Montessori Botany Cabinet Lesson Presentation

MATERIALS:

A wooden cabinet with 3 drawers containing wooden frames.

The wooden insets are of basic leaf shapes.

An orange stick.

Each inset has a knob for handling.

Drawer 1: Pairs – cordate, obcordate, obovate, ovate.

Drawer 2: Contrasts – lanceolate, aciculate, spatulate, linear, hastate, saggitate.

Drawer 3 : Contrasts – reniform, orbiculate, deltoid (triangular), elliptical

OBJECTIVES:

To make the child familiar with, and to teach him the appropriate leaf shape names.

To develop the child’s visual perception

To teach the child new language.

CONTROL OF ERROR:

There is a socket for each inset in the tray in the cabinet.

There is a card for each inset.

AGE:

3 plus years.

PRESENTATION 1:

1. This is an individual exercise done at the table.

2. Bring the 1st Tray to the table and sit on the right hand side. The child sits on your non-dominant side.

3. Choose 3 contrasting shapes.

4. Remove the insets slowly and gracefully by grasping the little white knob.

5. Place each leaf inset on the plain wooden spaces opposite.

6. With the fleshy tips of your fingers feel the entire edge of the inset in one continuous movement, starting at the near bottom corner and moving anti -clockwise.

7. Gently place the inset down and with the same fingers as before, feel the entire inside edge of the space in that inset’s frame, in one continuous movement. Again, start at the far left-hand corner and move anti-clockwise.

8. Pick up the inset and by your facial expression show that you have affirmed the shape in that they both feel the same.

9. In one smooth, continuous movement, replace the inset into its frame.

10. Repeat this process for the other 2 leaf shapes in the Tray.

11. If the leaf shape is intricate, use an orange stick to trace around the shape.

EXERCISE 1:

The child works with the exercise as presented.

EXERCISE 2:

On another day, invite the child to work with the second drawer, and so on working with each drawer in succession.

EXERCISE 3:

The child unrolls a floor mat and works with 2 drawers at a time.

EXERCISE 4:

The child unrolls a floor mat and works with 3 drawers at a time.