ASSIGNMENT NO: 11 MODULE NO: 11 I NTRO NTRODUCTION DUCTION TO CO COSMIC SMIC & PEACE ED UCAT UCATII ON
QUESTION NO: 01 Write a note on Montessori Cosmic Education and how it can be introduced during the early childhood years. ANSWER. An Introduction to Cosmic Education
Cosmic Education is a cornerstone of the Montessori Philosophy. At its core, Cosmic Education tells the story of the interconnectedness of all things. It describes the role of education as comprehensive, holistic and purposeful; to encompass the development of the whole person within within the context of the universe. It also introduces the possibility that humanity might have have a cosmic task , to better the world for future generations. “
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Doctor Maria Montessori believed that Cosmic Education was vital to early education because it provides children with a framework to understand their world and their place within it. Children learn to respect studies st udies of the past, develop an understanding of ethics, and value the contributions of others. In this way, Cosmic Education teaches children to become aware of the interdependence of all things, and develop a sense of gratitude that comes from that awareness. Within the Montessori classroom, Cosmic Education forms a platform for teaching children to understand and adapt to their environment. In the first plane of development (0-6), Cosmic Education introduces the child to the natural world through experiences with nature and the sensorial learning materials. These experiences teach children to refine their senses, and thus the way they process and understand their world. These skil ls aid the child’s development, and confidence with themselves, their society, and their world as a whole. In the second plane of development (6-12), Cosmic Education introduces the child to the repeating natural c ycles in our world, the fundamental needs that all humans share, and the connectedness of all living things. In the elementary years, children begin to draw connections between how each particle, parti cle, substance, species, and event has a purpose in the development of all others. These “Great Lessons of Cosmic Education” are taught as a whole curriculum to show children how all content areas, such as the study of history, culture, science and the environment, are all interconnected. Doctor Maria Montessori believed that children who received a Cosmic Education in childhood were better prepared to enter adolescence as independent, socially responsible, and emotionally intelligent individuals. This is because Cosmic Education launches children into the world with a practiced understanding of who they are as individuals, as members of the human race, and as citizens of the universe. It also provides children with a deep understanding of their moral responsibility to address global issues that affect humankind and the environment. In Montessori, every moment is an opportunity to understand the integrity of the universe.
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Why is Cosmic Education important today?
Doctor Maria Montessori believed that the world was a purposeful place; and that war, poverty and injustice, were deviations from that purpose. She believed that Cosmic Education was a way to restore harmony and order, and thus allow humankind to realize their true potential. In the twenty-first century, global awareness, peaceful communication, and ethical cooperation are integral to resolving global disputes. By providing children with a Cosmic Education, Montessori empowers students with the knowledge to transform the world. As Doctor
The child is both a hope h ope and a promise for mankind .”.”
Maria Montessori states: “
COSMIC EDUCATION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD (3-6 YEARS OLD) Most children 3 – 6 years old are very much absorbed in experiencing their immediate environment. These children feel close to and connected with the natural world. To la y the groundwork for cosmic education, it is enough for teachers to ensure that children experience nature as much as possible and retain their connection with the natural world. It is important for teachers to realize that in experiencing the natural world, the children are the teachers. Any threeyear old lying in the grass will see much more than a teacher will! The teacher’s role is to not interfere with this experience, but allow it to happen. To help the children retain their connection to nature and to appeal to their developing senses, the Montessori equipment, materials, and activities involve as much as possible natural materials such as plants, wood, water, and sand. When teachers and children are working with these and other materials, teachers can link the materials to their origins. For example, the Montessori Thermic Tablets, which are made of stone, st one, wood, steel, and fabric, can be described as coming from different kinds of matter produced by the earth. Teachers can also discuss with the children what materials can be recycled, where the materials came from, and how the materials were made, linking the materials in the classroom with their origins in the world. At the same time, teachers can indicate the role of human beings in the collection and production of the materials. Even simple objects can provide rich material for cosmic education. Examining and discussing a simple block of cedar wood, for example, could guide the children to making many different connections.
I n thi s way, way, each acti activi vity ty and and mat materi eri al can be link li nke ed to to the wor wor ld be beyond the classroo classr oom m:
By touching, lifting, and smelling the wood, children can assess in a general way how heavy it is and whether it is hard or soft wood. By imagining what tree the wood came from, the children can think about where the tree grew, and in what part of the world. By talking about how the wood came to be a block, children can think about what tool might have made the shape, where the block might have been made and by whom, where it might have been purchased and for what purposes.
