Time Lines in the Montessori Classroom

There are many beautiful and detailed timelines available to Montessori teachers and schools for the Montessori classroom. As a display, timelines are often underused by the Montessori child. Too many details and not enough focus can leave the student feeling intimidated and uninterested. So Clocca Concepts has created a blank timeline -12 1/2 feet long, duck cloth fabric, with wooden birch scrolls, 52 tick marks- that is reusable and can be scaled to accommodate the study of human history and/or personal history as well as transform into a number line. The use of the TimeLine Scroll is only limited by your imagination. We have designed a US History card set series to be used with the TimeLine Scroll- US Presidents, US Events, US Constitution, & US States that can be scaled out on the timeline. They were designed in a matching format. We have also designed an Integer I card set to give lessons and/or provide supplementary activities for learning positive and negative numbers. There are just endless possibilities! We have also designed 2 card set for World History- Artists & Inventions. They are designed in a “Who Am” format that can be used with or without the TimeLine Scroll.

Coordinate Graph Games for Elementary Students

Clocca Concepts has developed a Coordinate Graph Curriculum for Elementary (6-12) Classrooms. Check us out at www.cloccaconcepts.com. Here are some fun games for the classroom.

Capture the Penguins



This game is designed to introduce elementary students to coordinate geometry. Students roll 2 dice: one regular die and one die marked A-B-C-D-E-F. After rolling the dice, students form an ordered pair and capture a penguin, if there is one on that space. In the simplest version, students place the penguins on the board, and play to see who can capture more penguins. For a more challenging version, see the directions included with the game mat.


Penguin pieces: The penguins pictured to the right were created from clothespins and doll stands, available at craft stores. They were assembled and spray painted black. Later, white and yellow acrylic craft paint was used to add details. A black sharpie pen added eyes. NOTE: Game pieces depicting two different penguins are included with the game mat. These can be laminated and cut out for student use. Please feel free to use any manipulatives to represent the penguins.

To make this game: DOWNLOAD



Clean Up the Money Game
This 2-player game challenges students to toss 2 dice, form a coordinate pair, then collect the coin from that space, if there is one. First students alternate placing quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies on the gameboard. Then students toss a regular die and a special die (A-B-C-D-E-F) to form the coordinate pair and remove the coin from the matching space. Variations of the game are given but students must always find the value of their coins to identify the winner of the game so they get plenty of practice sorting and counting coins. NOTE: Buy wooden cubes at craft stores to create the ABCDEF die or use labels to cover the faces of a regular die.


To make this game: DOWNLOAD


Grab the Candy Game
Students toss two dice (one regular and one A-F) in this fun game that introduces students to coordinate graphing in the spaces. Students form a coordinate pair based on the dice toss and place a marker on that space, if possible. If the space holds a candy, they grab the candy for a quick five points. Create A-F dice using plain dice or purchase small wooden cubes at a craft store to make the dice.

To make this game: DOWNLOAD

Creating Personal Timelines: Montessori Style

The Montessori History curriculum includes timelines. Timelines provide the child with a visual representation of history. Starting in the 3-6 year old program children participate in the creation of personal
timelines. Made in many different ways, they range from pictures of the child’s life to illustrations the child makes. The child shares their timeline with the class to show their own personal history.


Materials you’ll need for the Personal Timeline:
Paper, scissors, tape, glue, markers, photos

Personal Timeline:
1. A timeline can be as short as one page or as long as a wall.
2. To make a short time line, draw a vertical line down the middle of a sheet of paper.
3. Write your child's birth date on the left side of the line at the top of the page. On the right side of the
line, write the corresponding event. ("I was born!")
4. Add other important dates and events, such as when your child started to walk and talk, whensiblings were born, when your child started preschool, when you took family trips, and so on, in chronological order.
5. To make a long time line, cut a length of paper from a large roll or tape several sheets of paper together. Draw a horizontal line across the middle of the banner.
6. Write the dates and events of your child's life from left to right.
7. Glue on photos or let your child illustrate each event.
8. Hang the time line in your child's room and add to it occasionally.

Family Timeline:
The family timeline can be represented by lined paper cut into strips (legal pads work well). The child counts one line on the paper strip for each year of each family member’s life. So, Dad might have a strip with 32 lines. Mom may have a strip with 31 lines. The child would have a timeline that has 3 strips and an
older sibling would have a strip of paper with 7 lines. The visual representation is very interesting for the child and it also helps them to see their place in the family. The child also sees the passage of time as they add a strip of paper from year to year.

Family History Albums:Scrapbooking has taken off tremendously in the past few decades. This craft is a wonderful way to work with your child to create an on-going family history. Your album can be simple pictures slipped into a book, elaborate scrapbook pages or completely crafted on your computer. If you are interested in creating a family history album with your child a great place to start is your local craft store or scrapbook store. Many offerclasses to help you begin. You can also find plenty of resources on the internet if you are interested.

Maria Montessori in What You Should Know About Your Child: “For a growing organism growth itself is
happiness.”

Supplemental Montessori Products for Elementary Classrooms

In the elementary Montessori classroom, parents and teachers struggle with issues of transitioning the child into the traditional classroom-whether public or private. Some Montessori teachers use "supplemental products" for the elementary classroom. Yet, some of these "supplemental" products can be very traditional by nature. It is abundantly clear to most teachers that "supplemental products" are needed. However, it is a point of contention as to how to fit the traditional into the Montessori environment. Montessori styled products do exist (some are inspired by the Montessori teachers and/or schools themselves) and are used by many Montessori teachers and classrooms around the United States. These products "fill in the gaps" and allow for a more hands-on, inquiry based approach to the content that is being taught and tested for in public schools today. And we all understand, parent's want their children to transition into mainstream education with no problems and/or issues.