Exploring North American Independence in the Montessori Classroom

Even though I don’t teach during the summer when it would seem most likely to teach Montessori students about US Independence Day, every year it seems to find its way into our year. Students often associate US Independence Day with fireworks, picnics and popsicles. This association is helpful when you are teaching American History and need to reference Independence Day. I’ve had parents tell me that something that was said in the classroom about the holiday made its way into the conversation the following July at the family picnic.

US Independence Day, July 4

Independence Day in the United States celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776 in Philadelphia. On that day, the Declaration was read aloud, bells were rung, and bands performed music. In 1941, it was finally declared a legal US holiday. Today, this national holiday is a day of picnics, parades, speeches, and fireworks.

The US Declaration of Independence is one of the country’s most important documents. It was drafted by Thomas Jefferson, and signed by representatives of all 13 states that comprised the country at that time. It signifies the breaking of ties to Britain, “the mother country” and marks the independence of the colonies. A famous line of the US Declaration of Independence is as follows: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Canada Day, July 1

On July 1, Canada celebrates its own national holiday marking the country’s independence. Canada Day (formerly known as Dominion Day) commemorates the adoption of the British North America Act on July 1, 1867, which was renamed the Constitution Act in 1982, and sets the foundation for the Canadian Constitution. This act created the Canadian federal government and united Canada as country (with four provinces.) Canadians celebrate Canada Day for similar reasons and in many of the same ways that US Independence Day is celebrated.

Activities for the Montessori Student

Kids will have a blast making red, white, and blue layered gelatin squares. Here is the recipe for Red, White and Blue Finger Jello. What other red, white, and blue food can you think of?

Wild Blueberry Flan (or substitute raspberries for the blueberries) would be an appropriate dish for either country’s independence day. Your Montessori students would enjoy both the cooking process and tasting the final product! Try finding a pick your own blueberry/raspberry patch for a lesson in botany, ecosystems, and local food.

What is independence? Use this to explore the ideas of freedom and peace with Montessori elementary students. For what can we be thankful in our countries? Older elementary students may be interested in exploring colonization and the perspectives from both sides.

Study the history of the US Declaration of Independence and/or the Canadian Constitution Act with your students. Invite students to explore new ideas for celebrating US Independence Day and/or Canada Day, based on what they learn. Possible Extension to this activity: compare the similarities and differences between the histories of US Declaration of Independence and the Canadian Constitution Act.

Study the concept of immigration to the US and/or Canada, with a view to exploring citizenship – what it means, and why immigrants sometimes choose to become citizens of their new country. Find out if any of your students are children of immigrants, and celebrate the inclusion of immigrants in your Independence Day or Canada Day activities by embracing some of their customs as part of your celebration.

Watch for an upcoming NAMC blog about Mexican Independence Day, celebrated annually on September 16.

Books for the Montessori Classroom

• Independence Day, by Trudi Strain Trueit (Rookie Read-Aloud Holidays series)
• Independence Day, by Helen Frost (National Holidays series)
• Independence Day, by Nancy Sanders (True Books series)
• Give Me Liberty: The Story of the Declaration of Independence, by Russell Freedman

• Canada Day, by Patricia Murphy (Rookie Read-Aloud Holidays series)
• Canada Day, by Molly Aloian (Celebrations in My World series)
• Let’s Celebrate: Canada’s Special Days, by Caroline Parry

• Mexican Independence Day and Cinco de Mayo, by Dianne MacMillan (Best Holiday Books series)

Web resources

• Declaration of Independence
• British North America Act
• History.com – Fourth of July
• Celebrate Canada Day

NAMC's Upper Elementary US History and Canadian History manuals offer many activities for the Montessori classroom.

Parenting for Independence the Montessori Way

Little children, from the moment they are weaned, are making their way toward independence. Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind

Maria Montessori understood that in order to be free, one needs to be independent. She also said that learning to be independent came before freedom. Teachers and parents that are new to Montessori sometimes misunderstand this concept, and expect a child to become independent by granting her/him freedom of choice without limits. Instead, fostering independence first will lead the child toward a sense of freedom and self-esteem.

