Montessori Elementary Homeschool Blog - with documentation of our infant Montessori, toddler Montessori, and primary Montessori experiences; as well as preparation for the upcoming adolescent Montessori homeschool years.

Friday, January 25, 2013

Geography Album and Potassium Chromate



Oh wow. Am I scared. We almost made a HUGE blunder.
(ok maybe not that huge, but it sure made me sick to my stomach)

We have these chemicals we use according to album pages in the geography album (forms of matter, chemical interactions) and the biology album (needs of the plant).

I have had supplies on hand to use with my son and have had the *correct* items. Tiny amounts purchased from a Montessori school that also used the same chemicals. We labeled each smaller container very carefully and everything was FULLY accurate. Still is. I'm just running low.

To do the presentations, I reviewed the album pages beforehand, used all proper safety procedures, and all has been *wonderful.* We don't use chemicals with similar names, so it is easy to keep them organized; and we only get out the chemicals we need when we need them.

The problem showed itself when I went to replace these chemicals the other night. I used the supply lists I created for my geography and biology albums, added stuff to my cart, but came up with two items that were not available at the top-notch science supply company I have come to love the absolute most because they are so homeschool-focused: Home Science Tools.

I e-mailed a Montessori comrade to ask where she got her supplies for potassium dichromate (geography album) and calcium nitrate (biology album).

Did you catch what I just wrote? 


Some background: 
In AMI training, the presentation is given to the trainees. The trainees furiously take notes by hand or on their laptops, while also trying to watch what is going on. Monday of each week of elementary training (primary was a bit different), all album pages from Monday through Friday of the past week are printed out, page-numbered, tucked into a large envelope and handed in. Album readers stop by the training center after-hours (so we can't know who they are and follow them home! ;) ), to drop off what they reviewed from last week and pick up the new week's set. The envelopes are THICK - anywhere from 80-200 pages each week.

A "lucky" few were then read by the trainers as well, before being returned sometime later in the week.

Changes are made based on the comments. Album pages can be required for re-submission or not, based on the trainer's thoughts; then final album-checks/reads are done at the end of the course.

But SO many typos slip through, grammatical errors... but the accuracy of the album page is supposed to be there.


I was one of those lucky ones that always had my album pages double-checked (probably to make sure I wasn't inserting Catholicism and homeschooling into a Catholic woman's work).


Yes, I just said that, and yes you probably read my voice tone accurately. I am extremely disappointed and disillusioned with AMI elementary training as it is - as far as the personalities and agendas of the people involved today (the content is fantastic!) - but through that many readers (and even my own use! but then, I had the material on hand and skimmed the page, there isn't another chemical with a similar name, and we're not supposed to be reading from the album pages as it is - they are supposed to be used for skimming/reviewing - I was using them properly! They were supposed to be error-free!).... and well, I just don't know what the chemical reaction would have been.


The fact is potassium dichromate is a vivid red-orange color; potassium chromate is yellow-gold. And I know that you are supposed to use just enough to make a brilliant gold color in the water - when a bit of lead nitrate is mixed in, a sediment precipitates down (you'll have to research that one to find out what is happening ;) ). So I would NOT have actually used the orange-red material, had I purchased it, opened it and saw a different color like that.

But the fact that it COULD have happened... scares me.


I am SO glad that Home Science Tools doesn't carry it.

Potassium chromate is a yellow chemical 
indicator used for identifying concentrations
of chloride ions in a salt solution with 
silver nitrate. It is a class two carcinogen 
and can cause cancer on inhalation. 
Density2.73g/cm³
Potassium dichromate, K2Cr2O7, 
is a common inorganic chemical reagent, 
most commonly used as an oxidizing agent
in various laboratory and industrial applications. 
FormulaK2Cr2O7
Molar mass294.185 g/mol
IUPAC IDPotassium dichromate(VI)
Boiling point932°F (500°C)
Density2.68 g/cm³





























I spent the next 4 hours combing through my albums to make sure every other indication was absolutely correct. That is the only such potential safety error. Whew. A few more grammatical errors; a few missing commas or periods. Ok.

