MODULE 8: MONTESSORI GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

MADIHA AWAIS D19694

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Question 1: Discuss the significance of Montessori cultural exercises.

Presentation: Naming the Continents on the Jigsaw Puzzle Map

Material:
● Jigsaw puzzle map of the hemispheres
Exercise:
This exercise helps teach the names of the seven continents (Asia, Africa, Europe,
Australia, North America, South America and Antarctica) and the five oceans
(Arctic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Antarctic Ocean). The
teacher begins by inviting a child and has him lay out a mat and shift the
continent puzzle map to the mat. She selects and takes out three continents,
which are contrasting in color, as well as in shape (also including the child’s own
continent). The Three Period Lesson is given and the exercise continued on the
following days until the child becomes well familiarized with the name of each
continent. When the child has learned the names of the first three continents,
more continents are added and the Three Period Lesson continued, while
simultaneously reviewing previously learned names as well. Once he has learned
the names of all the seven continents, the names of the five oceans are taught in
the same way through the Three Period Lesson.

Presentation: Puzzle Maps - The Continents

Materials:

● A set of six wooden maps, one for each continent except Antarctica.

● Each

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continent is divided into puzzle pieces according to the countries.

● The wooden knob is approximately in the position of the capital city of

each country.● The Puzzle Map of the World

Exercise:
This exercise helps children with the visual recognition of the forms of the
political

divisions of the continents and helps familiarize with and memorize the names of
the countries. A child is invited by the directress to come work with her and a mat
laid rolled out with theirhelp. He is brought over to the puzzle maps and told that
they will be working with the puzzlemap of one of the continents. The teacher
begins with their home continent, for example, Asia,
pointing to it on the world map, and asking the child for this continent’s name.
She shows the
child that the Asia on the world map is the Asia that is in large (on the continent
map).

She tells the child that now, on the Asia map, they can see the countries (putting
the world mapaside for now). Slowly, by using the knobs, three of the puzzle
pieces (three different countries,not touching, and preferably, not the same color)
are taken out. Each one is placed on the mapto the left of the puzzle, as another
three pieces are taken out and replaced in their correct spotby the child. Similarly,
four pieces are replaced correctly and so on. The child is allowed to workwith the
pieces of the country map, three pieces are taken out, for e.g. China, Bangladesh
andPakistan and their names repeated. The child is then asked to replace them,
using their name,

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for example, “Please put back China.” This is repeated until all of the pieces have
been put back.
The child is then asked to take out the same three pieces, one by one, and by
name, for

example, “Please take out Pakistan.” Once all three are out, the child is asked,
“What countrywould you like to put back?” (The child should respond with the
name of one of the
countries.)

This Three-Period Lesson is repeated for the other countries until the child knows
all of the

countries by name. This may take some time. Once the child knows his home
continent, he canchoose to work with another continent map.

Question 2: Prepare the following material and send to your tutor along
with the assignment;

Four part nomenclature material for the layers of the earth

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Two part classified cards of the flags of Asia

Question 3: Name and briefly explain all the exercises that can be carried
out using the jigsaw Puzzle Maps of the Continents?

In a Montessori Classroom, experiences in Life Sciences (Botany and Zoology),

PhysicalSciences, History, Geography, Dance and Music are given to the child
under the header of
‘Cultural Exercises’. The Montessori Cultural Studies Curriculum provides child
ren with anopportunity to explore the whole world including continents,
countries, people, cultures,terrain, natural phenomena, science and arts. The
Montessori Cultural Studies are aimed athelping the children develop their
personality, adapt to their culture, as well as become anindependent, useful
member of his society.

During the early years, a child is quick to grasp culture and absorb most of the
culture around

him
during 0 to 6 years. A child’s natural ability to absorb the cultural understanding
and norms

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of life prevalent around him are universal regardless of the fact that the child is
born in Americaor a primitive tribe of Africa.

The sensitive period for culture, according to most psychologists, also sustains
through 2 to 5years of age. It is crucial to expose children to direct cultural
experiences, including ways ofliving, history, sciences, geography and arts, during
the absorbent period to maximizedevelopment in this area. Cultural subjects are
character forming and they cultivate the spirit ofthe child. Children develop
cultural values naturally and undoubtedly, but still something lacks
in today’s complex world, most of which has been designed by the adults for the
adults, whichhinders the child’s fullest cultural development. There are
strong reasons to support the pointthat it should be the local culture of the land
which should be incorporated in the MontessoriCurriculum and not some foreign
culture.

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In Montessori classrooms the cultural activities are very intelligently incorporated

in theenvironment. Along with familiarizing children with the culture, these
meaningful andinteresting activities fulfil the developmental needs of the
children.

● Ex
ercises of practical life (EPL): These exercises enable a child to learn how to
performeveryday living activities in a purposeful way.

● Sensorial Exercises: The Sensorial Materials help the child become aware of
the details.
At first children are exposed to materials with strong contrasts such as
tall/short,rough/smooth, loud/soft. Next, the child is exposed to more materials
where thecontrasts are more subtle. They work on organizing 10 objects
from tallest to shortest,or lightest to darkest. Each of the Sensorial Materials
define one quality such as length,height, width, color, weight, shape, texture,
sound, or smell. The Montessori SensorialMaterials help the child to distinguish,
categorize, and relate the information to objectsthey already know.