We often talk about the Montessori prepared environment. This not only encompasses the physical setting, but includes the all-important preparation of the parent, caregiver, or teacher. In the Montessori environment, independence is an ongoing, organic process, and the Practical Life curriculum is integral to this. Material and activities that encourage the child to “do for him/herself” and foster developmental progress, confidence and self-esteem are the cornerstones of the Practical Life curriculum. As a child learns to pour water, lace shoes, put on a coat, clean his/her workspace, prepare a snack, and consider others in his/her Montessori classroom or home community, independence takes root and grows.

With independence comes the need for self-discipline. In the prepared environment, the Montessori child moving toward independence will experience making decisions from limited choices, and will meet with success in those decisions. Parents, too, learn to create the environment for such successes, by planning ways to involve their children in daily life activities and in offering limited choices. In doing so, the child is then able to learn how to make wise, well-thought-out decisions.

So, how does a Montessori parent go about encouraging independence in their children? Here are some helpful ideas for parents to incorporate Practical Life activities at home, and foster the confidence and positive development as part of the Montessori philosophy of an “education for life”.

• Encourage your children to make wise choices. It is best, in the beginning, to give limited choices. For example: Would you like an apple or a banana in your lunch? Notice, the question is not “Would you like fruit in your lunch?” Another example would be: Would you like to clean up the playroom before or after dinner? Again, the choice is not whether or not they want to, but when they would like to do so.
• Personal care and hygiene. Allow your young children do things for themselves, such as dressing, bathing, brushing hair and teeth, toileting/cleanup, etc., with your guidance and supervision while they learn. Assist only when needed. What if they can’t reach the sink? Provide a step stool. What if they can’t see that they are missing part of their head when washing their hair? Hold a hand-held mirror for them to see. Montessori told us to let the child do for himself that which his is capable and to provide the tools necessary for success.
• Experience logical (natural) consequences. Once your children make a choice, allow them to experience the consequences (good or bad) of that choice. Of course, since you are limiting the choices, the children are in no danger of being hurt. If you ask your children to take their gym shoes to school for field day and they choose not to, the natural consequence may be that they are not able to participate fully. I’ll bet they will make a different choice the next time!
• Be careful of praise. In an early blog I wrote about Praise vs. Encouragement. “Excessive, long-term praise can inhibit children from gaining independence because they rely heavily on the praise of those in authority positions.” Instead, encourage your Montessori children to make judgments of their own behavior, work, and ultimately, worth.
• Include your child in family decisions. Ask your child for her/his ideas and input. Any experience will be more meaningful to the child who feels they have some control over the situation, than a child who has no engaged participation in planning.

There can be no freedom without self-discipline. Self-discipline must be taught, modeled, and practiced before a child reaches the third stage of normalization. Without self-discipline, the child cannot be independent and that is the true goal of the Montessori philosophy.

Other related NAMC blog topics:

• Montessori Practical Life at Home
• Stages of Normalization

“Going Out” Montessori Style – Experiencing A Dragon Boat Festival

My Montessori students have always loved learning about the celebrations and traditions of other cultures. No matter what age, cultural celebrations are a hit with kids and a surefire way to help cultural and history studies come alive. I had not heard of dragon boat racing and the accompanying festival until this year, but I know my students will have a lot of fun learning about this tradition. Though dragon boat racing is often done in June, our city will be having a dragon boat race on August 22 this year. I am already planning to invite my Montessori students and their parents to meet me there for a class outing!

Dragon Boat racing began more than 2,000 years ago, and is tied to Chinese “dragon” culture, which reveres the dragon as a symbol of imperial power, and considered the governor of rainfall (water dragons). A dragon boat is a long, narrow boat powered by many paddlers. The boats are often decorated to resemble a dragon, including a dragon’s head at the bow, tail at the stern, and scales painted along the sides. The oars represent the dragon’s claws. Dragon boats can have anywhere from 10 to 50 paddlers, in addition to the drummer and the helm (steerer). Originally, dragon boat racing was a fertility rite done during the summer solstice in the valleys of southern China. In early times, dragon boat races attempted to wake the Heavenly Dragon by imitating a battle.

Another story of dragon boat racing took place during the Warring States period (fourth century BCE). This was a time of alliances and change. Qu Yuan, a popular poet of the people, was banished by the king. Qu Yuan jumped into the river holding a heavy rock. The people tried to save Qu Yuan by beating drums and splashing their oars from their fishing boats. They were attempting to protect him from the fish and water dragons, which are believed to reside in the ocean.

