Mahreen Habib Roll # D18128

Module # 9
Mahreen Habib Roll # D18128
Module # 9

Question 1:
Write a note on how to setup indoor and outdoor environment for introducing
zoology and botany?

Answer:

Starting with the big picture

In the Montessori world, most areas of study start with the big, overarching
picture and gradually narrow down to specifics. This gives children a firm
understanding and context in which they can place the details. Zoology is no
different.

What better way to teach about life on our planet than to begin with a look at
the five kingdoms? Montessori children learn about monera, protista, fungi,
plants, and animals. These early lessons are simple; they describe the major
defining characteristics of each kingdom and give a few examples of each (with
pictures, of course). One neat feature of this work is that the lesson can be
given to younger children as they first begin to learn about zoology, but can be
given again at a later age when children are ready to expand upon this
knowledge. Science material that can be appreciated at different levels of
learning is especially handy in a multi-age classroom.

Categorizing

After children learn about the five kingdoms, they begin to categorize the animal
kingdom. The simplest way to do this is to define and sort the vertebrates and
invertebrates. Children learn the evolutionary advantages to having a backbone,
when the earliest creatures with spines began their life on earth, and which
modern animals have one or don’t.

After mastering their understanding of vertebrates and invertebrates, children

begin their study of the five classes of vertebrates: fish, reptile, amphibian, bird,
and mammal. Once again, this work starts out simple but becomes more complex
as time goes on and the child’s knowledge base expands.

A layered curriculum
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A six year old’s study of reptiles will look very different from the study of a
child just a year older. The six year old will likely be at the word level of
reading and learning (especially early in the year). They will learn that a turtle
has a head, feet, tail, and a shell made up of a plastron, carapace, and
bridge. You may have noticed that some of these words are quite familiar, and
some are most likely brand new and fascinating to the child. On the other side
of the table our seven year old will be studying the body functions of the
turtle. They will discover how the turtle meets its needs for movement,
protection, support, circulation, respiration, and reproduction. This will
include information such as the reptile’s three-chambered heart, the fact that it
lays leathery eggs, and that it uses lungs to breath in oxygen.

Older students may review this information by playing classification games

and asking one another questions (much like a scientific version of the game
twenty questions). They may conduct research on animals they find
particularly interesting, which gives them opportunities to explore their own
work, learn how to research properly, write a short report, and gather more
zoology information. Eventually they will go on to more deeply explore
invertebrates and their contributions during the evolution of life on earth as
well as what they look like and function like today.

What are three part cards?

Many areas of study in Montessori classrooms utilize three part cards,

particularly in primary classrooms. While studying zoology, children will use
this style of material as they work to define the five classes of
vertebrates. What, exactly, are they?

In the primary classroom, a set will include cards with pictures, cards with
labels, and a control card that displays the picture with the label so that the
child is able to check their own work. While something similar may be used
with students just entering the elementary level, three part cards at this level
tend to look a bit different. They generally consist of a picture, label, and
definition. While there is a control available as well (often in the form of a
booklet or wall chart), the elementary-style cards provide a higher level of
reading opportunity so that the child is able to practice multiple academic skills
within the same work.

The beauty of three part cards is that children are drawn to them, they have
built-in controls that foster independence and self-teaching (after the initial
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lesson), and a teacher observing a child using them can quickly discern the
child’s level of mastery

Extensions and more...

As mentioned before, studying zoology lends itself seamlessly to research

projects for older students. Students of all ages can benefit from art integration
as a means of reinforcing concepts while expressing their creative side. For
example, a collage of a fish’s body may be made, which may then be turned
into a labeled diagram.

Did you know that the Montessori study of zoology directly ties into large parts
of the elementary history curriculum? Many of the animals the children study
in their science lessons can be found on the Timeline of Life, which is a
beautiful and impressionistic material that teaches children about the evolution
of life on earth. Starting with the beginning of the Paleozoic era, in which one-
celled organisms and simple life forms floated through the sea, through the
Quaternary period and the emergence of early hominids, children are able to
see the connections between the various kingdoms and classes, bringing the
details of their learning back to the big picture again.

Children are sponges when it comes to learning and they soak up so much knowledge
from even a very early age. Montessori schools begin teaching botany to students
even while they are in preschool. For the younger children, they begin botany lessons
by explaining how the following are from plants:

 Food we eat
 Clothes we wear
 Houses we live in
From there, children can easily understand how plants are a part of our everyday
life. Picture cards are used for preschoolers and primary students. Teachers then
introduce seeds into the classroom and explain where plants come from by
germinating the seeds. This is usually accompanied by the children learning the song
“Gardner plants the seeds”.

