aimee, Author at montessori works

animals of europe giveaway!

Do you know what happened the other day? I realized I have blogged at montessori works for a year! Now that deserves a celebration. I think I will have some cake and a glass of wine, but I also have something for you (if cake and wine are not your thing).

I have put together a collection of five Schleich animals, a red deer, badger, white stork, red fox, and Scottish highland cow. All materials are brand new. To go with the objects I created four different pictures of each animal, and one information card for each animal (24 cards total). The pictures and information cards are mounted on red cardstock and are laminated and read for use in your class or home!

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our monthly bread–sun bread

We eat a lot in this house, really, a lot. And I cook most of what we eat. Most days I enjoy cooking dinner, making lunches, loading the dishwasher – but like us all, some days I look at my family and think “Didn’t I just feed you yesterday? You mean I have to do this again?”

In an effort to slow down, to be mindful of the creating and the joys of feeding those you love, I decided to add a new rhythm (I like how rhythm sounds rather and routine) to our days. Imogen and I are going to make a new bread once a month and I will share the recipes and the outcome here with you.

^^ Listing all the breads she wants to make. She is pretty sure we need to make bread for January and February, since I did say we would make bread every month. ^^ Continue reading “our monthly bread–sun bread”

montessori bread work {part 2}

My very first blog post, almost a year ago, was about making bread in the classroom. I was so nervous hitting the publish button, I thought “who’s going to care about making bread in a Montessori classroom?” You know what, there were plenty of people who cared, and I discovered that I enjoyed sharing my ideas and love of Montessori, and hitting that publish button!

In the late fall our school always uses the For Small Hands (from Montessori Services) as a fundraiser for materials. It is always a great resource for parents to pick up a few stocking stuffers and support the school at the same time.

I pined for this grain mill for years. It is a beautiful, sturdy, real piece of machinery. It is practical and purposeful. It is deeply satisfying work. I knew it would be the perfect addition to our already established bread making and butter spreading works. It was the one item that I requested we purchased with the money we earned from the fundraiser, and I am so glad that we did.Continue reading “montessori bread work {part 2}”

a terrarium to make with your children

Monday was a snow day, an actual snow day and not an ice day, or a “freak out because it might snow” day. Honestly, I’m feeling a little done with all the snow, I’m ready for the green of spring, the daffodils, the sun.

I think that terrariums are one of the coolest things ever. I love that they are essentially their own little ecosystem, you can do tropical plants, succulents, cacti, any grouping of plants that has similar requirements. They add not just beauty, but also the perfect self-contained environment for your child to watch and study. You and your child can build and plant the terrarium, and then observe and document the changes and the growth that you see over the course of the plant’s life.

Imogen and I planned on making the terrarium about a week ago when we came upon an inexpensive shamrock (oxalis) plant at the grocery store. Riding on the St. Patrick’s Day theme, I repurposed a crystal pendant to hang in the terrarium – hopeful when we have sun, it will cast beautiful rainbows in and around the terrarium. And, since Imogen was sure a terrarium was not complete without a flower, we added a pansy.Continue reading “a terrarium to make with your children”

four montessori color mixing lessons

Color mixing works are always a hit in the classroom. We progress through all these variations during the year, because while it seems like a simple concept, it truly is something that takes children years to fully internalize color mixing. And, while I didn’t plan this, with St. Patrick’s Day coming up, what better time to have a little rainbow fun!

We use four main lessons for color mixing, one group lesson and three individual works. The group lesson is the introduction, and usually the best place to start. The following is roughly the order we progress through during the year (of course this year we mixed it up, so it doesn’t really matter.)

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why i don’t do examples

I don’t make examples. Not for artwork, not for crafts. The only time I must produce something like a drawing is when I give a metal inset lesson, and then I carefully fold my work into fourths and put it in my pocket. The same extends to home, I try not to draw for Imogen.

Why am I anti-example? Because to me, the work, whether it is a metal inset, a watercolor, or a Mother’s Day Craft, is process oriented, not product. And that’s where I want the child’s focus. Did they enjoy making it? Do they think it’s beautiful? Did they choose the colors they wanted? It they are constantly following my example how are they going to learn to be happy with their own work?

This is much easier at school than at home. Our art shelf is only open-ended materials. Scissors, glue, tape, paper for cutting, pencils, clay, and a collage tray. We rotate through watercolor paints and other materials during the year. When we do have a new work, like watercolors, and I need to give a lesson, I use the same piece of watercolor paper and simply make lines. Focusing the child on the process of getting the water, cleaning the brush, etc., and not on what I am painting. When I have finished my lesson I say, “I made lines, you can make whatever you wish.”

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