Today, dragon boat racing still incorporates ancient legends and rituals. It is held near the summer solstice, and it honors the dragon. It incorporates competition and multi-colored boats decorated like dragons. Taoist priests often bless the race with a ritual called “awakening of the dragons.” It is a strong team-building sport that can involve the participation of people of all ages. Many philanthropic groups create racing teams to promote friendship and support for a cause, such as breast cancer.

Today, Vancouver’s Rio Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat Festival is the biggest in North America. More than 180 dragon boat teams from around the world come to compete and over 90,000 people come as spectators. Dragon boat festivals take place in 60 countries with some 50 million participants worldwide.

Dragon Boat Festival Activities for the Montessori Classroom and Home

• Research local and regional dragon boat festivals and take a class field trip or family road trip.
• Enter the kids’ division of a local dragon boat festival, if possible.
• Make small dragon boats and race them on a pond.
• As a class or a family, make zongzi and other traditional foods.

Zongzi Recipe

Zonzgi is a Chinese rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo leaves that is associated with the Dragon Boat Festival, and the story of Qu Yuan.

Dragon Boat Festival Books

• Chinese Festivals-Celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival, by Sanmu Tang
• Moonbeams, Dumplings & Dragon Boats: A Treasury of Chinese Holiday Tales, Activities & Recipes, by Nina Simonds, Leslie Swartz, The Children's Museum Boston, and Meilo So
• Red Eggs and Dragon Boats: Celebrating Chinese Festivals, by Carol Stepanchuk
• The Mermaid's Muse: The Legend of the Dragon Boats (Chinese Legends Trilogy), by David Bouchard and Zhong-Yang Huang
• Awakening the Dragon: The Dragon Boat Festival, by Arlene Chan and Song Nan Zhang
• Dragon Boat Racing in Canada Paddles Up! by Arlene Chan and Susan Humphries
• Dragon Boats: A Celebration, by Pat Barker

Resources

• Dragon Boat BC
• An Ancient Legend
• Chinese Culture – Dragon Boat Festival
• Zongzi Bamboo Wrapped Dumplings
• Dragon Boat Canada
• Dragon Boat Festival – Lesson Plan
• The Dragon Boat – History & Culture

Summer Solstice the Montessori Way

Songs, poems, dances, science activities, seasonal food, sunrises and sunsets – what a great way to enjoy and learn about the earth’s solstice. Whether you are in the Northern Hemisphere and celebrating summer, or the Southern Hemisphere celebrating winter, there are plenty of fun activities to mark the occasion in your Montessori classroom.

The summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere (and winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere) takes place on June 21. Also known as the first day of summer and the longest day of the year, the summer solstice is an opportunity to incorporate a little learning about the Earth, the Sun and our natural world.

In the Northern Hemisphere, we receive more light in the summer because the North Pole is pointed toward the Sun. At this time the Northern Hemisphere receives the most exposure to the sun. This year, June 21 is the day that the North Pole is pointed closest to the Sun and therefore is the summer solstice (for the Southern Hemisphere the opposite is true and this day is the Winter Solstice). This is the day of the year when the Northern Hemisphere has the most daylight hours and the Sun reaches the Tropic of Cancer. Also, in summer the sun rises earlier, sets later and appears higher in the sky above the horizon. The North Pole changes its tilt as the Earth orbits. When the North Pole becomes farthest from the Earth, it is winter for the Northern Hemisphere.

Historically, summer is a time of growth. It is a time for planting and harvesting, animals giving birth and raising their young, and growing. Weddings often take place. For many, it may be a slower time for work.

Summer Solstice Montessori Curriculum Activity Ideas

• Have a circle time that focuses on the summer solstice, using natural items, diagrams, photos, music, and poetry to illustrate what it is and how it historically has been celebrated.
• Demonstrate the summer solstice with a globe or ball and a flashlight and/or human bodies and a lamp.
• Make a list of all the things the sun does for us on Earth. Ask your Montessori students what would happen if we didn’t have the sun.
• Plan a family or class outing to observe sunrise and/or sunset on June 21. You could pack a small picnic, and create and play a trivia game about the Summer Solstice Don’t forget to take photographs to remember the occasion.
• Have a summer feast of foods entirely in season, fresh, and local.
• Play “Summer” from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. Explain that the music represents the season of summer, and ask the students to listen quietly. Play the piece again, this time asking the students to close their eyes and let their imaginations follow the music. Invite the students to share their thoughts, visions, or feelings about the music, and to write a poem, a story, or draw a picture from this.

