Practical Life

Theory and
Lesson Plans
All materials in this volume, including text, photographs, drawings and
information in any form are copyright 2008 by the Center for Guided
Montessori Studies, LLC. No materials may be republished,
excerpted or otherwise reused either in whole or in part for any
purpose without the express permission of the copyright holder,
Center for Guided Montessori Studies, LLC.

Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge the following people for their

contributions to Practical Life Album.

Resources for Text and Lesson Plans:

Jon Wolf, Kitty Bravo, Sharon Caldwell, Victoria De Lilla, Steveanne
Mills, and Carrie Salemi.

Photos:
Sharon Caldwell, Ruth Metka, Kitty Bravo, Nicole Madrid, Anneke
Tolsma, Tim Seldin, Lori Karmazin. Marc Seldin and the Materials
Company of Boston.

Schools where photos were taken:

Little Learner’s Lodge, Baltimore, Maryland
Love of Learning Montessori School, Maryland
New Gate School, Sarasota, FL
Country Day Montessori School, Largo, FL
Le Petite Papillion Montessori School, Miami Beach, FL
South Florida Montessori Teacher Education Center, Miami, FL
Undercroft Montessori School, Tulsa, OK.
Nahoon Montessori School, East London, South Africa.

Editors:
Sharon Caldwell, Kitty Bravo, and Lori Karmazin.
 CONTENTS
Introduction

1. Definition of Practical Life ................................................................ 5

2. Aims of Practical Life Exercises.......................................................... 6
3. Key Points of Exercises of Practical Life.............................................. 7
4. Categories of Practical Life Activities.................................................. 8
5. Phases in learning cycle of the child in the Exercises of Practical Life...... 9
6. Responsibilities of the Montessori Guide in presenting the Exercises of
Practical Life................................................................................... 9
7. Communication characteristics of an effective Practical Life lesson.......... 10
8. Components of effective planning and preparation............................... 10
9. Some additional instructional guidelines for Practical Life lessons........... 11
10. The needs of the child in context of the Exercises of Practical Life........... 12

Pre-Montessori Transitional Activities 15

Lesson Plans: Grace and Courtesy 16

Sitting on the Line........................................................................... 17

Sitting at a table............................................................................. 18
Carrying a Chair.............................................................................. 20
Carrying a Table............................................................................. 22
Opening and Shutting a door............................................................ 24
Using a Work Mat: Carrying, Rolling and Unrolling and Walking around
the Mat.......................................................................................... 26
Carrying a Tray or Basket................................................................. 28
Putting on an Apron......................................................................... 30
Filling and Carrying a Pitcher............................................................ 32
Walking on the Line......................................................................... 34
Silence Game................................................................................. 36
Using a Quiet, Inside Voice............................................................... 38
Watching Someone Work................................................................. 40
Shaking Hands............................................................................... 42
How to Interrupt............................................................................. 43
Picking up Something for Someone.................................................... 45
Additional Lessons for Grace and Courtesy.......................................... 46

Lesson Plans: Fundamental Skills 47

Grasping......................................................................................... 48
Spooning........................................................................................ 50
Transfer with Tongs of Tweezers........................................................ 52
Squeezing a Sponge......................................................................... 54
Sponge Transfer.............................................................................. 56

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 Basting and Eye Dropper Transfer...................................................... 58
Dry Pouring.................................................................................... 60
Water Pouring................................................................................. 62
Pouring with Funnel......................................................................... 64
Clamping with Clothespins................................................................ 66
Opening and Closing Containers........................................................ 68
Folding........................................................................................... 70
Additional Lessons for Developing Fundamental Skills........................... 74

Lesson Plans: Care of Person 75

Dressing Frames.............................................................................. 76
Velcro Frame................................................................................... 77
Button Frame.................................................................................. 78
Snap Frame.................................................................................... 79
Zipper Frame.................................................................................. 84
Hook and Eye Frame........................................................................ 81
Buckle Frame.................................................................................. 82
Bow Tying Frame............................................................................. 84
Lacing Frame.................................................................................. 86
Safety Pin Frame............................................................................. 88
Putting on a Jacket.......................................................................... 90
Hand Washing................................................................................. 92
Cleaning and Polishing Shoes............................................................ 95
Hygiene – Coughing, sneezing and blowing noses ............................... 98
Crossing a Street............................................................................. 100
Additional Care of Person Lessons ........................................... 101

Lesson Plans: Care of the Environment 107

Water Spills Clean-up Systems.......................................................... 103

Hanging Towels............................................................................... 105
Sweeping the Floor.......................................................................... 107
Dusting.......................................................................................... 109
Wood Polishing................................................................................ 111
Metal Polishing................................................................................ 115
Plant Polishing................................................................................. 118
Window or Mirror Washing................................................................ 120
Table Washing................................................................................. 122
Dish Washing.................................................................................. 125
Cloth Washing................................................................................. 128
Ironing........................................................................................... 131
Arranging Flowers............................................................................ 133
Watering Plants............................................................................... 136
Raking Leaves................................................................................. 138
Weeding a Garden........................................................................... 140
Additional Care of Environment Lessons.............................................. 142
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Lesson Plans: Food Preparation 143

Banana Slicing................................................................................. 144

Apple Slicing................................................................................... 147
Table Setting.................................................................................. 150
Additional Food Preparation Lessons................................................... 153

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… no other occupations which could be undertaken by the
children … could be more important for their whole
development – physical, mental, and moral – than these
“exercises of practical life” as they are called.
-E.M. Standing
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Introduction

1. Definition of Exercises of Practical Life

Exercises of Practical Life are reality based activities that children enjoy doing. Young
children have a deep desire to be empowered and to participate in the upkeep and
beautification of their physical environment, of their community. Thus, the exercises of
Practical Life employ real, child-sized materials that the individual learner can utilize to take
care of their own needs and the needs of others in their family and classroom communities.
In Montessori education we don’t subscribe to plastic play kitchens. We provide the child
with real utensils and tools and real food, so they can prepare a real snack or meal for
themselves and others.
Movements are ordered and directed for the purpose of serving the individual self and the
world. Practical Life is an aid to the integrated and harmonious development of mind and
body. The young child is a bundle of discordant and diverse energy - muscular,
neurological, emotional, and intellectual energies. The exercises of Practical Life help the
child to focus, coordinate and balance these personal energies so that they can direct them
and employ them for purposeful activity, for learning and for service to the world.
The exercises of Practical Life represent conscious, concentrated activity with intelligent
purpose. They are designed to teach the child specific practical living skills - skills for caring
for their own needs, skills for taking care of their physical environment and community,
skills for respectful and responsible communication with others in their lives.

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2. Aims of Practical Life Exercises:

2.1 General purposes:

 Aid the child’s overall growth and development

 teaching or acquisition of specific practical life skill is secondary to 2.1 above

 an aid to the integrated growth and harmonious development of mind and body.

2.2 Specific developmental and educational aims of Practical Life:

 The unity of the personality - physical awareness and coordination; purposeful

use of the mind; a sense of self-respect and social responsibility; and the
development of artistic or aesthetic appreciation

 the control and coordination of movement

 the development of concentration

 the development of the intellect - the ability to analyze, sequence, perceive

cause and effect, and problem-solve

 social development

 the development of independence and self-sustaining activity; in other words,

the ability to self-start, work autonomously to the point of task completion

 the development of self-control and inner discipline - what some psychologists

call the development of impulse control or self-regulation

 the promotion of self-actualization - personal potential in action

 the promotion of self-valorization - the knowledge of one’s own goodness,

capability, uniqueness, beauty and personal power

 a sense of social responsibility toward the betterment of one’s indigenous

culture; a desire to utilize one’s knowledge and skills to improve the quality of
life for all

 to develop a sense of symbiotic unity with all life - a feeling and perception of
connectedness to the whole universe. a desire to be a participant, contributor,
and co-creator in the continued unfolding of life on the planet.

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3. Key points of the Exercises of Practical Life:

Now let us look at the key points in the Exercises of Practical Life - that is, the main ways in
which these developmental and educational aims are achieved:

3.1 The Exercises of Practical Life, when demonstrated properly, exhibit a logical
analysis of movement - that is the child is able to perceive the specific
sequence of activity steps that result in the desired end. These activity steps
are demonstrably simple, precise, and are primarily presented to the child
silently, and with slow movements of the hands.

3.2 Points of Interest are instructional techniques that focus and heighten the
child’s attention to the lesson being presented by the teacher. Points of
Interest can be verbal or physical in nature.

 If the exercise being presented is too tedious or mechanical in nature, the

child will lose spontaneous interest in the lesson

 the child is shown the physical necessity for each step of the exercise,
often by way of a challenge to his dexterity and discrimination

 when Points of Interest are well articulated in a Practical Life presentation

the following results will be evident:

o the child maintains a continuity of interest and attention

o the child grasps more details of the exercise, thus reducing her
mistakes and increasing her precision and accuracy during the
independent work phase
o and the child experiences increased satisfaction at having coordinated
her mind and body toward meaningful and purposeful activity.

This album indicates Points of Interest (POI). The lesson plans provide the
student with examples of appropriate language to use when necessary for the
child. Not all suggestions are used with all children.
This language is used to:

 to call a distracted child’s attention back the work

 draw the child’s attention to something that will help them be successful
with the work

 remedially in a repeat lesson to positively draw the child’s attention to

areas of problem.

3.3 The Exercises of Practical Life nourish the child’s inner drive toward self-
mastery, and self-empowerment. This is deeply fulfilling for the young child.
Dr. Montessori noted that when for the first time, upon completion of a Practical
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 Life exercise, such as table washing, the child has been able to coordinate her
movements, her mind, and her emotions to achieve a tangible, observable result
(a clean table) the signs of deep fulfilment and peace show on the child’s face
and in their subsequent movements about the classroom. The child feels the
peace of self-mastery and self-expression.

3.4 The Exercises of Practical Life possess a built-in Control of Error or self-
correcting features that allow the child to become aware of the level of
accuracy and precision independent of the teacher. This Control of Error
characteristic is impersonal, and allows the child to develop self-assessment
abilities that foster both self-worth and performance assessment abilities.

Features of Control of Error:

 A post-action correlation to Points of Interest
 indicates proximity to pre-established psycho-motor goal
 impersonal, objective criticism inherent in the materials themselves.

4. Categories of Practical Life activities:

4.1 Grace and courtesy

 Learning to foster constructive social relationships

 learning to treat others with respect and reverence
 learning to express verbal grace and clarity and physical grace and dexterity in
various social contexts
 learning to become proactive in reaching out to others to serve their happiness
and health
 learning to express active compassion toward those who are needy or less
fortunate than us.

4.2 Exercises for analysis and control of movement

 Walking on the Line - learning to direct one’s mind and body to deeper
awareness, appreciation, and precision of graceful, rhythmical movement.

 The Silence Game - learning to achieve an awareness and appreciation of inner

silence and outer stillness, as well as a way of experiencing spiritual unity and
connectedness in a non-sectarian manner.

4.3 Fundamental skills

Learning to complete simple tasks that develop basic motor skills and order in
preparation for more complex activities and provides many preliminary skills that will
enable the child to be successful throughout the classroom.

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 4.4 Care of the person

Learning to take care of one’s own personal appearance, hygiene, nutritional, and
fitness needs.

4.5 Care of the environment or community

Learning to be attentive to and take responsibility for the care of one’s immediate
physical surroundings, with an eye toward, sanitation, order, and beauty.

4.6 Food preparation

Learning to handle and prepare food, serve it to others and clean up after completion.
These lessons involve multi-steps and order, providing many opportunities to develop
good manners and graciousness.

5. Phases in learning cycle of the child in the Exercises of

Practical Life:

5.1 The child practices and performs the exercises for their own self-development,
self-mastery, self-empowerment, and self-enjoyment.
5.2 The child becomes aware of potential services to the community via the
Practical Life exercises and develops a sense of duty to render these services.
Through further exploration and knowledge of materials and community he
extends the parameters of his service.

6. Responsibilities of the Montessori Guide in presenting the

Exercises of Practical Life.
As always in the Montessori method, the teacher is but a catalyst for child-directed,
independent learning. Once the teacher has demonstrated the possibilities and parameters
of the exercise, the responsibility for learning, practice and proficiency rest with the child.

6.1 The teacher’s first responsibility in presenting these exercises is to

demonstrate the steps and components of the activity in an orderly, clear,
and concise manner.

6.2 At the same time she is to do this while minimizing the possibility of rote
imitation by the child.

6.3 In demonstrating the exercise the emphasis (and thus the focus of the child’s
attention) should be drawn to the precision and dexterity of movement
leading to the desired end rather than to the idiosyncratic details of the
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 demonstrator’s movements and methodology. The child’s attention is focused
on the materials and the precision of movements, as opposed to the teacher’s
personality or emotional experience. We want the child focusing on the magic
of the activity, not on the persona of the teacher.

6.4 Within the limits of order and safety, permit the child to create his own
method of competence - which will not necessarily correspond exactly to the
teacher’s presentation of the exercise.

The operative pronoun in a Montessori lesson is “I” - ”This is what “I” have discovered in
this exercise”. We stay away from the pronoun “you” - as in “you must do this exercise the
way I am showing you.” We also stay away from “we” as in “in our classroom we all do this
exercise this way.”

In essence the underlying message to the child in every Montessori lesson is “This is one
precise way it COULD be done”, not “This is the one way it SHOULD be done.”

Thus, there needs to be a balance demonstrated between calm, methodical instruction,

appropriate affection for the child and enthusiasm for the learning activity - a balance
between head and heart. Too much head produces a flat mechanical, joyless instructional
experience for the child; too much heart, too much emotion distracts the child from the
activity being presented.

7. Communication characteristics of an effective Practical Life

lesson:

7.1 Movements and language are concise - spare and simple.

7.2 Movements and language are separated. When you move, don’t talk; when
you talk, don’t move.
7.3 The personality of the presenter is minimized; the magic, order, beauty of
the materials is maximized.

8. Components of effective planning and preparation:

In addition to her responsibilities for effective instruction, the Montessori guide is
responsible for planning and preparing the Exercises of Practical Life.

8.1 She must decide which exercises to place on the Practical Life shelves in the
prepared environment, as well as which exercises to present to specific
children.

8.2 She must ascertain what materials are required to make each exercise
complete, clear, and child-friendly. The child should understand and
manipulate every step and every component of the exercise on her own.
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 8.3 The teacher must think through and practice the exercise on her own, putting
herself in the mind and body of the young child in order to determine whether
the child can accomplish the activity independently, once the lesson is
complete.

8.4 She must prepare herself inwardly to accept all of the child’s possible
responses to her presentation; accurate/ inaccurate, high motivation/ low
motivation; creative/imaginative; confused/frustrated. As Dr. Montessori
advised: we must learn to “teach teaching, not correcting”.

In Montessori Education we focus the child’s attention on the behavior objectives, not the
objectionable behavior.

9. Some additional instructional guidelines for practical life

lessons:

9.1 Attract the attention of a child for a lesson who is not otherwise engaged; that
is, she is not working independently or collaboratively, and she is not
observing another child’s work. In Montessori education we rarely interrupt a
child who is engaged in any form of independent learning to present a new
lesson.

9.2 Invite the child to come with you to see something new. Make this invitation
positive and attractively imperative: “Please walk with me. I have something
wonderful to show you!” - As opposed to: “Would you like to see a new
lesson?” The choice of activities will ensue later when the child has
knowledge and competence to make a deliberate choice.

9.3 Walk with the child to the shelf where the activity is located. Name the
exercise.

9.4 Delineate the appropriate workspace for this exercise (table or work mat).
Ask the child to prepare the workspace as needed.

9.5 Unless you are sure the child can safely and successfully carry the exercise to
the workspace, the teacher should carry the activity the first time she
presents it to the child.

9.6 Generally have the child sit to your left (if you are right-hand dominant) to
your right if you are left-handed.

9.7 Position yourself so that the child has maximum view of the exercise during
your presentation. You must also be able to see the child to whom you are
presenting the exercise, as well as being able to sweep and scan the bulk of
the classroom community. Maria Montessori instructed to “never turn your
back on the lions”.

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 9.8 Perform important manual functions of the exercise with you dominant hand.

9.9 Generally, demonstrate the entire exercise before inviting the child to take a
turn. An exception to this is if you sense the child is reaching the limit of their
attention span, and has seen enough of the exercise to understand its
purpose, in which case you may invite the child to try the activity before you
have completed every step. The idea here is to strike while the iron is hot,
while motivation is high. You can always fill in the rest of the lesson steps
later. Get the child engaged as soon as their interest and understanding have
peaked - before you lose them.

9.10 Generally, present Practical Life exercises to one child at a time.

9.11 At the completion of the presentation make sure the materials are ready for
the use of the next child who chooses the material.

10. The needs of the child in context of the Exercises of Practical

Life:

10.1 There are three general overarching needs:

 The need to love and be loved
 the need for limits - that is an environmental support system or structure
that helps the child feel safe, secure, and clear about the boundaries for
acceptable behavior and learning inquiry
(Young children especially require this as they lack the experience,
knowledge, and discrimination to know what is safe, acceptable, and
appropriate.)
 the need to be respected, as a global and spiritual being - an individual
with unique gifts, needs and tendencies, including spiritually, emotionally,
socially, intellectually, creatively, and physically.

10.2 The Needs of the young child specific to the context of the Exercises
of Practical Life:
 The need for a prepared educational environment in which the child may
develop herself, free from unnecessary adult interference
(This is a learning environment that promotes the revelation of each child’s
unique capacities. Honoring this need for minimal adult intervention is one of
the most difficult tasks for any teacher, and it requires enormous awareness,
vigilance, and self-discipline on our part as adult caregivers and guides.)

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 the need to adapt and orient herself to the outside world, specific to the
natural and cultural setting of the child
There are two aspects to this need:
o Practical Life offers the child the opportunity to construct a viable and
reliable view of reality - first from isolated experiences of self-mastery
and self-empowerment to more collective experiences of interpersonal
awareness and social responsibility and service
o the need to safely explore life in the microcosm of the classroom
community through spontaneous generalization and application to the
macrocosm of society and the world at large.
Practical Life is laboratory scale practice for global service and innovation.
 the need for order
o Orderly arrangement of the learning materials
o consistency of format, lesson presentation, arrangement of materials on
the shelves, routines and daily schedule of activities
o clean and well-maintained condition of the learning materials
o a careful and logical sequenced presentation of the Practical Life
exercises.
 the need for continuous muscular activity and sensory stimulation for
optimum learning
(Current neuro-scientific research is confirming Dr. Montessori’s early
observations that the young child must move to learn. Children must see,
hear, touch and manipulate tangible objects in order to learn. Abstract
processing through workbooks and worksheets, texts and readers is not the
domain of the early childhood learner.)
 the need for independence which is facilitated by:

o self-correcting learning materials

o non-intervention by the teacher
o freedom to explore the physical environment through access to
materials that can be safely and easily manipulated
o the freedom to choose work and explore learning experiences for long
uninterrupted blocks of time - without having to change modes of
activity or location on the adult’s timetable
o the sense of fulfilment intrinsic to the learning experience, not external
reward, is required to produce joy and continuing motivation to learn.
No grades, no praise, no stickers.
 the need for repetition
As the young child is a process learner, not a product or results-oriented
13
 learner, the child in a Montessori classroom is afforded time to repeat an
exercise until she is satisfied and fulfilled. The pace of learning is set by the
child, not the teacher.
 the need for silence
This is evidenced by the joy of working without being verbally interrupted
purposeful, graceful, harmonious movement about the classroom. Low voice
levels used by working children and teachers.
 the need for freedom
This need is clear from the joy and engagement demonstrated by children
who are able to direct their own learning choices the majority of the time.
This includes the freedom to have creative control over the beatification and
upkeep of the classroom learning environment (e.g. flower arranging,
polishing, window washing, dusting, table washing).
 the need for real-life experiences within the prepared educational
environment
In Practical Life we give children real, meaningful activities - not play or
fantasy activities. Real dishes are washed after snack, real food is prepared
for snack; dirty windows are washed; real teeth are brushed and real hair
combed. The child learns to become a creative and contributing member of
the classroom community immediately - not a being who is relegated to
playing with make-believe objects that have no reference to improving the
quality of life for anyone.
 the need to have one’s concentration and engagement respected and
protected
In Montessori Education, especially with the young child, independent
engagement, unfettered absorption in the learning experience is everything, is
sacred. You will rarely see a Montessori teacher interrupt a child’s work in the
Practical Life area, even when the child is missing steps or missing materials -
unless or until safety becomes an issue. Through the Exercises of Grace and
Courtesy the child’s peers also understand the need for each learner to enjoy
uninterrupted work time.

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Pre- Montessori Transitional Activities
The following list of activities is suggested for new children at the beginning of the year.
They are often placed on a shelf in or near Practical Life as this is the area where new
children spend most of their time in the classroom. Provide puzzles, matching and sorting
lessons in other areas of the classroom so that new children will have simple work they can
do in these areas as well. For example, have a simple animal matching lesson in the science
area, or a number puzzle in the math area.

Present these Pre-Montessori lessons using the same principles of presenting work in all
areas. Define your work space, whether a table or mat, demonstrate how to carefully
transport the material in the classroom, how to carefully remove the pieces, and show
simple clear steps for completing the task. Show how to clean up and return the activity to
the shelf as well.

These lessons will often be presented during an orientation session or on the first day of
school. They may be presented in small groups. As these are simple tasks which are
already familiar to children, only a simple presentation focusing on care of materials is
needed for the children to be able to work independently and successfully.

