTube video to show us how to USE them. It just feels more real to me.

In the end, I see the benefit of both continent boxes and continent folders, and lean towards the cultural/continent folders as my "core" with the boxes as peripheral. Your mileage will vary ;)




Links for additional information on continent/cultural folders: 

This continent folder set doesn't quite match what is in my own AMI albums:
http://www.montessoriprintshop.com/Montessori_Extension_Lesson.html

Downloadables of animal images - though still not quite the same description:
http://www.montessorimaterials.org/geo.htm

One sample of using pocket folders - hers gets to it but my training dictated colored background on the cards (could be an optional feature if you have coding somewhere else so the photos can be re-sorted to their proper folders):
http://bellachampion.blogspot.com/2011/10/real-montessori-continent-folders.html

This continent folder set looks really neat actually:
http://montessori123.com/products/complete-set-of-images-for-all-continents

And these cultural folders sound about right too:
http://www.absorbentminds.co.uk/cgi-bin/ss000001.pl?page=search&SS=continents+folders&search.x=-328&search.y=-149&search=ACTION&PR=-1&TB=A

Keys of the Universe - Blog Articles

Keys of the Universe now has an Article section with infrequent updates on topics of interest to the elementary Montessori parent. Take a look!

Keys of the Universe - Articles

Current topics include:

• Periodic Table of Elements
• Getting Started with Montessori Homeschooling
• Wooden Hierarchical Material - Number Cards
• 8 Principles of Montessori Education
• Montessori and Common Core
• Primary Album Supplements for Geography and Sensorial
• and more as time goes on :) 

Astronomy Review: Signs & Seasons

The following is a copy of the review I posted on an online bookstore website for this resource:

While this book is geared more for middle and high schoolers, my elementary son is already gaining a LOT from it.

I am a Montessori-trained teacher and prefer to avoid most textbooks for many reasons - low quality; lack of correct information; textbooks are usually beyond tertiary sources while primary sources are most appropriate for children's learning; and more.

But this is one textbook we will use again and again. At 8, my son is reading through it with me to gain an overview of astronomy; we combine it with our own personal studies according to his interests and my requirements as his homeschooling mother. We will likely go through it again at age 10-11; then again in middle school - as review and to cull its depth further, as much of the information is quite deep (a typical elementary children would not have the interest my son has in this textbook - but this is an interest of his).

The "average" elementary child will not be ready for this book - but a homeschooled child who is very interested, or a Montessori student, will be quite ready for it - probably around age 9 or so. Even then, it should be re-visited at an older age, because much of it will not be absorbed the first time through. It is THAT rich!

Montessori elementary children with a deep love of all things astronomy will appreciate having this book as a read-together text, coupled with many hands-on experiences (such as looking for the things described in the book, as well as some of the field activities in the back of the book, and following their own interests).

Montessori elementary children with a limited interest in astronomy will prefer to utilize this book in the upper elementary years (ages 9-12).

Definitely useful for middle schoolers of all ages.

I only WISH the public schools I attended would have provided an astronomy class of ANY sort, let alone THIS book. We had blips of astronomy here and there - nothing like this. I took an astronomy course in college and this text would have been the best foundation for that course. I loved it, but was easily overwhelmed.

There is an optional field guide, separate from the text, to flesh it out for high school credit. Do not let the negative review stating this is not a high school textbook throw you off - this book is indeed excellent for high schoolers, but yes if you want a full credit for it you will NEED to flesh it out for the simple fact it is a textbook. NO textbook should be the be-all-end-all in gaining a credit for school - and this textbook is no exception in that regard.

Those who might say this book is not deep enough for high schoolers should consider the importance of spending TIME with the material, doing the field guide suggestions, working with the field journal - and experiencing the annual cycles of astronomy (and sometimes multi-year), while also exploring it within its historical context and development, in such a way that true DEPTH is reached. Not just racing through, taking a test and being done.

Signs and Seasons IS the exception in that it provides a well-balanced, well-laid-out approach to classical astronomy - astronomy without the use of fancy tools (although telescope and binoculars are pointed out as useful in their proper places) --- something all of us should have experienced in our lifetimes.

Black and white (but wonderfully done!) illustrations keep the price of printing to an affordable range so that this book is accessible to many more people.