● Language Exercises: These exercises include a variety of gross and fine motor
skill

activities that help the child develop hand and eye coordination. Montessori
modules

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may be taken in any order, emphasizing the fundamentals of the phonics

approach to
reading, developing a child’s vocabulary, writing, and reading skills.

● Mathematical Exercises:

- Montessori Math - Memorization

- Number Rod Addition

- Short Bead Stair Addition

- Addition Snake Game

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- Addition Strip Board

- Subtraction Snake Game

- Subtraction Strip Board

- Short Bead Stair Multiplication

- Multiplication Board

Cultural studies help teach children how to respect people from other races,
countries and

religions. At this stage, the teacher involves the class in a study of life and culture
on earth. Thecurriculum then branches into different directions, such as,
geography, culture (mannerism oflife), and history. Children are taught history
parallel to the concept of time.

Question 4: Explain how land and water forms are introduced to the child.

Definitions of Land And Water Forms:

1. An ISLAND is a piece of land surrounded by water.

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2. A LAKE is a body of water surrounded by land.

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

4. A CAPE is a piece of land jutting into body of water beyond the rest of the coast
line.

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

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

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

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8. A STRAIT is a narrow waterway connecting two larger portions of land.

9. An ARCHIPELAGO is a group of islands.

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

Presentation 1 - Land and Water Form Trays:

Material:

● Following
ten models of land and water forms prepared in trays, with each land andwater
form having its exact opposite.

- Island and lake

- Cape and bay

- Peninsula and gulf

- Archipelago and system of lakes

● Pictures of real examples of land and water for

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ms
● A small tray

● A jug

● A small bucket with water

● A sponge or towel to dry out the trays, and clean up spills.● Box of objects, tray
and towel

Exercise:
This exercise helps provide concrete sensorial impressions and names of major
landand water forms. To start, the directress invites a small group of children
to work with her andintroduces them to the place where the land and water form
trays are kept. She first selects theisland and its opposite, i.e. the lake and
shifts the material to the workplace with the help of thechildren (along with the
other material required for the presentation). She tells them that she is

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going to pour the water in the trays carefully to make geographical land and
water forms andthen does it, before pointing to the tray and telling them its
name.

She should also give a brief definition of the land and water form, for example, “A
lake is a bodyof water which is surrounded completely by land.” alongside
showing them pictures of real
lakes. Next, she puts this tray aside and asks one of the children to pour water
into the othertray, giving the name of the form, its brief definition and showing
real picture examples asbefore. She then puts the trays side by side and
completes the Three Period Lesson. To finishup, the water is poured back into the
bucket and with the help of the children, the trays arewiped. In the same,
children may be familiarized with the names and definitions of othergeographical
forms.

Presentation 2 - Land and Water Form Cards:

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Material:

● A set of ten cards representing major geographical land and water forms ●
Land and water form trays

Exercise:
Alternatively, to help associate three dimensional models with two dimensional

forms on the card and to help prepare children to identify land and water forms
on flap maps,the following exercise may be used.

The teacher begins by inviting a small group of children who have worked with
land and waterform trays to work with her, as she asks them to bring land and
water form trays. She introducesthem to the place where the land and water
form cards are kept, and asks a child to shift thematerial. The children are asked
to tell the names and give a brief definition of each model inorder to review and
reinforce previous learning. The cards are taken out from the box and piledup,
before a card is selected and placed in front of the children. They are asked to
place the cardbeside the appropriate land and water form tray, and this exercise
is continued until all the

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remaining cards have been matched against the corresponding trays. Finally, the
trays areremoved and the Three Period Lesson is completed with the cards, taking
three at a time.

Question 5: How are children trained to tell the time in a Montessori

house?

The purpose of the following exercise is to help enable the children to understand
the conceptof time and to be able to know as well as tell the time on a clock.

Material:

●A
model clock with movable arms and changeable numerals in a box

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● A series of cards, set of corresponding labels and stand

Exercise 1:
The teacher invites a small group of children who can count and identify
numerals.She familiarizes the children with the place where the material is kept,
and with their helps,shifts it to the workplace. She points to the empty slot for
numbers on the clock face and shows
how to put the numbers in order, one by one, starting with ‘1’. She tells them that
these
numbers on the clock face represent hours.

Exercise 2:
The directress asks the children to arrange the numerals on the clock. Once the

Children can comfortably arrange the numbers on the clock face from 1 to 12; she
demonstrateshow the clock arms can move aro
und. Pointing to the short arm, she says, “This is the shortarm. It shows what
hours it is.” She moves the short arm onto number 1 and say, “One
o’clock.”Finally, she asks the children to make different times for her, for
example, “Can you please
make
six o’clock for me?”

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As an extension, the children may be asked to draw various clock faces and to
label them. Whenthey have learned the concept of fractions, they are introduced
to half past, quarter past,quarter to, etc.

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Reward

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