Ecology and the rationale of introducing ecology to young children

One of the subjects that young children in the Montessori classroom are introduced to is the study of ecology. It is an introduction that aims to help the children learn to value the earth around them as they become increasingly aware of what is needed to maintain the balance of nature.
The most important role as parents and educators is to model the kind of respect for our living world. We need to develop creative ways to utilize resources, so the children will develop the consciousness that they are the caretakers of the earth of tomorrow!

Ecology
General – Introduction
Recycle in the Classroom
Food Preparation
Pollution vs. Clean
Sky – Ground – Water
Littering
Littering Extension – Mini Litter Environment
Introduction – Natural Resources
Garbage Can Garbage
Air
Introduction – Clouds, Fog & Smoke
Air Contaminant Collection
Fresh Water
Introduction – Drinking Fresh Water
Oceans
Introduction – Salt Water Experience
Biodegradable
What is Biodegradable?
Wildlife
Introduction – Preventing Danger
Feed the Birds
Food Chains/Ecosystems
Introduction – Everything is Connected
Erosion - Wind
Introduction – Experiment
Erosion - Water
Introduction – Experiment
Contour Farming
Introduction – Experiment
Ice
Introduction – Experiment

Child malnutrition

If you're raising a picky eater, you may worry that your child isn't getting the nutrients necessary for proper growth and development. But you probably don't need to worry unless your doctor tells you that your child isn't growing at the normal rate for that age range or prescribe supplement like pediasure. Over time, most finicky eaters do get enough calories and nutrients to meet their needs.
However, someone can become malnourished for other reasons that have nothing to do with hunger. Even people who have plenty to eat may be malnourished if they don't eat food that provides the right nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. S

Some diseases and conditions can prevent people from digesting or absorbing their food properly. For example, someone with Celiac disease who has intestinal problems that are triggered by a protein called gluten, which is found in wheat, rye, barley, and oats. Children with cystic fibrosis have trouble absorbing nutrients because the disease affects the pancreas, an organ that normally produces enzymes necessary for digestion. Children who are lactose intolerant have difficulty digesting milk and other dairy products.

Cosmetic stitches leave Invisible scars

I was at the gynecologist's office for routine check up few weeks ago. Since this is my first visit to the doctor's office in America, he took my medical history and photocopy some of the medical reports I brought from Malaysia. He also asked a lot questions about my past surgery.
When I showed him the scars from my last open surgery, he commented that the previous gynecologist did a good job with the stitches.
Yes, my previous gynecologist is an experienced doctor, he actually did some cosmetic stitches to make the scar looks neat and tidy. :-) He may not be a plastic surgeon, but the stitches leave hardly any visible scar, done just like those at Denver Plastic Surgery!!

Zoology in Montessori classroom - introduction

Materials:
A Zoology Control Tray containing:
(1) small container of food
(1) small container with lid holding air
(1) small container with lid holding water
(1) small basket holding a small baby figure (human or
animal)

Preparation:
1. The teacher needs to make a Zoology Control Tray by taking a tray and dividing it into fourths using masking tape.

2. Place a small container of soil in the first section of the tray and adhere the label food to the tray.

3. Place a small lidded container holding air in the second section of the tray and adhere the label air to the tray.

4. Place a small lidded container holding water in the third section of the tray and adhere the label water to the tray.

5. Place a small basket with a small baby figure in the fourth section of the tray and adhere the label reproduce to the tray.

6. The Zoology Control Tray is ready for presentation.

Presentation:
1. Invite the children to join you for a circle presentation.

2. The teacher should sit down with the children and the Zoology Control Tray.

3. Explain to the children that you have something special that you want to share with them today.

4. The teacher should explain to the children that they are going to start a special unit of study about Zoology.

5. The teacher should continue by saying, “Zoology is the study of animals.”

6. Continue to tell them that animals are alive. The teacher should say, “All living things have 4
characteristics in common.”

7. Take the Animal Control Tray and point to the first label and read the word “food”. Now point to the small container of food and say “food”. Pick up the food and say, “Animals are alive and all living things need food.”

8. The teacher replaces the food on the Zoology Control Tray.

9. Now the teacher points to the second label and reads the word “air”. Now point to the container of air and say “air”. Pick up the container of air and say, “Animals are alive and all living things need air.”

10. The teacher replaces the container of air on the Zoology Control Tray.

11. Repeat steps 9 and 10 with the third section and then the fourth section of the Zoology Control Tray.

12. Show the children where the Zoology Control Tray is kept on the shelf.

13. Return the tray to where it belongs on the shelf.

Variations and Extensions:
1. Introduce a live animal at the end of the presentation and say, “This is a living animal. It needs food, air and water. It can reproduce (make another like itself).”

