Discovery Bottles

What are Discovery Bottles?
Discovery Bottles are plastic water or pop bottles filled with different colorful materials.

Purpose of Discovery Bottles: To encourage observation skills, scientific concept

Discovery Bottle Ideas:

Wave Bottle: Turn this bottle on its side and watch as "waves" roll.
To Make: Fill 1/2 the bottle with cooking oil ( you can also use baby oil). The add water until the bottle is full. Add blue food coloring and hot glue the cap shut and you're finished!

Glitter Bottle: Shake the bottle and watch the pretty glitter move through out the bottle.
To Make: Fill the bottle with water. Add food coloring (your choice of color). Then add glitter. Hot Glue the cap shut.

Autumn Bottle: fall inspired bottle
To Make:Fill bottle with fall nature items (acorns, leaves, pumpkin seeds). Hot Glue cap to seal.
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Calm Bottle: Watching the glitter slowly float in the bottle.
To Make: Add glitter then fill the bottle about 1/2 full with clear corn syrup. Hot glue cap to seal.

Estimation Bottle: Child has to estimate how many items are in the bottle.
To Make: Fill bottle with several items (such as rocks, or sea shells) Be sure to count how many of the item you add so you can tell your child how close their estimation was.

Place the finished bottle on a low shelf so your child can observe the bottles as they wish.

Online Montessori class

I am very excited I found an online Montessori class! The class begins October 1st and I am hoping to receive lots of great curriculum ideas from Karen, who has over 20 years experience in teaching.

If you are interested in Montessori and would like to sign up for the class, visit A Montessori Market Place for more info.

Fall Sensory Box

A Sensory Box is a great sensorial activity for your preschooler!

How to use a sensory box: The child places her hand in the opening of the box and feels an object. She must describe the object and guess what it is by touching but not looking.

Why use a sensory box: It helps children with their tactile perception. Also improves language skills by describing the object.

How to make a fall sensory box:

1. Take a shoe box and cut a hole just large enough for the child's hand.

2. Place nature objects in the box- acorns, leaves, pine cones, nuts, twigs, rocks

3. Have child place hand in the box and describe what she feels. Then ask her to take a guess on what the object is.

Your preschooler will love this game!

This week

Lessons for the week:

Tuesday:
Math: *Read We Love Counting! book.

Language: *Learn phone #
*Read several books

Practical Life: Help prepare dinner. We made Tacos and my daughter helped by rinsing and chopping (with supervision of course) the lettuce.

Wednesday:
Language: *Read Leaves Leaves leaves
*Practice Phone number

Science: *Go on a nature walk- collect leaves

Art: *Draw pictures of leaves and trees.
*Leaf rubbings
*Begin process of pressing the leaves to make a leave book (more on that process later).

Sensorial: Fall Nature fell and guess box

Practical Life: *Wash the windows

Thursday:
Math: *Pattern game

Language: *Practice writing letters and full name

Art: *Nature collage

Science: Talk about fall- weather changes, bird migration

Sensorial: *Grab and feel bag: Alphabet

Practical Life: *Help prepare dinner


Friday:
Math: *Practice counting to 40

Language: *Practice phone #
*Read several books on fall

Art: Paint

Practical Life: Help fold clothes

Tag

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Mommie Moments Rules:

(please include rules)

1. Share 1-3 FAMILY FRIENDLY Mommie Moments you had recently (funny, brag, cute, loving, etc.)
2. A link back to the Mom who tagged you.
3. You MUST be a MOM to participate.
4. Tag at least 3 other Mommies
5. Mommies Coffee Break is the MeMe originator. (active link appreciated! ;))

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My mommy moments:
Brag- My 4 year old came up to me the other day and showed me a paper she was practicing her letters on. She had written out the whole alphabet all by herself! She's so smart :)

Tagging:
1. http://passthechocolate.blogspot.com/
2. http://www.slacker-moms-r-us.com/
3. http://starryskyranch.typepad.com/starry_sky_ranch/

Why Montessori

Once my daughter turned 3 years old I decided to start introducing preschool learning activities on a regular basis. I read up on all the different methods of homeschooling a preschooler. I read about Charlotte Mason, Classical, etc..but when I read about the Montessori methods, I knew this was the approach I wanted to take with teaching my child.

Dr. Maria Montessori believes that children learn and experience their world though their senses, by seeing, touching, hearing and smelling. Hands on learning is encouraged and this is why I chose a Montessori education for my daughter.