The Pre-Montessori activities are replaced with Montessori materials as new children
become oriented to the classroom expectations and gain more independence, self-control,
and interest in other work. One may need to bring these lessons out again if new children
are admitted during the year.

 Puzzles
 simple sorting activities
 simple matching lessons
 peg board
 play-dough
 stringing beads
 pop beads
 parquetry (design) blocks
 building blocks of various types (Lego’s, tinker toys, snap blocks, etc.)
 stacking towers and nesting cups
 memory game
 lotto games (color lotto, animal lotto).

15
Lesson Plans
Grace and
Courtesy

16
Grace and Courtesy - Preliminary Lessons
Sitting on the Line

Materials: A taped or painted elliptical line on the floor

Presentation:
1. Invite the child to sit on the line with the other children who have already gathered
for group time.
2. Tell the child: “There is a special way we sit on the line. It helps us to sit straight
and tall so we are comfortable and can pay attention. Let me show you.” (POI)
3. Demonstrate sitting on the line by placing your bottom on the line and crossing
your legs in front of you.
4. Place your hands in your lap.
5. Say to the child, “Can you sit like this on the line?”
6. If necessary, help the child to fold his legs.
7. If it is helpful, point out other children who are sitting properly.

Notes:
A young child may have difficulty with this position and may require assistance for the first
few days. Many of the youngest children are uncomfortable sitting this way for a long time
and stretch their legs and gradually lengthen the time they can sit.

Control of Error:
 Visual – Child sees other children and guide sitting correctly.

Purpose:
 Developing large-muscle coordination
 instilling sense of external order
 orienting and adapting to everyday life in the classroom community
 fostering independence.

Age Range: 2 ½ and up

Additional Exercises:
 Sitting cross-legged to work on the floor
 demonstrating sitting on the line to another child
 helping another child fold his legs.

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Grace and Courtesy - Preliminary Lessons

Sitting at a Table

Materials: A child-sized table and chair

Presentation:
1. Explain to the child that you are going to show him/her a safe and comfortable way
to sit at a table.
2. Stand behind the chair.
3. Bend from the waist slightly and place your hands on the sides of the chair - thumbs
in front, fingers behind.
4. Lift the chair slightly.
5. Step backward a few steps carrying the chair back with you. Comment, “If I lift the
chair up I can move it back without making a sound.” (POI)
6. Walk into the space between the chair and table.
7. Sit on the chair.
8. Place your hands on the seat of the chair, thumbs on top, fingers underneath.
9. Scoot yourself and the chair forward to a comfortable distance from the table.
Comment, “Scoot slowly and quietly.” (POI)
10. Explain, “Now I have scooted my chair close to the table so I am ready to
work.”(POI)
11. Tell the child, “Now I will show you how to get out of the chair.”
12. Holding the seat as in step 8, scoot backward in chair. “Scoot quietly.” (POI)
13. Stand and walk to the back of the chair.
14. Repeat steps 2-4.
15. Walk forward a few steps carrying chair with you.
16. Place chair carefully and quietly on floor. Ask, “Did I make any noise?” (POI)

Control of Error:
 Auditory - sound of chair scraping on floor
 child notices chair tipping over if not handled correctly.

Age Range: 2 ½ and up

Purpose:
 Care of the environment — learning to move furniture safely and without disturbing
the work or concentration of others. (Grace and Courtesy)
 large-muscle coordination
 eye-hand coordination
 auditory discrimination
 appreciation of graceful and quiet movement.
18
  instilling sense of external order
 orientation and adaptation to everyday life in the classroom community
 fostering independence.

Additional Exercises:
 Sitting at tables of different size and style
 sitting at a desk
 giving the lesson to another child.

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Grace and Courtesy - Preliminary Lessons
Carrying a Chair

Materials: Child-size chair and table

Presentation: Can be presented to one child or a small

group

1. Stand behind the chair.

2. Bend from the waist slightly and place your hands
on the sides of the chair - thumbs in front, fingers
behind.
3. Lift the chair slightly.
4. Step backward a few steps carrying the chair back
with you.
5. Perform the action without sound, taking care not to
make the sounds of bumping and scraping (POI).
6. Walk around to the side of the chair.
7. Place hands underneath and around the edge of the seat; one in the front of the
seat, one in back.
8. Lift the chair slowly upward, keeping the legs of the chair perpendicular to the floor.
Lift until chair is waist-height, holding chair slightly away from the body.
9. Walk with chair in this position to new location near a table. Avoid scraping the
chair legs on the floor or bumping classroom materials (POI).
10. Lower chair to floor slowly, tilting it so that back leg on the side at which you are
standing touches the floor first. This is done quietly, with little or no sound (POI).
11. Lower other back leg into position on floor. Ask the child to notice if you make any
sound. (POI)
12. When the back legs are securely on the floor, slowly lower the front legs in place.
Again point out how quietly you do it. (POI)
13. Walk to back of chair. Lift and slide it under table. Ask the child if you made any
sound (POI)

Control of Error:
 Auditory - Sound of chair sliding out or in from under the table, sound of chair
being transported across room; sound of chair bumping on floor or materials, sound
of chair being lowered to the floor.

Purpose:
 Care of the environment — learning to move furniture safely
 grace and courtesy – not disturbing the work or concentration of others.
 large-muscle coordination.
20
  Eye-hand coordination
 auditory discrimination
 appreciation of graceful and quiet movement
 instilling sense of external order
 orientation and adaptation to everyday life in the classroom community
 fosters independence.

Age Range: 2 ½ – 5 years

21
Grace and Courtesy - Preliminary
Lessons
Carrying a Table

Materials: Child-size table

Presentation: Can be presented to one child or a

small group
1. Invite an older child (experienced table
carrier) to help or present with your
teaching partner.
2. The two demonstrators lift the chairs from under the table in manner previously
outlined. Also lift off any objects or materials on table and store safely.
3. Demonstrators proceed to opposite sides of the table (if table is rectangular, to the
short sides).
4. Place both hands under the edge.
5. With nod of head (to signal readiness to partner), lift the table, keeping the legs
perpendicular to floor and the top parallel. Hold at waist height slightly away from
the body.
6. Slowly move sideways toward new the location, keeping a comfortable pace with
your partner. (POI) Take care not to drag the legs drag on the floor or bump
materials in the room while transporting the table.

Note: If space through which the table is being transported is narrow, thus excluding
the possibility of walking sideways, then an alternate carrying technique may be
demonstrated. One person walks backwards, supplying pace of movement, while
other carrier helps, by verbal commands, to guide the back-walker in the right
direction.

7. When the table has been transported to an appropriate place, with a nod of head,
gently lower the table to the floor. Listen and feel for the legs touching floor quietly
and simultaneously. (POI)
8. Return the chairs and materials to the table. Be sure to carry the chairs as
demonstrated in the previous lesson.

Note:
It is important for all adults that work in the classroom to carry chairs and tables in the
above demonstrated manner whenever they have a need to move furniture in the
classroom. Always keep in mind that children will copy what they see you model, so model
the methods that the children can carry out safely and effectively.

22
Control of Error:
 Auditory - Noise of table touching floor or materials while being carried
 awareness of bumping against materials in room while transporting table
 auditory - Sound of table being lowered to floor.

Purpose:
 Care of the environment — moving large items quietly and safely
 grace and courtesy – not disturbing the work or concentration of others
 large-muscle coordination
 social cooperation
 awareness of the environment in relation to one’s own body movements
 appreciation of graceful and quiet movements
 auditory discrimination
 eye-hand coordination
 orientation and adaptation to everyday life in the classroom community
 fosters independence.

Age Range: 2 ½ to 5 years

Additional Exercises:
 Carrying different shaped table, shelves, etc. (Make sure you plan and demonstrate
the logical and safe method for carrying any furniture in your classroom that is
appropriate for children to move.)

23
Grace and Courtesy - Preliminary Lessons
Opening and Shutting a Door

Materials: A door with accessible handle for

children - one that is easily manipulated.

Presentation: Can be presented to one child or a

small group.

Note: Door may open toward or away from you.

Adapt the presentation as necessary.

Opening a Door:
1. Grasp the door handle with the palm of the right hand.
2. Turn handle slowly until it stops.
3. Keeping the handle in “turned” position, push or pull door open with the right arm
until arm is fully extended.
4. Return the turned handle to the original position.
5. Keeping the right arm extended on the handle, walk slowly forward or backward,
pushing or pulling the door open until it is halfway through its arc. (With younger
children, one may want to put a piece of tape a few inches in length on the floor to
suggest a terminal point for the opening arc. Aligning the door directly over the tape
so that it disappears may serve as a POI.)

Closing a Door:
1. Walk around and grasp the outside knob with the right hand.
2. With right arm extended, start slowly walking forward, pushing the door closed.
3. Periodically, check to see how close you are getting to the frame. (POI)
4. When the door approaches within an inch or two of the frame, stop moving. If you
can peek into the room and see everybody, without them seeing you, you are close
enough to stop walking. (POI)
5. Turn the handle slowly until it stops.
6. Push or pull the door slowly closed with the strength of the extended right arm.
Notice if there is any sound in closing? (POI)
7. Let the handle return to original position.
8. Holding the handle, try to open the door, checking to see if it securely closed (POI).

24
Control of Error:
 Auditory - sound of door hitting frame or back-wall stopper
 awareness of feet kicking the door
 the door opening when handle is pushed or pulled indicating it was not securely
shut.

Purpose:
 Care of environment — learning to open and close doors safely, without creating
environmental disturbance.
 eye-hand coordination
 large-muscle control
 fine-motor control
 auditory discrimination
 visual discrimination
 orientation and adaptation to everyday life in the classroom community
 fostering independence.

Age Range: 2 ½ to 5 years

Additional Exercises:
 Opening the door all the way back to the stopper.
 opening the door to carry out large objects
 locking doors — with and without keys
 closing and opening hinged doors on cabinets and closets
 opening and closing drawers in bureaus and dressers
 opening and closing car doors
 opening and closing windows
 raising and lowering shades
 opening and closing curtains
 opening and shutting refrigerators, washing machines, toilet seats, dishwashers.

25
Grace and Courtesy – Preliminary Lessons
Using a Work Mat: Carrying, Rolling and Unrolling, and
Walking Around the Mat

Materials: One or more work mats

Presentation: Can be presented to one child or a

small group

Carrying, Rolling and Unrolling:

1. Take the children to the place where the mats
are stored.
2. Lift the mat and show to carry it parallel and
close to the body. Point out that carrying the
mat like this helps to keep all of our friends
and work safe.(POI)
3. Bring the mat to an open space in the
classroom and have the group sit around you.
4. Place the mat so that it will roll out away from
you.
5. Place both palms of your hands under the roll
of the mat and push out slowly, following the
mat along its side as you roll it out.
6. Smooth out the mat with your palms from the
center to the sides, moving from top to
bottom.(POI)
7. Tell the children, “Now the mat is ready for
work. We always work on a mat or table so that our work is safe. But this time we
are just practicing getting the mat out and putting it away. Now I will show you how
to roll up the mat.”(POI)
8. Return to the end of the mat. Grasp the mat with the both palms, just a little in from
the edges. Fold the mat forward so it begins a roll.
9. Roll forward slowly and carefully.
10. Pat the edges and say, “Roll it straight and tight.”(POI)
11. When you have completed rolling the mat, demonstrate carrying it carefully back to
the storage place in the same manner as step 2.
12. Invite one or more children in your group to get a mat, practice carrying it carefully
and practice rolling it out and rolling it up.

Note:
Very young or extremely active children may need to practice carrying mats in one lesson
and rolling mats in another lesson.
26
Walking Around a Mat
1. Demonstrate walking carefully around the mat so that one does not touch the mat and
disturb others work. Tell the children, “Whenever we see a mat we walk around it.”
2. After the initial demonstration of walking around a mat, one can play a “follow the
leader” game, placing several mats around the room, and having the children follow in
a line, carefully walking around each mat. Using a simple tune sing, “Whenever I see a
mat I walk around it,” as you walk carefully around the mats in the room. (This is a
great activity for the first week of school or for orientation days with new children.)

Control of Error:
 Visual - incorrectly rolled mat is
loose and sides are all a skewed
 visual - mat does not fit neatly in
the storage container.

Purpose:
 To be able to carefully and safely
get out and put away a work mat
 coordination of movement
 orientation and adaptation to
everyday life in the classroom
community
 fostering independence.

Age Range: 2½ -5

Additional Exercise:
After demonstrating rolling a mat, introduce the following song to reinforce this lesson -
To the tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”.

“Roll, roll, roll, your mat

Roll it nice and tight
When you roll it nice and tight it will fit just right.”

27
Grace and Courtesy – Preliminary Lessons
Carrying a Tray or Basket

Materials:
o A variety of trays
o various objects
o two tables.

Presentation: Can be presented to one child or a small group

1. Gather a small group of children around a table on which is placed a medium size
tray (approx. 5”x 8”).
2. Explain to the children, “Many of our lessons are on trays. It is important to carry
them carefully so that the work on the tray won’t fall off. (POI) I am going to show
you how to carry a tray and we will all get a turn to practice.”
3. Grasp the ends of the tray, one hand centered in the middle of each of the shorter
sides.
4. Lift the tray slowly from the table.
5. Hold the tray slightly away from the body at a height above the waist.

28
 6. Point out that you are holding the tray so it remains flat and level (parallel to the
floor) (POI).
7. Move slowly, emphasizing care for keeping the tray level. Walk to a nearby table.
8. Slowly lower the tray on the table. Say “I am keeping it level and I am going to set it
down without making a sound.”(POI)
9. Invite each child to practice carrying the tray.
10. If the children are still attentive, add the challenge of carrying the tray with an object
(not breakable) on it. Emphasize the importance of keeping it level so that the
object will not fall off. Let each child have a turn.

Control of Error:
 Auditory and visual - the object will fall if the tray is not held flat and level
 auditory - there is a noise if the tray is not set down carefully.

Purpose:
 Care of environment — learning to safely carry objects on a tray
 fine-motor control and eye-hand coordination
 large-muscle control
 orientation and adaptation to everyday life in the classroom community
 fostering independence.

Age Range: 2 ½ - 5

Additional Exercises:
 Practice carrying larger trays
 practice carrying trays with more than one object
 practice carrying trays with a glass container
 practice carrying a variety of baskets.

29
Grace and Courtesy – Preliminary Lessons
Putting on an Apron

Materials: A child-sized apron with Velcro strap fasteners.

Presentation:
1. Invite the child to have a lesson on putting on
an apron.
2. Take the child to get the apron and carry it to
the work space.
3. Unfasten the Velcro straps from the front of
the apron.
4. Pick up the apron at the back corners using
the pincer grasp.
5. Lift arms over head and position head in the
apron opening.
6. Slide head through hole.
7. Release grasp and move hands to shoulders
of apron.
8. Pull apron over head into position.
9. Bend both arms behind you to grasp the
straps on each side using the pincer grasp.
10. Bring the straps to the front.
11. Pause to look at Velcro on the ends of the straps. (POI)
12. Place strap with Velcro on top across your body.
13. Attempt to close with the remaining strap. The straps will be too short to do this.
14. Say to the child, “This apron is too small for me, but it will fit you.”
15. Remove the apron by lifting over your head.
16. Place the apron on table, right side down.
17. Fasten straps in appropriate manner.
18. Invite the child to put the apron on.

Notes:
 Adult size aprons in the same style can be purchased and one can then
demonstrate fastening as well.
 An older child could give the lesson along with you so that they could demonstrate
fastening.
 The child will also need to be shown how to put the apron away. Some classrooms
fold or roll aprons and put them with each lesson or in a special container. Other
classrooms hang aprons on hooks or hangers and keep in a central place to be used
as needed with lessons that require aprons. You will need to extend this lesson to
include how to roll, fold, or hang the apron and where to store it to fit with the
practices of your classroom.
30
Control of Error:
 Discomfort if apron is worn incorrectly
 visual – child sees that apron is incorrectly worn
 visual - trailing apron flaps.

Purpose:
 Care of environment and care of person
 fine-motor control and eye-hand coordination
 large-muscle control
 orientation and adaptation to everyday life in the classroom community
 fostering independence.

Age Range: 2 ½ and up

Additional Exercises:
 Putting on apron in preparation for work.
 helping a friend put on an apron
 giving a lesson to another child
 putting on aprons that require tying.

31
Grace and Courtesy – Preliminary Lessons
Filling and Carrying a Pitcher

Materials:
 A glass pitcher – medium to large
 a table
 a sink or water source.

Presentation: Can be presented to one child or a small

group (keep the group small enough to travel with you to the sink and for all to be able to
see at the sink.)
1. Invite a child or a small group of children to gather around a table where you have
previously placed a glass pitcher.
2. Tell the children that you are going to demonstrate how to fill and carry the pitcher.
3. Grasp the handle of the pitcher with your left hand and lift it from the table.
4. Place the right hand on the belly of the pitcher to steady it.
5. Walk slowly and carefully to the sink or water supply (have the children come with
you).
6. Turn the faucet with the right hand while carefully holding the pitcher with the left. (If
you are at a sink, you may set the pitcher down in the sink under the faucet before
releasing with the right hand, but keep the left hand on the handle to brace it.)
7. Fill the pitcher about ¾ full. Turn off the faucet with the right hand. Say, “I will only
fill it this much so I will be able to carry it without spilling.” (POI)
8. Return the right hand to the belly of the pitcher and lift the pitcher out of the sink.
9. Walk slowly across the room, careful not to spill. (POI)
10. Place the pitcher on the table.
11. Explain that you are now going to return the pitcher
to the sink to empty it.
12. Invite the children to follow and return to the sink
carrying carefully.
13. At the sink, tilt the pitcher keeping it braced with
the right hand and pour the water into the sink.
14. Carry the pitcher carefully to the table and invite a
child to practice. Give each child a turn.

Control of Error:
 Visual – child sees water spilling if pitcher is not carried carefully
 Visual and auditory - pitcher will break if dropped.

32
Purpose:
 Learning to carefully fill and carry a pitcher for later exercises
 coordination of movement
 orientation and adaptation to everyday life in the classroom community
 fostering independence.

Age Range: 3 – 5 years

Additional Exercise: Practice with different size pitchers.

33
Grace and Courtesy – Control of Movement
Walking on the Line

Materials: Taped or painted ellipse on the floor large enough for all children in class to
sit and walk on.
The line you walk on may not be the same one as children sit on for group
time.

Presentation of Exercises:
Exercise I
1. Demonstrate how to walk on the line in a normal gait. Invite the children to join you.
Note spacing problems as they naturally arise. “See how we are bumping into one
another.” (POI)
2. Demonstrate how to judge the amount of space to keep between each person by
extending the right arm and saying, “Let’s try to keep one arm’s length away from
the person in front of you.” (POI)
3. Have children walk again, concentrating on staying on the line and proper spacing.
(From time to time ask them to extend their arms to check themselves.)
Exercise II
1. Demonstrate heel-toe method of walking. Light rhythmical music may be played in
background (at a walking tempo).
2. Ask children to walk with head up and eyes straight ahead. Suggest, “After walking
with your head up for a little while, look down to see if your feet are still touching the
line.” (POI)

Control of Error:
 Visual – child notices if she places her foot off the line
 extended arm to note proper spacing
 other children will comment if they are bumped.

34
Exercise III
1. Demonstrate walking on the line with flag held in the right hand with the forearm
extended parallel to floor (flag straight).
2. Move slowly around the line, watching the flag,
moving heel-toe around ellipse.

Control of Error:
 Visual - feet on line
 visual - flag held straight (perpendicular to
ground).

Additional Exercises:
 Two flags.
 carrying water vase or container on palm or
palms upturned
 bell suspended on string (or held without
string) without ringing
 items of different shape, size, and weight
carried.
 walking backwards
 on tip-toe
 demonstrate walking on line in time to
different musical rhythms - first, pacing to a
single tempo, then two or more tempo
changes while walking.

Purpose:
 To achieve coordination of movement.
 awareness and control of balance
 practice self-control
 appreciation of rhythm and development of rhythmic movement.

Age Range: 2 ½ to 5 years

35
Grace and Courtesy – Control of Movement
Silence Game

Definition of Silence:
The cessation of movement – physical, verbal, and mental.

The cessation of egoistic striving and corresponding expansion of awareness.

“Be still and know that I am God.” – Bible

“Stopping the internal dialogue.” – Don Juan

“The greatest revelation is stillness …” – Lao-Tze

“The way to do is to be.” – Lao-Tzu

Note:

Success in the Silence Game marks the culmination of the children’s efforts toward
normalization. All Practical Life exercises are remote preparations for the achievement of
inner and outer poise and stillness.

Exercises of indirect preparation for Silence Game

 Blindfold – identifying environmental sounds
 blindfold – identifying directionality of sounds
 blindfold – identifying voices of classmates
 passing the bell around the ellipse without ringing

Silence Game Presentations:

Making Silence
1. Gather the children at the line.
2. Bring a piece of paper and a marker.
3. Tell the children you are going to write a special word on the paper.
4. Write the word silence and show it to the children.
5. Tell them what it says, or ask a child who can read it to do so.
6. Ask if anyone knows what it means. Explain that silence means the absence of
sound. Tell them that if we are very still and very quiet, we can make silence.
Invite them to make silence with you now.
7. Tell them to make their body very still and quiet. Demonstrate by sitting up tall and
very still.(POI)
8. Invite them to take a deep breath and sit without making any sounds.
Demonstrate.(POI)

36
 9. Make silence for about 30 seconds.
10. Tell them they did a great job making silence. Tell them that whenever you hold up
the word silence we will practice making silence. Practice often and gradually
increase the length of time that you sit in silence.

