Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Montessori Picks for the Week of August 23, 2009

See http://www.amonco.org/montessori_fall_handson.html to access this information.
Some of the lessons have been contributed by the following Montessori teachers:
Dale Gausman
Richard Lord
Kathy O'Reilly
Mary Roberts
Heidi Spietz


Autumn is just around the corner, and the AMC 2009 Fall Hands On Newsletter is filled with ideas to help make Autumn 2009 truly meaningful for the children in your life. Most of the ideas, lesson plans and other creative offerings have been generously donated by the participants of the AMC Resource Center http://www.amonco.org/directory.html, and I have contributed a few myself. This newsletter is free of charge and contains free lesson plans, recipes and crafts.

Perhaps, you don’t live in an area where you can see the change of seasons firsthand. You have only seen the changing color of the leaves via a travelogue and can only imagine such majesty of nature. In Part I of the AMC Hands On Fall Montessori Newsletter, you will find the resources you need to help children learn about how and why leaves change color and how to grow and pick pumpkins and other aspects of fall gardening. Links to apple unit studies and apple recipes and crafts and more are available by clicking here and other sections of this newsletter.

Fall Gardening

Rae, from the Creative Process, provides autumn planting tips. See http://www.amonco.org/creative01/montessori_fall1.pdf

Janet, from Garden Artisans, shared her Nectar Recipe for Hummingbirds plus offers additional free information featuring Remembering the
Wildlife in our Fall Cleanup, Planting Bulbs for
Spring and Summer Color and Collecting Seeds – Great Fall Fun! See 
http://www.amonco.org/creative9/montessori_fall9.pdf for details.

Special Apple Recipes and Crafts

Dale, from North American Montessori Center, has contributed many Montessori presentations, including two excellent practical life exercises for this issue.

First, you will want to read through the Making Apple-Cinnamon Muffins unit. Let Dale walk you through setup, presentation, making the muffins, tidying up and tasting – all Montessori style. Extension exercises are also included. See Part V

Second, Dale has whipped up a delicious Montessori style Making Applesauce practical life exercise and recipe. See Part V of this newsletter to access this practical life exercise plus additional Montessori lessons contributed by North American Montessori Center.

Jaye, from Creative Care, contributed the Apple Wreath and song that can be used for children ages two to five. Visit Part V for details.

Montessorian Kathy O’Reilly, from Cooking with Children Can Be Easy has shared her Apple Sauce Parfait recipe. Kathy tells us that she has used this recipe with toddlers (18 months) through adults
(81 years) and that it tastes kind of like apple pie. Kathy provides the reader with a very complete set of practical life exercises. Sequence cards, shopping list, station setup of equipment, booklist, finger play and extension activities are also provided.

Want more?? Kathy has generously also included a Fresh Fruit Freeze recipe with practical life exercises. Both can be viewed and downloaded
by clicking here.

Don’t forget to download both the http://www.amonco.org/creative7/montessori_fall7.pdf to access the delicious the Apple Angel Food Cake recipe courtesy of Montessorian Dianne Knesek from Conceptual Learning.

This is just a sampling of what you will find in the brand new AMC Montessori Fall 2009 issue.