Cosmic Education: Language and Geography

The cosmic education of elementary Montessori does not allow us to study just one subject in isolation.

The geography album encompasses "earth sciences" - geology, physics, and the like. Some very few children  do not simply jump at the opportunity to repeat the demonstrations they are allowed to do (the volcano being the one almost all children want to do!) following presentations from the geography album. The reasons may be varied: adult level of trust (children sense it even if the adult appears to be trusting of the child's abilities), lack of space, environmental expectations just aren't there, adult enthusiasm, materials not readily available, adult hasn't explicitly stated "Would you like to do this?"

By simply using the language album, and following it accordingly, the children working with the grammar box materials are introduced to simple experiments. By following these commands which correspond with the grammar boxes and filler boxes, the child will strain then filter starch-water and sugar-water, after mixing up solutions and discovering the terms "in suspension", then letting it all settle out (or does it all settle out ;) ).

Thus the reluctant-in-science child who is more of a language-child has now experienced some of the science experiment processes. Now those geography presentations present something to the child that he CAN DO. And he is much more likely to DO them. Or at least be open to the idea. ;)

Straining starch-water and sugar-water

comparing pure cocoa with cocoa-sugar

creating an emulsion

Grammar Boxes - Question from a child

An older child (age 8) is working with a set of grammar box material, organizing it and checking it for accuracy; preparing to make sure there are sufficient materials to perform all the commands or otherwise fulfill each sentence - in preparation for a group of younger children coming in.

He asks, "Mama, why are these so simple???? The reading is simple, the tasks are simple. They are kind of fun, but why so simple!? This work could not be appropriate for someone my age." (use a dramatic 8-year-old voice for the italics)

"Remember that this work is intended for incoming elementary children - 6 years old. Or children just learning to read."

"Oh! So they should all be done by the time they are my age." (statement, not a question)

"Yes."


He then later articulated what was being taught with the material and is putting together his own "extra challenge" version of the work at a higher reading level. "Just for fun," he says.

• synonyms
• parts of speech
• expansion of vocabulary
• spelling notes
• definitions
• experiments
• interacting with people
• interacting with objects
• rules (and permission to break some at appropriate moments)

Wow. 

sample verb commands - separate from the filler boxes themselves

These activities are interesting, but definitely move away from an older child's needs in regards to movable pieces, vocabulary development and complexity of the activities. Older children who still need it can zip through this work, then develop their own extensions. They simply won't stay with it the way a 6 year old would.

Grammar Boxes - Colors

Why did Dr. Montessori choose the colors for the grammar boxes? Why don't they match the grammar symbols like they do in primary?

Because if they matched, it becomes a mindless matching activity.

So why use color at all? To aid the child in sorting the multitude of cards into the proper compartments. Also to show during transposing that the "verb" just became a "noun" - without the color, the incongruence wouldn't show up as clearly; the grammar boxes "game" would be less fun, fewer patterns would be noted, and the fullness of the activity would be lost.

All reasons and many more riches are described in The Advanced Montessori Method available free online via Google Books.

Please do not change what Maria Montessori developed - when we don't understand the true depth, we can inadvertently take away the true beauty in the experience.

Grammar Boxes - when to present

This Montessori Nugget is previously discussed over at Montessori Trails.

Grammar Box Order of Operations:

NOTES:
1) There is no *ONE* right way – just as there is no identical child or experience.
2) There are many wrong ways:

• --don't follow the child
• --insist on waiting far too long (if it accidentally happens, it's fine)
• --insist on presenting too much too fast (unless the child is asking and is obviously capable)
• --requiring copywork of this material
• --following any one procedure for all children

3) the enclosed is based on AMI album pages and training

4) The enclosed is based on a child starting in 1^st grade at age 6, with primary experience. New children at older ages will just work at their own pace – pretty quickly through quite a bit of it; let them take their time wherever needed. 