Home Science Tools does carry the potassium chromate, so in the cart it went. Geography - CHECK.


Now for Biology: 

But in doing further research on the calcium nitrate, I wonder if I should be adapting that presentation to use a more natural substance. This one is man-made and people going for organic don't typically use it from what I read.
****Does anyone have a suggestion for replacement? The Biology presentation here is to set up an experiment with plants growing in several different glass jars of water - one is just water; one is calcium nitrate in water; one is magnesium sulfate in water; one is potassium phosphate in water; one is ferric chloride in water; the last jar is all those items in the water for a fully healthy plant.
(NOTE: magnesium sulfate can be bought very cheap in the pharmacy section - it is simply "Epsom Salts")
Ideas for the calcium nitrate?


UPDATE: I am still looking for a replacement for the calcium nitrate - something natural, organic....






Thursday, January 24, 2013

Homeschooling Mistakes and Montessori

I found this link for Landry Academy recently with many homeschool articles. One in particular caught my eye and I thought, "Let's fit this in with Montessori homeschooling".

The original article in its entirety:



Top 10 Homeschooling Mistakes
copyright by Greg Landry - written in 2012

Through 15 years of working with thousands of homeschooling families, teaching 4th-12th grade homeschooled students, and teaching university pre-med students who were homeschooled, I have unique insight into what we're doing right and what we need to work on as homeschoolers. This article is particularly geared towards college-bound students but much of it would apply to all students. Since science is my area of expertise, the article is also slanted toward students interested in science.

1. Not doing enough testing and not doing timed tests.
2. Schooling year round or schooling too far into the summer. Students need to know that they can work hard for a prescribed period of time and then have a complete break from classes for a while. I believe it's actually counterproductive to school year round or with very little break.
3. Being squeamish on the science of Creation. Science is on our side - God created it. We need to boldly teach our students all the ways that science and the world around us support biblical creation.
4. Not starting to prepare for college early by beginning to take the ACT and SAT early - in 7th or 8th grade, along with other preparations.
5. Not starting serious high school sciences early enough.. especially if a student may be a college science major. Critical decisions should be made going into 8th grade.
6. For younger students, call the sciences what they are (chemistry, physics, biology, anatomy & physiology) rather than "physical science" and "general science" and teach them that way. This makes high school science more familiar and far less intimidating.
7. Not giving students a structured academic environment early. Beginning in 6th or 7th grade, provide a structured academic environment for students that includes deadlines that have to be met. Inability to meet deadlines is a critical deficiency in most homeschooled students.
8. Not looking for colleges early - most families end up doing this in a last minute frantic rush - not good for many reasons.
9. Not allowing students to take some of their classes as "outside" classes in the middle and high school years. Students need to begin the process of taking classes from others / being accountable to other teachers as they prepare for collage.
10. Losing our focus - all we do should glorify God. Press on! :)

Greg Landry is a 15 year veteran homeschool dad and former college professor. He is founder and director of www.LandryAcademy.com



Now again, with Montessori connections: 