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Teachers can connect many activities in the classroom to the natural cycles of the world. For example, while helping the children cook eggs for a snack, a teacher could discuss with the children where chicken eggs come from. After eating together, the teacher could invite the children to dry the eggshells, and then grind them up to make ferti lizer for the garden. The teacher could explain that the chickens needed nutrients from the earth to make the eggs and that the children are now returning the nutrients to the earth. An activity like this incorporates practical life skills, the simple human pleasures of eating whole foods together, consciousness of the food chain, and the recycling of what is not consumed. Introducing topics in a gentle, unobtrusive manner, teachers can initiate conversations with children in many situations, such as walking in the schoolyard, planting a garden, or just lying on the grass. Teaching within a cosmic perspective means seeing each moment of the present as an extension of the past and a prelude to the future, and the entire universe, both natural and manufactured, as existing in the present as a coherent, functioning, unified system. Children 3 – 6 are almost always open to being outdoors. This makes it easier for f or teachers to to support the children’s sense of connection to nature in a direct, physical way. For example, a teacher might invite a few children to take a short walk outside on a bright spring day, and then share a simple snack of fresh bread. The teacher could initiate a story like the one below about the bread and all its connections with the world, inserting many pauses and encouraging the children to contribute details. The point is for the teacher not to make the situation into a fact-based cultural geography lesson, but to help the children link where they are and what they are doing and experiencing to other people and places in the world. Here is an example example of dialogue from the teacher’s teacher’s point of view: view:
Look at this bread! Isn’t it beautiful? Won’t it taste good for good for our snack?
Where does this bread come from? Further back than the bread basket in the school, further back than the store where the teachers bought it, where does this bread come from?
So that we can have this bread today, last spring a farmer planted some tiny wheat kernels in a big brown field. In the field, under the soft brown earth, the tiny kernels would receive spring rains and warm spring sun, and the tiny kernels would start to grow into tiny plants.
Feel how warm the sun is on our faces today. The sun feels warmer every day now that it is spring. The tiny kernels planted by the farmer would need lots of warm weather like this to grow.
Just like people, plants need water to grow. Put your fingers into the soil in the garden. Does it feel damp enough for little wheat plants? We know that the little wheat plants would need lots more rain over the spring and summer to grow into big plants.
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At the end of the summer, the wheat plants will have grown big. They will be tall and golden yellow, and they will wave in i n the wind. How much would the wheat plants wave in a wind like we have today?
After the summer, before the weather turns cold and rainy again, the farmer will take the wheat from the field. While you are watching leaves turn color in the fall, the farmer will take the wheat to a big, noisy mill. There the wheat will be ground between huge stones into soft, soft flour.
The millers will sell the flour to bakeries, and the bakers will use their hot ovens to make the flour into bread and wrap it into loaves. l oaves. Stores will put the loaves on shelves. Teachers will buy the bread, and children will eat it outside on a bright spring day!
Smell the bread in your hand. Doesn’ Doesn’t it smell good? It reminds me of that bright spring day last year when that farmer planted those tiny wheat kernels... Other focused activities can also be conducted outdoors. Each activity presents opportunities to experience the connectedness of life.
F or ex ample ample,, i f the school has an outdoo outdoorr are area that that can can supp su ppor ortt eve even n a small small g arde arden, n, activities might include:
Planning a garden, then working together to build it.
Ordering or purchasing seeds or plants.
Growing bedding plants.
Planting flowers and vegetables.
Arranging a schedule and assigning responsibility for tending and watering the garden.
Building systems for collecting rainwater to water the garden.
Picnicking on the vegetables from the garden, then recycling the leftovers by composting.
Picking a flower and placing it in a vase for a special school occasion.
Having a garden serves as an excellent real-life analogy teachers can use to explain how all living things work together. Teachers and children can talk about how worms aerate the soil for the plants while the decaying deca ying plants provide food for the worms. This sort of example helps the children realize how they too can work together to accomplish mutual goals. Some schools hold outdoor events that celebrate a season of the year.
T eacher acher s and childr childre en can wor wor k tog tog ether ther to include include sim si mple acti activi viti tie es that invo in volve lve the the senses: senses:
Creating a dance that mimics the unfolding of the season, choosing music that conveys the sounds and changes of the season. 4
Designing a walkway that passes by several “smell” smell” features of the season, such as in the spring a flowering cherry tree, a fragrant h yacinth, and composted earth.