Montessori Astronomy - Elementary

I am having the absolute worst time finding the time and the proper resources to finalize the AMI-style astronomy supplement. I'm just not satisfied with it - to the point of "it's not even in a share-able format even if I'm not satisfied with it." In the end, I think I am trying to justify others' experiences that may be valid for a few children, but are not necessarily valid for the universal child.


So to try to bring myself back into this, I am organizing some thoughts on our own experiences in light of AMI Montessori training and observations in various Montessori schools on this topic.


Previous Montessori Trails on Astronomy:

• Montessori Astronomy
• Current Interests: Astronomy
• Montessori and Foundations of Scientific Understanding - Astronomy

Non-Montessori Resources we have used: 

• Signs and Seasons
• Magic School Bus Astronomy Science Kit
• Journey to the Stars from NASA
• Kids Discover Magazines on astronomy topics
• First Discovery Books: Universe (those books with clear pages that change the picture as you turn them)
• Explore the Stars! The Star Finder
• Various websites and other online resources as opportunities arise - very minor basis
• Other books and videos found at the library or book sales

Montessori Experiences, Presentations, Materials Specific to Astronomy: 

• God With No Hands (First Great Lesson for the elementary age)
• Geography (elementary): Sun and Earth chapter

Various Montessori studies that led to astronomy - but were not specifically astronomy at the out-set: 

• History studies (ancient history ---> worship of gods ---> constellations and planet names ---> clocks and calendars (through history and names of days, months) ---> ASTRONOMY
• Mathematics - history of math, use of math
• Geometry - shapes, patterns, degrees, circles, angles
• Language - basic language skills
• Geography - land/water forms, formation of our own planet, form and matter

Paying close attention, you'll see that we didn't really use many Montessori materials or specific experiences. This is exactly as it should be: lay the foundation with the properly prepared environment and the key presentations - and the child will "get there". 

We've not used fancy equipment beyond the sunshades and occasional use of binoculars (and a very cheap telescope that only works during the day). 

We've not even used computer-based items except for watching a few DVDs. It is has been hands-on (eyes-on???) exploration of the night and daytime sky, predicting what we will see, following-up, lots of reading and lots of map-making (Legoboy likes his maps). But yes, several trips to observatories and planetariums - and THEIR high-tech equipment ;) 

But I have been in Montessori homeschools - and I know that those parents without Montessori training really need more guidance on these topics. You typically don't have just children within one age range (primary or elementary or adolescence) - but are spread out across several planes of development, with few or one child in each. So yes - difference between school and homeschool in the environment again. Not a bad thing - just a truth that needs to be addressed. 

My son and I haven't even used 3-part cards and beautiful booklets and charts found at the various online printable sites. He created some of his own with stickers and information from books. For US, that worked great! I will include that experience as a suggestion in the Montessori Elementary Astronomy Supplement. 

Other thoughts: 

• Almost all my observations in schools on astronomy have been contrived - the children may have learned something, but in no different manner than they would have learned it at another school - and the information didn't stick with them any better than if they'd learned it elsewhere. 
• The Montessori primary level astronomy options available also seem contrived or more appropriate for lower elementary, or just plain fluffy. There are some REALLY great activities in there! But I find those ones more appropriate for the elementary age. Why? Because primary children are very concrete - and need to focus on what they can actually experience: seeing the stars, perhaps some of the very obvious constellations, phases of the moon, beautiful sunrises/sets --- but mostly focusing on the weather patterns and outer layers of our own planet. Study home first - move into outer space in the imaginative "big picture" elementary years. 
• I am trying to create something that fits in with what is already available. That is likely my biggest mistake. I need to focus on the keys - get it pulled together - and let individual families decide how/if they would like to utilize other resources. 
• ALL OTHER SOLIDLY scientific and age-appropriate materials introduce astronomy in upper elementary or middle school (the depth of astronomy - you can certainly get into phases of the moon and the patterns of the sun in earlier ages). Not that we Montessorians follow non-Montessori scope and sequences very closely (since most of them are not based on careful observation). But there is something here.... When Dr. Nebel, who is more Montessori-like than he knows, doesn't get into astronomy with the children until volume 3 for grades 6-8 --- well, I start taking notice. 
• And then there are local educational requirements - which, again, Montessori tends to be far ahead of, but even pulling down their requirements 3-4 grades (before Common Core), brings astronomy barely into the beginning of upper elementary. 

