Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction to School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Preliminary Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Preliminary Exercises: Walking on the Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Chapter 2: Grace and Courtesy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Grace and Courtesy: Ground Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Grace and Courtesy: Social Skills - the Silence Game: Rationale . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Chapter 3: the Practical Life Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Design Characteristics of Practical Life Exercise and Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

General Points for Presenting an Exercise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Principles for Creating Variations in Practical Life Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Chapter 4: Control of Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Control of Movement: Placement of Materials on Shelves . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Chapter 5: Care of the Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Control of the Environment: Placement of Materials on Shelves . . . . . . . . . . 148

Chapter 6: Care of Person . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

Care of Person: Placement of Materials on Shelves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177

Chapter 7: Food Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178

Chapter 8: Sewing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192

Materials List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205

Material Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212

Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213

Recommended Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213

Additional Titles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214

Montessori Research & Development © Early Childhood Montessori Teaching Manual: Practical Life
 Care of the Environment:
Care of Living Things - Cleaning the Leaves of a Plant

 Age  Aim

• 3 – 6 years Direct
• develop a sense of respect and care for plant
life
 Control of Error
• develop order, concentration, coordination,
• unclean leaves and independence

• unclean work area • develop self-esteem and confidence

Indirect
 Material • develop the ability to clean the leaves of
a plant
• supply of cotton balls

• small dish for cotton balls

 Point of Interest
• eye dropper bottle with water and label
• admire the beauty of the leaves when they
• baskets are clean
• glass coaster

• sponge and sponge dish  Variations

• tray Wash the leaves of a large plant, using the floor
and a mat for the work surface .
• supply of small plants in the environment

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Presentation
1.  Count out loud to three as three cotton balls are counted into the small dish on the tray.

2.  Carry the tray to a table.

3.  Grasp the eye dropper bottle in the left hand.

4.  Say, “This is water.”

5.  Unscrew the top of the eye dropper bottle.

6.  Squeeze one eye dropper of water into the coaster with the right hand.

7.  Place the eye dropper in its original position.

8.  Select a plant from the environment.

9.  Place the plant on the tray.

10.  Grasp one cotton ball with the right hand.

11.  Dip the cotton ball into the water.

12.  Place the left hand under the leaf of the plant.

13.  Rub the leaf gently with a circular motion, removing the dirt.

14.  Place the used cotton ball in the basket to the right of the plant if it is dirty.

15.  Inspect the leaf to see if it is clean.

16. Repeat the procedure on the same leaf if it is dirty.  If it is clean, select another leaf and
repeat the procedure.

17.  Pause to admire the clean leaf.

18.  Grasp the basket of used cotton balls with two hands.

19.  Dispose of the used cotton balls in the wastebasket.

20.  Place the basket in its original position.

21.  Grasp the sponge with the right hand.

22.  Wipe the coaster clean and wipe up any drips.

23.  Place the sponge in its original position.

24.  Return the plant to its original position.

25.  Return the tray to the shelf.

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 Care of the Environment:
Cleanliness - Small Object Washing

 Age  Aim

• 3 – 6 years Direct
• develop order, concentration, coordination,
and independence
 Control of Error
• develop self-esteem and confidence
• unclean shell
Indirect
• wet work area
• develop the ability to clean small objects

 Material
 Point of Interest
• small object such as a shell
• admire the beauty of the shell when it is clean
• toothbrush
• notice the texture of the shell
• apron

• pitcher
 Variations
• bowl

• soap and soap dish Children may wash other objects such as different
kinds of shells, rocks, etc .
• small towel

• tray

• bucket
• sponge and sponge dish

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Presentation
1.  Put on the apron.

2.  Carry the tray to the table.

3.  Lay out the towel on the table to the right of the tray.

4.  Pick up the pitcher with two hands.

5.  Fill the pitcher with water from the water source.

6.  Pour the water into the bowl.

7.  Place the pitcher in its original position.

8.  Place the shell gently into the bowl.

9. Take the toothbrush in the dominant hand using the three-finger grasp.  Brush once across
the soap. Say, “One.”

10. Hold the shell with the sub-dominant hand. Scrub the shell with the toothbrush using
a circular and straight motion where appropriate.

11. Rinse the toothbrush in the bowl and allow extra water drops to drip back into the bowl.
Place the toothbrush on the towel.

12.  Rinse off the shell using the sponge and water.

13.  Squeeze the excess water from the sponge into the bowl. Replace the sponge on the tray.

14. Using both hands, lift the shell from the bowl. Allow extra water drops to drip back into the
bowl.

15.  Place the shell in the center of the towel. Pat the shell dry with the towel.

16.  Grasp the bucket with both hands.

17.  Move the bucket to the floor space in front of the bowl.

18. Grasp the bowl, placing the left hand on the left side of the bowl and the right hand on the
right side of the bowl.

19.  Raise the bowl.  Center the bowl over the bucket.

20.  Pour the soapy water, aiming away from the body into the bucket.

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21.  Place the bowl in its original position on the tray.

22.  Grasp the sponge with the right hand.

23.  Grasp the side of the bowl with the left hand.

24.  Wipe the bowl dry with the sponge.

25.  Squeeze the water from the sponge into the bucket.

26.  Wipe the work area and tray free of any drips.

27.  Place the shell in its original position.

28.  Place the toothbrush in its original position.

29.  Fold the towel and place it in its original position.

30.  Grasp the busket with two hands.

31.  Carry the bucket to the sink or designated dirty water container.

32.  Empty the dirty water into the sink or designated dirty water container.

33.  Wipe the bucket with a sponge at the sink.

34.  Place the bucket in its original position.

35.  Remove the apron.

36.  Place the apron in its original position.

37.  Return the tray to the shelf.

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