• It’s not too late to plant some fruits and vegetables for harvesting later. Use gardening and harvesting to bridge a discussion about the summer solstice and the autumn equinox.
• Find songs like “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles and teach your students/children the lyrics. Let loose and have fun singing at different volumes. Also try an interpretative dance to the song. Windham Hill Collection has multiple summer solstice music collections available on CD.

Books

• The Summer Solstice, by Ellen Jackson and Jan Davey Ellis
• Under Alaska's Midnight Sun, by Deb Vanasse and Jeremiah Trammell
• Celebrating the Great Mother: A Handbook of Earth-Honoring Activities for Parents and Children, by Cait Johnson and Maura D. Shaw
• In Nature's Honor: Myths and Rituals Celebrating the Earth, by Patricia Montley

Resources

• Scholastic - The Summer Solstice
• National Geographic – Xpeditions
• BBC – Science & Nature: Space
• Astronomical explanation of the summer solstice
• Astronomical Applications Department
• Family Education - Summer
• Summer Solstice for Kids

More Montessori curriculum resources: NAMC's 6-9 manuals - Matter and Astronomy: Supernovas, stars, asteroids, meteors, satellites and galaxies! Students discover the wonder and power of a tiny atom, and all its potential. This comprehensive curriculum provides plenty of activities to explore the mysteries of the universe, to discover many answers to why and how things exist and behave, and to seek further answers to questions that inevitably arise - see sample pages from manual.

Celebrating Father’s Day for the Montessori Classroom and Family

The United States and Canada celebrate Father’s Day every year on the third Sunday in June. Many countries also celebrate fathers on this day, while others do it at different times throughout the year. The first Father’s Day was on June 19, 1910 in Washington. Mrs. John B. Dodd proposed the holiday because she wanted a way to honor her father, a widower who had raised six children. Towns and cities in other states began to celebrate a day for fathers. A National Father’s Day Committee was formed in 1926. In 1956, Father’s Day was recognized by Congress in a Joint Resolution and in 1972, President Richard Nixon established Father’s Day as a national holiday to be celebrated on the third Sunday in June.

Father’s Day is a wonderful time for Montessori students to show their appreciation for all of the father figures in their lives. This can include fathers, stepfathers, grandfathers, godfathers, and uncles. Children might want to discuss why fathers are important and special. You may also want to have a discussion about the prominent males in a child’s life and famous fathers from history. Montessori teachers can help their students prepare gifts and plans for celebrating before summer break.

Ways to Celebrate Father’s Day

Each family has its own unique interests. Use these interests to create traditions for Father’s Day. Some ideas: Plan a party for family and friends. Plan a family outing to play mini-golf or go bowling. Make a special handmade gift: Enchanted Learning: Father's Day Crafts and Activities. Have a family meeting (without Dad) to brainstorm ideas for how to make Father’s Day special.

Barbeques and breakfasts are two popular ways to celebrate Father’s Day. Below is a recipe for stuffed French toast that children can help prepare. It’s a little messy and very tasty! This recipe is from Linden Manor Bed and Breakfast in Nashville, TN. Why not have a B&B weekend at home for Dad?

Linden French Stuffed Toast

• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 slices 1/2 inch French bread
• 4 eggs beaten
• 3/4 cup cream
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• Butter



• 1 12 ounce jar apricot jam (or a fruit flavor of your choice)
• 1/2 cup orange juice



• Sliced bananas

Combine the cream cheese, walnuts and vanilla. Spread on 6 slices of bread to form sandwiches. Combine the eggs, cream, and vanilla. Dip each sandwich into egg mixture. Coat griddle with butter and grill sandwich each side on griddle until golden brown.

Combine the jam with orange juice, heat on stove until it simmers. Garnish the top of French toast with banana or other fruit slices. Serve apricot sauce over all.

Serve with eggs and/or bacon.

Books about Fathers and Father’s Day

Every father would enjoy being read to by his child. A child could write and create their own book/story to read to Dad, or read one of the following themed selections.