Additional Exercises:
 Tell the children that today you are going to do something different when we make
silence. Explain that you are going to go across the room and whisper their names.
When they hear their name called in the silence, they will quietly walk to where you
are sitting on the floor and continue to make silence.
 Place the silence card on a mat in the middle of the circle. Sit on a chair or stool
across the room. Whisper each child’s name one at a time until all have joined you
across the room. After the initial presentation, this method can be used to call the
children to go outside or line up for a special activity.
 Sounds in the Silence – Invite the children to make silence. Explain that this time;
while we are silent we will listen to all the sounds around us. When the silent time
is over, ask the children to share what they heard. Do this exercise in different
places such as outside or on a field trip.

Control of Error:
 Auditory – child will hear unnecessary movement that creates noise during the
exercise
 auditory - Hearing or not hearing one’s name when whispered by teacher.

Purpose:
 Development of the inner stillness that produces self- discipline, self-realization,
deep concentration and creative inspiration.

A very different type of controlled movement is that which makes it possible

for the children, as far as they can, to create an absolute silence. This is not
the quasi-silence obtained by sitting still and saying nothing, but a perfection
that is attained only gradually. It consists in not uttering a single sound, in
not causing the slightest noise, such as is made by a movement of the feet or
stroke of the hand or heavy breathing. Absolute silence resembles complete
immobility.
- Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child.

37
Grace and Courtesy – Social Relations and Responsibility
Using a Quiet, Inside Voice

Presentation: Can be presented to a small group or the whole class

1. Introduce the concept of using a quiet voice in the classroom. Explain, “When we
are in the classroom it is important that we speak with a very quiet voice so that we
do not disturb our friends when they are working. We will call this our quiet voice or
our inside voice.”
2. Tell the children, “We are going to now practice using our quiet voice. I will start by
saying my name with my quiet voice and then we will go to the next person who
will say their name in their quiet voice”.
3. Say your name with an inside voice as a quiet whisper, “My name is _______”
(POI)
4. Turn to the person next to you and in a whisper voice ask them to say their name
in their quiet voice.
5. Repeat with each child.
6. Remind the children that we will use this quiet, inside voice whenever we speak in
the classroom and when ever people are busy.

Note:
Be sure to model the use of the Inside Voice whenever you speak to an individual or
group of children during work time. Remind children to use their Inside Voice when they
talk loudly in the classroom and invite them to remind you if you should forget.

Exercises:
 Practice sharing favorite color, favorite ice cream, etc. using a quiet voice.
 Recite a poem or sing a song using a quiet voice
 Invite children to leave the line and go to work by saying the work each one wants
to do using a quiet voice.
 Present the concept of using an Inside - Group Voice when talking to the class at
circle time. Explain that when we talk to a group we have to talk louder than we
talk during work time so that everyone will hear. Demonstrate the appropriate
volume and invite each child to say their name (or some other chosen phrase) in
their Inside-Group Voice.

38
Control of Error:
 Other children are distracted from their work.

Purpose:
 Introduce use of quiet voice to help maintain a peaceful work environment
 the development of self control
 encouraging respect for others
 to develop a sense of social responsibility
 orientation and adaptation to everyday life in the classroom community.

39
Grace and Courtesy – Social Relations and Responsibility
Watching Someone Work

Presentation: Plan the role-play with your

teaching partner or an experienced child.
1. Introduce this lesson explaining,
“Sometimes when one of our friends is
doing a really interesting lesson we want
to watch them do their work. Today, I
want to show a respectful way to do
this.”
2. Set up the situation explaining that Mary
(teaching partner or a child) will be working at a table placed in the center of the
ellipse. The teacher or child playing the role of the worker goes to the table with a
lesson and begins working.
3. Tell the children, “ I will be the watcher.” Go to the table and politely ask, “May I
watch your work?”
4. The worker replies, “Yes.”
5. The watcher says, “thank you,” and stands to the side of the table with hands
clasped behind her back.
6. Ask the children, “Why do you think I am keeping my hands behind my back?”
7. Elicit the answer or explain, “So I won’t be tempted to touch my friend’s work.” Tell
the children, “Watcher’s always watch with their eyes only.” (POI)
8. Invite other children to role-play being the worker and the watcher.

Follow up lesson:
1. Invite two children to role play the watcher and worker roles as before.
2. Ask, “What if the worker does not want anyone to watch? What should he say and
what should the watcher do?
3. Discuss suggestions and then role-play: Watcher asks if she can watch and the
worker responds, “No thank you, I would like to work alone right now.” The watcher
responds, “Ok, maybe I can watch another time.” The watcher walks away.
4. Invite children to role-play this scenario.

Note:
It may be necessary to tell the children that if you refuse a watcher, then you may not
invite or accept any other watcher so that you don’t hurt anyone’s feelings. Only bring this
up if you have observed this as an issue in your class. It is important to help children
understand how their actions and words can equally hurt others.

40
Control of Error:
 Other children say “Please don’t touch my work.”

Purpose:
 To provide children with skills to appropriately handle social situations in the
classroom
 to reinforce the value of children watching others work and provide the appropriate
means for doing so in a polite manner and in a way that respects the work of others
 to reinforce a child’s right to work alone and provide the appropriate language for
accepting and denying watchers.

41
Grace and Courtesy – Social Relations and Responsibility
Shaking Hands

Presentation:
1. Introduce the lesson explaining, “Sometimes when
we meet someone new or we greet a friend it is nice
to shake their hand. This is how we do it.”
2. Demonstrate with an experienced child (prepared
ahead of time) or your teaching partner.
3. Meet the person you are greeting in the center of
the group.
4. Stand in front of the person. Extend your right hand. Look the person in the eyes and
smile.
5. Grasp the person’s right hand firmly, but not tightly, shake and say, “Hello, how are
you?” The other person should respond, “I am fine, thank you, how are you?”
6. Answer, “I am fine, thank you.” Release the person’s hand and step back. Put your
hands by your side.
7. Invite two other children to try. Continue taking turns as long as the children are
interested.

Exercises:
 Invite each child to turn to the person
next to him or her and shake hands
in the same manner as the
presentation.
 After the initial presentation greet
children in the morning with a hand
shake.

Additional Exercise:
Discuss how to greet a guest who comes to
the classroom. Perform a role-play with
someone playing the part of the guest. The greeter shakes the guest’s hand and says,
“Welcome to our class. My name is __________. May I show you to the observation
chair?”

Purpose:
 To learn an appropriate way to greet people
 to help develop confidence in social situations.

42
Grace and Courtesy – Social Relations and Responsibility
How to Interrupt

Presentation:
1. Prearrange the role play with your teaching partner and one child.
2. Begin by discussing the problem of people calling across the room to get someone’s
attention. Explain that it disturbs people who are working and it is impolite.(POI)
Tell them that you are going to demonstrate the appropriate way to walk across the
room and politely interrupt.
3. Explain that you are going to pretend to be a child who needs help. The other
teacher will be across the room working with a child.
4. Walk to the other teacher. Place a hand gently on her shoulder, then remove it and
clasp your hands behind your back and wait.
5. The teacher signals you that she knows you are there by lifting her hand and
pointing her index finger up as if to say, “Please wait.” The teacher continues to
work with the child and does not look up. The interrupting person waits quietly and
patiently.
6. The teacher now looks at the one who needs help and says, “Thank you for waiting
patiently, how may I help you.”
7. Review the process with the children, emphasizing that it is one tap on the shoulder
and then you wait with hands behind the back. Point out that if the teacher or
person they are interrupting is busy, they will give them the signal that lets them
know that they know you are there and will help you in just a moment.
8. Invite other children to perform the role-play.

Note:
Once presented, make sure you model polite interruptions by also walking across the
room to children and following the same procedure. Also when children are calling for you
across the room, simply place your hand on your shoulder to remind them to come to
you. Do not go to them when they call your name or it will reinforce the wrong behavior.

Control of Error:
 Not getting a response for calling across the room
 positive reinforcement from the teacher when polite interruptions are used.

Purpose:
 Learning a polite way to get help
 development of self-control
 encouraging respect for others
 to develop a sense of social responsibility
 orientation and adaptation to everyday life in the classroom community.

43
Additional Exercise:
 How to interrupt when the teacher is standing (tap on the side of the leg)
 introduce the following song to reinforce the above method of interpreting: to the
tune of “ If You’re Happy and You Know it.”

I put my hand on a shoulder and I wait

I put my hand on a shoulder and I wait
I’m quiet and I wait, it all works out great.
I put my hand on a shoulder and I wait.

I put my hand on a shoulder and I wait

I put my hand on a shoulder and I wait
When my friends are free they will talk with me
I put my hand on a shoulder and I wait

 introduce interrupting using the phrase, “Excuse me, may I interrupt?” Explain that
this is an appropriate way to interrupt in other social situations outside of school.

44
Grace and Courtesy – Social Relations and Responsibility
Picking Up Something for Someone

Presentation:
1. Begin by setting the stage for the role play explaining, “Sometimes we notice that
someone has dropped something. The kind thing to do would be to help them by
picking it up and returning it. Let’s act out this situation.”
2. Invite a child to be the person who drops an object. Give the volunteer a small object
and ask him to walk through the center of the ellipse where the children are
gathered, drop the object and keep walking.
3. Dramatically demonstrate that you notice that something was dropped.
4. Carefully pick up the dropped object.
5. Approach the person who dropped it.
6. Say, “Excuse me, you dropped this.”
7. Hand the object to the person carefully.
8. Let several children take turns acting this out.

Purpose:
 To teach grace and courtesy and draw attention to the value of acts of kindness
 to develop a sense of social responsibility
 orientation and adaptation to everyday life in the classroom community.

45
Grace and Courtesy
Additional Lessons for Grace and Courtesy

Control of Movement Table Manners

 Handling a book – protecting the  Waiting for everyone to be seated

and/or to get their food
cover and turning pages
 asking someone to “please pass
 carrying a bucket the …”
 holding a door  chewing with the mouth closed
 waiting in line  accepting and declining food
 lining up on a playground  using a napkin
 stop and listen when the class bell  folding your crumbs into your
napkin
rings.
 clearing your place
 pleasant table conversation
 cleaning up a spill.
Social Relationships and Social
Responsibility
 Introducing oneself. Participating in Group Time
 introducing others  One person talks at a time
 asking, “May I please”  how to ask a question or ask to
 asking to borrow speak
 knocking on a door  how to speak to a group
 waiting your turn.
 saying, “Pardon me” (when you
didn’t hear someone)
 saying, “Excuse me, may I
interrupt”
 walking around a group
 saying, “Excuse me” (When you
need to pass someone)
 offering food, “Would you like to
have a slice of apple?”
 refusing food politely, “No thank-
you, I don’t care for any”
 welcoming a guest
 covering your mouth when you
yawn
 apologizing
 solving a problem with a friend
 expressing ones feelings
 listening to others
 avoiding hurting others feelings
conflict resolution/using the peace
rose.

46
 Lesson Plans
Fundamental Skills

47
Fundamental Skills – Transferring Without a Tool
Grasping

Materials:
 Tray
 two bowls
 large beans.

Presentation:
1. Carefully carry the tray to a table, placing it so that the bowl full of beans is on the
left.
2. Open dominant hand, palm down and flat over bowl on the left.
3. Lower the hand, and curl fingers around the beans making a fist.
4. Move hand with beans up and over to the right bowl.
5. Lower the hand. Release the beans into the bowl.
6. Repeat steps 2 through 5 to transfer the remaining beans.
7. Pick up the last beans with the three finger grip and place them in the bowl on the
right.
8. Observe your work and comment, “I moved all the beans from this bowl to that one.”
(POI)
9. Move the right – full bowl of beans to the left of the tray. Put the empty bowl on the
right side of the tray. Tell the child that the work is now ready to be done again.
10. Invite the child to take a turn. “It’s your turn.” (Child can repeat as often as
desired.)

Control of Error:
 Visual - Beans spilled on the tray, table
and/or floor
 visual and auditory - broken bowl
 visual - beans left in both bowls.

Purpose:
 Learning to transfer material from one.
place to another
 care of environment
 fine-motor wrist movement
 eye – hand coordination
 visual discrimination
 social grace
 the development of concentration
 encourage task completion
 fostering independence.
48
Age Range : 2.5 to 3.5 years old

Additional Exercises:
 Using different materials (e.g. - acorns, nuts, cotton balls, smooth stones, pebbles,
buttons, grains)
 using different types of bowls, (wood, glass, baskets, boxes, large bowls, deep
bowls)
 finger transfer – use small containers with a fairly narrow opening, such as shot
glasses. This requires the child to pick up each bean, stone, etc. with the three
finger pincer grip. The child transfers from the left container to the right as done in
the presentation above only using the fingers instead of the whole hand.

49
Fundamental Skills – Transferring With a Tool
Spooning

Materials:
 Tray
 two identical bowls
 a spoon
 material to be used (beans
lentils, small noodles etc.)

Presentation:
1. Take the tray to a table,
carrying it with two hands. Set
the work on the table so that the bowl full of beans is on the left.
2. Grasp the spoon with the dominant hand.
3. Lower the spoon into the bowl on the left. Twist and scoop the beans up and into the
bowl of the spoon.
4. Slowly and carefully lift the spoon up and over to the bowl on the right. (POI)
5. Tilt the spoon sideways so that the beans gently drop into the right bowl.
6. Repeat steps 3 to 5 until left bowl is empty.
7. Comment that you have moved all of the beans to the other bowl.
8. Check the tray and table for spilled beans.
9. Place spoon on the tray so it lays horizontally to the front of the tray.
10. Remove the left - empty bowl of beans and set it on the table.
11. Move the right – full bowl of beans to the left of the tray. Put the empty bowl on the
right side of the tray. Tell the child that the work is now ready to be done again.
12. Invite the child to do the work.

Control of Error:
 Visual – child notices spoon overflowing and spilling as one transfers
 visual – child notices beans on the on tray or floor when done
 auditory – child hears clattering of spoon inside empty bowl
 visual – child notices materials not restored to original state
 visual child notices that some material is left in both bowls.

50
Purpose:
 Using a tool to transfer
 preparation for cooking
 care of environment
 fine-motor – pincer grip and wrist movement
 eye-hand coordination
 visual discrimination
 social grace
 the development of concentration
 encourage task completion
 fostering independence.

Age Range: 2 ½ to 4 years

Additional Exercises:
 Using different sizes and types of spoons, (ladles, measuring spoons, scoops, long
handled spoons, etc.)
 Using spoons made of varying materials, (silver spoons, plastic, wood, clear plastic,
metal, etc.)
 Using different materials to spoon, (rice, plastic beads, glass beads, etc.)
 Using 2 spoons and discovering which one transfers the material most efficiently
 Spooning into several different size containers, thus requiring judgment for how
much each can hold.

51
Fundamental Skills – Transferring With a Tool

Transfer with Tongs or Tweezers

Materials:
 Tray
 two identical bowls
 a pair of tongs
 material to be transferred (pom-poms
or cotton balls work well for the
initial lessons.)
Note: The presentation is the same for
transferring beans or beads with a tweezers.

Presentation:

Control of Error:
 When tongs are not squeezed tightly the pom-pom will not stay in it
 visual – child notices pom-poms on the on tray or floor when done
 visual – child sees some material in both bowls.

52
Purpose:
 Using a tool to transfer
 preparation for cooking
 care of environment
 fine-motor – pincer grip and wrist
movement
 eye – hand coordination
 visual discrimination
 social grace
 the development of concentration
 encourage task completion
 fostering independence.

Age Range 2.5 to 4 years

Additional Exercises
 Using different sizes and types of tongs
 using tongs made of varying materials (silver spoons, plastic, wood, clear plastic,
metal, etc.)
 using different materials to transfer (nuts, plastic beads, glass beads)
 tonging into several different size containers, thus requiring judgment for how
much each can hold
 use tongs with ice and an ice bucket
 use tongs for serving muffins, fruit, etc.
 use a pair of tweezers to transfer beads or beans onto a soap foot with suction
cups.

53
Fundamental Skills – Transferring With a Tool
Squeezing a Sponge

Materials:
 A tray
 a sponge
 a shaker bottle containing colored
water
 a flat dish
 All materials should be color-
coordinated.

Presentation:
1. Invite the child to the sponging
work.
2. Carry the tray to a table and
place it in the center.
3. Pick up the bottle, invert and shake some water onto the flat dish (2 or 3 good
shakes).
4. Grasp the sponge lightly with the fingertips of the dominant hand. Rest the sponge
at the edge of the water (still holding it).
5. Watch the water begin to absorb into the sponge. Comment, “Watch how the
sponge absorbs the water. It soaks it all up.” (POI)
6. Raise the sponge gently, moving to other wet areas on the tray until all water is
absorbed.
7. Say, “I am going to make sure the sponge absorbs all of the water on the tray.”
(POI)
8. Pick up the sponge and place it next to your ear on the dominant side.
9. Squeeze gently 2 or 3 times. Shrug.
10. Repeat Steps 3-9
11. Lift the sponge to ear again. Squeeze gently. Look surprised and amazed.
12. Say to the child, “There's water in this sponge! Would you like to listen?” (POI)
13. Squeeze the sponge next to child's ear.
14. Say to the child "This sponge is full. I'm going to empty it. Come with me."
15. Place the sponge on the tray, rise, and push in the chair.
16. Pick up sponge with fingertips of the dominant hand.
17. Place the other hand below to catch any drips.
18. Walk to the sink or other designated place in classroom for disposing of water.
19. Place subdominant hand on the corresponding half of the sponge, curving fingers
and thumb underneath the sponge.
20. Grasp the other half of the sponge in the same manner with the dominant hand.
21. Look carefully to see if the sponge is completely enclosed. Say to the child, "I can't
see the sponge." (POI)

54
 22. Squeeze (not twist), gently at first, then with more and more pressure until water
runs from the sponge into the sink.
23. Stop. "Listen" to the sponge again.
24. Say to the child, "I still hear water in the sponge. It is not empty." (POI)
25. Repeat Steps 24 and 25, squeezing with visible effort, as many times as necessary
until no more water comes out of the sponge.
26. Stop. Listen again. Look pleased. "Now it’s empty. Would you like to listen?"
(POI)
27. Squeeze the sponge by the child's ear.
28. Return to the table.
29. Check the tray and the table carefully for spills.
30. Invite the child to have a turn.

Control of Error:
 Visual – child notices spills
 auditory – child can hear when there is water in the sponge or the sponge is dry.

Purpose:
 Learning to soak up a quantity of water with a sponge, effectively; cleaning water
from a surface
 preparation for water work
 care of environment
 fine-motor coordination
 auditory discrimination
 visual discrimination
 fostering independence.

Additional Exercises:
 Using different sponges
 wiping a wet tray when doing other water work
 wiping a wet table
 wiping a floor spill using a floor sponge.

Notes:
 The bottle of water should be filled approximately half way with colored water
 children like to repeat this exercise many times and should be allowed to do so
 soy sauce or vinegar bottles work well for this exercise.

55
Fundamental Skills – Transferring With a Tool
Sponge Transfer

Materials:
 Tray with a rim to contain water spills
 1 small/medium sponge
 2 small/medium bowls

Presentation:
1. Carefully bring the work to the table and place it so that the bowl with the water is
on the left.
2. Pick up the sponge with the dominant hand and place it in the bowl of water.
3. Allow water to soak into the sponge.
4. Lift the sponge out of the water with the dominant hand. Comment, “The sponge
absorbed a lot of water, it is full.” (POI)
5. Tilt it so that one corner points downward so that excess water can drip into the
bowl.
6. Place the subdominant hand under the sponge and move both hands over the right
(empty) bowl.
7. Squeeze with the fingers of both hands. Comment, “When I squeeze the sponge
empties.” (POI)
8. Repeat steps 2-7 until all of the water is transferred from left to right.
9. Carefully remove the empty bowl and place it on the table. Wipe any spills on the left
side with the sponge. Squeeze into the full bowl. Place the sponge in the empty bowl.
10. Carefully slide the full bowl to the left side of the tray.
11. Clean any spills on the right side of the tray. Squeeze excess water into the full bowl
and place the sponge on the tray.
12. Return the empty bowl to the tray.
13. Check the table for spills and wipe with the sponge, returning it to the tray when
done.
14. Invite the child to take a turn.

Notes:

 Squeezing the sponge rather than twisting will help sponges last longer.
 If there is a large spill, demonstrate the table spill or floor spill clean-up process
(see the lesson for these processes in the Care of the Environment section).
 Clean all sponges regularly in mild bleach water or place them in a dishwasher
 Clear water works best for this sponging lesson as the water is likely to get dirty
quickly and may need changing several times a day. If clear tap water is used
children will be able to refill on their own.

56
Control of Error:

 Visual - water spilled on the tray or table

 water left in the left bowl
 the sponge dripping water after squeezing into the right bowl.

Purpose:
 Learning to use a sponge for later activities and for cleaning up one’s work
 gaining further control in transferring
 care of environment
 fine-motor and eye–hand coordination
 visual discrimination
 social grace
 the development of concentration
 encourage task completion
 fostering independence.

Age Range: 2½-4½

Additional Exercises:
 Using different bowls or containers and/or different size sponges
 squeeze sponges cut in small cubes with a garlic press.
(The sponges are placed in the bowl of water on the left side. One by one the
sponge cubes are placed in the garlic press and squeezed over the left bowl so that
all water remains in the left bowl. After water has been squeezed out, the sponge
cube is placed in the right (empty bowl). Continue until all sponge cubes in the
water bowl to the left have been squeezed and moved to the dry bowl on the right.)

