Our Solar SystemPart 2: Montessori Curriculum Arts

LET'S CONTINUE TO HAVE SOME MONTESSORI FUN LEARNING ABOUT OUR SOLAR SYSTEM THROUGH THE ARTS: WITH MUSIC, MOVEMENT ACTIVITIES, BOOK-MAKING, CREATIVE MIXED MEDIA, and PLAY!  

This is Part Two of my Montessori Curriculum series, "Our Solar System thru The Arts." You can read Part One in the Series by clicking HERE. 

This article includes:

 1) How to bring Montessori-style Movement Activities into your Solar System learning and how to prepare the children for the fun.

 2) Montessori Sensorial Materials that fit nicely into your Solar System Activities 

 3) Montessori-style Book Making and why children love this activity so much

 4) Information about my TpT packet, "Solar System thru The Arts Vol. 2"

MOVEMENT ACTIVITIES

Another sure winner for presenting a new concept to young children is offering a Movement Activity to illustrate the concept.

My groups enjoyed exploring the model of Our Solar System so much that we would always have an art activity of creating a "planet" of our own from styrofoam balls, paper machete, or even simple balls of wadded up newspaper! 

Incidentally, when children are learning about our Solar System, it is an opportune time to bring out the basket of Montessori Geometric Solids and point out that the shape of a planet is a sphere. (Photo from Montessori n Such)

After the children have created their own "planets," they really enjoy this "Orbiting Planets" Movement Activity. While singing the "Planet, Planet Go Around" song, the children carry their planets while walking on the taped ellipse on the floor. (sung to the melody from "Rain, rain, Go away.") 

In the Montessori environment, the children have learned what an "ellipse" is because they have been working with the Montessori Geometric Insets. This is the perfect time to explore the connection to the ellipse shape from the Insets and the elliptical shape of the planet's orbit around the Sun in our Solar System. (Photo from Montessori n Such)

In the Montessori pedagogy, children are also offered many opportunities for developing body coordination by walking along "The Montessori Line," and my really fun "Orbiting Planets" Movement Activity, pictured below,  has always been a big favorite with the children in my groups! 

In my TpT Montessori Curriculum Arts Activity Pack, "Montessori Curriculum: Solar System thru The Arts Vol. 2", I have included my Mp3 download of the song, "Planet, Planet, Go Around" that goes with this popular Movement Activity along with a Montessori-style Lesson Plan with a step-by-step presentation and Extensions.

One of my own very favorite music cd's that is filled with fabulous, one-minute long, musical movement activities is "Classical Fun Singalongs" from West Music Company.  ($12.99)

I have been using the music from this cd for decades, and children still love it! (I do too)

What I love most about this cd is its short and sweet selections from many famous classical composers that have been set to really fun Movement Activities suitable for even the youngest of children!  

There are several music pieces from the cd that go well with your Montessori unit on the Solar System.

From "Classical Fun Singalongs"

~ "On the Moon" is from The Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven and is perfect not only for relating to Our Solar System, but also works beautifully when you are introducing the musical concept of "Largo" (slow) in your Montessori music curriculum.  

In fact, if you have taken my eCourse, "Musically Montessori: First Twelve Weeks" you already received this song & activity in the FREE mp3 music downloads for Week 8: "Playing the Presto & Largo Game."

If you haven't taken this eCourse, it's open for enrollment at Trillium Montessori Courses until the end of January! And, there's a special bonus Activity Pack from me to you (learn more at the end of this article)

More from "Classical Fun Singalongs"

~ "Astronauts Flying" is from Ride of the Valkyries by Wagner and is always a big hit with my groups. The secret is all in the wonderful space-sounding epic music AND the way I prepare the children for the movement activity. (We take a moment before we start to get on our pretend space suits and board our pretend space ships.) 

Now, this "astronaut" music is also fantastic for introducing the trumpet and other instruments from the Brass Family! This music is another free and exclusive mp3 download that is included in my upcoming Musically Montessori eCourse, "Instruments of the Orchestra" with enrollment opening in February.

