Material Making Mistakes - Mathematics

Just sharing one experience we had that I wish I had done differently from the beginning:

I purchased our decimal fraction material after using a cardstock version for a while, with makeshift pieces. The number cards that it came with the purchased material align with the columns perfectly.

I can't find the aligned photo off-hand - but here are the cards it came with. 

I hand-made ALL of our other number card material, including all of primary, the Bank Game (Bank Game is elementary; the "primary bank game" is called Change Game in AMI albums), and others.

Handmade Bank Game cards - with the white card coming from the primary material;
additional categories created to add on

For a portion of the work with the decimal fractions, we show how the whole numbers are flipped over, gain a decimal point, and become decimal fractions.

In addition, we sometimes use whole numbers with the decimals to show how it works on the board - most children move through that stage quickly, but even so it is nice to have those whole numbers actually align with the board.

Even most importantly for the first exercise - when we use those whole numbers they know, flip them around to become the decimals, then replace with the actual decimal cards, the numbers should align with the columns.

Mistake made??? - I didn't have any whole numbers that corresponded to the column size on the decimal fraction board.

If I could do it again, I would love to make at least one set of cards that correspond with the decimal fraction board, so that I save myself making a set of cards ;)





Our Bank Game material corresponds with our primary cards, so that I just "added on" rather than created a new set. This should work for most homeschools - but some (with several elementary and several primary might want two entirely separate sets). These cards are larger, but perhaps I could have made them narrower....

Then our wooden hierarchical material - I did ultimately re-create this number card set (for primary we used the number card material I already had, and added on the higher categories - elementary needs commas, so I did create new ones for that in order to keep the primary set comma-free for use with my co-op children). Since these have commas, they don't work for flipping over....

Or perhaps I just need to deal with un-aligned columns or make a new set.

;)

Improving Spelling Skills

An example of using a strength to overcome a weakness: 

Legoboy has just not been a strong speller. I think he would have been fine if he had not been thwarted in his skill development when he was younger (see this previous post). 

Once he believed he could read, he has been a very strong reader - we just need to work on pronunciation here and there. Spelling has been a steep uphill battle. I have almost caved at various times into purchasing a spelling curriculum or program - several Montessori bloggers share their successes with a few. But it didn't sit right with our style - we use some curricula for a few things, modified; but I didn't feel right forking out money for a spelling program when we have the necessary tools right here with the Montessori materials and online spelling games (of which he played quite a few for a few months)

But he's not been a good speller, despite the Montessori materials and methods used and even the online spelling games - it just not clicking with him - and he highly detests my method of helping him (I say the word very slowly so he hears all the sounds; and won't give him the actual correct spelling until he gives me an honest attempt at it - which he also doesn't like to do). 

For the record, I feel that Montessori has all the tools necessary when done in its fullness - but some children just don't connect, even with the keys (thus giving them something that is not the keys won't work either). Other programs CAN work and DO work, especially in connection with Montessori, but I don't think they would have meshed well here at all. 

So we've plugged along. 

One day, he figured it out - all on his own. He started doing this: 

trying to spell the words 'when' and 'watch' 

He wrote out the words in various attempts at spelling them, then he read it to himself to see if it looked right. Knowing he has advanced reading skills, he put those skills to work for his deficit in spelling. 

So he wrote "wen" - and it didn't read right. So he wrote "when" (remembering that some w-words have wh) - that one was fine. 

Then he wrote "whath" to come up with "watch" - he immediately realized that the h needed to be dropped; he tested a sound for the vowel-sound in the middle (oa he wrote) and that wasn't right. 
Then he got the wath - before realizing it needed that c in there to change from /th/ to /tch/. 

All this so he could ask me, via a note, "When can I watch Once Upon a Time with you? And can I have a peanut butter cup?"

And I tell you what: he's not mis-spelled those words since! 

A "follow the child, observe, respond, observe" SUCCESS! 

Geography - Work of Air

Legoboy is humoring me in another run-through of the earlier geography work he did ages ago - now that we have new tools, I want new photographs and to test what I hope is our final edits on the albums... Ok, so it's really to get some good solid review in, but shshshsh! don't tell this upper elementary child that! He thinks he is helping me out ;)

The flask is NOT empty! And air can hold up water! 

I love Partylite candles - they burn at a low temp.
Don't use Partylite candles for this demonstration. Guess why!
Use a tealight that burns a bit hotter ;) 

I kept the flame here because the smoke didn't show up well in the photo.
See how the flame is pulled into the tube?
Use the smoke with your children, not the flame.
Can you guess what happened as I took this photo? ;) 

Sample of Banded Line Paper

Lots of people ask about "Montessori Paper" and there are some mis-conceptions about what it is:

Banded Line Montessori Paper:
(note that there are further versions - these are just 3 types)

:)

Quarter-paper

full-pages cut in half

Full page

Coconut Oil and Chocolate

Legoboy wanted me to add this to our list of uses for Coconut Oil - while he had baking noted, this isn't baking really... it is SO simple, it could be a perfect primary level cooking activity, following a simply-created recipe booklet! And OH my! The variations a child could come up with!

Glorious chocolate ;)

http://healthimpactnews.com/2012/how-to-make-irresistible-coconut-oil-chocolates/

Add 3-4 tbsp of honey or maple syrup instead; and at least make sure you have a full tsp of vanilla.

Our final version: 

Simple Coconut Oil Chocolate Candies

• 1/2 cup Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder (raw cocoa powder is preferred)
• 3-4 Tbsp raw (preferred), local (if at all possible) honey or maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Melt the coconut oil and add the honey. Whisk and add the cocoa powder. Whisk occasionally while pouring into a silicone ice cube tray or silicone mini muffin tray. Makes 12. Cool for 30 minutes in the fridge or freezer.

Note: Time varies depending on how hot the coconut oil was when you started. If the oil is only just reached its melting stage, these will set in as little as 15 minutes.

These were just the perfect first use of our silicone shaped-trays - perfect for candies, soaps and ice cubes! A young child could melt these over a hot cooking pad, or in a pan of warm water - the coconut oil liquefies at room temperature, so you just need to get it slightly warmer than that (so the other ingredients don't harden it up while stirring and pouring). The quantity is perfect for a child's first recipe!

Delicious! Perfect for Once Upon a Time withdrawal symptoms.... ;)

Legoboy spilled some; I spilled some more. No problem!
Still delicious!

Popped out of the tray - I love these silicone trays!