57
Fundamental Skills – Transferring With a Tool
Basting and Eye Dropper Transfer
Materials:
 Tray
 2 jars or glass containers
 a baster
 sponge
 colored water.

Note:
 The first presentation is done with a
baster.
 For very young children one can use a
large turkey baster and two large jars
and make it a stationary lesson.
 A small baster works well on a tray with medium size containers for the child who
has begun to develop some coordination through the practice of other Practical Life
lessons.
 Take this to a more advanced level by using an eye dropper (medicine dropper) and
two small containers.

Presentation:
1. Take the tray to the table and place it so the container with the water is on the left
side of the tray.
2. Pick up the baster with the dominant hand. Demonstrate the squeezing motion with
the fingers from both hands squeezing the baster and showing its flexibility.
3. Hold baster vertically over the container on the left.
4. Squeeze the bulb. Lower the baster into the water.
5. Open your fingers releasing the bulb & watch the water level rise. Comment, “When
I open my fingers and stop squeezing, the water is sucked up into the baster.”
(POI)
6. Tilt the baster slightly in an upward direction to keep the water from spilling out.
Move the baster up & out of jar. Move the baster over into right jar.
7. Squeeze bulb again, releasing water.
8. Repeat steps 4 through 7 until all the water is transferred from left to right.
9. Wipe the tip of the baster with the sponge. Set it on the table
10. Carefully remove the empty container and place it on the table. Wipe any spills on
the left side with the sponge. Squeeze into the full container. Place the sponge in
the empty container.
11. Carefully slide the full bowl to the left side of the tray.
12. Clean any spills on the right side of the tray. Squeeze excess water into the full
container and place the sponge on the tray.
13. Return the empty container to the tray.

58
 14. Check the table for spills and wipe with the sponge, returning it to the tray when
done.
15. Return the baster to the tray.
16. Invite the child to do the work.

Note:

If there is a large spill, demonstrate the table spill or floor spill clean-up process (see the
lesson for these processes in the Care of the Environment section).

Control of Error:
 Visual - baster tube not filling with
water because squeeze and release
was not done properly
 visual – child notices water spilled.

Purpose:
 Developing muscles for squeezing
 gaining further control in transferring
 preparation for cooking
 care of environment
 fine-motor and eye–hand
coordination
 visual discrimination
 social grace
 the development of concentration
 encourage task completion
 fostering independence.

Age Range: 3 to 4 years.

Additional Exercises:
 Use a baster or dropper to transfer liquid into a sectioned container such as an ice
tray or a paint pallet
 use a baster to fill an ice tray with juice and freeze to make popsicles
 use more than one size baster/dropper placing in separate containers to see volume
differences
 use a baster or dropper to measure
 use color coded droppers to mix paint colors or food colors
 use an eye dropper to place one drop of water on the suction cups of a soap holder.

59
Fundamental Skills – Transferring
Dry Pouring

Materials:
 Tray
 2 small clear glass pitchers with spouts
and handles
 small beans such as lentils.

Presentation:
1. Bring the tray to the table and place so
that the full pitcher is on the left.
2. Lift the left pitcher a few inches off the tray, holding the handle with the left hand
and placing the right hand on the belly of the pitcher just below the spout to brace it.
3. Move the left pitcher slightly above the right pitcher, centering the spout. Comment,
“I am going to pour right in the middle of this pitcher.” (POI)
4. Slowly tilt the left pitcher and pour beans into the empty pitcher, watching and
listening for beans dropping into the pitcher. (POI) When complete, comment, “I
have poured all the beans from this pitcher to that one.” (POI)
5. Check to see if any beans have dropped onto the tray or table. If they did, pick them
up one at a time using the pincer grip and place them in the now full right pitcher.
(You are unlikely to spill, but the child may need guidance to pick up spilled beans in
this manner when he/she takes a turn.)
6. Remove both the empty and full pitchers, one at a time, from the tray onto the table.
Check for spills again.
7. Replace the full pitcher on the left side of the tray and then replace the empty
pitcher on the right side of tray. Handles should be turned to the sides.
8. Invite the child to take a turn.

Note:
 It is important for the early pouring lessons, both dry substances and water, that
clear/transparent pitchers be used so that the child will be able to see what he/she
is pouring and how much remains in the pitcher.
 Pitchers should be glass. The glass pitchers will be more beautiful and more stable
than light weight plastics. Glass also encourages the child to handle the material
carefully.
 Have extras to replace when they are accidentally broken.
 Make sure the pitchers for the initial work are small (but not too tiny – holding ½ to
1 cup of substance), stable, and check to be sure they pour easily.

60
Control of Error:
 Visual – child notices beans on tray or table or beans left in the pouring vessel.

Purpose:
 Develop pouring skills.
 Care of environment
 Care of person
 Fine-motor control–eye hand control
 Visual discrimination
 Auditory discrimination
 Development of concentration
 Encourage task completion
 Social grace
 Fostering independence

Age Range: 2 1/2 to 5 years

Additional Exercises:
 Pouring a variety of dry substances of varying sizes with two pitchers
 pouring dry substances using different size pitchers (smaller and larger)
 pouring dry substances with opaque pitchers
 pouring dry substances from a pitcher into a glass or cup
 pouring dry substances into different size containers
 pouring powdered substances of varying size and consistency
 pouring dry substances with measuring cups as a lesson in measurement
 pouring dry substances using a funnel (see pouring with funnel lesson further in
album).

61
Fundamental Skills – Transferring
Water Pouring

Materials:
 Tray
 2 small clear glass pitchers
with spouts and handles
 colored water
 small sponge.

Presentation:
1. Bring the tray to the table and place so that the full pitcher is on the left.
2. Lift the left pitcher a few inches off the tray, holding the handle with the left hand
and placing the right hand on the belly of the pitcher just below the spout to brace
it.
3. Move the left pitcher slightly above the right pitcher.
4. Slowly tilt the left pitcher and pour the water slowly and carefully right in the center
of the empty pitcher, and commenting, “Pour right in the center.” (POI) Watch and
listen as you pour the water. (POI) Note if all the water has been emptied into the
new pitcher (POI).
5. Remove each pitcher, one at a time, and carefully place them on the table.
6. Note if any water has been spilled on the tray or the table. (POI) If so sponge off
following the process previously used for cleaning a wet tray.
7. Replace pitchers so they are in place to begin the lesson again.
8. Invite the child to pour the water.

Note:
If there is a large spill, demonstrate the table spill or floor spill clean-up process (see the
lesson for these processes in the Care of the Environment section).

Control of Error:
 Visual – child notices water spilled on tray, table, or floor.

62
Purpose:
 Develop pouring skills.
 become competent in handling and cleaning up water
 care of environment
 care of person
 fine-motor control – eye hand control
 visual discrimination
 auditory discrimination
 development of concentration
 encourage task completion
 social grace
 fostering independence.

Age Range: 2 1/2 to 5 years

Additional Exercises:
 Pouring with different sized vessels and
shapes
 pouring into a glass
 pouring into a cup
 pouring with vessels without spouts
 pouring into different size vessels (requires judgment of how much to pour)
 pouring with a teapot into a cup and saucer
(Use clear water. Pour into the cup. Stand, push in your chair, and lift the saucer
holding the cup. Carry slowly and carefully to the sink. Set the saucer down on the
counter. Lift the cup and empty into the sink. Replace the cup on the saucer. Lift
the saucer and slowly return to the table. Set the cup and saucer back on the tray.
Pull out the chair and repeat. When the teapot is empty the child can refill it and
repeat as long as interested.)
 pouring liquids of differing consistencies
 pouring juices, milk, cleansers, polish in classroom situations
 pouring with measuring cups as a lesson in measurement
 pouring with funnels and strainers (see next presentation).

63
Fundamental Skills – Wet Pouring Exercises
Pouring with Funnel

Materials:
 Tray
 pitcher
 bottle with narrow opening
 funnel
 sponge.

Presentation:
1. Carefully carry the tray to the
table.
2. Draw attention to narrow bottle
opening and wide opening of
funnel. Briefly explain the purpose of the funnel. (POI)
3. Place funnel in the bottle so that the narrow opening receives the narrow part of the
funnel.
4. Pick up pitcher as in previous pouring lessons.
5. Pour the water slowly into funnel. (POI)
6. Observe the water pouring in the funnel and out into the bottle. (POI)
7. Wait for last drop. Wipe the pitcher spout with the sponge. Replace the pitcher and
sponge on the tray.
8. Check the tray for water spills and clean up as needed.
9. Remove funnel and replace on the tray.
10. Grasp the bottle with two hands and pour the water into the pitcher.
11. Wait for the last drop and wipe with the sponge. Replace both bottle and pitcher on
the tray.
12. Check for spills and clean up as needed.
13. Invite the child to do the lesson.

Note:
If there is a large spill, demonstrate the table spill or floor spill clean-up process (see the
lesson for these processes in the Care of the Environment section).

64
Control of Error:
 Visual – funnel overflows if overfilled
 visual – child notices spilled water on table, tray or self.

Purpose:
 Learning how and when to
use a funnel
 learning to pour into
containers with narrow
openings
 care of environment
 care of person
 fine-motor coordination
 eye-hand coordination
 visual discrimination
 social grace
 fostering independence.

Additional Exercises:
 Using a larger bottle
 using several bottle
 using a small funnel and a small bottle
 for young children use a very large bottle (sun tea jar) and a large canning type of
funnel. set this up on the floor with dry materials. this can be done with a scoop or
as a pouring work
 use several funnels and dry materials to see what pours best in what size funnel.
(Older children).

65
Fundamental Skills
Clamping with Clothespins

Materials:
 Medium size bowl
 clothespins.

Presentation:
1. Use two hands to carry the bowl of
clothespins to the table.
2. Pick up one clothespin. Pinch the ends
of the clothespin together using thumb,
index and middle fingers of the
dominant hand. Say, “See how the ends meet when squeezed, then the clothespin
opens.” (POI)
3. Move the clothespin to the edge of the bowl and clamp on the rim.
4. Continue to squeeze and place remaining clothespins on the rim of the bowl.
5. Comment, “I have clamped all of the clothespins on the bowl.”
6. Remove clothespins one at a time by pinching the ends together to release the pin
from the rim of bowl. Again point out that one has to squeeze the ends together.
7. Place clothespins into the bowl.
8. Invite the child to do the work.

Control of Error:
 If clothespin is pinched on wrong end it will not open
 if clothespin is not placed correctly it will not fit securely on rim of bowl.

Purpose:
 Learning to use clothes pins
 strengthening three finger grip, preparation for using knobs in other area,
preparation for hand writing, and preparation for clothes washing.
 fine-motor and eye – hand coordination
 visual discrimination
 social grace
 the development of concentration
 encourage task completion
 fostering independence.

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Age Range: 2 ½ years and up

Additional Exercises:
 Use clothespins in other areas, for counting, to keep mittens together
 use different kinds of clothespins, wooden, plastic, tiny ones, metal ones, clamps
 use metal clips to fasten paper to easel or boards in art
 use potato chip clips
 make the clothespins lesson a color matching lesson by using a variety of colors.

67
Fundamental Skills
Opening and Closing Containers

Materials:
 Basket
 various sizes and shapes of
containers with lids
 a felt mat.

Presentation:
1. Bring the basket to a table and
place it on the left hand side,
towards the back.
2. Remove the felt mat from the
basket and roll it out on the
table just below and to the right
of the basket.
3. Remove a container and place in
front of you on the table.
4. Grasp the lid with the dominant hand while the sub-dominant hand holds the container
steady.
5. Remove the lid in the appropriate manner, either twisting, prying, lifting or unclasping
as indicated by lid type. Use exaggerated movements to show the appropriate
technique. (POI)
6. Slide the container and the lid to upper left of the felt mat. Make two rows with the
matching lid in the row below the container.
7. Repeat steps 2 through 6 for each container.
8. Comment when complete, “I have removed all of the lids from the containers.” (POI)
9. Grasp the container and lid from the upper left of the mat and bring down on the table
right in front of you.
10. Replace the lid on the container reversing the action used in step 5.
11. Return the container (with lid replaced) to its place on the mat.
12. Repeat steps 10 through 11 for remaining bottles and lids.
13. Comment, “Now I have put all the lids back on the bottles. I am ready to put them
back in the basket for the next person.” (POI)
14. Invite the child to do the work.

Control of Error:

 Lids do not fit incorrect bottles.

 there is the correct number of lids for bottles (one-to-one correspondence)
 visual – child will notice if lids are on crooked.

68
Purpose:

 Learning to open and close bottles

 developing the muscles required for rotation of the wrist (prepares for writing)
 care of environment
 care of person
 fine-motor coordination
 eye-hand coordination
 visual discrimination
 social grace
 fostering independence.

Age Range: 2 ½ years and up

Additional Exercises:
 Vary bottles and lids, using different sizes and types
 make it a matching lesson by placing the lids in the basket after removing, thus
requiring the child to find the correct lid to fit the container
 use boxes and tops
 use tubes and lids
 use zipper and snap containers.

69
Fundamental Skills
Folding

Materials:
 A tray or basket to contain the material
 4 Folding Cloths approximately 12 inches along each side, prepared with lines sown
on them in a contrasting color as listed below:
Single medial line
Double medial line Double diagonal line
Single diagonal line

Presentation
Single Medial Line
1. Bring the tray of folding cloths to
a table or work mat. Place it in the
top left corner.
2. Remove the cloth with the single
line sewn across the middle.
3. Lay the cloth on the table with the
sewn line parallel to lower edge of
table.
4. Draw attention to the sewn line by
tracing your finger across it. Hold
the fabric with the left hand across
the top left corner. Using the
index finger and middle fingers of the right hand trace the line, moving across it from
left to right. (POI)
5. With thumb and forefinger of each hand, grasp lower corners and bring to match
with upper corners of cloth. (POI)
6. Release the matched corners.
7. Point out that you can now see the line on the other side of the cloth. Smooth the
fold by tracing the line/fold as in step 4. (POI)
8. Unfold cloth and invite the child to fold it.
9. Invite the child to continue practicing folding this one cloth or if quite successful
continue with the next cloth.
70
 10. If continuing, place the first cloth,
folded in the top left corner of the
table or mat just below the
basket/tray.

Double Medial Line

1. Remove the second cloth (with
double median lines)
2. Lay the cloth on the table with edge
parallel to lower edge of table.
3. Note that this cloth has two lines
because it will be folded two times.
Trace both lines.
4. Explain that you will begin folding
this cloth just like you did with the first one.
5. Trace the horizontal line as you did in step 4 with the previous cloth.
6. Follow the same folding process as above in steps 5-7
7. Turn the cloth so one of short sides of the rectangle is parallel to lower edge of table.
8. Trace along the new horizontal line across the shorter width of the cloth.
9. Fold second medial of rectangular-shaped cloth as presented in step 5 above.
10. Smooth folds with right hand, while the left hand secures the corners.
11. Note the sewn lines along the folds and the accuracy of matched corners. (POI)
12. Unfold and invite the child to try folding the cloth.
13. Invite the child to continue practicing folding this one or both cloths or if quite
successful continue with the next cloth.
14. If continuing, place the double medial cloth, folded at the top of the table or mat to
the right of the single medial cloth.

Single Diagonal Line

1. Place cloth with single diagonal line
in front of you on the table, with the
diagonal line running lower left to
upper right. The bottom edge of the
cloth is parallel to the lower edge of
the table.
2. Make note of sewn line. (POI) Child
may trace it with his/her fingers.
3. Place the left palm down on the
upper side of diagonal line in the
middle of the cloth.
4. With the thumb and forefinger of the
right hand, lift the lower-right corner
of the cloth. Fold it over the left
palm and bring it to the upper-left corner of the cloth. (POI)
5. Gently remove the left hand from within the fold, still maintaining grasp of corners
with the right hand.
6. Remove right hand from matched corners.
7. Holding triangular-shaped cloth with the left hand at the lower corner, smooth fold
with first two fingers of the right hand, pushing from lower corner outward.

71
 8. Note sewn line along fold. (POI)
9. Unfold cloth and invite the child to try.
10. Invite the child to continue practicing folding this one or all three of the cloths that
have been presented, or if quite successful continue with the next cloth.
11. If continuing, place the single diagonal cloth, folded at the top of the table or mat to
the right of the double medial cloth.

Double Diagonal Line

1. Remove the last cloth from the
basket
2. Lay it on the table with the edge of
the cloth parallel to the lower edge
of the table.
3. Note two diagonal lines and invite
the child to trace them both.
4. Fold first diagonal as presented in
steps 2-7 above.
5. Turn cloth so that the longer side is
in a vertical line.
6. Point out the sewn line and invite the child to trace it.(POI)
7. Place the left palm down on upper side of the sewn line.
8. With the thumb and forefinger of the right hand, grasp the lower corner of the cloth
and bring it over the left palm to match with the upper corner.
9. Holding matched corners with the right thumb, gently remove left hand from within
the fold.
10. Remove the right hand from the upper corner.
11. Note the accuracy of the matched corners. (POI)
12. Holding upper corners of the cloth securely with the left hand smooth the vertical fold
downward with the first two fingers of the right hand.
13. Holding lower corner of cloth with left hand, smooth the horizontal fold from left to
right with the first two fingers of the right hand.
14. Note the sewn lines along the folds. (POI)
15. Unfold the cloth and invite the child to try.
16. The child can now fold all of the four folding cloths when ever he/she chooses.

Control of Error:
 Visual - part or all of the sewn lines out of view after folding
 visual – child notices mismatched or poorly matched corners after folding.

72
Purpose:
 Developing folding skills
 care of environment
 care of self
 grace and courtesy
 fostering independence
 eye-hand coordination
 fine-motor control
 visual discrimination
 sense of order
 fostering independence

Age Range: 2 1/2 to five years

Additional Exercises:
 Folding cloths in the same manner without control lines
 folding any cloth or paper materials in classroom needing to be folded
 items of clothing for folding
 origami
 folding with a view to discovering geometric shapes and properties.

73
Additional Lessons for Developing
Fundamental Skills

 Matching nuts and bolts

 matching locks and keys
 putting a flashlight together
 using measuring cups
 napkin rolling
 using a whisk (with suds to make bubbles)
 using a beater (with suds to make bubbles)
 handling potentially dangerous objects (specifically about how to hold and carry)
pencil
pencil sharpener
scissors
knife
safety pin
push pin
 hammer and nails
 sharpening pencils
 cutting with a scissors
 using a paper clip
 using a stapler
 using tape
 using glue and/or paste
 putting a rubber band on stack of cards
 sewing lessons (complete sewing series is in the art album)
 weaving (in the art album).

74
Lesson Plans

Care of Person

75
Care of Person - Grooming
The Dressing Frames

Materials:
This is a set of wood frames to which are fixed two
pieces of cloth or leather, which can be fastened
together at the center of the frame. Each frame uses a
different type of fastening device including: buttons,
snaps, zipper, buckles, laces, ribbons for bow tying,
hook and eyes, Velcro, coverall hooks, buttons and
safety pins.

General Presentation Notes for All Frames:

1. Invite the child to go with you to get the dressing
frame.
2. Name the frame being presented.
3. Bring the frame to the table carrying it straight in front
of you, holding each side of the frame.
4. Place it gently on the table using the three step corner
method (putting down the top left corner, then top right, and then the bottom edge).
Try not to make any sound as you do set the frame on the table.
5. Sit to the right of the child.
6. The sequence of manipulation on the frames is always top to bottom.
7. After each device is undone open the flaps using both hands. One hand holds the top
left flap and the other holds the bottom left flap. Open the right flap in the same way.
8. Close the frame in the same way, first left then right.
9. This demonstrates that unfastening opens and fastening closes.

Purpose for all frames

 Care of person – learning to fasten ones clothes
 fine-motor coordination
 eye-hand coordination
 development of concentration
 encouraging task completion
 visual discrimination
 following an orderly process
 fosters independence.

76
Velcro Frame

Presentation:
1. Carry the Velcro frame to the table and
place it in the center, with the lower flap
on the left side.
2. Place left hand flat on the left upper
flap.
3. Grasp the upper inside corner of other flap with thumb and index finger of the right
hand.
4. Pull gently towards you until the first set of Velcro closures separates.
5. Point to the Velcro pieces on each flap. (POI)
6. Replace the left hand on the left hand flap.
7. Pull and separate the Velcro. Comment, “Listen to the sound of the Velcro separating.”
(POI)
8. Repeat with each set of closures until all the closures have been separated.
9. Pick up top flap with the right fingers on the top corner and left at the bottom corner,
and open.
10. Secure frame with left hand and smooth flap with the right hand.
11. Repeat for the bottom flap.
12. Pick up bottom flap in same manner and bring it to center of frame.
13. Smooth flap.
14. Pick up top flap and bring to center
15. Secure the inside corner of the bottom flap with the thumb and index finger of the left
hand.
16. Place the thumb and index finger of the right hand on the edge of top flap next to the
Velcro, having thumb below, forefinger on top.
17. With exaggerated motion, align the two pieces of Velcro and push them together,
beginning with the inside edge and working towards you. (POI)
18. Repeat for other closures.
19. Invite the child to have a turn.

Control of Error:
 One-to-one correspondence of each side of the Velcro closure – flaps do not lie
smoothly if incorrectly matched.

Age Range: 2 ½ to 4 years

Additional Exercises: Velcro closures on children's shoes, coats, toys, etc.

