Language Associated with the Sensorial Material

Materials:

• Printed slips encompassing all of the language associated with the Sensorial materials; classified by qualities: dimensions, colors, tastes, figures of the Geometric cabinet, forms of the geometric solids, fabrics, also geography and biology etc. 

• Blank papers, pencil, scissors, underlay (teacher’s writing materials).

Purposes:

• Practice in Reading

• To introduce the child to the written form of words that they already know

Age: 4 and up

Preparation:

• The child has been labeling the environment

• The child knows the names and quality of the sensorial material.

Note:  When the child has been working with a particular Sensorial material is a good time to approach and write corresponding labels.  Otherwise, you can invite the child to lay out the material and join him when once the material is laid out.

Presentation: 

1. Invite the child to get a rug and a piece of sensorial material.  Ex: Color Tablets.

2. Have the child set up the work.

3. Sit at a table to write.

4. “I am going to write you some labels that you are going to put with your Color Tablets.”

5. Write a label naming a color, (start from simple to complex) have the child read it and place it by the corresponding tablet.

6. When the child is done, pick up the labels, mix them and invite the child to do them as many times as she likes.

7. Show the child the prepared labels for independent work.

Control of Error:  When the last label does not match the piece that is left.

Extension: On a subsequent day show the presentation with the comparative and superlative qualities.

Note: You will only need to do two or three presentations in this way and then invite the child to work with any of the prepared materials.

Following Exercises:

1. Matching Prepared Slips to the Environment

   • Bring a set of prepared slips to the table/rug and invite the child to read one slip at a time and then go find something in the room that matches that attribute. (Ex:  if they read the slip for yellow they will bring something yellow (or take the label there). Can be done with many of the labels!  Simple match to what is around using the labels for qualities.

2. Comparing Materials

   • Help the child to bring to a rug any sensorial material that has a gradation.  Example: Pink Tower.  Have the child select a cube.  Then place a label to its right ‘smaller than’ and have the child find a cube smallest than the one on the left. Continue in this way for the other ‘smaller than’ and ‘larger than’ labels.

     Make about 3 of each.

OR

Large, larger, largest and small, smaller, smallest

OR

Color Box 3-middle is the pure color.  All the rest are dark green, darker green, darkest green…

Note:  Present 2-3 materials with the positive quality, 2-3 with comparatives and superlatives.  At that point, the child knows the pattern and he can work with any of the prepared labels.  These slips can be used for anything in the room (2 plants, one is smaller than the other) 

Pedagogical Notes:

• If the child has trouble reading a word in his independent work, he can ask another child for assistance.  

• At this stage, the child’s sensitive period for refinement of sensory perceptions is fading and so he may become reluctant to work with the sensorial material unless we offer him a new stimulus for the activity such as reading.

Trainer Notes:

• Consider getting a container with enough drawers to house the labels.

• All the language for the labels is on the language of the sensorial materials sheet