Tuesday, March 16, 2010

World Water Day: Montessori Classroom Activities and Opportunities

The child is endowed with unknown powers, which can guide us to a radiant future. If what we really want is a new world, then education must take as its aim the development of these hidden possibilities. ~ Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind. This year’s World Water Day, March 22, is a great springboard for Montessori activities in cultural geography. Students of all ages can participate in activities that develop an understanding of the geography of water, and the 2010 motto, “Clean water for a healthy world” can serve as a catalyst for further exploration of the importance of clean water for people around the world.
NAMC montessori classroom activities opportunities world water day boy in raincoat
World Water Day is a globally-recognized initiative that grew out of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. The decade between 2005 and 2015 has been named “Celebrating Water for Life: the International Decade for Action.” There are a number of activities and learning opportunities for you Montessori classroom centered around World Water Day.

World Water Day: Montessori Classroom Activities and Opportunities

In the Montessori Preschool/Kindergarten classroom, activities using the globe and Land and Water Forms material can be introduced or revisited to familiarize students with the geography and vocabulary of various water forms around the world. These activities can then be extended to prompt discussion about the importance of water in our daily lives, then further discussion about the importance of clean, healthy water. Montessori teachers can then extend the concept to raise awareness for water conservation, and for the challenge of access to clean water in areas around the world, how children in these areas are affected, and what can be done to help.
NAMC montessori classroom activities opportunities world water day geography experiment
At the Montessori elementary level, students enter a sensitive period for community care and service. Activities such as the water cycle and those covering the earth’s hydrosphere and take on new meaning in the context of water conservancy. World Water Day can be a springboard for taking action by identifying ways in which students can conserve water at home, study how water is treated in their community, and advocate for water protection and conservancy in their community. A Montessori elementary classroom might even find a way to help children in another part of the world that is directly affected by the absence of clean water.

Links to organizations for further information on the importance of clean water:
YouTube has some videos that you might like – here are just two:



As much as possible, NAMC’s web blog reflects the Montessori curriculum as provided in its teacher training programs. We realize and respect that Montessori schools are unique and may vary their schedules and offerings in accordance with the needs of their individual communities. We hope that our readers will find our articles useful and inspiring as a contribution to the global Montessori community.
© North American Montessori Center - originally posted in its entirety at Montessori Teacher Training on Tuesday, March 16, 2010.

1 comments:

  1. World Water Day 2012 update: Nonprofit Amman Imman: Water is Life, has been working with Montessori schools since 2006 through its service learning/education program, Wells of Love.

    Wells of Love, raises awareness about water in our lives and in the world by focusing on the vulnerable populations living the the Azawak region of Niger, West Africa where water scarcity affects all areas of life. Students take leadership as they learn about global water issues. They are given the opportunity to help the people of the Azawak through Amman Imman's well-drilling projects.

    Learn more about campaigns you can get involved in with your students for World World Day, on our Campaigns pages

    ReplyDelete

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