77
Button-Frame

Presentation:
1. Place the frame on the table so the hole-
flap is on the right side of the frame.
2. With the left thumb and forefinger grip,
grasp the button hole flap just to the left of
the hole and pull slightly.
3. Grasp the button with the right thumb and
forefinger grip. Tilt the button downward
and push it into the hole.
4. Holding the button with the right and the
material with the left, feed the button
through the hole until it disappears. (POI)
5. Release the button and the cloth.
6. With the right hand pull the right flap back to see that the button has gone through.
7. Continue the above process for the entire row of buttons.
8. Open and close the flaps as directed in the notes above.
9. With right hand, lift the material above the first button. With the left hand, insert the
button part-way into the hole, so that it’s “peeking through.” (POI)
10. When you can see the button poking through the hole, (POI) grasp the button with
the right thumb and forefinger and grasp the button hole flap with the left fingers
and pull in the opposite direction. Pull until the button is secure in the hole.
11. Gently tug the left-flap “to see if button is tight.” (POI)
12. Continue above buttoning process from top to bottom until all buttons are buttoned.

Control of Error:
 Buttons match button-holes. If incorrectly unbuttoned the flaps will not open.
 If not correctly buttoned, flaps will not match correctly and will not lie flat.

Age Range: 2 ½ to 4 years

Additional Exercises:
 Different size and shape buttons – generally smaller
 less manageable material – wool coats, cuffs, etc.

78
Snap Frame

Presentation:
1. Place on the table with the hole part of
the snaps is on the right side of frame
and the flap with the knob parts of the
snaps on the left side.
2. Tell the child, “We are going to unsnap
it.”
3. Slide the middle and index finger of the
left hand under the right flap placing
one finger on each side of the knob so
that they hold the knob and left flap in
place.
4. Grasp the right – top flap with the right
index finger on top over the snap cover
and the right thumb on the underside
of the cloth next to the hole.
5. Uncouple the snap with thumb and index finger of the right hand. Tell the child as you
do this, “Let’s listen for the little snapping sound.” (POI)
6. Repeat above unsnapping process with each snap (from top to bottom).
7. Open and close the flaps and comment, “The little knobs are hidden.” (POI)
8. Show the child the “little hole” on the underside of the top right flap. Have the child
feel the knob on the bottom left side and say “Let’s try to put the little knob into the
hole.” (POI)
9. Holding the left flap flat with the middle and index finger as in step 4, place right index
on top of the snap hole on the right flap, and the thumb just touching the edge of the
hole-assembly underneath the right-flap. Lift the right flap slightly and watch as you
carefully guide the hole-assembly onto the knob and press down. “Listen for the
snapping sound.” (POI)
10. Continue above process top to bottom.

Control of Error:
 If done incorrectly, the holes will not line up with knobs.
 If all snaps are not secured at proper points cloth will not lie flat.

Age Range: 2 ½ to 5 years

Additional Exercises:
 Different size and shaped snaps – larger tighter snaps
 snapping on clothing while on the body.

79
Zipper Frame

Presentation:
1. Place on the table with zipping
mechanism at top. Comment,
“The little handle is at the
top.” (POI)
2. Grasp the fabric of both flaps
along the top edge just above
the zipper mechanism with the
left hand, thumb stretched flat
across the top and fingers
grasping the fabric
underneath.
3. With the thumb and index
finger of the right hand grasp
the zipper handle.
4. Holding the top of the flaps
firmly in place with left hand,
pull the zipper slowly downward with right thumb and index finger, until the two sides
are separated.
5. Open and close the flaps.
6. Securely hold the handle mechanism against right-slot assembly. (POI)
7. Explain to the child, “Here’s our little train on the track. Let’s make sure the cars are
hooked together.”
8. Point out the little hole on top of the right-side zipper components and the little pin on
the left. “Do you think we can put that little pin inside the hole?” (POI)
9. Holding securely together two right side components (“little train”) with right thumb
and index fingers and the lower right edge of left flap with left hand (below insertion
pin), slide pin into slot components. “Is it all the way down in the hole?” (POI)
10. Release
11. Steady the material with the left hand holding the lower right edge of left flap. Pull
slightly toward you to make it taught.
12. Grasp the zipper handle with the right thumb and index finger and pull slowly upward
to the top of the frame.

Control of Error: Zipper will not run smoothly if not properly gripped.

Age Range: 2 ½ to 5 years

Additional Exercises: Zipping jackets or clothing while on the body.

80
Hook and Eye Frame

Presentation:
1. Place the frame on the table so that the hook is
on the right flap and the eye is on the left.
2. Steady the left flap by placing the middle and
index finger of the left hand on each side of the
eye.
3. Grasp the right flap with the right thumb under
the flap along the edge and the index finger on
top near the hook, where it is sewn.
4. Push the hook and eye together, pushing
upward with the hook so that it is removed
from the eye.
5. Pull the right flap back slightly so that you can
see that it is unhooked.
6. Repeat steps 2-5 unhooking each hook and eye.
7. Open and close the flaps.
8. To rehook, hold the fabric the same as in step 3.
9. Place the hook in the eye and pull down and to the right so that the hook is secured.
10. Repeat with each hook and eye.

Control of Error:
 Each hook has a corresponding eye and child will notice if hook is not secured in
proper eye.

Age Range: 2 ½ to 5 years

Additional Exercise: Practicing hooks and eyes on clothing

81
Buckle Frame
Presentation:

82
Control of Error:
 Flaps do not open unless unbuckling is successful.
 Flaps do not lie flat if not properly secured.

Age Range: 3 to 5 years

Additional Exercise: Practicing buckling belts and shoes while on the body.

“Through the use of such toys, the children can practically analyse the movements
necessary in dressing and undressing themselves, and can prepare themselves separately
for these movements by means of repeated exercises. We succeed in teaching the child to
dress himself without his really being aware of it, that is, without any direct or arbitrary
command we have led him to this mastery. As soon as he knows how to do it, he begins to
wish to make a practical application of his ability, and very soon he will be proud of being
sufficient unto himself, and will take delight in an ability which makes his body free from the
hands of others, and which leads him the sooner to that modesty and activity which
develops far too late in those children of today who are deprived of this most practical form
of education. The fastening games are very pleasing to the little ones, and often when ten
of them are using the frames at the same time, seated around the little tables, quiet and
serious, they give the impression of a workroom filled
with tiny workers.”
Source: The Montessori Method by Maria Montessori (1870-
1952). Translated by Anne Everett George (1882-). New York:
Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1912, p 146.

83
Bow Tying Frame

Note: Some schools have different colored laces. The purpose of two colours is to help the
child see each step distinctly. You may need to adjust the presentation to follow the color
coding of your bow frame.
Presentation: Untying
1. Place the frame on the table so that the white laces are
attached to the right flap.
2. Starting with the top bow, grasp the ends of each lace
and pull, untying the bow and leaving the laces
knotted.
3. Repeat for each bow.
4. With the left hand hold steady the left flap by placing
the middle and index finger on each side of the red lace
where it is sewn to the flap.
5. Using the right thumb and index finger grasp the knot
and pull upward forming a bridge. (POI)
6. Repeat steps 4-5 with each set of laces.
7. Grasp each lace of the top set at the top of the bridge
with the thumb and index finger of each hand and pull
the knot apart.
8. Lay the laces straight out to each side on which they
are sewn.
9. Repeat steps 7-8 with all laces.
10. Open, and then close the flaps.

Presentation: Tying
1. Using your right thumb and index finger reach across and grasp the red lace. Pull it so
it lies across the right flap.
2. Grasp the white lace with the left thumb and index and pull it to lie across the left flap.
Comment “I criss-crossed the laces”. (POI)
3. Repeat step 1 & 2 with each set of laces.
4. Steady the fabric of the left flap with the left hand as in step 4 above. Grasp the laces
at the point of crossing with thumb and index finger of the right hand. Lift up the laces
gently, noting “I have made a little bridge.” (POI)
5. Take hold of the bridge with the left thumb and index finger.
6. Grasp the red lace with the right thumb and index finger; tuck the red lace around
from behind and under the bridge, releasing and then pulling it through with the right
fingers from the front. Comment, “Put it under the bridge and pull it through.” (POI)
7. Pull both ribbons simultaneously to tighten and lie flat on each side.
8. Repeat steps 4-7 with each pair of laces.
9. Grasp the white lace (left side) with the right thumb and index finger approximately
1/3 from the center of the center knot and lift vertically.

84
10. With the left hand, form loop (bow) by grasping the white lace with thumb and
forefinger near the knot. The loop should be horizontally over the center of the flap
intersection.
11. With the right thumb and index finger grasp the red lace. Lift it across the top of the
white loop (still held in left hand).
12. Point out, “see there is a little hole” (POI) Hole will be between the white loop and red
lace. Say, “Let’s push this lace through the hole.” (POI)
13. With index finger of the right hand, push the middle of the red lace through the little
hole so that it forms another loop.
14. Comment, “See it peeking through the hole? We have made another loop” (POI)
15. Grasp the white loop with the right hand and the “peeking” red loop with the left hand.
16. Slowly, pull the loops outward in opposite directions until they are tight and the bow is
complete.
17. Repeat steps 8 - 15 with each remaining pair of laces to complete the bows.

Control of Error: Visual – child notices unsuccessful tying.

Age Range: 4 to 6 years

Additional Exercises: Tying shoes and other items of clothing.

Note: This presentation provides many comments (Points of Interest). You will notice in
the video presentation that the presenter doesn’t use many comments. Some children need
more comments than other to get through this very complicated lesson. It is not necessary
to use all comments/points of interest - follow the needs of your child.

85
Lacing Frame

Presentation: Unlacing

1. Place the frame on the table so that the bow is at the top.
2. Untie the bow in the same way as the bow tying frame.
3. Steady the fabric by placing the right thumb and index finger just below the first
hole on each flap.
4. With the left thumb and index finger gasp the laces from the first hole at their
intersection and pull up to make a bridge. (POI)
5. Steady the right fabric with the right hand and grasp the lace that goes through the
right hole with the left fingers and pull slowly until it is out of the hole.
6. Repeat the process with the lace in the left hold, steadying the fabric with the left
hand and pulling the lace through the hole with the right.
7. Pull both laces so they lay straight to the sides.
8. Repeat steps 4-8 with each pair of laces and holes except the very last.
9. At the bottom, use the right thumb and index finger to pull the lace out of the left
flap hole, pulling slowly toward the right.
10. Now pull the lace out of the right hole using the same fingers as above and
continuing to pull to the right. This shows that the lace is one long whole lace.
(POI)
11. Lay the lace below the frame.
12. Open the flaps.

86
Presentation: Lacing

1. Pick up the end of the lace in the right hand and hold up the left flap with the left
hand. Insert the lace end into the underside of the bottom-left hole. Comment, “See
the little worm come out of his hole.” (POI)
2. Pull lace through about halfway with the left hand.
3. Lift the right flap with the right hand and insert the right end of the lace into the
underside of the bottom hole in the right flap with the left hand. Comment, “Here’s the
little worm” (POI) – Pull the lace through with the right hand.
4. Take the two lace ends one in each hand and lift them up and together, vertically, to
see that they are even. Say, “Let’s make the laces the same size.” (POI)
5. Holding the end of the right lace in the right hand, and the end of the left lace in the
left hand (thumb and index finger), crisscross them diagonally so they lay across the
next opposing holes upward(right over left hole, left over right). Comment, “Let’s lay
the lace right over the holes.” (POI)
6. Take the left (right crossed) lace with right hand and insert in the underside of left
hole. Grasp with the left fingers and pull through tightly.
7. Take the right (left crossed) lace with the left hand and insert in the underside of the
right hole. Grasp with the right fingers and pull through tightly.
8. Repeat through each set of holes until the entire frame is laced.
9. At the conclusion of lacing (before tying the bow), check to see if both laces are still of
equal length as demonstrated previously.
10. Tie the laces in a bow as done with the bow tying frame.

Control of Error:
 Visual – child notices if laces are not of equal length at conclusion of lacing
 visual – child sees all holes laced
 visual – tightness of lacing.

Age Range: 4 to 5 years

Additional Exercises: Lacing shoes and other items of clothing.

87
Safety Pin Frame

point side

pinhead
catch
Presentation: Unpinning
1. Place the frame on the table with the catch of the pinhead facing left.
2. Slide the pin as far to the left as possible until the majority of the pin becomes visible.
3. Repeat with each pin.
4. Hold the pinhead of the top pin with the left fingers.
5. Grasp the body (top side) of the pin in the middle with the thumb and index finger of
right hand.
6. Squeeze firmly on the point side of the pin with the right hand. Explain, “I am going to
remove the point from the catch in the pinhead.” (POI)
7. Push the point side past the catch and push the point up and out, slowly releasing
your grip as the pin is free of catch.
8. Grasp the end of the pin with your right hand. Release the left hand from the head as
you pull the pin out with the right.
9. Tell the child, “Now we need to close the pin so it will be safe.”
10. Grasp the pin end with the left hand.
11. Place body of the pin on the inside of the right index finger behind second knuckle.
12. Place the right thumb against the open point side of the pin, slightly down from the
point.
13. Brace the thumb and index finger of the right hand by maintaining the grasp of the
end with the thumb and forefinger of left hand.
14. Explain, “Now we’re going to squeeze the pin until the point is inside the catch and
stays shut.” (POI) Squeeze and secure the pin close.
15. Lay the closed pin on the table and continue unpinning process as demonstrated
above (steps 4 - 14) with each remaining pin.
16. Open flaps – and close.

88
Presentation: Pinning
1. Pick up one pin and carefully open it. Reverse process of steps 10-14 above. Set
the open pin on the table.
2. Grasp and hold both flaps together with thumb and index finger of left hand at top
of material.
3. Take the open pin, holding at the end with the right hand and insert the point of the
pin in the area where the two flaps overlap. Comment “Put the point right in the
middle, where the flaps touch.” (POI)
4. Push it until you can see it has gone through both flaps. Look underneath. (POI)
5. Turn the pin so it is level and horizontal with the fabric.
6. Hold the flaps firmly flat with the left hand and the body of the pin with the right.
Pierce upward with the pin until it reappears through the material. Comment, “Be
careful not to poke your fingers.” (POI)
7. Push the pin all the way up through the material as far as possible.
8. Pull the pinhead as far to the left as possible with left hand and squeeze it closed
with the thumb and forefinger of the right hand.
9. Continue above process, for each remaining pin.

Control of Error:
 Visual – child sees if material is successfully unpinned and pinned securely
 pain – if child does not handle pin correctly.

Age Range: 3 to 6 years

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Care of Person – Grooming

Putting on a Jacket

Materials:
 Child size jacket
 Adult size jacket for demonstration.

Presentation:
1. Bring the adult jacket and child’s jacket to a space where the floor is clear. Invite the
child to carry the small jacket. Explain to the child that you are going to show him a
way that he can easily put on his own jacket.
2. Place the adult’s jacket on the floor with the front open and facing up. Help the child
place the small jacket next to the large jacket in the same way.
3. Ask the child to watch you put on the large jacket first and then it will be his turn with
the small jacket.
4. Walk around to the back of the jacket and stand at the neck with the jacket upside
down. Ask the child to stand next to you so he can see what you are doing.
5. Slip your arms halfway into the large jacket. Comment, “Put both arms in from this
side just halfway.” (POI)
6. Explain, “Now I am going to flip it over my head.” (POI) Pull your arms upward flipping
the coat backwards over your head and slide your arms completely into the sleeves.
7. Straighten the jacket if needed and comment, “My jacket is on just right.”
8. Invite the child to try. Guide him to follow steps 4-7.
9. Suggest that he take the coat off and practice again.
10. Tell the child that he will now be able to take care of himself and put on a jacket or
sweater whenever he needs to stay warm.

Control of Error:
 Comfort or discomfort - Child is aware if jacket is on correctly.

Purpose:
 Care of person – grooming
 Fine-motor coordination.
 Eye-hand coordination.
 Sense of order.
 Fostering independence.
 Awareness of body – forms and movement.

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91
Care of Person – Grooming and Hygiene
Hand Washing

Materials:
 A table - child’s height used as
wash stand in a permanent
place
 a small size basin (china,
porcelain, or enamel)
 a matching pitcher
 a soap dish with small soap
 a small dish to hold a fingernail
brush and a sponge
 hand towel
 bucket
 small decanter of hand lotion
 child’s apron
 teacher’s apron.

Presentation:
1. Bring the child to the wash stand and ask him/her to put on the apron. Put on your
apron.
2. Tell the child that you need to fill the pitcher. Invite the child to go with you to the
sink to get the water.
3. Lift the pitcher carefully holding the handle with the left hand and the pitcher belly
with the right. Walk slowly to the sink.
4. Set the pitcher on the counter and turn the water on to a medium stream. Place the
pitcher centered under the stream and fill about ¾ full. Set the pitcher down on the
counter and turn the water off. Comment, “I only fill it this much so I won’t spill it
when I carry it.” (POI)
5. Walk slowly and carefully back to the table.
6. Pour the water into the basin (the basin should be about half full).
7. Place the pitcher on the table above the basin.
8. Place both hands in the basin to wet them.
9. Lift hands out of the water and gently shake off excess water into the basin.
10. Pick up the soap. Wet it in the basin and lather hands thoroughly keeping them low
over the basin.
11. Replace soap in its dish.
12. Rub the palms of your hands together.
13. With the right hand, scrub the back of the left hand and with the left scrub the back of
the right.
14. Lather and rub each finger separately.
15. Comment, “My hands are completely covered with soap.” (POI)
16. Place hands in the basin and rinse, first the front, then turn over and rinse the back.
Shake off the excess water. Check hands and ask, “Is there any soap left on my

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 hands?” (POI)
17. Check fingernails for dirt. (POI) Take the nail brush and dip the bristles in the basin
water. Shake off the excess water.
18. Hold brush in your left hand, bristles downward. Pick up the soap with the right hand.
Run the bristles over the soap. Note the soap on the bristles. (POI)
19. Replace the soap on the dish.
20. Hold the brush in one hand bristles downward; run over the opposite hand, i.e. brush
each nail separately. Rinse hand and switch brush and repeat. Rinse.
21. Rinse the brush and shake off excess water. Replace it on the dish.
22. Dry hands with the hand towel front and back and dry each individual finger. Check
hands and ask, “Are my hands all dry?” (POI)
23. Set towel in its place.

Clean up
1. Explain, “Now I need to dump the water and clean up for the next person.”
2. Pull the bucket so that it is out from under the wash stand, placing it a little to the side
of the table.
3. Very carefully lift the basin with two hands. Move it slowly over and down to the
bucket. Pour the water from the basin water into the bucket.
4. Tell the child that you need fresh water to clean up all of the materials.
5. Take the pitcher to the sink to retrieve more water. Pour fresh water into the basin.
6. Remove the brush, soap, and sponge from their dishes and set them on the table.
7. Immerse the dishes in the basin water, sponge clean, and dry. Place them back on the
table in their proper place.
8. Immerse the brush in the water, remove and shake gently over the basin, sponge and
dry. Replace on the dish.
9. Dip soap in and out of the water quickly, lay it on top of the sponge (held in palm of
left hand). With the right hand, slide the soap over sponge (both flat sides) and
replace it on the soap dish.
10. Rinse the sponge thoroughly and squeeze out water.
11. Sponge-clean the sides of the basin. Squeeze out the sponge and set it on its dish.
12. Pour the basin water carefully into the bucket. Dry the basin with the towel.
13. Hold the pitcher with the left hand and dry it with the towel. Place the pitcher in the
basin.
14. Sponge up any water on the table. Squeeze the sponge water into the bucket and
replace in the dish.
15. Dry the table.
16. Carry the bucket to the sink and empty.
17. Return to the table and dry the bucket with the towel. Replace the bucket under the
wash stand.
18. Take the towel to the laundry hamper and get a clean one. Replace the towel in its
proper place.
19. Comment, “Everything is clean and dry and ready for the next person. I can now have
some hand lotion.” (POI)
20. Squeeze a small drop of lotion into the palm of your hands.
21. Replace the lotion bottle in its place on the table.
22. Work lotion into hands, individual fingers, front and back.

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Control of Error:
 Visual - water on the table or the floor
 visual - wet or soapy items after clean-up
 tactile - soap or water left on hands
 visual and tactile- spilled or excess amount of lotion
on hands.

Purpose:
 Care of person – sanitation
 fine-motor coordination
 eye-hand coordination
 visual discrimination
 sequencing – skill
 sense of order
 fostering independence
 awareness of body – forms and movement.

Age Range: 3 to 5 years

Additional Exercises:

 Bathing other parts of body: face, arms,

legs, eyes, ears, whole body.

 Foot Washing – This lesson is done for

another person. A medium to large basin
is placed on a towel on the floor in front
of a chair. One will use all of the same
materials as in hand washing, laying
them across the mat from left to right,
below the basin. The person, whose feet
will be washed sits, removes his/her shoes and places feet in the water. Each foot is
washed one at a time in a very similar manner to hand washing – tops of foot,
soles, toes, and nails with a brush. Feet are dried. Water is emptied from basin to
bucket. Bucket and basin is set aside and lotion is massaged into feet. Clean up
process is basically the same as above.

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Care of Person – Grooming
Cleaning and Polishing Shoes

Materials:
 White paper
 2 brushes (1 hard, 1 soft)
 neutral wax shoe polish
 applicator
 small flannel cloth
 small lamb’s wool buffer
cloth or mitt
 apron
 leather shoe to polish
 child’s apron
 teacher’s apron.

Note:
The lesson is more meaningful if the child is polishing a shoe that is his/her own or one
belonging to another child or teacher in the class. One can also keep a basket of extra shoes
to use for this purpose; parents will often donate shoes that the children have outgrown.
Shoes should be somewhat dirty.