Fortunately, I have been able to arrange an exclusive contract with the authors of the Classical Fun Singalongs cd to include 20 selections from this album as part of the free mp3 music downloads in all of my Musically Montessori eCourses! (There's also a Nutcracker Suite mp3 download from the Classical Fun Singalongs cd in my mini-eCourse, "Musically Montessori: Nutcracker Suite for Little Kids.") 

MONTESSORI-STYLE BOOK MAKING

I don't know about you, but my groups over the years, just couldn't seem to get enough of Montessori-style booklet making. When I was a classroom teacher, our shelves were full of 3-Part Cards and their Extensions for making little booklets by the children. The children could choose from the basics, like "Parts of the Tree," to the more alluring ones, like "Parts of the Space Shuttle." 

I think the big appeal of Montessori-style book making is that the process is the same for each book. So, once the children figure out this secret, they are eager to make little books every day. That's why my shelves were full of these throughout the school year! 

1.) The process begins with an inviting shelf in the Montessori Classroom. The child will enjoy exploring the set of 3-Part Cards for whatever topic they are interested in. (See photo below of a typical 3-part card layout)

Here is an example of my Montessori shelf featuring Our Solar System thru The Arts.

Here is a photo of my "Solar System 3-Part Cards" layout from my Montessori classroom Solar System Unit. (and my TpT packet)

2.) Next, the children will be able to make their own little booklet of the topic from the 3-Part cards.

• Each page of a typical Montessori booklet features the name (nomenclature) of the part of the topic that is featured. 
• That particular part is featured by being the only part of the picture that is colored in. (usually in red) 
• Each page has the same line drawing picture and so the child finds the part to feature in the picture and then colors in just that part.
• Then, the child writes the name of the featured part on the blank line at the bottom of the page. 
• In the beginning, the teacher or older children may help the child write in the appropriate name. Gradually, the children begin to write the names themselves. 
• Any time s/he likes, the child may return to the 3-part card work to see how to write the name and even which part to color in! 

  

• After all the pages are completed, the child puts the booklet together and makes his/her own little nomenclature book! 

3.) I like to have a tray set up with a 2-hole punch and little ribbons. However, I have also set this up with small rings, or even without a hole punch and simply staple it all together. Personally, I think the little ribbons make a lovely looking book...you just might need to help tie the bow of the ribbon.

In my new TpT Activity Packet, "Solar System thru The Arts Vol. 2" I've included the templates for creating 3-Part Cards for the Solar System and also the template for the Solar System booklet for the child to make. 

These are a wonderful, individualized follow-up for the "Planet, Planet Go Around" song and Movement Activity (see above) and also for "The Planets Song" from my "Solar System thru The Arts Vol. 1."  

Of course, the children always amaze me with their own creative ideas for individualized follow up activities. This elaborate mixed media space ship (pictured below) took quite a bit of planning and execution on the part of the four year old in the picture below.

He went to the Free Choice Art Media Shelf in the Classroom and assembled all the materials he would need, then set to work to create his amazing creation!

I would like to invite you to check out my new series of Montessori Activity Packets at my Teachers Pay Teachers Store. 

Ooh, the BUNDLE is a great deal!

HOWEVER...THE BEST DEAL OF ALL 

When you enroll in my Musically Montessori eCourse at Trillium during the month of January, you will get this BUNDLE as a FREE bonus download. 

You can check it out by CLICKING HERE. 

After enrollment at Trillium Courses, you will be able to scroll down to the BONUS LESSON DOWNLOAD: "Solar System thru The Arts." You'll have my entire TpT Solar System Bundle...instantly. And, it's free!

Thank you again for visiting my Blog today. I'm looking forward to your visit when I publish the third article in this series: Our Solar System thru The Arts!

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Our Solar SystemPart 1: Montessori Curriculum Arts and a Freebie!

MONTESSORI CHILDREN CAN DISCOVER THE MAGIC OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM THROUGH "THE ARTS" WITH MUSIC, MOVEMENT ACTIVITIES, CREATIVE MIXED MEDIA, BOOK-MAKING and PLAY!  

This is Part One of my Montessori Curriculum series, "Our Solar System thru The Arts." This article includes:

 1) "The Model vs Real" Montessori-style Lesson 

 2) How I use "The Planets Song" to introduce the children to Our Solar System

 3) Classical music activities that feature Our Solar System

 4) Information about my TpT Activity Packet: "Solar System thru The Arts Vol. 1" 

 5) Freebie Resource: "Model vs Real Lesson & Category Cards"

In this article, I've assembled some of the very favorites of my Montessori groups featuring an all-time favorite topic: Our Solar System.