Top 10 Homeschooling Mistakes
copyright by Greg Landry - written in 2012

1. Not doing enough testing and not doing timed tests.
      Montessori does not encourage timed tests to be used very much as we would ordinarily think of them. But it is great to play games with timers, introduce the time challenge when the child is ready and wanting, in order to build a foundation of success. In latest elementary is the time to introduce timed tests as we ordinarily think of them, with some practice runs - low-stress. If you anticipate your child going to college, yes, it is VERY good to get used to the stress of such tests, but a little at a time ;) The author of this article advocates starting in 7th/8th grade, even with plenty of time to finish the test, but just with that time limit; as a Montessorian, I personally advocate introducing little bits of it at a time - baby steps. So a game with a timer - totally non-pressure. Learning to do mental activities with lots of noise and distraction (as well as complete silence) - just do those things throughout your normal day. Once in a while have the child sit at a table with a hard chair and do a bit of work there (if they usually work on a low table on the floor, or snuggled on the couch). It doesn't have to be every day or even every week; just enough to be familiar and functional. 
     EDITED TO ADD - another thought: We have work-plans and work-journals. So there is a sense of responsibility in-built already. Sure, those time requirements are more of "sometime today" or "sometime this week", but there is also scheduling of times to meet for a presentation, and giving specific deadlines along the way. These skills contribute to "timed tests" skills because they lay a foundation early on. 

2. Schooling year round or schooling too far into the summer. Students need to know that they can work hard for a prescribed period of time and then have a complete break from classes for a while. I believe it's actually counterproductive to school year round or with very little break. 
     Montessori says YES! Part of a childhood is having "endless time" - time to become BORED! LET YOUR CHILDREN BECOME BORED! Boredom begets creativity, problem-solving, tests a person's character, provides fodder for fantastic grace/courtesy lessons! Avoiding boredom throughout all of childhood creates in children an internal sense of "gimme" and "gotta have" and absolutely no sense whatsoever of delayed gratification. There are times and places for fulfilling "needs" in the moment; but we *need* to differentiate wants from needs and also develop a sense of how to wait or work appropriately even for needs. The elementary years are the place to hone in on these skills - NOT the emotionally roller coaster adolescent years, when they NEED those skills in place already. 
     We can have school year-round, but take decent breaks that are clearly labeled - BREAK. VACATION. Some children will choose to work anyway - and that is *their choice*. 
     As elementary children get older, there comes a time we also have to say, "We are on vacation and while we know that the subjects we study are directly related to our lives and our world, we are not going to take any of our Montessori materials with us. 
     It is tough as Montessorians not to count everything our children do as school - because of the cosmic education nature of life and our Montessori-styled studies. But let's put it this way: there should be built-in times of the year, with NO work-plan, NO work-journal, NO major academic responsibilities. Just USING what has already been learned and just exploring the world. 
     EDITED TO ADD an additional thought: in some places, summer IS when we homeschool because it is SO HOT! Snow days are days that everyone else is at school and the weather is perfect for building snow men and making snow forts all day long! As homeschoolers, we have that flexibility to work on school as well as enjoy life according to the weather. Use these opportunities while they last :) 

3. Being squeamish on the science of Creation. Science is on our side - God created it. We need to boldly teach our students all the ways that science and the world around us support biblical creation.
     Within Montessori, it is very important that the family address their beliefs in lower elementary (and primary). Lay a strong foundation. Introduce other belief systems in upper elementary. Do not be afraid to address these emotionally-filled topics in all directions, *at* the appropriate time. 
     Intelligent discussions; RESPECTFUL discussions and sharing; and at some point, the ability to agree to disagree until we are all standing before God and can ask Him face-to-face. 

4. Not starting to prepare for college early by beginning to take the ACT and SAT early - in 7th or 8th grade, along with other preparations. 
     If college is the goal, then yes, you must be preparing for those requirements. See number 1 above. 

5. Not starting serious high school sciences early enough.. especially if a student may be a college science major. Critical decisions should be made going into 8th grade.
     Within Montessori, they should have a very strong foundation in the sciences by the end of elementary; with lots of time for personal research and exploration. Thus even by 6th grade (age 12), the child typically knows where their interests lie. By age 15 (end of adolescence), they should be ready to embark on their high school journey, with firm footing. 

6. For younger students, call the sciences what they are (chemistry, physics, biology, anatomy & physiology) rather than "physical science" and "general science" and teach them that way. This makes high school science more familiar and far less intimidating.
     YES! Montessori has the albums divided into geography (study of the earth sciences) and biology (study of life sciences). However, within the presentations and when doing their own research and projects, they should be learning the terminology appropriate to what they are studying, including what the study is called, be it physics or chemistry or taxonomy. 