Presentation:
1. Invite the child to do the shoe polishing lesson. Put on your apron and invite the child
to put on his.
2. Place the large paper on the table. Lay out the materials on mat, left to right in the
order of use; hard brush, flannel dusting cloth, polish, applicator, soft brush, buffer
cloth.
3. Place the basket out of the way, above the paper on the table, to the side, or under
the chair depending on space.
4. Choose a shoe to polish and place it on the paper in the center.
5. Loosen or remove the laces of the shoe. Pull back the shoe tongue.
6. Insert the left hand into the shoe. Take the hard/mud brush in the right hand and
brush off any caked dirt, holding the shoe on or over paper mat. Comment on the dirt
on the mat (POI)
7. Remove the left hand from the shoe. Note the fine dirt or dust left on the shoe after
brushing. (POI)
8. Replace the mud brush on the upper portion of the mat. Take the dust cloth and
make a mitt. Put the hand back in the shoe and dust the shoe removing any fine dirt
or dust. Replace the cloth on the mat.
9. Remove the left hand from shoe. Show the child how to open the polish can (can
opening mechanisms will vary check ahead of time and figure how to demonstrate
opening the can in a simple way so the child will be successful).

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10. Remove the top and place the top and polish can on paper mat to the right of the
shoe.
11. Take applicator in the right hand and draw gently across the polish toward you.
Repeat three times. Show child the polish on the applicator. (POI)
12. Lay down the applicator, replace the top securely on the polish can and return to its
place with the materials at the top of the mat.
13. Insert the left hand into the shoe again. Pick up the applicator in the right hand.
Holding the shoe down on the paper mat, apply the polish.

Note No polish should get inside or on the sole of the shoe or shoe laces. (POI)

14. Return the applicator to its place on the materials mat.

15. Pick up the soft brush in the right hand and rub in the polish. Note the difference
between rubbed and unrubbed portions of the shoe. (POI)
16. Continue until all is rubbed in.
17. Return the soft brush to the top of the mat and take the buffer cloth. Buff the shoe
with faster strokes. Note how shiny the shoe is getting. (POI)
18. Return the buffer to the top of the mat.
19. Ask the child to check with you for any polish left unbuffed. (POI)
20. Compare polished and unpolished shoes. (POI)
21. Replace the polished shoe to its proper place (someone’s foot or the basket of spare
shoes)
22. Invite the child to polish the shoes’ mate. Tell him that you will return to show him the
clean up process (Stay long enough to be sure the child knows how to get started).
Excuse yourself to wash your hands.
Clean Up:
1. Bring the waste basket to the table. Hold the hard brush over the waste basket and
brush back and forth with your hand to remove excess dirt. Put it back in the
materials basket.
2. Gently shake the dusting cloth into the waste basket. Refold it and place it back in the
materials basket.
3. Return all other materials to the basket.
4. Fold the paper in half with the dirt in the middle, fold it in half again. Move it to the
waste basket being careful not to spill the dirt.
5. Show the child where to get a clean piece of paper. Fold it to fit under the materials
basket and put them both away on the shelf.
6. Check for dirt or polish on the floor and clean with the broom or spill sponge if
necessary. (POI)
7. Wash hands.

Control of Error:
 Visual - polish on inside, sole, or laces of shoe
 visual - areas of shoe left unpolished
 visual - dirt or polish on floor.

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Purpose:

 Care of person
 fine-motor coordination
 eye-hand coordination
 visual discrimination
 sequencing — memory skill
 sense of beauty
 fostering independence.

Age Range: 3 to 5 years

Additional Exercises:
 Polishing patent leather shoes – use Vaseline to polish
 cleaning canvas sneakers or sandals – brush and wipe only no polish.

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Care of Person – Grace and Courtesy
Hygiene – Coughing, Sneezing and Blowing Noses

Note: Present as a group lesson.

Coughing Presentation:
1. Discuss with the group, “Sometimes when we have a cold or a tickle in our throats we
cough. When we cough we spread germs, which can make other people sick. If we
cover our mouth when we cough, we will help keep everyone well, so it is polite to
cover our mouth. Watch while I demonstrate.”
2. Cover your mouth and make a coughing sound.
3. Say, “Excuse me.” Explain, it is polite to say excuse me if your coughing interrupts
someone who is talking or disturbs someone’s work.
4. Invite the children to cover their mouths and pretend to cough.
5. Tell the children that it is a good idea to wash
your hands when you have been coughing into
them a lot.

Sneezing Presentation:
1. Discuss with the group as above with coughing
lesson emphasizing that sneezes are often wet
and messy and it is very important to cover
one’s mouth.
2. Dramatically act as though you are going to
sneeze. Cover your mouth and nose with both
hands. Turn your head away so as not to
sneeze in the direction of someone’s face, food
or work.
3. Say, “Excuse me.”
4. Explain that because sneezes are often messy
one should always wash one’s hands. Ask the
children to remain in the group while you wash
your hands.
5. Return to the group.
6. Ask the children how they know when they are going to sneeze. Discuss the tickly
feeling in the nose, etc. Tell them that this feeling helps them know that it is time to
cover their mouth and prepare for the sneeze.
7. Invite the children to pretend to sneeze and cover their mouths.
8. Tell them, that of course if this was a real sneeze you would need to wash your hands.

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Blowing One’s Nose Presentation:
1. Bring a box of tissues to the group.
2. Discuss with the group, “When we have a cold, we often need to blow our nose to
clear out the mucous. This will help us feel better and will help us stay clean. I am
going to show you how to politely blow one’s nose.”
3. Remove a tissue from the box.
4. Take the tissue in both hands and bring it up to cover the nose.
5. Blow gently into the tissue.
6. Fold the tissue over and wipe your nose.
7. Crumble your tissue, stand and take it to a nearby trashcan. Tell the children, “It is
important to throw away the tissue after blowing your nose because it is dirty and full
of germs.”
8. Explain, “Now I need to wash my hands so I don’t spread germs that may have gotten
on my hands when I was blowing my nose.”
9. Return to the group. Tell the children, “Now we will all practice blowing noses. I am
going to give each of you a tissue and I want you to lay it in your lap until everyone
has one and then I will tell you what to do.” Give each child a tissue.
10. Explain, “When we have all practiced blowing our nose, please stay sitting and I will
give you special instructions. Now before we blow our noses there is something very
important you need to know. When you blow your
nose you have to keep your mouth closed and blow
out with your nose.”
11. Ask them to cover their nose with the tissue as
demonstrated and blow out. Remind them to wipe
the nose when done.
12. Ask them to crumple their tissue and hold it in their
hand.
13. Tell them that you will call their names quietly to
go to wash their hands and throw away their tissue
on their way to choose work.

Purpose:
 Care of person – personal hygiene
 fine-motor coordination
 eye-hand coordination.
 sense of order
 fostering independence
 awareness of body – forms and movement.

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Care of Person – Health and Safety
Crossing a Street

Presentation:
1. Have children sit at the line.
2. Show them a picture or several pictures of streets busy with traffic and people
crossing.
3. Initiate a discussion about the pictures. Find out about the children’s experiences with
regard to streets and street crossing. Talk about the problems involved in street
crossing and the need to be careful.
4. “I’d like to show you a safe way of crossing a street.” (POI)
5. Tell the children that safest place to cross a street is at a stop light and/or a corner.
6. Stand up and walk to outside of group line (on one of long sides).
7. “Let’s pretend this is a busy street between the two lines of the ellipse. And I want to
cross over to the sidewalk on the other side.”
8. “First we look this way (right) up the street for any cars or trucks coming. Then we
listen for the sound of any cars or trucks coming. If I see or hear anything coming, I
wait on the sidewalk until it goes by. (Role play watching a big truck go by.)
9. “Then we look and listen the other way (left) for any cars or trucks.
10. “Then I take one quick look again in the other direction (right) and if there’s nothing
coming I step into the street and walk quickly to the other side.” (Perform action of
crossing ellipse to the opposite side.)
11. Ask children, one by one, to cross the “street” (ellipse) as they have been shown and
return to their work in the classroom.

Purpose:
 Care of person with regards to safety
 fostering independence.

Age Range: 5 to 6 years

Additional Exercises:
 Take the class outside and practice crossing a real street (perhaps the school drive
way initially and later out on the actual street)
 crossing at stop light.

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Additional Care of Person Lessons

Grooming
 Combing hair
 washing one’s face
 brushing teeth
 nail care
 using a clothes brush
 putting on gloves and mittens
 hanging one’s clothes and/or coat.

Health and Safety

 Using sunscreen
 cleaning a wound
 care for a bite or sting
 putting on a bandage
 taking a temperature
 personal safety (awareness of stranger dangers).

Miscellaneous
 Packing a lunch box/opening lunch containers
 packing a suitcase
 bathroom procedures
 bathing a baby (similar process as object washing; use a lifelike doll.)

101
Care of the
Environment

102
Care of the Environment – Indoors
Water Spills Clean-up Systems

Table Spills

Materials:
 A small bucket (paint bucket or beach
bucket size)
 a medium sponge
 several absorbent wash clothes or
small towels.
(All materials should be the same color
such as dark blue, green, or brown.)

Presentation:
1. When a child has spilled water on a table and it is more than their sponge will clean
up, show them the table spills clean-up material.
2. Take the child to the place on the shelf or under the sink where the materials are kept.
3. Bring the bucket with sponge and towel in it to the wet table.
4. Set the bucket on the table or next to the table on the floor (if table is covered with
water.)
5. Set the towel next to the bucket.
6. Remove the sponge from the bucket.
7. Demonstrate the use of the sponge to soak up water from the spill moving across the
table left to right, top to bottom.
8. Squeeze it out into the bucket.
9. Repeat until the water has been absorbed.
10. Place your hand on the table and comment, “We have absorbed the water with the
sponge, but the table still feels wet. I need to dry it with the towel so it will be ready
for my friends to work on.”
11. Demonstrate drying the table, using the absorbent towel, moving left to right, top to
bottom.
12. Invite the child to come with you to empty the bucket into the sink. Return to the
table and dry the bucket with the towel.
13. Place the sponge inside. Put the towel in the hamper or hang on the clothes line.
14. Put a dry towel in the bucket and return it to its storage place.
15. Return to the table and check to see if any water spilled on the floor. If so proceed to
demonstrate the floor spill clean-up process.

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Floor Spills:

Materials:

As for table spills, only use a large bucket and a larger sponge.
The floor spill material kit should be a different color to distinguish it from the materials
used to clean a table spill, but should also be a dark color for cleaning the floor.

Presentation:

The process for cleaning the spill is done the same as above only one is working on the
floor. A sponge and towel will be much more effective for children cleaning spills than a
mop.

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Care of the Environment – Indoors
Hanging Towels

Materials:
 A folding drying rack (or child-sized wash-line)
 a wet towel.

Note:
This lesson may be given as a natural outcome during the process of another piece of
work, e.g., table washing, wiping a large water spill, etc, or it can be a planned lesson
with one or more children. If it is done as a planned small group lesson, have several wet
towels in a laundry basket and take the basket and the children to the drying rack.

Presentation:
1. Invite the child to have a lesson on hanging up the towel.
2. Pick up the towel by placing the thumb and index fingers of each hand on two
adjacent corners of the towel.
3. Hold the towel in front of you at the same height that you would a tray, having arms
anchored close to body.
4. Carry to drying rack.
5. Slowly lift the towel until bottom clears the rungs of the rack. Bend knees so that you
can easily reach the lower rung.

Note: The rungs on the rack should be filled from back to front, bottom to top, unless the
towel is too long and will touch the floor. It may be necessary to stoop in order to reach
lowest empty rung.
6. Move the towel back a little so that it is behind the rung.
7. Slowly lower the towel until approximately one-half is between the rungs.
8. Bring hands toward you and then down so that the towel folds over the rung.
9. When second half of towel is fully draped over the rung, remove hands.
10. Invite the child to hang a wet towel.

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Control of Error:

 Visual – child will see if towels hang

correctly.

Purpose:
 Care of the environment
 sense of cleanliness and order
 fostering independence
 hand-eye coordination
 large-muscle coordination
 fine-motor coordination
 social courtesy.

Age Range: 2 ½ and up

Additional Exercises:
 Hanging clothing on rack
 using clothespins to hang
 hanging wet cloths that have first been
washed
 hanging paintings on a rack.

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Care of the Environment – Indoors
Sweeping the Floor

Materials:
 Small push broom
 hand brush
 dustpan
 waste basket
 chalk
 damp sponge
 tray
 disposable material to sweep such as a container of confetti.

Presentation:

1. Invite the child to do the sweeping lesson.

2. Bring the tray with the container of sweeping material, chalk and sponge to an open
space on the floor. Set the tray on a table nearby or on a work mat.
3. Explain that you are going to create a spill to be cleaned up. Open the container and
gently pour some of the contents on the floor.
4. Take chalk and draw a small circle on the floor explaining, “I will use this circle as my
guide for where to sweep my spilled material.” (POI)
5. Take the child with you to get the broom. Point out the care with which you carry it so
that it does not knock anyone or anything. (POI)
6. Demonstrate the sweeping technique; push and pull.
7. Sweep spilled items into circle. Commenting about getting it all inside the circle. (POI)
8. Check to see if any is left outside the circle? (POI)
9. Return the broom to its place and get the dustpan and
the hand brush. Carry them to the circle and lay them
on the table or work mat with the tray.
10. Get the waste basket.
11. Hold the dustpan with the left hand next to the
encircled items.
12. Brush with the right hand, sweeping the items into the
pan. Point out the dirt and the items in the pan. (POI)
13. Lay the brush down in the circle and pick up the
dustpan with two hands. Hold the pan over the waste
basket, tilt and dump the contents. Check to see if
any dust or items re-spilled (POI)
14. Repeat procedure of hand brushing into the dustpan
and dumping until all of the items are cleaned up.
Check again to see if any items or dust are left on the floor? (POI)
15. Replace the hand brush and dustpan on storage rack.
16. Return waste basket to the proper place.
17. Using the damp sponge, remove the chalk line from the floor.
18. Invite the child to practice sweeping.

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Control of Error:

 Items left outside chalk circle.

 Items left inside chalk circle after hand brushing.
 Items spilled when dumping dustpan into waste basket.

Purpose:

 Developing the ability to sweep and clean

up a spill
 care of the environment
 sense of cleanliness and order
 fostering independence
 hand-eye coordination
 sequencing — memory
 large-muscle coordination
 fine-motor coordination
 visual discrimination
 social courtesy.

Age Range: 3 to 5 years.

Additional Exercises:

 Sweeping with a regular broom

 vacuuming
 mopping
 waxing.

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Care of the Environment – Indoors
Dusting

Materials:
 A basket containing a small feather duster or lamb’s wool duster, a dust cloth and a
small paint brush
 a noticeably dusty work shelf
 a waste basket
 a work mat.

Presentation:
1. Take the child with you to locate a dusty shelf in the classroom.
2. Get a work mat and set it on the floor parallel to the shelf.
3. Bring the basket with the dusting materials to the mat next to the dusty shelf. Place it
in the bottom right corner of the mat.
4. Bring a small class wastebasket and set it next to the mat.
5. Remove the materials on the top shelf one at a time and place them on the mat in the
same order they appear on the shelf. Explain, “If we place them on the mat in the
same order, it will be easier to return them in order to the shelf when we are done
dusting.” (POI)
6. Stand to dust the top shelf with the feather duster, slowly and gently dusting across
the shelf from left to right and top to bottom across the shelf.
7. Shake the dust from the feather duster into the waste basket and then return it to the
basket of dusting materials.
8. Lay the dusting cloth flat on the mat below the materials.
9. Fold the cloth to make a dusting mitt:
9.1 Fold the cloth in fourths (same as double medial cloth in folding lesson)
9.2 Turn the cloth so that the folds are on the top and left side of the cloth
9.3 Grasp the bottom right corner of the cloth (top layer of the cloth only) with
the left thumb and forefinger and lift up the fabric creating a pocket.
9.4 Place the four fingers of the right hand inside with the right thumb securing
the remaining fabric underneath.
9.5 Show child (closely) the finished mitt.
10. Stand to dust the top shelf.
11. With palm turned down inside the mitt, reach across the shelf with mitt and slide it
across the dusty surface, moving across the shelf from left to right.
12. Show the child the dust collecting on the mitt. (POI)
13. Continue until the top shelf has been thoroughly dusted clean.
14. When finished, ask the child to approach the shelf and view, at surface level, the
dusted shelf and compare to the undusted shelves (POI). Ask the child to help you see
if you missed any dust on the shelf you just finished. (POI)
15. Remove the mitt and shake the dust into the waste basket.
16. Examine the cloth for dust and determine if is too dirty to continue to dust with it.
17. Put the mitt back on your hand and show the child to dust each material before it is
returned to the shelf.
18. Use the brush for any corners or hard to get to spots.
19. Remove the mitt and show child where to place dirty cloths and where to obtain clean
ones.
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20. Invite the child to dust the next shelf.
21. Watch for when the child has finished dusting so that you can guide them in the clean-
up process. Be sure the child has placed the dirty cloth where it belongs and has
obtained a clean cloth for the next person. Return the dusting lesson to the shelf and
the trash can to its proper location.

Control of Error: Visual – child notices dust remaining on the area cleaned.

Purpose:
 Care of the environment — sanitation precaution
 sense of cleanliness and order
 fostering independence
 hand-eye coordination
 sequencing — memory
 large-muscle coordination
 fine-motor coordination
 visual discrimination
 social courtesy.

Age Range: 3 to 5 years

Additional Exercises:
 Dusting objects with curving and undulating surfaces
 dusting inside material boxes such as the moveable alphabet
 using feather duster.

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Care of the Environment – Indoors
Wood Polishing

Materials:
 Vinyl placemat
 basket
 dropper or squeeze
bottle for polish
 polish (see note
below)
 small glass dish
 one flat cotton pad
 two small cloths
one made of terry
cloth and the other
flannel
 a sponge
 child’s apron
 teacher’s apron.
(All material in this lesson should be color-coded.)

Note:
The classroom is filled with many wooden items, materials, tables, and shelves,
making wood polishing a wonderful real activity for caring for the environment. Begin
with something small that can be brought to the mat on the table and build up to
polishing larger furniture.

Presentation:
1. Invite the child to do wood polishing. Put on your apron and invite the child to put on
one as well.
2. Bring the basket and place mat to a table. Place the basket at the top of the table with
the mat below.
3. Lay out the polishing materials from left to right at the top of the mat in the order to
be used: the dropper bottle of polish, the small dish, the cotton pad, the terry cloth,
the flannel cloth and the sponge.
4. Place the basket out of the way, above the vinyl mat on the table, to the side, or
under the chair depending on space.
5. Explain to the child that you need to find something made of wood that needs
polishing. Take the child with you and point out several boxes and materials made of
wood. Choose one item (one of the mid-size broad stair prisms works well).
6. Bring the selected item to be polished back to the table and place it in the center of
the mat.
7. Check to be sure the polish lid is securely closed then shake the polish.
8. Unscrew the bottle of the polish and lift the eyedropper very slightly.

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9. With thumb and forefinger of right hand, squeeze eyedropper, and release so that
polish is sucked into the dropper.
10. Remove eyedropper from bottle and show polish held in tube. (POI)
11. Squeeze polish from the eyedropper into the small dish. Check to see if any polish
spilled on the mat? (POI) If it did, clean it with the sponge. (It is unlikely that you will
spill, but it may be necessary to guide the child to clean spills with the sponge).
12. Replace the eyedropper in bottle and screw the cap on securely. Make a point of
commenting that you are checking to be sure it is on tight.
13. Pick up the cotton pad and dip it into the polish in the dish. Show the child the polish
on the pad. (POI)
14. Apply the polish to the wooden object with firm, rotary-arm action. Turn the item as
needed to apply the polish.
15. Ask the child to help you to check if you missed any areas.(POI)
16. Contrast the surface areas with and without polish (POI)
17. Continue until the entire object has polish applied.
18. Replace the cotton pad at the top of the mat.
19. Pick up the terry cloth and make a mitt.
20. Rub in the polish vigorously (rotary movements) with the terry cloth.
21. Ask the child to help check for any areas where polish has not been rubbed in? (POI)
Contrast areas. (POI) Continue until all polish is rubbed in.
22. Replace the terry cloth on the mat. Take the flannel buffing cloth, make mitt, and buff
the wooden object with finer rotary movements.

Note: From polish application, through working in process, to buffing, rotary

movements of arm should proceed from gross to fine, from larger to more delicate
motions. Pressure of arm should be greatest during working in process with terry cloth.

23. Compare buffed and unbuffed areas of the object. (POI) Continue until the entire
object has been buffed.
24. Admire your polished item.
25. Tell the child that it is her turn to polish something and that she can choose something
when you go to return your object. If you polished a broad stair prism you can invite
her to polish more (or all) of the broad stair, one prism at a time.
26. Explain to the child that you need to get the work ready for her.
27. Take her with you to throw away the cotton pad and show her where to get a clean
one.
28. Take her with you to place the two cloths in the dirty hamper and show her where to
get two clean cloths to go with the lesson.
29. Help the child get everything back in order at the top of the mat and ready to start.
30. Ask the child to come and get you when she is all done so you can show her the
complete clean-up process.
31. Tell her you are going to go wash your hands as it is important to get any polish off
our hands.