With the sprouted bean seeds, children learn the different parts of the seeds and
receive help removing the seed coat and looking on the inside.
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Module # 9
Here are the parts of the seeds the children learn:

 Seed Coat – The outer portion of the seed

 Radicle – The first part of a seedling to emerge from the seed
 Plumule – The young shoot of a plant embryo
 Cotyledon – The significant part of the embryo within the seed. This is the
storehouse of food for the baby plant until leaves develop for photosynthesis
Montessori schools accompany these lessons with not only songs but puzzles and
matching. It’s hands-on learning at a pace and language that the children can
understand.

There’s really no age too early to begin learning about the botany process. Botany is
all around us, so it makes sense to learn about it early. Teachers at a Montessori
school start simply, with the parts of a plant and what a plan means to the children’s
lives and then build on that foundation.

Botany is a part of biology and biology is introduced to Montessori students as the

gateway to sciences. Children immerse themselves in experimentation and
observation.

With the Montessori approach, the study of botany embraces many other subjects,
such as:

 Language
 Practical life lessons
 Mathematics
 Art
There are many ways to introduce botany in preschool. As well as the ways
mentioned above, such as puzzles and matching, Montessori also introduces botany
to preschoolers through the following:

 Age Appropriate Books

 Flower Arranging
 Nature Walk
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 Flower Dissection
 Flower Painting
 Planting Seeds
 Flower Themed Snacks
Presentation:
Preparing the outdoor environment for zoology:
Material

Bird feeder
Bird bath
Bird House
Exercise:
This exercise helps to attract wildlife and study the outdoor environment, especially
for children aged 3+ years. Children can find great joy in observing birds, which can
be attracted by establishing a variety of
feeders. A bird bath also offers an interesting opportunity to watch birds; however,
care can be taken to keep it clean as well as to change the water daily. The directress
mat wish to set up some bird houses,
preferably with the child’s assistance. Depending on e environment, salt licks in the
water, and a variety of feeds otherwise maybe put out to attract other forms of
wildlife. On outdoor trips and nature walks,
the teacher should looks for tracks so that on the stroll, the students may have the
opportunity to study insects, habitat of different life forms; under rocks, leaves in
the barks of trees etc. Most importantly the children should be shown how to
behave in an outdoor setting, i.e. with respect and care of the environment

Question 2:
Explain how the children are introduced to the vertebrates and invertebrates , five
classes of vertebrates and then the body parts of typical animals of each class.

The whole class can get engaged in simple animal guessing games. Play a version
of 20 questions with only animals. Once the animal is guessed, have the child
classify the animal as either a vertebrate or invertebrate for bonus points. Play
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animal charades with each child taking turns acting out either a vertebrate or
invertebrate, or just hold up pictures of animals and give teams points for guessing
whether the animal is a vertebrate or invertebrate. For a review, use characteristics
of vertebrates and invertebrates to create a trivia game.

•••

Food Activities

Use toothpicks, candies, gummy worms and marshmallows to help kids create their
own edible vertebrates and invertebrates. Have children create their own
caterpillars, dogs, fish, birds or other favorite animal from candy and toothpicks
and then discuss the characteristics the candy animal has in common with the real
animal. For a classroom treat, bring in cupcakes decorated like invertebrates and
vertebrates or cookies cut into animal shapes. Have each child classify the cupcake
or cookie animal as vertebrate or invertebrate before eating.
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Module # 9

The phylum chordata (animals with backbones) is divided into five common
classes: fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds. Show examples of
these groups and explain the characteristics that make one different from
another.
Mahreen Habib Roll # D18128
Module # 9
Mahreen Habib Roll # D18128
Module # 9
Mahreen Habib Roll # D18128
Module # 9
Question 3:
Prepare Material
 Four parts of nomenclature material for the parts of a flower.
 Two parts classified cards of the common fruits of Pakistan.
Answer:
Mahreen Habib Roll # D18128
Module # 9
Mahreen Habib Roll # D18128
Module # 9
Question 4:
Carry out any five science experiments mentioned in this book.

Take pictures while working, and send them to your tutors.

Answer:
Mahreen Habib Roll # D18128
Module # 9
Mahreen Habib Roll # D18128
Module # 9
Mahreen Habib Roll # D18128
Module # 9
Mahreen Habib Roll # D18128
Module # 9