Designing a walkway that shows several examples of seasonal wildlife, such as in the fall an abandoned bird nest, a tiny hole burrowed at the base of a tree, and a garden plant nibbled by a squirrel. squirrel.
Preparing and eating a simple, local seasonal food (e.g., carrots in the fall, dried apples in the winter, and eggs in the spring) and talking about how it came to be.
Sitting in silence and just experiencing the sounds, smells, and sights of the season.
Socially, most young children prefer to work on their own or just alongside others. Teachers can enhance relationships between children by helping them interact socially through cooperative, rather than competitive activities. Always giving the children the opportunity to choose what they are ready for, teachers can also gently encourage children to work together occasionally on projects that require more than one person to complete, such as making a poster or acting out a play. Teachers can also invite older children to read to younger children or teach certain practical life skills.
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QUESTION NO: 02 Discuss Montessori Peace Program and its importance. ANSWER. An Introduction to Montessori peace program
" A ver ver ti ng war i s the wor k of polit li ti cia cians; esta stablishi li shing ng peace i s the wor k of ed educat ucati on." M ar i a M ontesso ntessorr i . To commit to the creation of a peaceful world is an exercise in requiring a broad perspective and bottomless determination. The central message of cosmic education- that the universe is a unified whole of interrelationships and interdependence – interdependence – suggests that the creation of peace requires requires effort in all spheres of life. Relationships between individuals, individuals, communities, cultures, and the environment must all be put on a peaceful path in order to transcend the arguments, civil strife, war, and environmental degradation that currently characterize so much of modern modern life. To help students students realize the power and responsibilities of each person, the Montessori curriculum stresses the integrity integrity of all of life. Through their studies, students see that individuals, communities, and nations have changed the world before and will again, but it is only when the spirit of peace pervades their efforts that the results are for the better. One of the major goals of cosmic education is that seeking peace is the task chosen by Montessori students as they take their places in society. Students need to learn, practice, and develop skil ls in order to put that approach into action. A Montessori education seeks to teach students, through daily activities in the classroom, the skills to become peacemakers, people committed to working toward peace, understanding, and non-violent non-violent ways of reducing or resolving conflict. Giving students opportunities to see their own abilities develop is the surest way to make students confident that they can make a difference difference in the world. As teachers, everyone places an important role in inspiring students and modeling peace behaviors that the students need to learn. The Peace Flower- The Four States of Peace Awareness:
There are, in fact, many forms and layers of peace. peace. To think about about what peace is and how it can be practiced practiced means analyzing possibilities possibilities for its application. The Peace Flower diagram provides a simple, concrete framework upon which Montessori teachers and parents can focus on. There are, in fact, many forms and layers of peace. peace. To think about about what peace is and how it can be practiced practiced means analyzing possibilities possibilities for its application. The Peace Flower diagram provides a simple, concrete framework upon which Montessori teachers and parents can focus on. Self-Awareness:
Someone that is aware of how he/she is thinking, feeling, feeling, and behaving. behaving. It means being mindful about thoughts, words, and a ctions. 6
Community Awareness
Someone is aware of other people in the community and the nature of relationships she/he has with people, especially people with whom the person interacts every day. Community radiates out from each individual to include include family, other students, teachers, school staff, shopkeepers, bus drivers, etc. Environmental Environmenta l Awareness
Someone is aware of what the earth needs to stay healthy and how individuals, communities, and cultures treat the earth. Cultural Awareness
An awareness and appreciation of the differences in people’s attitudes, beliefs, practices, customs, and social behavior. In the primary classroom, we will spend a significant amount of time on the t he first petal of Self Awareness. We want to help identify and name all of the various feelings the child will have, and help them know that all feelings are okay. okay. Continuing to move move outward, we want to show them what appropriate appropriate actions they can do with these feelings. We then want the child to begin to contemplate and meditate upon their actions before the y are performed. While concentrating on the first petal of self-awareness, our overall goal is to help the child move from a less egocentric state to one of community, environmental, and ultimately cultural awareness.
The essentials for peace education are inherent in every level of the Montessori curriculum.
st udies provide a global view of life and Ages 3-6: Continent and Peoples of the World studies humanity’s part in it.
