Monday, April 18, 2016

Five Great Lessons for Montessori Elementary - An Introduction and Lesson Idea List to Supplement School Work

We love learning. We mostly love fun learning. Sometimes the kids come up with the idea of what we will explore, and other times mommy plans a lesson. I'm a huge advocate of supplementing school work. While I cannot replace the 7 hours of school work and experience that happens during the day, I can add value to what they are learning. 

And so I research approaches and ideas that work for our lifestyle.  School curriculum tends to give information in "bite size pieces." I don't feel the boys are immersed in learning, or getting in depth understanding of subjects, especially if the solar system lasts on e chapter. I also think that since there is so MUCH we can learn - that ongoing hunger for information keeps our discussions going. 

While I am not going to tackle homeschooling, for reasons listed in another post, I do love to supplement their learning at home. And that's where this type of research comes on.

I read a lot of science based texts. I read National Geographic monthly, I watch nova and nature on PBS, and when my husband is watching his marvel comics or new hero shows, I am in the other room not watching them. 


"I gather a stack of books at the library and
the kids pick which ones we take home. We
read thru them, discuss certain photos, and
I google their questions ... a lot."

I am the nerd at the party who cannot share her bug collecting amateur entomology, most find it gross. (But I will say many people who follow our insect collecting do find it interesting.) And so I share with my captive audience, my kids. Next is astrology because we got an AWESOME TELESCOPE.... that's for this summer 2016.



LIFE IS STILL EXCITING AT OUR HOUSE! 
With more insects. . . 


AMI Studios Chicago

It's mostly baby girls videos and here slime making, she spends time with friends on coloring activities and make good choices while having fun. During the covid stay at home orders - she had many many many facetime pandemic playdates - we made time work for us and not be bored.


Anyway... this is a nice list of subjects to just pick up and go with the kids. We pick a subject, I gather a stack of books at the library and they pick which ones we take home. And we read thru them, discuss certain photos, and I google their questions... a lot.


The Five Great Lessons for Montessori Elementary: 
An Introduction and Lesson Idea List

The First Great Lesson: The Beginning of the Universe and Earth
  • The Universe
  • The Solar System
  • Composition of the Earth
  • Volcanoes
  • Rocks
  • Chemistry: The Three States of Matter
  • Creation Stories

The Second Great Lesson: Life Comes to Earth


Untitled
Learning about bugs, all.the.time.


  • Bacteria
  • Plants (classification and parts of: ferns, conifers, and flowering plants)
  • Fossils
  • Trilobites
  • Dinosaurs
  • Living and Nonliving
  • Classification Work
  • Kingdom Animalia** (Classification and parts of: insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals)
  • Oceans and Ocean Life
  • Super continents (Pangaea, Laurasia, Gondwanaland)
  • Continents
  • Mountains
  • Oxygen & Carbon Dioxide

** See the Book Animalia by Graeme Base's astonishingly creative oeuvre begins with Animalia, the an alphabet book that challenges the standard idea of how long reading a book lasts for. Fun for younger and older kids alike. Like a Where's Waldo of Alphabet books.


The Third Great Lesson: Humans Come to Earth

  • Ancient Civilizations
  • Fundamental Needs
  • The History of:
  • Tools
  • Food preparation and Storage
  • Clothing
  • Shelter
  • Transportation
  • Medicine
  • Defense
  • Art
  • Religion/Spirituality

The Fourth Great Lesson: How Writing Began

  • History of Writing
  • Hieroglyphic and Cuneiform Writing
  • Different Alphabets
  • Different Writing Systems (letters and characters)
  • Ancient Civilizations
  • The Printing Press

The Fifth Great Lesson: How Numbers Began

  • History of Numbers
  • History of Mathematics
  • Different Number Systems
  • How 'zero' came to be
  • The invention of the Calendar
  • Systems and Units of Measurement
  • Economic Geography

As you can see, there is plenty of material to cover in between the telling of the Lessons. While it is important to tell the First Great Lesson as early in the year as possible, time should be left between the Great Lessons to give students the opportunity to explore the information contained within them. Rushing through the Great Lessons bombards children with information, thus negating the importance of that knowledge. It is important to remember that while all of the Great Lessons should be told in the beginning of every year, the lessons found within the Montessori cultural curriculum may be rotated over a three year cycle.


Can not wait to see where we start - or end up?


YOUTUBE CHANNEL INFO


Our family has had many adventures through the years. Mom, the @Minstr0Interior had an a-ha moment . . .  Suddenly I See what we will have filled our life with, ADVENTURES! We travel, craft, sing, dance, collect insects and spend loads of time together. Sometimes too much time together. Our kids have recently begun to document their own adventures, and so this channel was born. Enjoy our adventures. Or not. WANT MORE? If there is a blog post accompanying this video we will share it here. Sometimes we will include the ingredients list of the craft or recipe, or the itinerary of our trip. In the meantime click play. 

From our family: 👍 + 🙃 + ❤️ ( Thumbs up, emoji face, hearts! )


AMI Studios Chicago

It's mostly baby girls videos and here slime making, she spends time with friends on coloring activities and make good choices while having fun. During the covid stay at home orders - she had many many many facetime pandemic playdates - we made time work for us and not be bored.


Make Mistakes, breathe, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud.

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