Points of Interest:
1. How every living thing has at least 4 characteristics in common.

Control of Error:
1. The teacher has set up the tray correctly

Aims:
To be introduced to Zoology as the study of animals in a concrete way.

Age:
2 ½ and up

Language:
Zoology, animals, living, food, air, water, reproduce, etc.

Ecology in Montessori classroom - Garbage Can Garden

Materials:
Various items to illustrate your conversation below with the children:

Basket holding several paper bags waiting for someone to re-use them.
- A cloth bag
- A washcloth
- A roll of paper towels
- Wax Paper
- Foil
- Plastic container
- Glass container

Presentation:
1. During Circle Time, discuss with the children about our natural resources. A natural resource is any material that is supplied by the earth naturally.

2. Explain that biodegradable means a material that breaks down by nature.

3. Talk about having to make choices everyday (i.e. whether to ask for the grocer to use plastic bags or paper bags).

4. Talk about avoiding wasting any paper products (i.e. whether you use paper plates everyday).

5. Talk about wood pulp and how paper products can be recycled into new paper products (i.e. you can purchase recycled
computer paper).

Ecology in Montessori classroom - littering

Materials:
Set up a container sorting area. Label (words and pictures) the baskets (i.e. small plastic baskets that you can set on a counter):
- Newspapers
- Glass
- Tin Cans
- Aluminum Cans
- Colored Paper etc.
(Optional) If space doesn’t allow for this, set up a tray with mini objects to sort or pictures of items on cards to sort into labeled (words and pictures) baskets.

Presentation:
1. During Circle Time, explain to the children about littering. Littering is what we as human beings do to pollute the earth.

2. Invite the children to say the word littering.

3. Bring out the baskets and introduce each one and explain what you would put in that basket.

4. Show the children where the baskets will be kept.

5. Invite the children to recycle on their own.

Recycle in the classroom - practical life

Materials:
Replace the dry pouring with a recycled item (i.e. pop tops).

Presentation:
1. During Circle Time, remind the children about what recycling means.

2. Show the children where you have replaced the dry pouring with pop tops.

3. Talk about what kind of things can be recycled in practical life.

4. Take a tour of the classroom with the children to see what other activities could be replaced with a recycled item.

Recycle in the classroom - math area

Materials:
Replace the counters (i.e. numerals and counters) in a math activity with bag closures, etc.

Presentation:
1. During Circle Time, remind the children about what recycling means.

2. Show the children where you have replaced the counters in a math activity with bag closures.

3. Talk about what kind of things can be recycled in math.

4. Show the children where you have set up an area for them to make their own numerals and counters. Demonstrate how to make the numeral cards.

Recycle in the classroom -food preparation

Materials:
Set up a compost container by the food preparation area.
Set up an area in the garden to return the compost to the earth.

Presentation:
1. During Circle Time, remind the children about what recycling means.

2. Show the children where you have set up a compost container by the food preparation area.

3. Talk about what can be put in the compost container.

4. Talk about how the compost can be worked into the soil in your garden, and therefore returned to the Earth.

5. Demonstrate how to use the compost container and how to work the compost into the earth.

Recycle in the classroom

Materials:
Set up a basket in the art area for recycling materials.
Set up a recycle art project (i.e. collage).

Presentation:
1. During Circle Time, explain to the children about recycling. That to recycle something is to reuse it again in the same way or in a different way.

2. Invite the children to say the word recycle.

3. Show the children where you have set up a basket in the art area for recycling materials.

4. Talk about what kind of things can be recycled in art.

5. Show the children where you have set up an art project that uses scraps from the recycle basket.

6. Demonstrate how to make the art project.

Make your own Montessori sandpaper letters

You can make the Sandpaper numbers easily at home using fine grade sandpaper and card board.
Here is what I did :
First, I choose a font, typed out in a word processor, choose font size of 400 and printed off the letters. I only printed the outline of the numbers than filled to save on ink!

I cut the rough outlines of each letter before pasted them back to back to the sandpaper.

Then I cut out each letter by following the outlines, there is no shortcut for this one, you' got to cut each individual number.

I pasted the sandpaper numbers on the card board, and a set of sandpaper numbers is made.

You may want to check out the link for lessons on Montessori Sandpaper numbers

Extension cards for Montessori Knobless Cylinders

Extension cards for Montessori Knobless Cylinders for more lessons on knobless cylinders.