As always, the Montessori approach begins with hands-on experiences before moving into more abstract concepts. Even though Our Solar System is a very real concept, it can be a challenging idea to present to young children. 

Model vs Real Lesson

Dr. Montessori understood that children in their early years of development are exploring what is real and not real. That is why the curriculum in the Montessori early environment focuses on real objects & experiences of everyday life. As the child begins to construct the world outside the home and family, s/he is gradually offered a broader range of concepts to explore. Even so, these more complex and far-reaching ideas are presented with as much hands-on experiences as possible for the child. 

I love presenting the "Model vs Real Lesson" to the children before presenting some of the more expansive topics in my Montessori-based early childhood curriculum that is implemented each year.

1. Gather the children and invite them to the Lesson.
2. Ask children to help you set up two work rugs in the middle of the group.
3. Make 2 labels with large post-it notes. Show the children by writing the word "real" on one, and then the word "model" on the other, as you read each word out loud. 
4. Place a label on each rug.
5. Go and fetch a small potted plant from one of the shelves in the environment and carefully place it on the rug with the label that says "real." Point to the label and say the word, "real"  as you point to the plant on the rug. Say: "This plant is real." 
6. Fetch a medium or large-size plastic or wooden model of an animal from one of the baskets on the shelves in the room. (ex: cat, dog...or even a tiger or elephant) 
7. Stand between the two work rugs and ponder which rug the animal model should be placed upon. 
8. Ask the children: "Do you think this is a real cat?" (The children will answer "No!") 
9. Then say: "This is not a real cat. This is a 'model' of a cat."
10. Point to the label that says "model" and then point to the animal model, while you place the plastic animal on the rug with the label that reads "model."
11. Proceed to gather objects in the room and place them on the appropriate rug. It is fun to invite various children to fetch objects to place on one of the rugs. The most fun part of the lesson is when I go and sit on the "real" rug myself and I say: "I am not a 'model' of a person. I am a 'real' person."
12. Later, you can explore spontaneously making "real" and "model" labels on sticky notes to place on objects around the environment. 

This "Model vs Real" Activity is the foundational lesson for presenting many of the future lessons that are typical in the Montessori curriculum. For example, when presenting the globes to the children, it is more successful when the children have a beginning understanding of real vs models. I refer back to this lesson often during the school year, and the children ask for it again and again! 

MUSIC: Song

When working with young children, we discover that singing about a concept is just about the best way to present it!

Montessori teachers (and actually just about all preschool educators) have songs for every imaginable topic for learning. 

My groups have greatly enjoyed a simple little song that names the planets of Our Solar System.

Some time after our "Model vs Real Lesson," I introduce Our Solar System by bringing out the Solar System model and then singing "The Planets Song" as I point to each one. The children quickly learn the words to the song with its catchy tune. In the song, the planets are sung in their order out from the Sun and so the children not only learn the planet names but their correct order as well.

You can access my Mp3 song download of "The Planets Song" in my newest TpT Activity Packet, "Montessori Curriculum: Solar System thru The Arts Vol. 1." This packet is chock-full of fun, arty, and musical activities, including the Printables for making a Classroom "Planets Song Book" for your children's book corner.

CLICK HERE to see this at my TpT Store. ($4.)

But WAIT...before you purchase this packet...you can have my BUNDLE with all three of my "Solar System thru The Arts" FOR FREE WHEN YOU ENROLL IN MY eCOURSE at Trillium Montessori Courses. 

See the details at the end of this post!  

MUSIC: Focused Listening

Gustav Holst created a symphony based on the planets! You can offer many activities to the children using this wonderful classical music.

This music is available at iTunes and Amazon.

Each of the 7 pieces from this symphonic suite are named for the planets (Earth is not included)

You can create a Focused Listening Activity featuring the Instrument families of the Orchestra.

1. "Mercury, The Winged Messenger" is wonderful for the Woodwind Family as well as actually featuring the Glockenspiel, Celesta, and bells from the Percussion Family.