What I am taking from my own notes laid out as above: 

• consider the "keys" to modern life understanding of astronomy, along with historical development from what was observable through to what is inferred. What is key so that a homeschool family can hone in on the necessary pieces - and leave room for exploration, interest, follow-up (or leaving out the extras for the sake of time/space and FOCUS)
• primary level: focus on only what is observable - experience-able - by the young child
• lower elementary: take what we have in the albums and provide specific follow-ups for the most clear connections into astronomy, along with tips for the child whose interest entirely goes there. 
• upper elementary: move into Montessori-style presentations that cover the typical local educational requirements for astronomy through middle school

Ok, time to get on with this!!!

Montessori and Creationism

Legoboy and I have been busy with Cover Story, catching up and going deeper with reviewing our herb studies, preparing to sprout new seedlings and begin our herb garden anew, finishing up the major material-making projects for my 5 atriums, and getting caught up with Garden of Francis (including a site revamp, still to be posted) - all with limited internet access. Keys of the Universe discussion community has a life of its own, for which I am eternally grateful!

Legoboy has been assisting me in almost all of this - mostly happily, sometimes a bit more grudgingly. Somehow he still gets his Lego and reading time in - and all I get is a sore throat, lost voice and swollen lymph nodes (love those herbal remedies! I'd still be sick if on regular medications). But big sigh on being an adult and not an invincible child anymore!

One other project we have been working on is modifying the Keys of the Universe albums to specifically address those who believe in the 6-day creation of the earth, approximately 6,000 years ago. We have been studying resources in-depth to see what we can do with our lower elementary Montessori materials and presentations, most of which currently support an old-age of the earth even the ones that don't particularly emphasize evolution (some were already modified to remove "evolution").

The fact is that Maria Montessori lived at a time when long-term evolution and the Bible were potentially going to be reconciled; so she combined them. The last century has certainly brought about many changes in scientific processes, our ability to look in more detail at the presented evidence, and begin to realize that some holes just aren't going to be filled in, specifically because there is nothing to fill it in.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My household is Catholic. I am Catholic. Our homeschooling is imbued with the Catholic Faith.

I receive many questions about how we combine Montessori and the Faith, particularly in regards to the origins of the world. That part is the easy part.

The hard part is the persistent lack of understanding in our world, especially among Catholics, about what Catholics must believe about the origins of the world. Required to believe:

• God created the world. 
• God created two parents, each with an eternal soul and free will. 
• There was an incident that lost Grace for the human race. 
• He promised a Redeemer, who became incarnate as Jesus Christ. 
• God is implementing Salvation History with the cooperation with the free will He gave to humans. 

From there it is open to interpretation. HOW did God create? How long did it take? Evolution, 6-day Creation, something in between? The Church allows us to look to the evidence for ourselves and believe what we will, if anything at all, on these matters.

That is not to say that people within the Church have not strongly put forth their own conclusions, and even made it sound authoritative.

In the Catholic Church, it is not authoritative as a required dogma of belief (what one must believe in order to be a true Catholic) unless it is promulgated by the Pope. Even the Popes who have believed, for themselves, one way or another on matters of creation that have been left open, never spoke dogmatically on those topics.

Respect for free will - especially when the Holy Spirit has not revealed it to us.


I personally lean VERY strongly to 6-Day Creation. I used to be VERY strong (devout?) believer in long-term evolution - I saw all the evidence and believed, I saw all the evidence and ignored all the holes. Then I started asking questions about those holes. This is MY experience. I will not push it off on others when the Catholic Church leaves us to interpret for ourselves. I suppose I will only receive the final knowledge on this matter, if (when?) I reach Heaven and the Beatific Vision myself.


Legoboy and I are putting together resources to help out others wanting to do Montessori with 6-Day Creation at the foundation.

Genesis Montessori is the slow fruit of our labors.
http://genesismontessori.blogspot.com/

We don't have anything actually available for sale or review just yet. We are establishing the framework, then slowly filling it in so that we can then focus on each detail with confidence in the structure. It is really fun to work on this with my 9 year old at my side - and many times at the helm!