7. Not giving students a structured academic environment early. Beginning in 6th or 7th grade, provide a structured academic environment for students that includes deadlines that have to be met. Inability to meet deadlines is a critical deficiency in most homeschooled students.
     While Montessori shares many characteristics with un-schooling and can be utilized with minor modification by un-schoolers. the fact remains that children must learn responsibility. Thus we utilize a work-plan/work-journal system that evolves over time to address the changing needs of the children and the family situation. 

8. Not looking for colleges early - most families end up doing this in a last minute frantic rush - not good for many reasons.
     This is a personal family matter. Not Montessori related, other than, for the most part, the Montessori model emphasizes

9. Not allowing students to take some of their classes as "outside" classes in the middle and high school years. Students need to begin the process of taking classes from others / being accountable to other teachers as they prepare for collage.
     This could begin in elementary as well. Online or co-ops. Or at first, simply anything with another adult in charge. This is one of the many reasons I do NOT join my son's tae-kwon-do class, despite his strong invitation. 


10. Losing our focus - all we do should glorify God. Press on! :)
    Yes! No particular Montessori response here ;) 

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Infants, Toddlers and Toothpicks


I have mentioned this activity a few times - about an older infant or toddler sitting at their little table with a set of toothpicks and a jar of varying kinds.

Not everyone has baby food jars - some of us make/made our own ;) So an alternative?

NOT this (awesome spice jar from IKEA - lots of uses - this one ain't it)

Toothpicks go in, but don't all come out.
FRUSTRATING.
Does not encourage independence or skills. 



Ball jam jar
these glass jars come in a variety of sizes, including very short!
Get the wide mouth ones. You'll use them for everything!
Get the types that one-size lid fits all you get.
The child can even insert his hand to
remove the toothpicks without dumping. ;) 


Tuesday, January 22, 2013

First Work Plan and Work Journal

At 5 1/2 or so, Legoboy started his first work-plan, elementary Montessori style!

It really started a year or so earlier when he would continually ask me the plans for the day. Now, I'd already made a habit since he was newborn (and I bet it started in utero... ;) ) of letting him know what to expect at various times. He may or may not have remembered everything, but at least he heard what was going to happen at least twice before we got to the part where he actually had to start thinking about doing something about it.

Around 4 or so, it really became almost an addiction of his - he could handle *anything* - just let him know ahead of time. There was a span of several months, he truly did not handle sudden changes well at all. But we lived through that.

And he continued to ask for the daily schedule, asking the night before what to expect for the next day, and slowly started caring about what was coming in upcoming days. Then he was following up with it all, and trying so hard to remember everything and be independent about things.

It was time for a work-plan, whether *I* was ready for my little boy to grow up or not!

I created some of these from the Catholic Heritage Curricula Lesson Plans, and I added a LOT, to cover all the possible bases for our own family's particular needs.

I printed them and Legoboy helped color the pictures.
I laminated and trimmed them. 

Each card indicates something to do. I would select the cards from the basket and place them in the "work basket". Sometimes I housed certain ones together in an envelope or with a paper-clip, to show that I expected those things to be done together or in that particular order. The others could be done in any order. 

Sample of handwriting, geography, and music. 

We didn't do everything every day, but if he had the "free time" or "free choice of work" card, he could go back to the original basket and pull out additional items he wanted to do. Sometimes he would bring the card for a new lesson; sometimes he went further with his own work. We had a third basket into which all the completed cards were placed so I could mark down what he had done, or make adjustments for the next day - we could call this third basket his work journal. 

Oh, I also had sticky notes that I sometimes added to the back if I had a particular task in mind or he had asked for a reminder (the music card might have had "practice for choir" and "new song from 'Our Liturgical Year'" with stars for "must do" and another couple of suggestions related to the bells or something else for what he wanted as a reminder or because I knew a new lesson was upcoming. 

