Black Piano Key Design

I have many orthodox Montessori posts on this blog.

What I am developing as a new curriculum this year is a selection of free form design works like this to expand the child's view of form and construction. The calm focus students have doing these shows me the exercises fix perfectly into our curriculum. 

It is the Montessori that should be. 

Snowflakes and Butterflies

This mountain landscape is laid out on a very large vinyl floor mat. We are looking straight down to the floor. I cut mountains, a lake, and a moon from construction paper. 

The plastic trees and butterflies were found at an estate sale. 

From Target came the plastic snowflakes and fall leaves. 

Cotton balls, stones and natural objects finish this complex winter scene.

This is creative fun for any age person.

Objects are placed in separate containers when finished and sorted by likeness.

What a vision to see butterflies in the snow!

Reggio Inspired Wooden Flowers

My students rotate all morning to take turns at this design within a frame.

Wooden objects are highlighted by red glass while 

the rocking horse and angel adds whimsy.

Again, all from estate sales.

My Hands Become Whales!

My master at the top clearly shows how my hand tracing becomes happy whales.

I trace the children's hands with a marker and they become busy creating their own ocean scene.

Arty Fall

The leaves call out to us to make beautiful art with them.

After it is rubbed with a flat crayon, a rainbow vibrates around it.

Overlap the rubbings for a forest floor.

Thank you, Pinterest teacher, for this good idea.

Dry oatmeal and ripped lunch bags.

Pom pom painting

On the shelves this week!

Another estate sale, another group of new works on the shelves.

I love the serendipitous discoveries found at estate sales.

A million tiny bowing pins? How odd and how useful to me!

Animal napkins rings! Win! 

Cards from a calendar. A perfect match for the Target acorns

Imported napkin rings will be a hit in my class!

I look at all objects as not what they are, but 
as what they could be.And they can be great for us!

Clay Name Plate

Our latest clay project at Dundee Montessori!

Pearls and Clams

My eyes hurt because this is so beautiful!

Observing my class doing these Reggio inspired free form design works I see concentration, choice making, pride and delight
 in doing a task that is satisfying.
Every adult that sees them says they want to do it as well.
It is peaceful, calming and creative work that is boundless.
I love adding it to my curriculum.

Beautiful!  And so fun for any age person.

"S" Table

Object box extension

I call this 'web paper" and we use it in many ways.

Usually, I make a master that fits the subject at hand and the kids copy it along with the 

Montessori lesson involved.

Works so very well. Please try it.

Fall Invitation to Play

Foam numbers get tiny foam pumpkins counted on top next to Norman Rockwell's darling painting

A variety of small objects create this fall design.

On a large vinyl floor mat haunted houses are built with craft sticks and swizzle sticks and then decorated with foam Halloween images. 

Those foam stickers from Target make a fine Halloween display. 
We keep the paper on the back so they can be used over and over.
The children love the endless possibilities!

Ocean Designs

An old 1970's wall hanging has found new life as the sea background for this Ocean Design Layout.

Real starfish and shells are used as well as a few plastic models.

The centerpiece will be a baby shark in a jar from Florida.

His plastic brother sits on top.

A second layout is ocean creatures in the waves blowing bubbles!

Surrealism Collage for Preschool

The juxtaposition of disharmonious and unrelated images creating surprise, shock and in this case laughter is an attribute of surrealistic art.  All you need are striking pictures cut from magazines and glue sticks. I gave the kids a choice of images that I knew would dazzle.

Humans were cut apart into head, body and legs to be reconstructed into a new, startling form. Other puzzling images float around them.  

These young children only have the beginning skills to draw suns so that is what we added.