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Module 8:  
Montessori Geography & History 
Assignment 
 
 

By Maryam Tariq 

Roll# D14263 

 
 

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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 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 

 
 

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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 their 
help. He is brought over to the puzzle maps and told that they will be working with the puzzle 
map 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 map 
aside 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 map 
to the left of the puzzle, as another three pieces are taken out and replaced in their correct spot 
by the child. Similarly, four pieces are replaced correctly and so on. The child is allowed to work 
with the pieces of the country map, three pieces are taken out, for e.g. China, Bangladesh and 
Pakistan and their names repeated. The child is then asked to replace them, using their name, 
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 country 
would 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 can 
choose to work with another continent map. 

 
 

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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), Physical 


Sciences, History, Geography, Dance and Music are given to the child under the header of 
‘Cultural Exercises’. The Montessori Cultural Studies Curriculum provides children with an 
opportunity to explore the whole world including continents, countries, people, cultures, 
terrain, natural phenomena, science and arts. The Montessori Cultural Studies are aimed at 
helping the children develop their personality, adapt to their culture, as well as become an 
independent, 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 America 
or a primitive tribe of Africa.  

The sensitive period for culture, according to most psychologists, also sustains through 2 to 5 
years of age. It is crucial to expose children to direct cultural experiences, including ways of 
living, history, sciences, geography and arts, during the absorbent period to maximize 
development in this area. Cultural subjects are character forming and they cultivate the spirit of 
the 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, which 
hinders the child’s fullest cultural development. There are strong reasons to support the point 
that it should be the local culture of the land which should be incorporated in the Montessori 
Curriculum and not some foreign culture. 

In Montessori classrooms the cultural activities are very intelligently incorporated in the 
environment. Along with familiarizing children with the culture, these meaningful and 
interesting activities fulfil the developmental needs of the children. 

● Exercises of practical life (EPL): These exercises enable a child to learn how to perform 
everyday 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 the 
contrasts 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 Sensorial 
Materials help the child to distinguish, categorize, and relate the information to objects 
they 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 
- 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. The 
curriculum then branches into different directions, such as, geography, culture (mannerism of 
life), 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 by 
water. 
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. 
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 and 
water 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 forms 
● 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 land 
and water forms. To start, the directress invites a small group of children to work with her and 
introduces them to the place where the land and water form trays are kept. She first selects the 
island and its opposite, i.e. the lake and shifts the material to the workplace with the help of the 
children (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 and 
then 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 body 
of 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 other 
tray, giving the name of the form, its brief definition and showing real picture examples as 
before. She then puts the trays side by side and completes the Three Period Lesson. To finish 
up, the water is poured back into the bucket and with the help of the children, the trays are 
wiped. In the same, children may be familiarized with the names and definitions of other 
geographical forms. 

Presentation 2 - Land and Water Form Cards: 

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 water 
form trays to work with her, as she asks them to bring land and water form trays. She introduces 
them to the place where the land and water form cards are kept, and asks a child to shift the 
material. The children are asked to tell the names and give a brief definition of each model in 
order to review and reinforce previous learning. The cards are taken out from the box and piled 
up, before a card is selected and placed in front of the children. They are asked to place the card 
beside 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 are 
removed 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 concept 
of 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 


● 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 demonstrates 
how the clock arms can move around. Pointing to the short arm, she says, “This is the short 
arm. 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. When 
they have learned the concept of fractions, they are introduced to half past, quarter past, 
quarter to, etc. 

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