2. "Venus, The Bringer of Peace" is another great selection for the Woodwind Family as well as some beautiful parts that feature the String Family. You will also hear the Celesta (bell-like keyboard) that can be related to the Percussion Family.

3. "Mars, The Bringer of War" definitely brings out the best of the Percussion with its constant drumming in the background. There is also a lot of loud playing from the Brass Family. (this selection is a bit on the intense side and may be too much for your group is they are on the younger side.)

4. "Jupiter, The Bringer of Jollity" is a wonderful and upbeat piece for emphasizing the Brass Family and some joyful sounds of bells (Glockenspiel) and even rhythm sticks, maracas, and tambourines.

5. "Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age" features the String Family and has an underlying beat that reminds us of the clock slowly ticking. The Woodwind instruments are wonderful in this piece, as well.

6. "Uranus, The Magician" features not only lots of Brass instruments (including the Tuba), but you will also hear the wooden Xylophone along with rhythm sticks, drums, and even the tambourine, all from the Percussion Family.

7. "Neptune, the Mystic" has lots of sweet sounds from the Woodwind Family along with tinkling bells and lovely Celesta/piano as well. The Women's Chorus is a haunting vocal part and lends itself to older children dramatically singing along.

YOUR GROUP CAN HAVE IT ALL!

There are actually three volumes of this series from my Montessori Curriculum Arts Packets.

If you purchase the BUNDLE, you can save $2. Fifty-five pages of Printables, Activities, and Mp3 music downloads. All three volumes for $10.  

OR...

If you enroll in my Musically Montessori eCourse, "First Twelve Weeks" at Trillium Montessori eCourses, you get this BUNDLE for FREE!

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE COURSE and redeem your freebie from me.

Please don't miss my newest Subscribers FREE Resource that goes along with these Solar System Activities in this article! 

"Real vs Model Lesson"

JUST ADDED TO MY FREEBIE COLLECTION! You can access it at any time if you are one of my Newsletter Subscribers. Not a subscriber yet? It's easy to sign up right here on the sidebar of this Blog. You'll be receiving my Newsletters with announcements of my newest products, eCourses and any special sales I am having. Subscribers also have access to my 30+ Free Resources and periodic exclusive discount codes. 

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Thank you again for visiting my Blog today. I am always happy to have you here and I hope that you and your group have lots of fun with these activities! 

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Artfully Montessori: Learning About the Winter Solstice With Five Activities and a Freebie, too!

IT IS WINTER! THE LONGEST NIGHT IS APPROACHING AND MONTESSORI CHILDREN CAN DISCOVER THE MAGIC OF THE WINTER SOLSTICE IN LOTS OF ARTFUL WAYS. Read on for my ideas, activities and resources from around the web. And, see my newest Freebie for a sweet addition to your Montessori Cultural Shelf.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the Winter Solstice is just around the corner. This year it happens on December 21st, at 8:30 in the morning, where I happen live. You can check out the exact time for your area at this site: The Old Farmer's Almanac  

The most obvious thing about the Winter Solstice is the sun. This is the day of the year when the night is actually longer than the day. So, we have the least amount of sunlight on that day. That is why, in most cultures,  it is important to emphasize the light and to spend time with others in order to get through this longest night of the year! Yes, light will be returning, because after the Solstice the days begin to grow longer. 

For children, we can offer many activities that celebrate the sun, the light, and gathering together. In the Montessori environment, we can always relate these activities to our Cultural Studies, Practical Life Activities, and all the other areas of curriculum as well.

Photo from Adobe Stock

Midwinter festivals are happening all over the world, and throughout history, we find fascinating stories about the sun returning to the people. 

LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

I love this book that is filled with Winter Solstice stories, The Return of the Light: Twelve Tales from Around the World for the Winter Solstice.  I saw in the reviews on Amazon that one family was using this book in a very interesting way. During the twelve days before the Solstice, they were planning to read one story a night. That sounds really lovely to me.

• Read or tell a Midwinter Story each day. This book has twelve! 
• Extend this with simple activities that celebrate the season and teach the words to a rhyme or song to go along. 

