Assignment no.

8 (culture 1)
Question 1:

Discuss the significance of Montessori cultural exercises.?

Ans:

Dr. Montessori was impressed by the importance of anthropological considerations in childhood developmental research. Just
like early man had "tendencies" that enabled their evolution, the young child, being a similar "explorer", exhibits some of the
same tendencies. Exploration, and the ordering of discoveries, is necessary for the evolution of cultures around the world. The
geography materials introduce the idea that there are many different environments in the world, each with its own cultures,
flora and fauna, topography, and conditions. The child learns the Continents, and subsequently countries in the world, and
appreciates the diversity of plants and animals, and their requirements for survival. The curriculum stresses the
interconnected nature of our Earth and reinforces appreciation of and respect for all forms of life. The child is helped to
classify plants and animals and is provided with the correct zoological and botanical nomenclature, so that he can organize his
thoughts, and communicate ideas during his studies.

Language in the Montessori class is an extension and a component of all other work. It is through the mother tongue that the
child constructs his own speech. Language can be seen as a bridge to culture. When written language is mastered, the written
language is extended. "We must bring the world to the young child". By saying this, Maria Montessori asks the directress to
prepare the environment so the child can explore what man has discovered and has created for it. Through these
explorations, the child constructs himself. This occurs in a social and cultural context, both at home and at school. By living
with his home people, participating in the daily life, and by exploring the culture of his people, the child makes a complete
adaptation to his culture by the age of six.

In the classroom, the materials and activities are grouped into the four basic areas of Practical Life, Sensorial Work, Language,
and Mathematics. In all of these,

language is used as a bridge to the understanding of every experience. It is also

used to crystallize the experience in the child's mind.

Experiences in the arts, in dance, and in music are also given to the child along

with the sciences of life, physical science, history, and geography. All of these

additional Exercises are introducing, informed, and crystallized with language. In

addition to the activity itself, most of these Exercises are language lessons.

Every cultural path has a sensorial base for the child. There are materials in the

Sensorial area from which the child builds a base for these other activities. From
this base, the child will be offered specific activities in each of the paths of

culture. Thus allows the child to become a participating and contributing member

of his society. The four basic groups of work allow the child to sufficiently

construct himself in his culture. The Cultural Work is given so the child has the

keys to function in his culture.

There are fewer materials for the arts and sciences. There are some basic

presentations that will always be included in the 3-6 classroom. These areas are

open ended and other possibilities beyond the basic Exercises can be offered

from time to time. As with other language activities, much of the work will come

from the teacher. It is important to observe the children and observe what is of

interest to them. It is important to keep a variety of work in these other paths

of culture but without overdeveloping the areas to the point where they

overwhelm the child.

By carefully choosing what we offer in the arts and sciences, we can greatly enrich

the child's cultural adaptation.

Q#3:

Name and briefly explain all the exercises that can be carried out using the jigsaw

Maps of the continents?

Ans:

Purpose To teach the names of the large land masses and water bodies.

Material: Continent Globe.

Presentation: Invite a child to join you and show him where the globe is kept. Have the child

carry the globe with two hands to a table. Say, "This is the Content Globe." Use one hand to
support the globe and rotate it with the fingers of the other hand. Admire it visually, Do one full

rotation and on the second rotation give the language, "continent" for the colored portions and

"ocean" for the blue portions. "This big piece of land is called a continent. This big body of water

is called an ocean." Invite the child to have a tum. Ask him to show you "continent" and "ocean".

JIGSAW PUZZLE MAP OF THE HEMISPHERES (individual presentation)

Material: Continent globe (blue hollow ball with the continents drawn in black ink & cut in half)

tray, scissors, jigsaw puzzle map of the hemispheres

Presentation: Transformation from globe to map Invite a group of children to join you. Ask one

child to lay out a mat and another to bring the painted globe over to the mat. Bring over the

prepared ball on a tray. State, "With a globe you can only see the side that is facing you. I'm

going to show you how you can see the whole earth at one time." Compare the prepared ball and the globe, they look alike.
The ball has been

previously cut in half, from pole to pole through the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, leaving the

continents complete (except Antarctica) and taped together with clear tape. Remove the tape.

placing the two halves on the mat side by side. "Now we can see both halves of the world at

once." If possible, make small cuts at the edge of each half so that it can be flattened to show

how maps were made.

Introduction of the Jigsaw Puzzle Map: Take them to the map cabinet and give them the name,

"This is the map cabinet, and these are the jigsaw puzzle maps". Show the children how to

remove and carry the maps with both hands. Bring the map to the mat. "This is the jigsaw puzzle

map of the world. We can see two hemispheres, two halves at once." Compare and connect the

map and the globe using the continents. Put away the globe and the prepared ball. Say that the

material is very fragile and should be handled gently. Point to the knob and show how to remove
the inset carefully, Place the inset of a continent on the mat. Ask each child to remove a

continent and place it on the mat. After all continents have been removed, show how to replace an inset. Be sure to position
the piece above its appropriate place and check visually. Replace it

gently. Invite the children to replace the remaining continents. Remember to use the terminology

"continent" frequently. Have the children put away the materials when they are finished.