       4B) The enclosed is a guideline - it is a general guideline so should be flexible enough for most situations. If it doesn't fit for you, adjust it. It's ok :)
5) FOLLOW THE CHILD



Oral and reading introduction as given in primary is ideal - all parts of speech, only receiving an explanation of function, not the name of the part of speech.
If the child is young enough, consider giving the primary style presentations first with the child doing an oral activity followed by the same activities in reading. We hope the children have done sentence analysis in primary as well, but it is not absolutely necessary.

ELEMENTARY - in no particular year, though suggestions noted - just start as soon as possible and move forward:

First - Oral Presentation of the Noun
Second - Grammar Box 2: the article

PARALLEL – keep the initial introduction of grammar boxes in order of one another; otherwise the exercises and personal work can overlap or keep cycling through: Continue to utilize filler boxes in Box 2 Definite and Indefinite Noun Number Noun Gender Classification of Nouns: Common and Proper Grammar Box 3 (could be introduced before the above noun items)      Adjective Command Cards and Classification      Comparison of Adjectives Grammar Box 4 – Verb      Verb Commands and Synonyms Grammar Boxes 5, 6, 7, 8, 9      follow each with appropriate command cards if available for that box After Grammar Box 7:      Personal Pronouns

The above is likely to be year 1, if you started at the beginning of the year and have a child who plugs right along in this and other work; it is very possible and highly likely there is additional work to do in the above areas in the 2^nd year. Just pick up where needed; everything reviews on previous knowledge, and all past presentations are available to the child (this may need to be reminded to them).

The following is almost always 2^nd year, could be end of the first year – and runs parallel with the above if the child is still working with the above --- 

Begin these at the appropriate age, regardless of the above work, just after introducing the noun:

Classification of Nouns: Concrete and Abstract (age 7-7 1/2)
Classification of Nouns: Material and Collective (age 7-7 1/2)
Classification of Nouns: Classification of Abstract (age 7-7 1/2)
Classification of Nouns Chart (all work with other classification of nouns - this is a consolidation)

WHENEVER READY: (could be any year, any age)

Additional Grammar Symbols

Generally, verb tenses will be done in the 3^rd year; with some children starting some of the work in the 2^nd year. Try to assure this work is at least presented in the 3^rd year, and the children may need to finish working in their 4th year. The only real pre-requisite here is that the child has done work with the personal pronouns.
VERB TENSES: (personal pronouns should be done; all grammar boxes are likely presented, even if the child is still working with them)

• Simple Tense: Present
• Simple Tense: Past
• Auxiliary Verbs
• Simple Tense: Future
• The Perfect Tenses
• The Infinitive and Moods
• Negative Form of the Verb

There is a lot going on in Language and in all the areas. Overlapping with the grammar boxes is Word Study; and you may or may not work with the earliest presentations in Logical Analysis before finishing up grammar. Follow the child on this overlap. There is plenty of time for Logical Analysis in 3^rd year and higher, but strong readers who are also adept at the grammar box work, may appreciate the extra challenge of the Logical Analysis work mixed in.

If the children have needed to do remedial language, the grammar box work will pick up orally while they are working with remedial language; but you might wait until they are comfortably reading to start the boxes themselves; sometimes the short phrases of the grammar boxes are a nice little encouragement to work on reading skills; so introduce them slowly, closely observing if they are a help or a hindrance until the child is comfortably reading.

(the child does not have to read these cards out loud – he just has to GATHER the materials – reading aloud is best for a struggling reader AFTER he has proven he knows what the card says (“get a pencil” for example – he brings the pencil, you say “yes” and he then reads the card))

FOLLOW THE CHILD.

Follow the child's interests and abilities. The child is using interjections and conjunctions every day, why wait until age 7 or 8 to introduce them? Why turn a fun interesting game such as the grammar boxes into a tedium of a series of exercises that may or may not be beneficial or any longer enjoyable because they are presented as such?

We want the children to LOVE language, to PLAY with language, to EXPLORE with language.


EXPLORE!

Have fun with it!