Available at Amazon

You could easily do that in the classroom as well. Even though it is not a picture book, the stories are short enough and engaging enough to read to an older Preschool group at a 15 minute Story Time. In this case, be sure that you read the stories yourself before offering them to the children. There are some that you may feel are not appropriate for young children in a group setting and all of them are stories that involve imagining rather than reality-based.  Even if you only read a few, this book is a wonderful resource for activities dedicated to the Winter Solstice. 

The last section has some lovely activities for children. Here are a few:

• "Tree Offering": Sprinkle seeds, glitter, or cornmeal at the foot of a tree outside. Then say: "Leaf to leaf, root to root, seed to seed. May all that we have be all that we need."
• "Deck the Halls": Decorate the environment with cuttings of rosemary, bay, holly, ivy or fir. Everyone names a blessing for the year.  Then sing, "Deck the Halls."
• "Bake and Eat a Treat":  Say or sing, "Into the oven we slide this treat. May all hold close and life be sweet." Check out my Sun Bread Activity later in this article to really celebrate the sun! This is the book that gave me the idea, Sun Bread, by Elisa Kleven.

Available at Amazon

CULTURAL STUDIES

There are stories about the Winter Solstice all over the world as you can see in the "Return of Light" book I mentioned earlier in this article. That book has Solstice stories from The Americas, India, Polynesia, Tanzania, the Nordic Islands, China, South Africa, Venezuela, and Italy.

As you introduce the story of the day, you can: 

• Bring out the Montessori Globe or Puzzle Map of the World to enrich the experience by connecting the story to the place on the globe.
• If you happen to have a doll or some other artifact from that place in the world, the children will enjoy passing it around as you read the story.

And, there are even more stories for the Solstice. You can do a google search and find lots more. One of my favorites follows.

The Story of the Kachinas 

from the Hopi Tribe of North America

Over the years, one of my favorite Solstice stories has been about the Kachinas from the Native American Hopi tribe. The Kachinas are dolls that represent stories about the spiritual beginnings of life and how to behave appropriately in your community.

From Legends of America.com:

The Hopi were the first to create kachina dolls as a way to teach children about these spiritual beings and the wisdom they have to share with the people. The dolls are traditionally carved from a single piece of cottonwood root, then are painted and adorned to represent objects from the tribe's spiritual beliefs. 

The messages of the dolls and the men acting in the ceremonies vary widely from teaching the identities of the kachinas and the symbolism of their regalia, to proper behavior and learning about responsibilities. Each kachina has a different purpose - Ogres teach discipline, Chief Kachinas teach wisdom and have powers comparable to that of a religious elder, the female kachinas teach values, clown kachinas provide amusement, and others provide advice, blessings, and warnings.

What I love about the Kachina stories is that they are considered helpers who reside in the heavens (or high in the mountains), but who come down to be with us during the time between the Winter Solstice and the Summer Solstice. 

One of the Hopi Kachinas is actually called "Sunface Dancer!" Here is a photo of this Kachina. The feathers surrounding the face of the dancer are like the rays of the sun. What could be more appropriate for this time of year!

On the Winter Solstice, the Hopi conduct ceremonies in which dancers from the tribe dress in their Kachina attire and perform the story of the "Soyal", the Winter Solstice dance. The children of the tribe are given Kachina dolls representing the dancers to help them understand the story. 

From an article titled, "Soyal Ceremony: Hopi Kachinas Dance At Winter Solstice" in WilderUtopia.com, I discovered an interesting version of the Winter Solstice dance.

In the story, the "bearer of the sun shield" must fight off the hostile powers that might effect the sun (drought, fire, darkness, cold). The article goes on to explain the dance movements:

Then they arrange themselves into two groups, one on the north side, another on the south. Then they sing as the bearer of the sun shield rushes to one side, then the other. He is driven back by the shield bearers on both sides. The movements symbolize the attack of hostile powers on the sun (drought, fire, darkness, cold) that influence whether it will shine and bless the crops.

On the west wall of the kiva, they construct an altar with two or more ears of corn contributed from each family, surrounded by husks and stalks. It also has a large gourd with an effigy of the Plumed Snake’s head sticking out, operated like a puppet, rising and made to roar. The shield bearers then throw a meal to the snake effigy, answered by more roaring noises. This persuades him not to swallow the sun, like he does in an eclipse. When the Sun God’s footprints appear in the sand, everyone knows he has been persuaded to return.