Exercise 1: As in presentation, the children may build the world on the mat

Exercise 2: Introduce the names of the continents, Remove three continents of contrasting color

and shape, include child's own continent. Give a three-period lesson. On following days,

continue until the name of each continent is known. Remember to review previously learned

names. Introduce the names of the oceans in the same manner.

Exercise 3: Invite a group of children who know the names of the continents to join you. Ask a

child to lay out a mat, another to get the jigsaw puzzle map of the hemispheres, and you get

Picture Folder 1. Ask one child to remove and name their favorite continent. Isolate the

continent on the mut. Tell the children you have some pictures of this continent. Remove the

matching folder, note the color coding. Take out one picture to which the children will relate.

Discuss the picture with the children. Encourage them to share what they see with you. Place the

picture beside the continent. Repeat for five or six pictures. When finished show how carefully

the pictures are put into the folder. Replace the continent in the map. Either repeat the procedure

for another continent then or repeat on another day.

Exercise 4: After the children have experienced the pictures for all the continents, have two

children remove two continents. Have another child remove the corresponding folders and mix

up the pictures. The children would look through the pictures and decide to which continent they

belong to check if they are correct, the name of each continent is on the back of the picture.

When finished, replace the pictures in their appropriate folders and return the material.
Exercise 5: Show how to trace around the puzzle insets to make a map, color in the map. An

alterative to coloring is to use colored paper or fabrics.

Exercise 6. When the child is reading, introduce the printed labels. The child may also label his

own map.

Purpose: To give the impression of the shapes and locations of the continents. To give the names

of the continents and oceans. To introduce the culture of other lands

JIGSAW PUZZLE MAP OF THE CHILD'S OWN CONTINENT

Material: Jigsaw puzzle map of North America and Picture Folder 2. Presentation: Invite a small group of children to join you.
Go to the map cabinet and say, "We are going to get the map of your continent". Remove the map and carry it to a mat.
Remind the children their continent is North America. "Let us get the globe and find North America." Have a child locate North
America on the globe. Go back to the map and review with the children how to remove a piece of the puzzle carefully. For
some of the large insets, hold them by the knob and slip the other hand under to further stabilize the puzzle inset. Have the
children remove all the insets, carefully replace them into the map. Give the names of the countries in a three-period lesson.
Include an interesting fact regarding each country to which the children can relate. Continue according to children's interest.

Exercise 1: As in presentation, continue until the children know the names of the countries and review the names of the
oceans. Encourage the children to build the continent on the mat.

Exercise 2: After the children know the names of the countries and the oceans, tell them you have some pictures of the
different countries. Ask the children to select a country for which they would like to see pictures. Remove a picture and
engage the child in conversation. Repeat for another country according to the children's interest.

Age: 4+ years (after the child knows the continents)

JIGSAW PUZZLE MAP OF CHILD'S OWN COUNTRY

Presentation: Invite a small ground of children to join you. Go to the map cabinet and remove the map of the United States.
State, "This is the map of the United States". Take the map to a mat. Identify the oceans which surround the country. As with
the previous maps, take out the insets with the children and then return the insets to the map. Give the names of the states in
a three-period lesson

Exercise 1: As in presentation until the children know all the names of the states.

Exercise 2: Introduce Picture Folder 3 in the same manner as Folders 1 and 2. Encourage discussion,

Exercise 3: Trace around the puzzle insets to make a map, color in the map or use colored paper or fabrics.

Exercise 4: When the child is reading introduce the printed labels. The child may also label his own map.

Exercise 5: Proceed to introduce the other jigsaw puzzle maps in the same manner. Child may select the map he would like to
do next.

Exercise 6: Introduce the mottoes of each state, also: flags, flora, crests, fusuma.

Purpose: To give the names of the states, etc. of the child's own country, and the oceans which

surround it. To give the sensorial impression of the shapes of the states. To look more deeply

into the country's culture. Exercise 5 To give the names of the countries within a particular

continent. To give the sensorial impression of the shapes of these countries.

Question no 4:

Explain how land and water forms are introduced to the child?

Ans:
LAND AND WATER FORM DEFINITIONS

An ISLAND is a piece of land surrounded by water.

A LAKE is a body of water surrounded by land.

A BAY is an inlet of the sea surrounded mostly by land.

A CAPE is a piece of land jolting into a body of water beyond the rest of the coastline.

A PENINSULA is a piece of land jutting out into the water and is almost surrounded by water.

