After much activity with our fraction material, I decided it was time to create our own Montessori Decimal Board.  In our first lesson, we connected the red 1/10 inset to the decimal 0.1. We began by cutting the first 1/10 into 10 pieces and then attempted to cut those smaller pieces into “10 more pieces.” While some children volunteered to help, we quickly realized the pieces were becoming too small. At that point, a few children referenced our lessons on atoms as they tried

Calculating the Ratio of Diameter to Circumference (Pi) This week we made a big discovery — the number π (pi) We began with a question: How many times does the diameter of a circle fit around its edge? First, we reviewed the parts of a circle using our three-part geometry cards — radius, diameter, and circumference. The children recorded what they learned in their geometry notebooks, sketching circles and labeling each part. We collected circles of different sizes — lids, and

I created our Timeline of Life as part of the Montessori Second Great Lesson — a material that helps children visualize the story of life on Earth. We started our journey with the Cambrian Period of the Paleozoic Era, when life first began to flourish in the oceans. We discussed the earliest simple organisms that could make their own food and what that meant for the futre of all life on Earth — a big step in evolution! Here is a link to the Second Great Lesson https://youtu.

Students who have a solid foundation in place value are often the ones who move forward most confidently in math. Too often, this area doesn't get the followup activity it so rightly deserves, but it’s one of the most important building blocks for future math understanding. We revisited one of my favorite Montessori lessons — The Infinity Street Story. This classic presentation is introduced at the beginning of the Lower Elementary cycle, and it helps children visualize and f