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Clean-Up:

1. Replace polish bottle in basket. Sponge-clean if necessary.

2. Take the small dish and sponge to the sink. Turn the water on to a minimal flow. Rinse
the dish and sponge-clean then return to the work table and replace it in the basket.
3. Remind the child to throw away the pad and get a new one and guide her to put it in
the basket.
4. Remind her to take the dirty cloths to the hamper and get clean ones for the basket.
5. Sponge-clean the mat.
6. Take the sponge to the sink, rinse and squeeze out all the water and replace it in the
basket.
7. Remind the child that we always wash our hands after we handle polish.

Notes:
 The photo for this lesson is missing the sponge. Some teachers keep a basket of
sponges at their sink for cleaning mats. While this is an acceptable practice, having
a sponge with the lesson assures that this step is not missed.

 It is sometimes difficult to find a good non-toxic wood polish. Some of the Montessori
material companies sell one brand. One can polish with oils but they are difficult to
rub in and can be messy. Diluted hand lotion with a nice lemon scent works well.

Control of Error:
 If dropper is not used correctly polish will not get sucked up into the eyedropper
 visual - polish on the mat or the floor
 visual - polish left on the object, not rubbed in and buffed
 visual - areas left unpolished and/or unbuffed.

Purpose:
 Care of the environment
 fine-motor coordination
 eye-hand coordination
 visual discrimination
 order -sequencing — memory facility
 fostering independence
 sense of beauty

Age Range: 3 to 5 years

Additional Exercises:
 Polishing various shapes and sizes of wood objects and materials, i.e. artwork,
wooden fruit, wooden animal statues on display in the cultural area, etc.
 polishing tables, shelves, cabinets, cases, doors, and woodwork in room.
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114
Care of the Environment – Indoors
Metal Polishing

Materials:
 Vinyl placemat
 basket
 dropper or squeeze bottle for polish
 metal polish (see note below)
 small glass dish
 a cotton ball
 a manicure stick
 one flat cotton pad
 a small flannel cloth
 a small brush
 a sponge
 child’s apron
 teacher’s apron.
(All material in this lesson should be color-coded.)

Note:

Wright’s metal polish is non toxic and is available through some of the Montessori materials
companies as well as some department stores. Some people also use toothpaste. Make sure
the polish or tooth paste is an appropriate liquid consistency for the dropper, diluting if
necessary.

One can use a pre-made cotton swab instead of having the child make one with the
manicure stick and cotton ball. Making one’s own, however, supports fine motor
coordination developing both the pincer grip and wrist rotation (See step 9 below).

Presentation:

1. Bring the basket of materials and the vinyl mat to a table.

2. Put on your apron and invite the child to put on hers.
3. Lay out the mat and place the materials from left to right in the order to be used; the
dropper bottle, the glass dish, the manicure stick, cotton ball, cotton pad, small brush,
flannel cloth, and sponge.
4. Place the basket out of the way, above the paper on the table, to the side, or under
the chair depending on space.
5. Choose a silver item to be polished and place it in the center of the mat. Show the
child the part of the object you are going to polish (leave half or more for the child to
polish).
6. Make sure the cap is securely on the polish bottle and then shake it.
7. Unscrew the cap. With the right thumb and forefinger, squeeze eyedropper and
release. Pull eyedropper out of bottle and show child polish in the dropper tube. (POI)
8. Squeeze the polish in the eyedropper into the small dish. Check for any spills on the
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 mat. (POI)
9. Return the eyedropper to the bottle and secure the cap tightly.
10. Pick up the cotton ball and using three finger grip of both hands pull it slightly so that
the cotton loosens. Divide it into two pieces and place one piece back on the mat.
11. Hold the cotton in the left hand. Take the manicure stick in the right hand; poke the
sick into the middle of the piece of cotton. Turn the stick clockwise wrapping the stick
with the small piece of cotton. Continue to twist the stick between the thumb and first
two fingers of the left hand so that the cotton becomes tightly wrapped around the
stick forming a cotton swab.
12. Dab the cotton swab into the dish with the polish. Turn it in the polish until fully
soaked.
13. Apply polish to the object with the swab in the right hand and steady the object with
the left. Work swab in small circles around object.
14. Show the child the black tarnish on the cotton swab. (POI)
15. Lean the swab across the dish so that it rests securely and does not get polish on the
mat.
16. Permit the polish on the object to dry for a few seconds. Note the white color when it
is dry. (POI)
17. Take the flat cotton pad and rub off the applied polish from the object with firm rotary
motions of the hand.
18. Show child the tarnish on the cotton pad and comment that you are removing all of
the polish. (POI)
19. Compare the polished and unpolished areas of object. (POI)
20. Use the brush to remove any excess polish from detailed or engraved areas.
21. Buff the surface with the flannel cloth. Comment, “The more I rub it the shinier it
gets!” (POI)
22. Note any areas missed, if any, (POI) and contrast buffed and unbuffed metal. (POI)
23. Tell the child it is now his/her turn to finish polishing the object, but first you need to
get clean cotton ball, a clean cotton pad and a clean buffer cloth. Have the child go
with you while you throw way the dirty cotton ball and cotton pad, put the cloth in the
laundry hamper, and show where to get replacements.
24. Stay with the child long enough to assure that he/she can make a cotton swab and get
started polishing.
25. Excuse yourself telling the child you need to wash your hands and that you will return
to show the cleaning process.

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Clean-Up:

1. Make sure the top is securely on the bottle. Use the sponge to wipe off the bottle and
replace it in the basket.
2. Take the dish to the sink and rinse it in a very slow stream of water. Wipe it with the
sponge and replace it in the basket.
3. Remove the cotton from the stick and discard it and the cotton pad in the trash.
4. Sponge the stick and replace it in the basket.
5. Holding bristles of the small brush downward toward the mat, run thumb across once
or twice to remove any dried polish and return it to the basket.
6. Take the flannel buffing cloth to the hamper; place a clean one in the basket.
7. Sponge-clean the mat.
8. Rinse the sponge at the sink, squeeze out excess water and replace it in the basket.
9. After returning materials to shelf, show child how to pick up newly polished object
without marking it with fingerprints, i.e. holding along edges, and at base.
10. Check for fingerprints or smudges and use the buffer cloth from the basket if
necessary. (POI)
11. You and the child both wash your hands reminding the child that one always washes
hands after handling polish.

Control of Error:
 Visual – child notices polish on the mat, materials, or floor during process or after
clean-up.
 Visual – child sees polish remaining on the object, leaving areas unpolished,
unbuffed on surface of object.
 Visual - Residue of polish in detailed areas of object.

Purpose:
 Care of the environment
 fine-motor coordination
 eye-hand coordination
 sequencing — memory facility
 visual discrimination
 sense of beauty
 fostering independence
 sense of order.

Age Range: 3 to 5 years.

Additional Exercises:
 Polishing various shaped and sized objects
 polishing objects made of various metals, i.e. brass, copper, gold
 polishing jewellery items, belt buckles, and other personal items
 waxing metallic objects — bicycles, cars, etc
 polishing mirrors using glass wax or water.

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Care of the Environment – Indoors
Plant Polishing

Materials:
 A small potted plant
 placemat
 tray or basket
containing: polish,
polish dish, Q-tip,
cotton ball or pad,
sponge

Presentation:
1. Invite the child to have
a lesson on leaf
polishing.
2. Locate materials on the
shelf and carry tray to table.
3. Place the mat in the center of the table.
4. Place the tray above the mat.
5. Remove the polish bottle and place it at the top left edge of the mat.
6. Remove the polish dish and place it to right of the bottle.
7. Remove the Q-tip and place to the right of the dish.
8. Remove the cotton ball and place it to the right of the Q-tip.
9. Select a small potted plant from the windowsill or a shelf and carry it to the table
being sure to use both hands.
10. Place the plant in the center of the mat.
11. Grasp the polish bottle with the left hand and hold to stabilize.
12. Using the right pincer grip open the bottle, being sure to hold it by the collar.
13. Squeeze the dropper to allow polish to enter the tube. (POI)
14. Place the dropper over polish cup and squeeze gently allowing three drops to fall into
dish, saying, "One, two, three." (POI)
15. Replace the dropper in bottle and screw top tightly.
16. Pick up the Q-tip in the right hand using the pincer grip.
17. Dip into the polish.
18. Raise the Q-tip slightly to allow excess to drip into the dish.
19. Place the left hand palm up, under one leaf to support it.
20. Place the Q-tip on the leaf and apply the polish in a counter- clockwise manner.
21. Pause to examine dirt on the Q-tip. Comment, “It has cleaned a lot of dirt off the leaf.”
22. Set the dirty Q-tip on the mat.
23. Pick up the cotton ball with the right hand using pincer grip.
24. Support leaf as before.
25. Gently rub leaf with cotton ball and circular motion, counter-clockwise, to shine.
26. Pause to examine the leaf. Comment “Now the leaf is clean and shiny.”
27. Repeat steps 16- 26 until all of the polish has been used.
28. Compare the polished leaves to the unpolished leaves. (POI)
29. Tell the child that she may have a turn to polish the leaves, but first you will get a
clean Q-tip and cotton ball.
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30. Have the child follow you to dispose of the cotton ball and Q-Tip in the wastebasket.
31. Go to the supply shelf and retrieve a clean cotton ball and Q-tip.
32. Return to the table.
33. Invite the child to polish and explain that you will return to help clean up.

Clean-up
1. Ask the child to dispose of the cotton ball and Q-tip and retrieve clean ones so the
lesson will be ready for the next person. Place the clean ones on the tray.
2. Return the plant to its place in the classroom.
3. Take the sponge to the sink and wet it in a gentle stream of water. Squeeze excess
water out of the sponge and return to the table.
4. Pick up the polish bottle with the left hand and let it rest in your palm. Wipe the bottle
with the sponge in and replace the bottle on the tray.
5. Wipe the polish dish in the same manner and return it to the tray.
6. Return to the sink to rinse the sponge. Squeeze out excess water and return to the
table.
7. Wipe the placemat with the sponge.
8. Rinse the sponge as in step 6, return and place the sponge on the tray.
9. Return the tray to its place on the shelf.

Control of Error:
 If too much polish is used excess polish will be visible on the leaves.
 If polish is not used carefully spills will be evident on the mat or table
 If gentle movements are not used the leaves will break.

Purpose:
 Care of the environment
 ecological awareness
 fine-motor coordination
 eye-hand coordination
 sequencing — memory facility
 visual discrimination
 sense of beauty
 fostering independence
 sense of order.

Age Range: 3 -6 years

Additional Exercises:
 Polishing large plants that must sit on the floor
 polishing and cleaning plants in the garden or on a patio
 watering and fertilizing after cleaning
 pruning plants
 repotting plants.

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Care of the Environment – Indoors
Window or Mirror Washing

Materials:
 A small carrying caddie or
bucket
 a small spray bottle filled with
water or non toxic glass
cleaner
 a small squeegee (with a sponge
on one side and squeegee edge
on the other)
 a dish towel
 a wash cloth or small towel
 child’s apron
 teacher’s apron.

Presentation:
1. Bring the materials to a low window or a full length mirror hung at the child’s height.
2. Put on your apron and invite the child to put one on as well.
3. Lay out the dish towel on the floor.
4. Lay out the materials on the towel from left to right; spray bottle, squeegee, wash
cloth, bucket or caddie to the side.
5. Spray the window.
6. Using the sponge side of the squeegee wash the window with straight up and down
stokes, moving across the window left to right, top to bottom.
7. Turn the squeegee over and wipe the window with the squeegee side again going left
to right and top to bottom.
8. Wipe the squeegee with the wash cloth
9. Clean up any excess water on the window with the wash cloth.
10. Check the floor for spills and clean if necessary.
11. Invite the child to wash the same or another window.
12. Return when the child is done to guide him/her through the clean up process; dry off
all materials, check the floor and dry if necessary, place the wet towels in the hamper
and get dry ones. Return the work to the shelf ready for the next person.

Control of Error:
 Excess water on the floor or window will be visible.
 Streaks on the window will be visible.

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Purpose:
 Care of the environment
 fine-motor coordination
 eye-hand coordination
 sequencing — memory facility
 visual discrimination
 sense of beauty
 fostering independence
 sense of order.

Age Range: 3 to 5 years

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Care of the Environment – Indoors
Table Washing

Materials:
 Basin
 pitcher
 bucket
 a sponge in a dish
 a small scrub brush in a dish
 soap in a dish
 a small towel
 a medium size floor towel or terry
bath mat
 child’s apron
 teacher’s apron.

Presentation:
1. Invite the child watch the table washing lesson.
2. Get the table washing set and place it on the table to reserve the place.
3. Clear the table and move the chairs (child should help).
4. Put on your apron and invite the child to put on his.
5. Lay out the floor towel or bath mat on the floor next to the table.
6. Place the materials on the mat in the order to be used going left to right as follows:
basin, pitcher, bucket, across the top; a sponge in a dish, a small scrub brush in a
dish, soap in a dish, and a towel at the bottom.
Note: Place the mat next to the table in such a way that it will not be necessary to walk
around the table to get to the basin.
7. Take the child with you to fill the pitcher at the sink or water source. Fill the pitcher
two-thirds full of water and explain, “I will only fill it this much so I can carry it without
spilling.”
8. Return to the mat, walking slowly, emphasizing your care not to spill.
9. Pour the water into the basin and replace the pitcher on towel mat.
10. Place the sponge in the basin and saturate it. Squeeze out the excess water.
11. Tell the child that you will wash half of the table and he can wash the other half when
you are done.
12. Wet your section of the table with the sponge, making straight stokes down the table
and moving from left to right. Replace the sponge on its dish.
13. Holding the scrub brush in the right hand, bristles downward, and the soap in the palm
of the hand, dip them both in and out the basin to wet them. With the left hand, slide
the brush over the soap several times, and show the child the suds on the bristles.
(POI)
14. Replace the soap on its dish.
15. Approach the table, with the brush in the right hand, holding bristles upward, so suds
will not drip on the floor. (POI)
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16. Scrub table, using large rotary movements with the right arm. As you approach edge
of table, rotary motion should become finer and more delicate so as not to spill suds
over edge onto floor. (POI) Move across the table, left to right, top to bottom.
17. Point out the contrast between scrubbed and unscrubbed sections of the table. (POI)
18. Return the brush to the basin dipping several times to rinse. Re-soap brush if
necessary until entire surface of the table has been scrubbed.
19. Return the brush to the basin and rinse as in 18 above. Shake off the excess water.
20. Note the clean bristles without suds. (POI) Return brush to its dish.
21. Take the sponge and wipe the suds off the table with long linear strokes, pulling the
sponge toward you and the bottom edge of the table. After each stroke, show the child
the suds accumulating on the edge of the sponge. (POI) Move across the table left to
right.
22. Rinse sponge in basin, and repeat until all suds are gone.
23. Ask the child to check for any suds left on table? (POI)
24. Replace the sponge on its soap dish.
25. Dry the table surface with the towel (rotary movements, left to right – top to bottom)
and replace on mat.
26. Ask the child to check if there are any areas left wet. (POI)
27. Carefully lift the basin and pour the dirty water into the bucket.
28. Wipe the basin with the sponge.
29. Take the child with you to empty the bucket.
30. Invite the child to wash his side of the table. Together turn the table so his half is
closest to the washing materials.
31. Tell the child that you will return to show him the clean up process.

Clean Up
1. Go to the sink to get fresh water.
2. Pour fresh water from pitcher into the basin.
3. Remove the soap from dish and place it on the mat; sponge-clean the soap dish and
dry with the towel.
4. Dip the soap in and out of the water quickly, lay it on top of the sponge (held in the
palm of the left hand). With the right hand, slide the soap over the sponge (both flat
sides) and replace on its clean dish.
5. Sponge-clean the brush dish and brush, dry, and replace.
6. Wipe the sides of the basin with the sponge.
7. Carefully pour the dirty water into bucket. Take the child to empty the bucket, return
and dry. Place the bucket in the basin.
8. Dry the pitcher.
9. Replace pitcher inside the bucket.
10. Place the soap, brush, and sponge and dishes in the pitcher or bucket.
11. Take off and fold or roll the apron and place in the bucket.
12. Check the floor mat and decide if it is wet. Check the towel. Place in the laundry
hamper or hang on the clothes line. Show the child where to get clean towels and
place them with the table washing set and return the work to the shelf.

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Control of Error:
 Spills on the floor will be seen by the child.
 Dripping suds on the sides of table and on the floor will be visible.
 Areas of the table omitted in the soap application will be visible.
 Suds left on the table after sponge-rinse will be visible.
 Wet areas of the table after drying will be visible.
 Soap or water left on the washing materials after clean-up will be visible.

Purpose:
 Care of environment
 large-muscle coordination
 fine-motor control
 eye-hand coordination
 visual discrimination
 concentration
 sequencing, following a multi-step process memory facility
 social grace
 fosters independence.
 sense or order.

Age Range: 2 1/2 to 5 years

Additional Exercises:

 Washing chairs, cabinets, shelves, etc

 window washing
 floor cleaning
 cleaning sinks
 cleaning outdoor equipment – recreational apparatus, bicycles, etc.
 object washing – washing sea shells, pumpkins, large rocks; layout as in table
washing on a mat on the floor, placing the object in the basin to wash.

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Care of the Environment – Indoors
Dish Washing

Materials:
 A dish washing stand,
table or bench
 a towel to use as a mat
 two basins
 a pitcher
 a dish mop or sponge
 a sponge
 a squeeze bottle of dish
soap
 a dish drain
 a dish towel
 child’s apron
 teacher’s apron
 a bucket
 a tub of dirty dishes.

Note: Some classrooms keep this lesson set up on a wash stand or stationary table. The
lesson below assumes that that the child will have to get the materials out and set them up.
If materials are stationary, the lesson begins with the filling of the basins, step 11.

Presentation:
1. Invite the child to work with the dish washing lesson. Make sure there is a table
available that is large enough for both basins and the dish drain. Remove the chairs to
reserve the table.
2. Ask the child to help you carry one of the basins and you carry the other. Set the
basins on the floor next to the table.
3. Layout the mat on the table.
4. Remove the following items from the bucket and lay across the top of the mat in the
following order: pitcher, dish soap, dish mop or sponge, and dish towel.
5. Place the bucket under the table.
6. Place the basins next to each other on the table, below the materials in step 4.
7. Place the dish drain to the right of the basins.
8. Place the dish towel to the right of the dish drain.
9. Put on aprons, roll up sleeves.
10. Retrieve the tub of dishes and gently place under the table.

Note: The tub may contain dishes used for serving snack or for food preparation lessons.
Dish tub can be placed on the table if there is room.
Note: If the wash-up area is stationery, have child put on apron and begin at this point.
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11. Take the child with you to fill the pitcher, approx. 2/3 full, and carefully carry back to
the wash table.
12. Pour the water into the wash basin (the basin on the left hand side).
13. Refill the pitcher and fill the rinse basin (the basin on the right hand side).
14. Place the pitcher out of the way at the top of the mat.
15. Unscrew the cap on the squeeze bottle of detergent. Holding the bottle in the right
hand, over the wash basin, squeeze it and say, “just one good squeeze of detergent.”
(POI)
16. Tighten the cap and replace the squeeze bottle on the mat.
17. Take the dish mop in the right hand and stir detergent in the wash basin into suds,
Comment, “Be careful that we don’t let the water slosh out onto the floor.” (POI)
18. Take a dish or glass from the tub of dirty dishes and place it in the dish water.
19. With two hands, gently turn the glass around in the wash water until the whole thing
is soapy and wet.
20. Take the dish mop in the right hand, the glass in left and carefully scrub inside and
out.
21. Place the dish mop in the wash basin with handle propped against the side.
22. Carefully place the glass sideways into the rinse water basin and turn around so rinse
water covers both the inside and the outside surfaces.
23. Pick up the glass (holding it over the rinse basin) and examine it for remaining soap
bubbles (POI). Repeat rinse process if needed.
24. Place the glass in the drying rack upside down so the water runs out. (POI)
25. Continue above process for steps 17-24 with several dishes and utensils.

Note: Ideally, utensils should be done with a dishrag or sponge, so child uses his fine
muscle coordination in washing process. More care and concentration is required as the
child must adjust his scrubbing method to size, shape, and weight of utensil he is washing.

26. Invite the child to finish washing the

dishes and tell her you will return to
show how to dry them, put them
away, and clean up.
Clean-Up
1. Wash the carrying tub, rinse, and dry
with the drying towel and set under
the table.
2. With the drying towel carefully dry
each item in the drying rack and
replace in the tub.

Note: Special attention and care should be given to drying glasses. Glass should be held
over rack while drying. The towel should be inserted inside glass and pulled out to insure
inside surface is dried.

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3. Squeeze the dish mop, rinse, and squeeze again. Place in the drying rack, with the
mop upward.
4. Sponge-clean the sides of the rinse basin and pour the water into the bucket. Dry the
basin.
5. Sponge – clean the soapy basin (get fresh water if necessary) pour the water into the
bucket. Dry the basin.
6. Dump the bucket of water. Dry the bucket.
7. Replace wet towels with dry ones, placing the wet mat and dish towel on the clothes
line or in the hamper.
8. Replace all the materials in the basins
9. Check the floor for any spills and use the floor spill materials to clean up if needed.
10. Take off apron and replace.

Control of Error:
 Excess water and/or soap will be visible on the floor, mat or equipment
 If utensils and dishes were actually dirty to begin with, then the degree of cleanness
at conclusion of process will be visible.

Purpose:
 Care of environment
 fine-motor coordination
 concentration
 sense of order – following a multi-step process
 awareness of sanitation needs
 fostering independence
 a sense of community responsibility.