• Day Out With Daddy, by Stephen Cook
• The Summer My Father Was Ten, by Pat Brisson and Andrea Shine
• My Father's Boat, by Sherry Garland
• Bryanna and the Sand, by Jeffrey Yosick and Phyllis Stewart
• Ramona and Her Father, by Beverly Cleary
• Fathers, Mothers, Sisters, Brothers: A Collection of Family Poems, by Mary Ann Hoberman and Marylin Hafner
• Father's Day (Holidays, Festivals, & Celebrations), by Ann Heinrichs and R. W. Alley
• A Perfect Father's Day, by Eve Bunting and Susan Meddaugh
• Father's Day (Circle the Year With Holidays), by Laura Alden and Linda Hohag
• What Is Father's Day? by Harriet Ziefert and Claire Schumacher
• A Father's Day Thank You, by Janet Nolan and Kathi Ember
• Celebrating Father's Day: Father's Day Is for Special People, by Donna Marriott and Keiko Motoyama
• Father's Day, by Anne Rockwell and Lizzy Rockwell

For more Father’s Day ideas, visit our previous Father’s Day blogs:

• Celebrating Father's Day in the Montessori Classroom



• Montessori Curriculum Ideas for Father’s Day

US Flag Day, June 14: Montessori History Lessons

Flag Day in the United States is celebrated annually on June 14. It commemorates June 14, 1777, the anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777 that officially declared the Stars and Stripes as the national symbol. Legend has it that in 1776, George Washington asked Betsy Ross, a seamstress in Philadelphia, to make a flag from a sketch that he gave her.

The idea of an official day to celebrate the national flag appears to have taken root in the late 1800s. In 1885, Bernard John (BJ) Cigrand, a Wisconsin school teacher, placed a flag on his desk on June 14, the 108th anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777. He called the day the flag’s birthday, and asked his students to write essays about the flag, and continued for many years to advocate for “Flag Day”, or “Flag Birthday”. Over time others, including New York City Professor George Bolch (1889), principal of a free kindergarten for the underprivileged, and organizations in New York, Philadelphia and Illinois, began to commemorate this day, particularly in public schools.

On September 13, 1814, Francis Scott Key wrote the words to the song “The Star-Spangled Banner” following the British attack on Fort McHenry in Baltimore, MD. Boston educator Francis Bellamy is credited with writing the Pledge of Allegiance, which was first published in a youth magazine called “The Youth’s Companion” in September, 1892, and distributed to local schools in leaflet form.

President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the establishment of the Flag Resolution of 1777 in 1916, and on August 3, 1949, President Truman signed an Act of Congress, officially designating June 14 as National Flag Day.

The entire week of June 14 is now considered National Flag Week, and during this time American citizens are encouraged to display the American flag at home. Government buildings are also expected to fly the flag. There are often local events, parades, and special themes that cities and towns organize for Flag Day. Organizations such as the National Flag Day Foundation and historic sites such as the Betsy Ross House will also hold special events and observances. This week is a wonderful opportunity to create related activities that make US history come alive for your students!

Flag Day Activity Ideas for the Montessori Classroom

• Create an activity where Montessori students learn what the stars and stripes represent, as related to the Flag Resolution of 1777.

• Research the US flag and its history, including nicknames for the flag (i.e. Star-Spangled banner, Old Glory, Stars and Stripes). This could also lead to research of other national symbols such as the bald eagle and the Statue of Liberty.
• Research people and organizations related to the history of the flag and Flag Day (i.e., BJ Cigrand, William Kerr, George Bolch, Betsy Ross, Barbara Fritchie, etc.)
• Study/learn the words to the Star-Spangled Banner, and the Pledge of Allegiance, and their origin/history.
• Make a timeline and/or art display that illustrates how the US flag has changed over time.
• Perform living dioramas of historical moments involving the flag (Francis Scott Key writing the Star-Spangled Banner, Betsy Ross sewing the flag, etc.).

