Module 8:

Montessori Geography & History

Assignment

By Maria sarwar
Roll No D19331

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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 achild and has him lay out a mat and shift
the continent puzzle map to the mat. She selects andtakes 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

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 map a
side for now). Slowly, by using the knobs, three of the puzzle pieces (three different countries, not touching, and

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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.
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

Two part classified cards of the flags of Asia

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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 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 5years 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.

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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 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. ASYSTEMOFLAKESisaformationofseverallakesgroupedtogether.
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 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 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 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.

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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 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:

● 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.

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

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

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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 demonstrate show 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?”
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.