Ages 6-12: This is the age of reasoning, abstract thinking, and an imaginative state of mind. Students continue their study of Peoples of the World, learning about the Fundamental Needs of Humans. They learn that the fulfil lment of these needs varies by not only historical time periods but also by geographic location. With emphasis placed on the family of humankind and the interrelationship of all life, Montessori students begin to realize that they are not separate from the rest of the world, but but are an integral part of creating a harmonious world.
Montessori believed education was the most powerful and universal way through which to reconstruct society; a way to transition from war to peace. Therefore, it is necessary to think of education as peace, not education for peace. While the curriculum teaches about peace, it cannot by itself result in peace. As Montessori teachers, we realize that it is not enough to simply talk about peace. We must create an environment that will promote the development of peaceful individuals. We cannot create this peaceful environment if we ourselves are interacting negatively or competitively with others. Children easily pick up on hypocrisy around them. The old adage “do as I say, not as I do” no longer is acceptable. It is necessary f or or Montessori teachers to look inward and 7
take note of their own beliefs and values. If we teach peace in our classroom, we must strive for peace in our lives, in our home, and in our workplace. We are the models of peace. We are teaching and nourishing the peace keepers of the future. As the Montessori teacher sets the framework for the understanding that all living creatures are important and interconnected, the next step is to encourage in each child the skill and ability to become the peacemaker.
The Montessori Peace Place: An Important Part of the Classroom This yearlong series looks at the experiences of teachers, parents, students, and Montessori education education itself, as we follow a student through his first year at a Montessori Preschool. The Montessori Insights and Reflections of a Preschool Student’s First Year is a collection of useful stories, tips, and information that has arisen from one real student's Montessori journey, viewed through the eyes of his Montessori Teacher, Bree Von Nes. The Peace Place
Dr. Montessori recognized children as the redeeming factor in the evolution of humankind. The Peace Place is a designated space in the environment where children can go to take a moment, calm themselves and work out a problem in a peaceful way. Our Montessori classroom is small so it has been a challenge to find the perfect per fect spot for the Peace Place, however, I am happy to say that I did! The ta ble I chose is away from the busy work area and right by a big window. The table is just the right size; there are two chairs and on the Peace Table I have placed plac ed a beautiful vase with a single rose. r ose. The
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The first year I decided to create a Peace Place in the Montessori preschool classroom was about 10 years ago, and I was full of doubt as tto o how it would be received by b y my students. The Peace Table itself was beautiful; in fact we had an entire Peace Corner with a Japanese garden, a table water fountain, a basket of beautiful river rocks, a chime, and of course, our Peace Rose! The Montessori preschool classroom then was twice the size of the class room that I am currently teaching in, so it was easy to allocate an entire corner to our Peace Place. For the first couple of months, I wondered if the Peace Table was a success, as it was taking a great deal of adult mediation to ensure the appropriate language was being used and to ensure the conflict was being peacefully resolved. Then one day in early spring of that year, one of my five-year-old students, Cassia approached her friend, Emma and said, “Would you please join me at the Peace Table?” The two girls sat down together and I simply stood back and observed the magic unfold. The girls passed the Peace Rose back and forth and Cassia expressed that she was feeling sad because Emma was working with another classmate instead of her. 8
After much discussion, they decided to find an activity that all of them could do together. The girls felt so proud to have resolved the issue and all three students sat at the snack table together, tidied up and then each created a flag to take home. It was amazing to observe these young Montessori students solve their issue honestly and fairly and it is amazing how the Montessori Peace Table can help to maintain a har monious and cooperative atmosphere in the Montessori community.
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QUESTION NO: 03 Prepare the any two of the following peace crafts and send to your tutor along with the assignment.
Original Peace Crane
Peace Door Hanger
Peace Band
ANSWER.
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QUESTION NO: 03 Explain the following activities briefly in your own words:
Introducing the Peace Flower
Creating a Peace Place
Something Good I have Done
Practicing Conflict Resolution
Saving Water
ANSWER. Introducing the peace flower:
The Peace Flower- The Four States of Peace Awareness: There are, in fact, many forms and layers of peace. peace. To think about about what peace is and how it can be practiced practiced means analyzing possibilities possibilities for its application. The Peace Flower diagram provides a simple, concrete framework upon which Montessori teachers and parents can focus on. There are, in fact, many forms and layers of peace. peace. To think about about what peace is and how it can be practiced practiced means analyzing possibilities possibilities for its application. The Peace Flower diagram provides a simple, concrete framework upon which Montessori teachers and parents can focus on.