Flag Day Books for the Montessori Classroom

• Flag Day, by Kelly Bennett
• What Freedom Means to Me: A Flag Day Story, by Heather French Henry
• Flag Day (Our Country's Holidays), by Sheri Dea (available in a Spanish edition)
• El Dia de la bandera / Flag Day, by Mir Tamim Ansary
• Coming to America: The Story of Immigration, by Betsy Maestro
• F is for Flag, by Wendy Cheyette Lewison
• Flag Day, by Kelly Bennett
• L is for Liberty, by Wendy Cheyette Lewison
• The Flag We Love, by Pam Munoz Ryan
• The Pledge of Allegiance, by Francis Bellamy
• Red, White and Blue: The Story of the American Flag, by John Herman
• America the Beautiful Illustrated, by Neil Waldman
• Betsy Ross: Designer of Our Flag, by Ann Weil
• The Star-Spangled Banner Illustrated, by Peter Spier

Resources

• National Flag Day Foundation
• A to Z Teacher Stuff
• The History of Flag Day
• Smithsonian Encyclopedia - Facts About the US Flag
• The Library of Congress – Flag Day
• Flag Facts for Flag Day
• The History of Flag Day - US Embassy, Stockholm
• USA Search.gov

NAMC's 9-12 US History manual is full of detailed lessons and activities ready to use in your Montessori classroom. See NAMC's free offer.

Summer Vacation: A Montessori Practical Life Experience

“Miss Michelle, can we go to…?” These types of questions always remind me of the importance of independence, even among the youngest of Montessori children. In a previous post, I reflected that “Maria Montessori recognized that children in the second plane of development (ages 6-12) are in need of a dual environment: that which is found within the Montessori classroom and that which is found outside the Montessori classroom.” The same can be true within the family as well.

Summer vacations are, in a sense, a familial “going-out”. Because Montessori children may be used to planning their going-out excursions for the classroom, be sure to include them in the planning of your next family vacation.

Children in the latter stage of the first plane of development (ages 0-6) can help create a “summer outing” calendar. Discuss with your child what they’d like to do that summer and find some stickers that correspond. Going to the zoo? Find some elephant stickers and place them on the appropriate date. Going to the library? Find some “book” stickers. Planning a weekend at the beach? Crab or seashell stickers will do the trick. Then, have the children help you count down and cross off the days until the next event. When the big day arrives, be sure to let them make decisions: What do they need to take? What should they wear? Should they bring a snack? What music or games should we play in the car?

Older children (second plane of development – ages 6-12) can be more active in the planning. Have them research the places you will be visiting and come up with some activities they would like to do. Go to the library and look through tour books together. Plan/research your trip together using tools available on the internet such as Mapquest or Expedia.com. Ask them what they think would be the best route? Are you trying to get there quickly or do you have time to take the scenic route? Have them come up with a schedule of activities and have them call to inquire about admissions cost and hours. Make sure they note how much time they think the activity should take and what you can expect to see/do/learn while there. Are you visiting a foreign country? Have them brainstorm a list of words and phrases they think they’ll need and research how to say them in the target language. Another idea might be to allow them to choose a restaurant they would like to experience. Have them call ahead for reservations and plan the route to the restaurant.

The work of the family is often referred to in Montessori as “Practical Life” work. Learning to plan family outings is practical life work for the Montessori child. When planning your family “going-out”, keep in mind the areas of practical life that are to be addressed.

• Care of self – planning what will be needed (snacks, money, clothing, equipment, transportation…)
• Care of the environment – taking care in and of our surroundings (“look but don’t touch” at museums; recycling and throwing out our litter; using ‘inside’ voices in public areas; learning the “pack in/pack out” rule)
• Grace and Courtesy – handling ourselves in social situations (making reservations, using manners, writing thank you notes)

When children are included in the planning and preparation, family vacations and outings tend to run much more smoothly. When everyone has contributed, complaints are minimal. Besides, what could be better than spending time with your children planning and experiencing something that will create memories to last a lifetime?

The NAMC Practical Life manuals (3-6 and 6-9) provide a comprehensive curriculum, rich with activities to nurture citizenship and independence.

The Mystery Bag in the Montessori Classroom

The Mystery Bag is a versatile and essential material in the early childhood and lower elementary Montessori classrooms. The Mystery Bag is simply a bag (or box) in which the Montessori teacher places objects that the students cannot see. The students then use their sense of touch to explore the object without removing it from the bag. Eventually, depending on the lesson, the students or the teacher will reveal the object. It can help to develop the sense of how things feel (stereognostic sense) and refine all of the senses overall. It stimulates and cultivates the student’s intellectual curiosity and has endless options for use in the classroom (i.e., the type of bag or box used, the items placed in the bag, the curricular area being taught). Even a toddler will enjoy exploring objects and vocabulary with the Mystery Bag material.