The entire ceremony ends with a public kachina dance. The Katsinam remain with the people for the first half of the Wheel of the Year until the summer solstice, when they return to their home in the mountains. 

 At times, I have been able to show my groups, my collection of little ceramic replicas of Kachinas and even a real Kachina doll that I bought while traveling to the Acoma Pueblo in New Mexico. Acoma is the oldest pueblo that is still inhabited, and during the summer it is open to the public for educational tours.

Photo from DepositPhotos

The actual Soyal ceremonies are considered sacred rituals and the dances are not disclosed to people outside of the tribe. The ancients did these ritual dances in kivas, which are underground chambers reserved for sacred ceremonies.

Photo from Adobe Stock

My groups have enjoyed hearing the Kachina stories I have learned from reading about the Hopi tribe. The one I mentioned above has always been a favorite with my groups over the years. When I show them my Kachina collection and pictures of Kachinas, they are always fascinated because these dolls are traditionally made for the Hopi children.

My Free Resource for You

You can download my free activity, "Sunface Kachina Story"  from my Subscribers Freebie Collection. 

• Go to my Website HERE: Magical Movement Company.com
• Click on the "Free Stuff" button
• Then, click on the "Subscribers Freebie Collection" 
• Enter the password (found in my latest email)
• Download any one of my more than 30 FREE resources!

Not a subscriber yet? You can join my email list now and not only access my Freebie Collection, but also receive my newsletter updates with all my latest discounts on my TpT products and eCourses. Simply fill in the form on the sidebar of this blog or scroll down if you are on a mobile device.

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ART ACTIVITIES

Hopi artists are still making these Kachina dolls and they are truly exquisite. I found a lovely site on Etsy. 

"Sunface Kachina" at Bearlander Etsy Shop

In the past, I have provided small scraps of balsa wood for my Preschool classes to create their own Kachinas. We have enjoyed making these in several ways.

• Making Simple wooden "Kachina Dolls": Each child can wrap a small swatch of fabric around a small rectangle of balsa wood (from the Craft Store). Glue this on, then add feathers, beads or bits of leather lacing to decorate the doll. Lastly, the child (or adult) can draw on a simple face.
• Making Kachinas from cardboard tubes: These can be made following the same process described above only using a cardboard tube instead of a scrap of wood. Or, you can download a free template for coloring, cutting out, and then gluing on to the cardboard tubes. Here is an article with the template download for a color-cut-paste Kachina activity: DLTK Kids  

PRACTICAL LIFE ACTIVITIES

Baking is always popular this time of year, since the oven warms up not only the food, but the house as well!

Keeping to the Winter Solstice theme, baking "Sun Bread" fits perfectly into your activities. The recipe for sun bread can be found in the book mentioned earlier, Sun Bread.

Photo from DepositPhotos

You can make one or two regular size round loaves or you can provide each child with a smaller portion of bread dough so that s/he can create her own little sun loaf.

• Show the child how to flatten a ball of bread dough, then you can press the edges all around with a fork to make the "rays of the sun." 

• Or, like in the book, you can add little triangles of dough all around the round dough so that it looks like the sun.

• Or, for a quick "sun bread snack", simply toast up a slice of bread and add strips of cheddar cheese along with raspberries, blueberries, and cut up strawberries.  

Photo from DepositPhotos

MUSICAL ACTIVITIES

If you haven't ever heard this Winter Solstice song by Charlie Murphy, "Light is Returning," it is simple and just lovely. One of my all time favorites and one that both adults and children love.

"Light Is Returning" on Youtube

"This Little Light of Mine" is another song that is perfect for the Winter Solstice and always a big hit with children. 

"This Little Light of Mine" on Youtube

"Mr. Sun" is one of the very sweetest songs about the sun, ever! 

"Mr. Sun" with Charlie Hope on Youtube

I am so happy to have you visit my blog today. I hope you have gotten lots of ideas for your Winter Solstice celebration with your group!

What Midwinter Activities do you do with your groups? Feel free to leave a comment and tell me your ideas! I'd love to hear from you.

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