Self Self A war eness ness- Someone that is aware of how he/she is thinking, feeling, and behaving. It means being mindful about thoughts, words, and actions.
C ommunity uni ty Aw A war enessness- Someone is aware of other people in the community and the nature of relationships she/he has with people, especially people with whom the person interacts every day. Community radiates out from each individual to include family, other other students, teachers, school staff, shopkeepers, bus drivers, etc.
E nvir nvir onme nmental ntal A war enessness- someone is aware of what the earth needs to stay healthy and how individuals, communities, and cultures treat the earth.
Cultural Awareness- An awareness and appreciation of the differences in people’s attitudes, beliefs, practices, customs, and social behavior. In the primary classroom, we will spend a significant amount of time on the t he first petal of Self Awareness. We want to help identify and name all of the various feelings the child will have, and help them know that all feelings feelings are okay. Continuing to move outward,
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we want to show them what appropriate appropriate actions they can do with these feelings. We then want the child to begin to contemplate and meditate upon their actions before th ey are performed. While concentrating on the first petal of self-awareness, our overall goal is to help the child move from a less egocentric state to one of community, environmental, and ultimately cultural awareness.
Creating a peace place:
“Find a time and place of solitude. Look into the distance and into the future. Visualize the tomorrow you are going to build; And begin to build that tomorrow, today.”
Jonathan Lockwood Huie As part of our Peace Curriculum that is incorporated into our monthly studies at MCS, this month each of the classes is engaged in a study of creating space for Peace as we prepare to celebrate International Peace Day on September 21st and in honor of Maria Mari a Montessori’s extensive work in the field of Peace Education. Studies show that a preventative curriculum that promotes communication, community and self-advocacy is more effective than a punishing approach to bullying in schools. Ours is a program that we expect will follow our students far beyond their structured educational experience. We hope for and assist children in the development of skills of peaceful conflict resolution, gaining respect for peers and incorporating communal advocacy, taking in to account the needs of a community and how one’s behavior affects another, and establishing a lifetime of self-advocacy, self-love and self-respect.
Averting war is the work of politicians; establishing peace is the work of educators. ~Maria Montessori Peace is a work rooted deeply in the approach in Montessori schools across the world and Maria Montessori was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize on three different occasions as her passion for Peace Education led her to t o spread its good word in various countries. Her legacy lives on as she is now widely recognized as an advocate for peace and her educational philosophy is practiced throughout throughout the world.
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“Peace is a goal that can only be attained through common accord, and the means to achieve this unity for peace are twofold: first, an immediate effort to resolve conflicts without recourse to violence — in other words, to prevent war — —and and second, a long term effort to establish a lasting peace among men” (Education and Peace, Montessori, 1949, p. 27). Montessori education addresses Peace in a variety of ways, encouraging children to first develop inner peace. At its most basic level the Montessori method does this by honoring the individual interests, passions and ability of each child, giving children space to develop confidence with making mistakes as they explore and the courage to fix mistakes, and inspiring them to be part of a community. Because each student is recognized as an individual, you will find children working on a variety of activities at any given time. This gives children space and encouragement to accept that differences between humans exist at varying degrees. Inner peace gives children the foundation for supporting peace within their classroom, school, social and family communities. Communities are an important aspect of the Montessori philosophy in that there is an emphasis on the whole person and learning to function within a community is essential to the success of human endeavor. A successful community is made up of a variety of different talents, strengths, skills and goals. As our students engage in peaceful conflict resolution, modeled by the adults in the community, community, they learn to function as many parts making up a whole. As they assist in the management of the environment, including caring for the physical space, taking on important leadership roles within the classroom, and engaging in group discussion about how to make change for the better, students practice lifelong skills of considering others and building functioning communities.
Som Some com common M onte ntesso ssor i te ter ms/m s/method hods that hat dir ectly ctly and indir indir ectly sup support Pea Peace E ducation ucation i nclude nclude:
C osm smii c E duca ucati tio on is the child’s gradual discovery, discover y, throughout the whole of childhood, of the interrelatedness of all things on earth, in the past, in the present, and in the future.
