My Montessori Journey: Skeleton Work

This month we are studying the human body. It is one of my very favorite things to teach. The children are so interested in learning about their bodies. I started with the skeleton. We have been learning the correct names for the following bones: cranium, mandible, sternum, rib cage, pelvis, femur, patella, tibia, fibula, tarsals, vertebrae, phalanges, radius, ulna, and humerus. I teach the bones by touching the bone on my body and saying the name of it, then having the children copy and repeat. We do this at line time each day. I also use a song from the Dr. Jean CD Kiss Your Brain. It is called "Macarena Bones". Several of the bones we are learning are in the song, so this is good reinforcement.

I have set up the following cut and paste activity for the children to do as an extension to our learning from group time. When I initially presented this work, many children cried out, "But I can't read!" They were worried they would be unable to do the work if they couldn't read the names of the bones already. I have a laminated control chart posted right above where they sit to complete this work, and so far, they have done just fine. They have to have a teacher check the work before gluing, but they are doing a great job independently matching the words by referring to the control chart.

Below you can see how I have the work set up. Two children at a time may work on this activity and they sit next to each other at the white tables so they are facing the control chart which is attached to the back of the shelf. The materials needed are placed on top of the shelf in order from left to right: tray with blank skeleton master sheets; container with bone label sheets; wooden bowls with scissors and gluesticks; jar with pencil for writing names on papers; tray with gluing mats.