, INDEX
Introduction to Culture.…………………………………………………..........................1
The World.…………………………………………………………………….................3
The World of Plants…………………………………………………………….………51
The World of Animals…………………………………..................................................87
The World of Music……………………………………………….……………….….121
The World of Art………………………………………………………………….…...158
The World of Science……………………………………………...……………...…...186
, INTRODUCTION TO CULTURE
Culture is knowledge and all knowledge is a work of the intelligence. If humans
didn’t have imagination, there wouldn’t be any culture. The construction of the
intelligence is possible thanks to everything that surround us and is in our environment.
However, culture is not only an intelligent organization, it has certain characteristics
which a group has created. They are adaptations that bring unity to a group of men.
Children seem to have by nature the ability to connect with all the different aspects
of the culture around them and thanks to the absorbent mind are able to absorb culture.
So, the mind of the child is capable of acquiring culture at a period of life when nobody
would have thought it possible, but can only take it by his own work and increased
realization of oneself. Culture can be taken in without fatigue if the environment is
prepared culturally for the child.
The only thing that is necessary is the material of culture to help the child´s
exploration in all the areas: world, plants, animals, music, art, science. All these areas of
culture will let the child gain the necessary knowledge of his environment, loving and
respecting the nature of it, making his own individual discoveries.
The child has to become comfortable in the world that he belongs to and fell the
sense of belonging. He will want to look after it and learn new things about it. Also,
appreciate and understand it.
To support this adaptation, Montessori said that the adult has to give the child the
world. First, we must give a general picture, which catches the imagination and arouses
the interest. It is important to understand the creation, how did the earth come into being?
Why is it as it is? An example can be the globe.
Then, we can explore the parts. Details are also important in order to understand
the great facts of nature. Where do animals live and what do they do? An example could
be the classify reading for animals.
Furthermore, we can talk about “Super nature”. Human invented sciences,
mathematics, writing, music, art, religion and more.
This gives the child an idea of globalization, the world is one and the people in there
too. Children will appreciate the differences and similarities of the world.
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, The adult has to provide the keys so that the child can explore. As we know, the
child learns in a very sensorial way, so is important to manipulate and also use his hands
on real experiences. Taking into account the interest of the child is really important. As
well as curiosity and creativity. The child has to discover by himself.
The child should be able to work with all the activities that we can find in the culture
area, such as practical life, sensorial, language and more others. Practical life like the
water forms; Sensorial like Leaf cabinet or land and water globe; and language, classy
cards, classify reading, definition stages. All from simple to complex, like for example
like classify cards to definition stages.
“The teacher´s task is not to talk, but to prepare and arrange a series of motives
for cultural activity in a special environment for the child”
(Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind)
The information must be classified, so they can organize in their minds and relate
it. If during this period of social interest all possibilities of culture are offered to the child,
to widen his outlook and ideas of the world, this organization will be formed and will
develop. The number of ideals he has formed, will be used for purposes of social
organization at a later stage.
The whole world is new for the child and thanks to the knowledge that he is
acquiring, he will feel secure and safe in it.
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