single sense materials

Materials for Dimension

Cylinder Blocks Material Description: Four wooden blocks containing ten cylinders of different sizes, with knobs, each fitting into it’s respective hole. Block A: Each cylinder has the same diameter, they decrease in height successively from tall to short.  They differ in one dimension, height Block B: Each cylinder has the same height, decreasing in diameter …

Introducing the Sensorial Materials

The Characteristics of the Montessori materials for Sensorial Education.

 This post heavily references “Discovery of the child”, pages 136 to 138 in an effort to share the five characteristics of the Montessori materials The Sensorial materials help the child to focus one or more sense on a particular property of matter through a purposeful activity. To help the child sensorially discriminate between the materials …

Introducing the Sensorial Materials

Introducing Sensorial Materials

The Sensorial materials were the first of the four types to be used by Montessori and arguably the most important, later the Exercises for Practical life were added as preparations for them and the Mathematics and Language materials further develop the abstract capacities developed by the sensorial materials.   The Exercises of Practical Life are …

Introducing the Sensorial Materials

The Purposes of the Sensorial Exercises

Sensorial activities are designed to isolate and materialise properties of physical matter.  Each activity appeals to a corresponding sense organ.  Each set must be complete and in proportion. The child is born with her sense perception at a relatively early stage, she must learn to distinguish people from objects, one face from another, her father’s …

Introducing the Sensorial Materials

Details of Sensorial Activities

  The materials are   Made from aesthetically appealing, natural materials   Proportionate to the child   Their developmental purpose is simple and clear once the presentation is given   Scientifically designed, accurately and precisely formed.   The materials are unfamiliar to the child so they bring no external meanings, implications, distractions or ‘noise’.   …

Introducing the Sensorial Materials

Aims of Sensorial Activities

    Direct Aim: To increase awareness of the ‘essential properties’ through sensorial experience, independent of discreet objects. To refine the senses To consciously recognise that each property exists in an infinite array of (degrees) qualities     Indirect Aim:  Each activity has a specific indirect aim, generally they are to help prepare the child …

Grace and Courtesy

Introducing Grace and Courtesy Activities

Grace can be defined as harmony between body and mind, for a young child, grace is the ability to complete a series of simple gestures and movements with dignity. Courtesy is harmony between an individual and their society, this can be expressed in situations without any direct social interaction as consideration and independence, e.g. refraining …