The Montessori Great Lessons are a series of stories that tell the single cosmic tale of the Earth from its creation to the marvelous interconnectedness of mankind. They’re the framework all of Montessori elementary is based on; these stories inspire the kids to want to learn math, science, language and more. For the third cosmic…
Almost forgot to share this fun outing we had last month. The Florida Museum has such great displays covering the geological eras; it has amazing prehistoric fossils, a huge Mammoth fossil that was found in a tiny river not far from our home, and giant megalodon jaws. If you have a chance to visit this…
In science we are currently talking about the timeline of life and all that goes along with the second great lesson. In the past we’ve used the traditional Montessori Clock of Eras in printed form. I struggle with it though because technically some of the “eras” are really “eons” now. I want our science work…
Florida requirements for homeschooling aren’t super stringent. We’re required to maintain our portfolio of activities with samples of work and to keep book lists — among a few other procedural requirements (like notifying the superintendent’s office). Most fellow homeschool moms I know hang on to their book store and / or library receipts as records…
I know I skipped over a couple week-in-review posts. In my absence, I have blissfully read books for pleasure and binge-watched all of The Handmaid’s Tale. Also my sister got married, I was a matron of honor planning and assisting many-a-thing, and the kids were flower girls, and… little handfuls. In the upcoming week, we…
We’ve been fervently studying animal classification around here, and the Tree of Life material from Waseca Biomes has quickly become a favorite hands-on exploration; it’s been used many times over the last couple of weeks. The material, a tree puzzle, is intended for advanced learners — and between you and me, I have no idea…
Last week we introduced Montessori’s Second Great Lesson: the Coming of Life. The Great Lessons are a series of stories designed to spark the fire of curiosity surrounding science, history, communication, numbers, geography and more. These stories along with key lessons serve as a framework for further explorations throughout the year. Materials With the 2nd…
Second week of homeschooling is in the books. I’m not sure how that happened so fast. We’ve been focusing on our Great Lessons work (we are doing one per week the first five weeks, you can read more about them here). I figure our first five weeks back are kinda a jumpstart and transition period after…
So I was sharing some pictures of our homeschooling classroom (our sunporch), and I figured after spending so much time flipping through albums trying to find them, I really ought to share some in one post. Our space is constantly evolving with materials and as my kids age and their needs change. But every…
We started a small Montessori Great Lessons co-op with friends this school year. In a Montessori elementary classroom, these are presented to the group as a jumping off place for all kinds of science explorations. Because the lower elementary plane is based on cooperative work, it’s great to be able to share our lessons together! Here’s…
