Monday, September 1, 2008

New Child Montessori offers some great supplements at http://www.newchildmontessori.com/Supplement.html
Here is an example of practical life-


  • PRACTICAL LIFE WORK -
    *Opening and Closing a Box- Age 3+
    Boxes with lids such as color tablets
    Lesson: Carry the box or boxes to a rug one at a time. Put both hands on the sides of the lid and lift it off. Place the lid upside down next to the box. Put the box in the lid. Repeat with the other boxes. Put the lids back on each box. Carry the boxes one at a time to the shelf.
  • Sink or Float- Age 3+
    Bowl, small pitcher with fill line, basket of objects that sink or float, and sponge on a tray. The trayhas a divider line down the middle and the word “sink” and “float” at the top of each.Lesson: Put on a water apron. Carry pitcher to a sink. Put water in the pitcher to the line. Carry to the work table. Pour into the bowl. Point to the words and say “sink” and “float.” Put one of the objects in the water. Observe if it sinks or floats. Lift it out and let it drip. Touch it to the sponge and then place under the proper word. (Look for the beginning sound “s” or “f” in the words.) Continue until all the objects have been placed. Dry each object with the sponge before placing back in the basket. Dry the bowl, pitcher, and tray with the sponge. Replace the work on the shelf.
  • Sorting with Tongs- Age 3+
    Two containers or a divided container, tongs, items to sort and transfer
    Lesson: Use the dominant hand to open and close the tongs. Pick up an object and transfer from one container to another. Replace tongs on the tray and return to the shelf.
  • Scraping and cleaning shoes- Age 3+
    Old table knife, stiff brush, dirty or muddy shoes, newspaper
    Lesson: Lay down newspaper on the floor. Place shoes on paper. Use the knife to scrape the mud or dirt off. Be sure to get into the creases. Use the brush to remove more of the dirt. Carefully fold the newspaper with the dirt inside and throw in the trash. Place knife and brush on the tray and
    return it to the shelf.
  • Polishing shoes- Age 3+
    Tray with neutral paste shoe polish, brush, cotton ball, polishing cloth, newspaper, leather shoes.Lesson: Put on a water apron. Lay newspaper on the table. Brush the shoes with the brush to remove any dirt. Open shoe polish and rub cotton ball on the paste. Put hand in one shoe and rub the paste all over the shoe. Lay shoe aside on paper and do the same to the other shoe. Polish first shoe with the cloth until it shines. Polish the other shoe. Fold the cotton ball in the newspaper and
    put in the trash. Put a clean cotton ball on the tray. Fold cloth. Replace all the items on the tray and return it to the shelf. Hang up the apron.

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