In the Montessori early childhood classroom, one lesson idea for the Mystery Bag begins with the teacher placing objects in the bag, such as a large sea shell, a piece of coral, and a sand dollar. Though related, the objects are different in texture, size, etc. The student is shown the objects before they are returned to the bag. The student is then asked to find the object that is smooth, large, etc.

The Mystery Bag can also be used to reinforce the geometric solids from the sensorial area in the Montessori classroom. A student can close her/his eyes and be asked to find a particular geometric solid from the bag. Montessori students could do this with the teacher or with another student. A Montessori teacher can also place objects related to current studies in the bag. For example, the objects listed above (a large sea shell, a piece of coral and a sand dollar) could be used while the students study ocean life in the geography curriculum.

Language can also be explored with the Mystery Bag. In an early childhood classroom, students may take turns feeling an object in the bag (without removing it), and describing it to others. An advanced student could record this work on lined paper. A variation to this would be for students to take turns taking the Mystery Bag home, and choosing an object based on a theme chosen by the teacher (e.g., it could be an item that begins with the letter "A", and continues with each child through the alphabet). The student would write clues and bring the Mystery Bag bag to school with the object and clues to present to their classmates for guessing what's in the bag. In the Montessori lower elementary classroom, this activity may be presented as a way to practice adjectives. Students may record short, descriptive sentences about their mystery objects.

Once you begin to explore the Mystery Bag, you will find infinite possibilities for ways to use it in the Montessori classroom!

Resources

• NAMC's 3-6 Language Arts Manual
• NAMC's 3-6 Sensorial Development and Music Enrichment
• NAMC's 6-9 Language Arts Manual

Celebrating Cultural Diversity in your Montessori Classroom

Once a Montessori teacher has told the stories of the Five Great Lessons in the lower and upper elementary Montessori classrooms, she will often move on to the presentation of the Common Needs of People (sometimes referred to as the Fundamental Needs of Humans). This series of lessons is meant to show students that throughout history, humans have demonstrated the same common needs:

• need for food, shelter, and clothing
• need to defend oneself from danger

• need to move from place to place
• need to receive care when ill
• the need to communicate
• the need to express oneself (through artistic works)
• the need for meaning in their lives

(NAMC, Lower Elementary History Manual, page 126)

Maria Montessori believed it was important to study what humans have in common to instill in the child a greater sense of belonging to the universe. Humans all over the world share the same common needs. By examining the similarities and differences of humans around the globe, we build a sense of connection to all human beings, thus creating a deeper sense of cosmic community.

The Montessori curriculum strives to create a connection between home and school environment. In an effort to make this connection, some Montessori teachers have found that creating a cultural heritage survey helps not only the children to make this connection, but also involves the parents with what is occurring in the Montessori classroom. By explaining that the Montessori curriculum looks at both the Common Needs of People as well as the differences of others, it sends the message that it is okay to be different, along with the need to respect the differences of others. Parents can assist their children in filling in the survey.

Items to Include on Your Cultural Heritage Survey

• Child’s name
• Child’s birthplace
• Family members (name, relationship, birthplace)
• Languages spoken at home (primary and others)
• Family’s cultural heritage (all applicable heritages and cultures that influence family traditions)
• Special customs and traditions
• Traditional cultural items, clothing, music, dance that can be shared with the classroom/school
• Traditional foods that can be shared with the classroom/school
• Important family celebrations or festivals

Once the information has been returned by the Montessori students, Montessori teachers often display the information using a large world map. Some opt to do this in their own Montessori classroom and others make it a school-wide presentation. Whatever your school or classroom decides, it is a wonderful visual reminder to the students and your Montessori community that we are all a celebration of cultural differences and similarities. The information can be used to involve families throughout the year as you study the different cultures around the world.

You may also want to arrange some other related cultural activities such as a potluck where each student either brings a traditional dish, or a dish their family enjoys.

NAMC’s Lower Elementary History manual contains many activities for studying the Common Needs of People, as well as the Concept of Time, Timeline of Life, Timeline of People, and Introduction to Civilizations. The NAMC Elementary History blackline masters (see sample), available on CD-ROM, provide curriculum support material for the Montessori classroom as well.