Science – Ellington Montessori http://ellingtonmontessori.ca Ellington Montessori School is an accredited school offering education in the Montessori tradition Fri, 28 Sep 2018 18:06:52 +0000 en-CA hourly 1 Celebrating A Birthday The Montessori Way http://ellingtonmontessori.ca/2017/04/11/celebrating-a-birthday-the-montessori-way/ http://ellingtonmontessori.ca/2017/04/11/celebrating-a-birthday-the-montessori-way/#respond Tue, 11 Apr 2017 18:40:34 +0000 http://ellingtonmontessori.ca/?p=903 Read More]]> The Celebration of Life is a popular Montessori birthday tradition that helps children understand the months of the year and the earth’s revolution around the sun each year. Not only is it a lesson on the science of time, it’s a engaging and meaningful way for children to feel special and connected with their place in the world.

The teacher begins by explaining that the class is going to be celebrating a birthday and that the earth has traveled around the sun four times since the birthday girl was born.

A “sun” is created in the center of the group (in this case, the “sun” is made out of small chocolate treats). The teacher reminds the children that the sun is at the center of our solar system, and that the earth travels around it just one time each year. The birthday girl holds a globe (which represents the earth) and she begins her journey around the “sun” – one time for each year of her life.

Once the child finishes her symbolic journey, her classmates sing “Happy Birthday” and the students share in a special birthday treat – a piece of our chocolate sun!

]]> http://ellingtonmontessori.ca/2017/04/11/celebrating-a-birthday-the-montessori-way/feed/ 0 A ‘Hearty’ Lesson http://ellingtonmontessori.ca/2017/03/02/a-hearty-lesson/ http://ellingtonmontessori.ca/2017/03/02/a-hearty-lesson/#respond Fri, 03 Mar 2017 01:55:17 +0000 http://ellingtonmontessori.ca/?p=844 Read More]]> Dr. Maria Montessori recognized that children are not all the same when it comes to learning, and therefore should not be taught as if they were. In a Montessori classroom, for example, a lesson on the cardiovascular system will often be taught in a series of steps: Note-taking based on a teacher-led lesson and student-driven library/internet research; drawing and/or the completion of diagrams; and the hands-on manipulation of a model of the heart. Students are guided by the teacher but are also expected to be both self-directed in their learning and to collaborate with their peers.

Although some of the tools and methods may have evolved, the fundamental tenets of the Montessori philosophy continues to hold true today. And we know that how? Because 110 years of proven success tells us so.

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