Every evening, I gathered the completed cards, changed up any notes that needed it and laid out the new cards for the next day. This took me about an hour of preparation in the very beginning - to make the cards and print them; another half an hour to laminate and cut. Probably another half an hour to find the right baskets ;) (we're a bit picky around here!). Once we had the sticky-notes going and my album scope and sequences laid out, it really took less than 5 minutes every evening to plan for the next day. Then if he was going to be off to someone else's home for the next day, I'd take another 5 minutes to gather together the supplies he needed. 

The end result is a happy, creative, high-functioning planner and do-er ;)



UPDATED 1/23/13 to ADD: 
The Word file I used to create many of the above photographed cards. Additional images came from CHC (Catholic Heritage Curricula) First Grade Lesson Plans - Character Development - so those are not included in this file. Brushing teeth would be in that set for example. 
I printed it all in black and white and my son helped me color them in before laminating them. I intended to round the corners but never did. I have left it in Word, so if you would like to use it, you can modify it as much as you would like. Feel free to share by sending others to this post. :) 



Monday, January 21, 2013

Montessori & Foundations of Scientific Understanding


Back in October, I wrote about one of the resources we use to complement our AMI albums:
Foundations of Scientific Understanding

(click here for) The Original Post where I also have a downloadable Excel document corresonding AMI albums with all three volumes of Foundations of Scientific Understanding. 

Recently, I have received several individual requests for my opinion regarding the suggested use of this resource. What follows is only my general opinion and should be taken with (iodized, sea-) salt ;)

Dr. Nebel, when creating his resources seems to have been focused on a school-based audience. That these guides could be used within a school setting with or without a range of ages, thus making them very adaptable and meeting the needs of individual learners; hence still very useful for homeschoolers. He also focuses on what can be observed - repeated - studied - examined - in the here and now. Sounds great! And it is.

There are psychological differences between the regular school system, homeschooling and Montessori. And that is where any suggested "age ranges" get a bit fuzzy.

So. If you are homeschooling in general, or particularly homeschooling Montessori, or schooling Montessori:
  • A good deal of Volume 1 (grades K-2) could be covered in the primary years, with some of it overlapping into typical 1st grade (1st year of lower elementary in Montessori). 
  • Volume 2 (grades 3-5) is really then much more aligned, Montessori-wise, with lower elementary into some of upper elementary. 
  • Volume 3 (grades 6-8) seems most appropriate for upper elementary and reaching into the lower adolescent years (particularly for review, conversation and to find areas to be built upon). 

But what about astronomy??? 
Anyone with that file above or with a table of contents in front of them, will see that such topics as astronomy are not really covered until Volume 3. I entirely agree with Dr. Nebel on this. The fact is, astronomy as we know it today is a very abstract concept. At the younger ages (primary and lower elementary), it is much best to focus on what a child can see from ground-level (Earth-ground that is!), with or without a very strong telescope. Stick to ONLY that for primary age children (before age 6). 

Lower elementary is also a time, if you have a highly interested student, to bring out really good NASA videos of space - ones that start with the earth and expand outward; then come back in. Go to a planetarium that does something similar - go ahead and do those things - IF your children are interested. If interest is lagging, then focus on ancient history (they'll get to astronomy that way! I promise!!!), and pick up more intense studies in upper elementary and then into middle school with the more technical details. 

Just make sure your children are "getting it" before you go too intense. ;) What happens more times than not, is that the adult suddenly "gets it" and wants to study it, so the children are dragged along. But if your children are interested and just eating it up - go for it! Have fun! Just plan to do it all again in another couple of years, because this is DEEP stuff! But if they're not quite getting it, hold off for a bit - it's ok! Focus on what they can see with their bare eyes - looking up at the sky during the day and at night; provide all the AMI geography presentations; delve into those history lessons; and I promise! The astronomy will come!