I nt ntrr i nsi nsicc mo moti vati on (versus rewards or punishment) is a desire to do for the sake of doing with no expectation or even hope for an outside motivator.
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Mul M ultti age age cla lass ssrr ooms allow children to play varying roles throughout their cycle in a classroom, allowing investment in the environment and practice of various skills, jobs and identities. means that each child is considered individually and opportunities to F ollow the chi child ld means further develop special skills and talents ta lents is honored along with opportunity for extra, repetitive practice of more difficult tasks.
Class meetings and agenda books allow children to bring up issues or concerns and decide, with adult guidance, how to overcome challenges as a group. It also allows a sacred place for celebrating one another’s accomplishments.
P eace ar eas in i n each each classr classroo oom m provide a place for children to go when they need to find inner peace. Meditation, breathing and various other exercises are encouraged to help students look within.
Outdoor education and care for living things (plants and animals throughout the school and in each classroom) give children the opportunity to practice care for and consideration of the needs of all living things and help them develop a love and advocacy for our earth and all it has to offer. By honoring each individual and supporting children in becoming their most authentic, passionate, courageous and determined selves, we provide the world with a powerful force for change for the better. May you all find inner peace and enjoy a most lovely day of celebrating the beauty and hope of mankind mankind on this day set aside for celebrating Peace on earth.
Practicing conflict resolution:
Elementary children who have been nurtured in the Primary classroom have an obvious and similar background with the other children in the elementary classroom of being treated with respect and honor, and have developed into confident and competent learners from the aid and support of the Primary Program. Observers will notice in the Primary classroom, a child seems to work mostly parallel to his peers, each on their own individual activity in order to concentrate best. Elementary children, however, are entering a new period in their life and have a strong drive to be social and collaborate.
E leme lementar ntar y Chi Ch i ldre ldren Work Wor k Collab C ollaborati orative vely ly and and C oop ooper ati ati vely: vely: For this reason, most lessons and research projects in the elementary classroom are done in pairs or groups of children.
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Each day, the community setting of the elementary classroom allows the children to practice social skills necessary to carry out their task by: delegating work, sharing resources and materials, making group decisions, taking responsibility for actions, and celebrating the success of peers. On the other hand, conflict is not not uncommon, but the motivation to resolve it comes from the children. Learning to collaboratively and cooperatively work within a classroom community adds countless value to the child’s education. Montessori is providing the child significant life lessons with practical application for the home and in the “real world” of high Montessorr i envir onme nment is i s an aid to life. li fe. school, college, future career and marriage. T he Montesso
Saving Water:
T he chi child ld is is endo endowe wed d with unk unknow nown n powe powerr s, which whi ch can can gui g uid de us to a rad radii ant f uture utur e. I f what we we really want is i s a new wor world, ld, then educa educati tion on must tak take as as its i ts aim aim the the de developm velopme ent of these these hid hi dden possi possib bi lities. li ties. ~ Mari M aria a Mo M ontesso ntessorr i , the Absor Absor bent Mi M i nd. The World Water Day is a great springboard for Montessori activities in cultural geography. Students of all ages can participate in activities that develop an understanding of the geography of water, and the 2010 motto, “Clean water for a healthy world” can can serve as a catalyst for further exploration of the importance of clean water for people around the world. World Water Day is a globally-recognized initiative that grew out of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. The decade between between 2005 and 2015 has been named “Celebrating Water for Life: the International Decade for Action.” There are a number of activities and learning opportunities for you Montessori classroom centered on World Water Day. World
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In the Montessori Preschool/Kindergarten classroom, activities using the globe and Land and Water Forms material can be introduced or revisited to familiarize students with the geography and vocabulary of various water forms around the world. These activities can then be extended to prompt prompt discussion about about the importance of water in our daily daily lives, then further discussion about the importance of clean, healthy water. Montessori teachers can then extend the concept to raise awareness for water conservation, and for the challenge of access to clean water in areas around the world, how children in these areas are affected, and what can be done to help. At the Montessori elementary level, students enter a sensitive period for community care and service. Activities such as the water cycle and those covering the earth’s hydrosphere and take on new meaning in the context of water conservancy. World Water Day can be a springboard for taking action by identifying ways in which students can conserve water at home, study how water is treated in their community, and advocate for water protection and 15
conservancy in their community. A Montessori elementary classroom might even find a way to help children in another part of the world that is directly affected by the absence of clean water.
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