A GULF is an arm of the sea extending far into the land.

An ISTHMUS is a narrow strip of land which joins larger portions of land.

A STRAIT is a narrow waterway connecting two larger bodies of water.

An ARCHIPELAGO is a group of islands.

A SYSTEM OF LAKES is a formation of several lakes grouped together. OUTLINE MAPS

Material: Outline maps large enough to show major land and water forms. Use one map for each

set of forms. Two colored pencils brown or green for land, blue for water.

Presentation: Invite a child to join you, show the child where the outline maps are located. Start

with the map of the world. Use one map for each land or water form. Decide which land or water

form you are going to look for, i.e., island, and select the appropriate pencil crayon. Say that you

are looking for all the major/large examples of islands, Child locates first example. Show how to color it in carefully, Child
locates next example and colors it’s in. Have him point out the other

examples which he will color in. Child proceeds for as long as he wishes. When finished, label

the map according to its geographical form, Lc. Islands.

LAND AND WATER FORMS

Material: Ten land and water models prepared in trays, waterproof and with a pouring lip. Each
unit should be similar in form to its opposite number. They are island and lake, cape, and bay.

peninsula and gulf, strait and isthmus, archipelago, and system of lakes, One small tray with a

jug, a small sponge or towel, and bucket Box of objects, try and towel.

Presentation: Invite a small group of children to join you. Show them where the land and water

forms are kept. Start with the lake and island. Have a child carry each with two hands and have

the other child carries the small tray with the jug. Take the material to a table. One child fills the

jug with water. "We are going to pour water to show the geographical land and water forms"

Pick up the jug and pour enough water into the tray to make the land or water form visible. This

is a..." Give a brief definition and discuss real examples. Invite a child to pour water into the

other form. "This is a..." Give a brief definition and discuss real examples. Proceed with a three

period lesson. To clean up: note spout and pour water into bucket for each form. Empty bucket at

sink. Dry out all containers and replace materials

LAND AND WATER FORM CARDS

Material: One set of cards of ten major geographical land and water forms. Ten land and water

models.

Presentation: invite a small group of children to join you. Have one child layout a mat, then have

the children bring over all the land and water forms. The teacher shows the children were the

Land and Water Form cards are kept and then brings them to the mat. Review the names and

give a brief definition of each model. The teacher holds the cards. Show the children one card

and ask a child which form it matches. Child places the card beside the form. Repeat for the

other forms. Ask the children to name all the geographical forms they remember by pointing to

the cards. Give a three-period lesson for all the cards they do not know. Present three at a time.

isolated at the bottom of the mat, continue according to the children's interest, Replace materials

when finished.
Exercise 1 As in presentation, continue until children know all the forms using the cards only.

Review cards previously learned.

Exercise 2: Children can draw their own land and water forms. They may label their drawing if

appropriate and/or include the flora and fauna.

Purpose: To associate the three-dimensional form with the pure concept presented on the card Age: 4+ years

Question 5:

How are children trained to tell the time in Montessori house?

Ans:

THE CLOCK

Material: The clock, movable hands, and loose numerals in a box. A series of cards, set of

corresponding labels and stand

Presentation: Introduce the clock to the child, showing him where it is kept. Bring the materials

to a table. Show the child how to put the numbers in order on the clock face. Begin with one,

select it from the box and place it on the clock. Invite the child to continue. Explain that these

numbers show us the hours. With the child, demonstrate how the hands of the clock go around.

When the child is finished, he replaces the materials on the shelf.

Exercise 1: Child places the numerals on the clock. Introduce the shorthand. "This is the short

hand. When the shorthand points to a numeral, it tells us what hour it is." Point the shorthand to

the 'one' and say "one o'clock". Continue in the same manner to twelve. Invite the child to tell the

time in this way, Proceed with the three-period lesson,

Exercise 2: At this point the child should be able to skip count by five. Child places the numerals

on the clock. Begin at twelve, explain that between the numeral twelve and the numeral one is a
time span of five minutes. Then, with the child, skip count by five around the clock, from five to

sixty, Introduce the long hand. "We have sixty minutes in an hour. This long hand tells us how

many minutes before or after the hour we are referring to." Show that the shorthand only moves

a short distance in an hour, from one numeral to the next. The long hand goes all the way around

the clock, covering sixty minutes. Go over the time now using both hands on the clock. Proceed

with a three-period lesson.

Exercise 3: The clock game, using the cards for all the hours. Show the clock faces to the

child one at a time, have the child identify the time. Mix up the cards. The child places the clock

faces on the stand and matches the appropriate label to the face. Have him check his work when

finished. Encourage the child to draw some clock faces and label them. When the child knows

his fractions you can introduce half past, quarter past quarter to, etc.

Purpose: To help the child to tell the time,

Age: 5-6 years