A carefully sequenced progression of mathematical activities from concrete to more abstract materials, simple to increasingly complex operations and lastly, tools for memorization of facts ensure a child’s whole brain development. The process and problem solving are first and foremost. Movement, active participation, and opportunities to problem solve, stimulate all four lobes of the brain, and nourish the child’s interest. Dr. Montessori created math materials that spark the imagination of the eagerly curious child.
Mathematical concepts are learned with ease and true understanding because the materials and lessons connect the hand and the mind in a most crucial and powerful way.
Numeration
Children develop a solid understanding of numbers, the decimal system and important concepts that relate to numbers and patterns.
• Numbers 0-10
• Odd and even numbers
• Teen numbers
• Tens numbers
• Counting 1-100
• Writing and reading small and large numbers
• Research of ten
• Hierarchy of numbers/association of symbol and quantity
• Decimal system with golden beads and the stamp game
• Linear and skip counting up to 1000
• Hierarchy of numbers
• Fractions: equivalency/entomology
• Quantities and symbols to the 1,000th
• Fraction and power equivalencies
Operations
Beginning with very concrete materials the child develops a deep understanding of numbers, their patterns and properties. Working with these materials through exploration, operations, and movements, the child is able to move towards abstraction in a meaningful and enjoyable way.
• Static and dynamic addition
• Static and dynamic subtraction,
• Static and dynamic multiplication
• Static and dynamic division
• Associative/distributive properties
• Math operations with decimals/fractions
• Word problems
Memorization
Through key lessons and specially designed materials, children work towards memorization of math facts and operations.
• Snake game
• Special cases of math operations
• Addition/subtraction strip boards
• Finger charts
• Dissociative/cumulative properties
• Inverse products
• Multiplication/division boards
• Bingo games for all operations
• Bead chains for skip counting and multiplication
• Binomials
• Analysis of a square
Geometry
Montessori philosophy and geometry curriculum speaks to the whole child bringing the communication and energy of the universe into cognizance. In turn, the child advances ever closer to abstraction. Initiation of the study of geometry is the introduction of the triangle, circle, along with the square. These figures are isolated in order to present to the child representations of shapes found in nature.
A child’s interest in architecture, art history, science, culture, mathematics, music and well, pretty much anything can be ignited through the thoughtful, appealing materials and lessons in geometry.
• Sensorial exploration of constructive triangles
• Sensorial exploration of the geometric cabinet(circles, squares, polygons)
• Geometric solids (cube, prisms, pyramids, spheres)
• Geometric terms (solid, surface, line, point)
• Planes and solids
• Regions and figures (polygons, closed curve, crossed, convex, concave)
• Types of lines
• Parts of the line
• Study of triangles (types, angles, sides, parts, terms)
• Measurements of angles/fractions
• Study of polygons, circles, quadrilaterals
• Congruence/equivalency/similarity
• Volume and area