Age Range: 3 to 6 years

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Care of the Environment – Indoors
Cloth Washing

Materials:
 Table (long enough for all
materials)
 child’s apron
 teacher’s apron
 a towel to use as a mat
 two rectangular wash
basins
 soap dish with soap
 soap dish with sponge
 small towel
 pitcher
 scrub board
 bucket
 a small laundry basket full
of clothes
 drying rack with a mat underneath or outside
 basket with clothespins.

Note:
Some classrooms keep this lesson set up on a wash stand or stationary table. The lesson
below assumes that that the child will have to get the materials out and set them up. If
materials are stationary, the lesson begins with the filling of the basins, step 10.

Presentation:
1. Invite the child to work with the cloth washing lesson. Make sure there is a table
available that is large enough for both basins. Remove the chairs to reserve the table.
2. Ask the child to help you carry one of the basins and you carry the other. Set the
basins on the floor next to the table.
3. Layout the mat on the table.
4. Remove the following items from the bucket and lay across the top of the mat in the
following order: pitcher, the soap in a dish, the sponge in a dish, and the small towel.
5. Place the bucket and scrub board under the table.
6. Place the basket and clothespins to the right of the basins or underneath the table
depending on space.
7. Put on aprons, roll up sleeves.
8. Retrieve the laundry basket of dirty clothes and place it under the table.
9. Take the child with you to fill the pitcher, approx. 2/3 full, and carefully carry back to
the wash table.
10. Pour water into the wash basin (left basin).
11. Refill the pitcher and fill the rinse basin.
12. Place the pitcher out of the way at the top of the mat.
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13. Place the scrub board in the wash basin with the top edge of the scrub board against
the back edge of the wash basin.
14. Take a dirty cloth from the laundry basket and place it in the water so it lies flat at the
bottom of the basin. Observe it absorbing the water.(POI)
15. Lift the cloth out of the water. Holding it over the basin, shake the excess water off of
the cloth (but do not squeeze out). Hold in the left hand.
16. Using the right hand, pull the scrub board toward you and place it so it rests on the
front edge of the basin.
17. Lay the cloth across the scrub board.
18. Hold the scrub board steady with the left hand.
19. Take the soap in the right hand and apply to the wet cloth, rubbing in the suds. Lay
soap on the dish, turn cloth over and repeat soaping process. Replace soap on the
dish.
20. With the fingers of both hands, slowly and firmly rub the cloth gently up and down
with fine rubbing movements. Observe suds forming. (POI)
21. Comment, “Rub the cloth on the scrub board gently with short strokes like this, so
cloth won’t bunch up.” (POI) Turn cloth over and repeat process on other side.
22. Pick up the cloth with the left hand, move the washboard back to a vertical position at
back of the basin with the right hand.
23. Place the cloth flat on the bottom of the wash basin. Press and work around so the
soap comes off.
24. Ring out the excess water into the wash basin using both hands and the lay the cloth
in the rinse basin so that it is flat against the bottom.
25. Again press and work around until all soap is removed from the cloth. (POI)
26. Squeeze/wring-out excess water.
27. Hold the cloth up; spread it out holding corners with both hands, to check the degree
of cleanness. Ask, “Are all smudges and dirt removed?” (POI)
28. Lay the cloth flat in the clean laundry basket.
29. Continue process demonstrated in steps #14 – 28 with each remaining dirty cloth.
Invite the child to take over washing after you wash one or two of the dirty items.
30. When all the cloths have been washed, rinsed and placed in the clean laundry basket,
take the basket to the drying rack and hang each cloth.

Cleanup:

1. Wipe excess soap off the scrub board with the sponge. Replace the sponge on its
dish.
2. Place the scrub board in the rinse basin.
3. Carefully pour water from the wash basin into the bucket.
4. Get a small amount of water in the pitcher. Pour it into the wash basin. Sponge-clean
the basin. Again pour the water into the bucket.
5. Check to see if all soap has been removed from the wash basin. (POI) Dry the wash
basin.
6. Empty the bucket of water and replace the bucket under the table.

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 7. Sponge-clean and dry the scrub board. Place it in the dry wash basin.
8. Sponge-clean the soap and soap dish and the sponge dish. Dry and place in the dry
wash basin.
9. Wipe the rinse basin with the sponge. Squeeze out the sponge and place in the wash
basin.
10. Empty the water from the rinse basin into the bucket.
11. Check to see if all soap has been removed from the rinse basin. (POI) Dry the rinse
basin.
12. Place wash basin inside rinse basin.
13. Empty the bucket of water and dry the bucket. Place the bucket in the wash basin
14. Dry the pitcher. Place the pitcher in the bucket. Place the sponge, soap, and dishes
into the pitcher.
15. Take the wet mat and towel to the clothes hamper (or hang on the line). Show the
child where to get dry towels and place them in wash basin.

Control of Error:
 Excess water and/or soap on floor, equipment or clothes
 dirt remaining on cloths.

Purpose:
 Care of person
 care of environment
 awareness of sanitation needs
 fine- and gross - motor skill
 concentration
 following a multi-step process
 sequencing – visual memory.

Age Range: 3 to 6 years

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Care of the Environment – Indoors
Ironing

Materials:
 Small ironing board that fits on table
or is free standing at the child’s
height
 two baskets
 several un-ironed handkerchiefs or
small cloth napkins
 small iron with temperature setting
fixed so that it can only be set on low
 metal iron holder or ceramic tile so
that iron can be placed in “down”
position.

Presentation:
1. Invite the child to watch the ironing
lesson.
2. Set up the ironing board on a small
table (or take the child to the free
standing ironing board). Place a
basket of wrinkled napkins or
handkerchiefs next to the ironing
board on the left side and an empty basket on the right side (place on a table or shelf
if possible, otherwise place on the floor on each side of the ironing board.)
3. Place the iron on the ironing board on the metal iron holder.
4. Tell the child, “When you want to iron one of the teachers will need to plug it in.”
5. Pick up the iron and point to the tape indicating the low settling. Comment, "We need
to wait for the iron to get warm" (POI)
6. Reach into the basket on the left side and choose a napkin to iron.
7. Place the napkin on the ironing board and smooth it out, with the right hand moving
left to right and the left hand holding the napkin.
8. Pick up the iron with right hand. Comment, “The iron is hot, I need to be careful to
only touch the handle.” (POI)
9. Place the iron on the napkin. Iron the napkin by moving the iron from left to right and
then top to bottom in smooth continuous movements.
10. Set the iron down on the metal iron holder.
11. Fold the napkin in half as in the folding exercise making sure the ends of material are
even.
12. Smooth crease with the right hand running the index and middle fingers down the
fold.
13. Pick up the iron with the right hand.
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14. Iron along the crease of the napkin, moving left to right.
15. Replace the iron on the holder.
16. Fold the napkin again and smooth the crease with fingers.
17. Pick up iron and iron the crease, from left to right.
18. Replace the iron on the holder.
19. Place the ironed napkin in the basket on the right.
20. Ask the child if he would like to do this work.

Control of Error:
 Wrinkles pressed into the napkins are visible.
 Uneven and wrinkled creases after folding are visible.
 Iron not placed in the holder may fall.

Purpose:
 Care of person
 care of environment
 fine-motor skill
 eye hand coordination
 visual discrimination
 concentration
 following a multi-step process.

Age Range: 4 – 6 years

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Care of the Environment – Indoors
Arranging Flowers

Materials:
 A tray of small vases
 a tray containing a
pitcher, a funnel, and a
pair of scissors
 a small bucket
 a sponge
 a small towel
 a small rolled vinyl mat
 a trash can
 coasters or dollies for
under the vases
 a source of flowers
(either to be picked
from the garden or in a
container in the
classroom).

Presentation:
1. Bring the bucket to the table and place it on the floor to the right of the table. Lay the
mat on the table.
2. Return to the shelf. Choose a vase and a coaster. Place them on the tray with the
pitcher and funnel. Bring them to the table and place in the center of the table.
3. Lay out materials at the top of the mat in left to right order as follows; pitcher, vase,
funnel, scissors, sponge, towel. (Tray remains in the center of the table as a work
space.
4. Take the bucket to the flower
source (you will need the scissors
also if the flowers are to be picked
from the garden). Choose several
flowers, place them in the bucket
and return to the table. Place the
bucket on the floor to the right of
the table.
5. Take the child with you to the sink
and fill the pitcher two-thirds full
with water. Set it on the left side of
the tray.
6. Place the vase on the right side of
the tray. Using the funnel, fill the vase approximately 2/3 full. Note any spills and
clean up with the sponge. (POI)
7. Replace the pitcher and funnel at the top of the mat.

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8. Choose a flower from the bucket. Remove the lower leaves from the flower stem and
place discarded leaves in the bucket.
9. Compare the height of the flower with the height of the vase by placing the flower
next to the vase.
10. Decide where to cut stem (POI), placing the left thumb and forefinger at the spot.
11. Take scissors in right hand and cut the stem at pre-designated spot just below the left
thumb.
12. Return the scissors to the mat.
13. Place the flower in the vase. Check to see if it fits as you measured/conceived it?
(POI) You may have to re-cut.
14. Place the cut off stem piece in the bucket.
15. Repeat steps 8 with one or more additional flowers to create a beautiful arrangement
appropriate for the vase.
16. Admire the arrangement determining if the flowers fit and it looks complete. (POI)
17. Wipe the vase with the sponge to remove any water drips.
18. Choose a place to put the flower arrangement (on a shelf, table, or counter). Place the
vase on the coaster at the chosen spot.
19. Return any unused flowers in the bucket to the flower source.
20. Empty leaves and stem debris from the bucket into the trash can.
21. Wipe the tray with the sponge and dry it.
22. Pour any remaining water from the pitcher into the bucket and dry the pitcher. Place
the pitcher on the tray.
23. Holding the towel on the palm of the left hand and the scissors in the right hand,
carefully dry the scissors, (hold scissors open to dry both blades) Comment, “I need to
be careful when drying the scissors, because they are sharp.” (POI ) Place the scissors
on the tray.
24. Dry the funnel and place it on the tray.
25. Take the tray back to the shelf.
26. Sponge and dry the mat.
27. Empty and dry the bucket. (Where and how this is done will depend on what facilities
your room has for water disposal).
28. Roll mat and replace in the bucket along with the sponge.
29. Check the table and floor for spills and clean up as needed.
30. Hang the towel on the line or put in the hamper. Get a dry towel and place it in the
bucket. Return the bucket to the shelf.

Control of Error:
 Visual - flowers cut incorrectly will not sit correctly in vase
 aesthetic sense - proper judgment of flower/vase proportional relationship (i.e. does
the arranged flower “look right” in the vase?)
 visual - excess water on mat or floor.

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Purpose:
 Care of the environment.
 fine-motor coordination.
 eye-hand coordination.
 visual memory and discrimination.
 sequencing skill.
 sense of order and beauty.

Age Range: 4 to 6 years

Additional Exercises:
 Floating blooms: pom-poms, roses in shallow dish — like lilies of the valley
 dried flowers
 water plants and removing dead blossoms and leaves.

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Care of the Environment – Indoors
Watering Plants

Materials:
 Potted plants
 small watering can
 tray
 sponge
 small stakes made from wood tongue depressors
(painted or decorated in some way) in a
container.

Presentation:
1. Invite the child to help water the plants.
2. Take the tray with the watering can and stakes to
the sink. Put water in the watering can (not too full) and place it back on the tray.
3. Carry the tray to a shelf or table near a plant that needs watering.
4. Point out that the plant has a stake in it and explain, “When we find a stake in a plant
it means it needs to be watered. Let’s feel the soil and check if it is dry” (POI)
5. Feel the soil with index and middle fingers and indicate to the child that the soil is dry
and dusty. Invite the child to feel it.
6. Get the watering can from the tray nearby. Carry the can with the right hand on the
handle and the left hand under the spout, careful to hold the spout so that it won’t
spill.
7. Slowly pour water around the base of the plant and point out that it has enough water
when the soil is wet or when you see water collecting in the saucer. Say, “Let’s look
closely to see if it looks like the plant has enough water.” (POI)
8. Replace the watering can on the tray. Wipe the watering can, in particularly the spout,
with the sponge.
9. Remove the stake from the pot and return it to the container on the tray. Comment,
“Now the other children will know that this plant has been watered, because it will not
have a stake in it.” (POI)
10. Clean up any water spills with the sponge.
11. Invite the child to carry the tray to check another plant and check to see if it needs
water.

Control of Error:
 Too much water poured into the plant so that water and/or dirt spill over
 spilled water on the floor and/or shelf
 not enough water and plant is still looks or feels dry.

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Purpose:

 Care for plants

 care of the environment
 ecological awareness
 fine motor coordination – eye hand coordination
 sense of beauty and order.

Age Range: 3 and up

Additional Exercises: Watering outdoor plants with a hose or large watering can.

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Care of the Environment – Outdoors
Raking Leaves

Material:
 Child-size rake
 trash can
 child-sized garden gloves.

Note:
If done as a small group lesson, each child should
have a rake and gloves.

Presentation:

1. Take the child or small group of children outside.

Show the children that the ground is covered with
leaves. Discuss the reason for raking dead leaves
off the grass i.e. to permit rain and sunshine onto
the grass. Dead leaves prevent this. (POI)
2. Designate an area to be raked.
3. Put on your garden gloves and invite the child (children) to do the same. Comment:
“The gloves will help protect our hands and keep them from getting dirty when we
handle the leaves.”
4. Demonstrate the method of holding the rake with both hands gripping the handle. Pull
the leaves toward you into small piles. (POI)
5. Get the plastic trash can and carry it next to one of the leaf piles.
6. Demonstrate the method of picking up leaves for disposal in the trash can; hold the
rake in the right hand near the point where the metal prongs join the wooden handle,
placing it on the right side of leaf pile. Push the pile with the left hand against pronged
point of rake and lift.
7. Carefully dump the leaves in the trash can. Continue until all the leaves in the pile are
in the can.
8. Continue raking leaves as demonstrated in steps 4 - 7.
9. Take the child with you to a designated dumping spot. Dump the leaves from the trash
can into the designated spot. Explain, “Dead leaves decompose and make good dirt
when they are left for a long time in a big pile. We can use this dirt later to plant a
garden.” (POI)

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Control of Error:
 Aesthetic awareness - Cleanness of raked area
 visual - Leaves not making it into the trash can.
Purpose:
 Care of outdoor environment
 ecological awareness
 gross-motor development.

Age Range: 3 to 6 years

139
Care of the Environment – Outdoors
Weeding a Garden

Materials:
 Small buckets
 several child-size hand trowels
 gardening gloves.

Presentation:
1. Take a small group of children to the garden
with the weeding buckets (each bucket
contains a trowel and pair of gloves).
2. Admire the growing flowers, herbs, and/or
vegetables. Point out the plants in a garden
that constitute weeds, i.e. grass, crabgrass,
etc. (POI)
3. Discuss why weeds are bad for gardens:
3.1 they choke roots and cut off moisture flow to garden plants.
3.2 they are unpleasant looking.
4. Put on your garden gloves and invite the child to do the same.

Note: If the soil is especially dry and hard, water it down first to loosen and moisten the
soil.

5. Point out the necessity of pulling up weeds by the roots; “When we pull out the weeds,
we need to pull up their roots to, or else they will grow right back.” (POI)
6. Demonstrate method of digging with ones hands and/or hand trowel under the weeds
and removing them by the roots. Ask, “Do you see any roots left?” (POI)
7. After pulling up the weed by the roots, shake excess dirt off by holding the plant near
the base of the stem. Comment, “Shake it gently so we can save all this good dirt.”
(POI)
8. Place the weed in the disposal bucket.
9. Continue weeding process, steps 5 – 8, making sure that each child in the group has
clearly seen the process. Invite the children to help. Provide guidance to assure that
they pull weeds only.
10. Show the children how to dispose of the weeds in the buckets in the appropriate place
i.e. in the woods or a trash dumpster – away from the garden.

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Control of Error:
 Visual - roots left in garden after weeding
 Visual - weeds missed.

Purpose:
 Care of outdoor environment
 ecological awareness
 fine and gross motor activity
 visual discrimination.

Age Range 3 to 6 years

141
Additional Care of the Environment Lessons

Indoors - Cleaning Outdoors – Cleaning and Care

 Wiping feet on a mat or using a shoe  Picking up playground toys and
brush before entering from outdoors storing properly
 Using a whisk broom and small  Cleaning playground toys and
dustpan equipment
 Mopping  Sweeping patio, deck, or sidewalk
 Washing a paint brush  Washing cars
 Washing a paint easel  Picking up and disposing trash
 Erasing an easel chalkboard/  Filling a bird feeder
whiteboard  Filling a bird bath
 Cleaning the bird bath
Pet Care
 Feeding animals Gardening
 Cleaning animal cages  Planting seeds
 Bathing animals  Planting plants in the garden
 Pet Funerals  Repotting plants
 Watering the garden
Woodworking  Using a wheel barrow
 Composting scraps
 Using safety gear – goggles and
 Spreading mulch
aprons
 Harvesting, vegetables, fruits, herbs,
 Using a screw driver (with pre drilled
and flowers
holes)
 Hammering – golf tees into
modelling clay
 Hammering – nails into pumpkins
 Hammering – nails into wood (tree
stump/wood boards)
 Using a vice
 Using a saw
 Small building projects

142
Lesson Plans
Food
Preparation

143
Food Preparation – Cooking Skills
Banana Slicing

Materials:
 A tray for carrying materials and to use as a
work space
 butter knife (some classes use a plastic
knife)
 a small container of toothpicks
 a small glass or container to put discarded
toothpicks
 a serving dish
 a small cutting board
 a sponge
 a basket of bananas
 a bucket*
 a small pitcher*
 a small towel*
 an apron
 adult sized apron for presentation.

Note: * These items are only needed if the classroom does not have a permanent
dishwashing area.

Presentation:
1. Invite the child to do the banana cutting lesson.
2. Wash your hands and invite the child to do the same.
3. Bring the tray of materials to the table. Unpack the materials as follows:
Along the back edge of the table, left to right: Bucket containing the towel, sponge
and small pitcher. Apron (until child puts it on). Along front of table: Tray
containing container of toothpicks, cutting board, and knife. The serving dish is to
the right.
4. Put on your apron. Ask the child to put on the apron.
5. Take the child with you to get a banana.
6. Peel the banana and set the peel on the tray above the cutting board.
7. Place the banana on the cutting board. Hold the banana with the left hand at the
center of the banana. Pick up the knife with the right hand. Slice the banana into
small circle pieces. Carefully move the left hand further left with each slice.
Comment, “I need to move my hand a little after each slice so that it remains safe
from the knife.”
8. After all the bananas are sliced, place the knife at the top of the tray.
9. Take a toothpick with the thumb and index fingers of the right hand. Insert the
tooth pick in a banana slice. Lift the banana slice slightly with the tooth pick,
holding the banana slice steady with the left fingers, and push the toothpick all the

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 way through the slice. Explain, “Make the toothpick poke through the other side,
just a little, so it will stay on.” (POI)
10. Place the toothpick with the banana slice on the serving tray.
11. Put toothpicks on all the banana slices in the same manner and place them on the
serving dish.
12. Place the toothpick discard glass or container on the serving dish.
13. Walk around the classroom offering banana slices to the children. Wait for the child
to put the slice in their mouth and ask them to place their toothpick in the discard
container.
14. When all banana slices have been taken, return to the table. Take the discard
container to the trashcan and empty. Wipe the container with the sponge and set it
on the table above the tray.
15. Take the banana peel to the trashcan.
16. Invite the child to get a banana to cut. Stay with him long enough to be sure he
understands the process and watch from a distance once you leave. Tell the child
that you will come back to show him/her how to clean up the work.

Clean up:

Note:
If the classroom has a permanent dishwashing set up then the dishes can all be
washed at the dishwashing stand. If not use the following clean-up process. The
bucket, pitcher, and towel will not be necessary if dish washing materials will be used.

1. Place the bucket on the table next to the tray.

2. Get water in the pitcher and pour it in the bucket. Dry the pitcher and set it on the
table above the tray.
3. Place the cutting board in the bucket. Wipe it clean with the sponge.
4. Remove the cutting board, dry it with the small towel, and place it on the table
above the tray.
5. Place the serving dish in the bucket and wipe clean with the sponge.
6. Remove the serving dish, dry it and set it on the cutting board above the tray.
7. Wipe the knife with the sponge; hold the knife in the right hand with the blade
pointing away from you. With the left hand, fold the sponge over the blade and
wipe in an upward motion.
8. Wipe the tray with the sponge. Dry it.
9. Wipe the sides of the bucket with the sponge. Rinse the sponge and squeeze out
the water. Place the sponge on the serving dish.
10. Empty the bucket. Dry it with the towel.
11. Place the pitcher in the bucket and set the bucket on the tray.
12. Place the cutting board, serving dish, knife and sponge on the tray,
13. Take the towel to the hamper and show the child where to get a clean one. Place
the clean towel in the bucket.

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Control of Error:
 Child notices if banana slices are too large
 if cut too small or thin the slices will not stay on the toothpick
 child notices banana left on the cutting board, serving dish, or knife.

Purpose
 Grace and courtesy
 fine-motor control
 concentration
 following a multi-step process
 developing order
 fostering independence.

Age Range 3-6 years

Additional Exercises
 Using toothpicks for serving olives, grapes, or cheese cubes (no cutting necessary)
 cutting other soft fruits, such as strawberries, pineapple rings, or kiwi
 making fruit kabobs with two pieces of fruit on a tooth pick
 making larger fruit kabobs on skewers with several pieces of fruit
 cutting cheese cubes and putting on tooth picks.

146
Food Preparation – Cooking Skills
Apple Slicing

Materials:
 A large tray for carrying all
materials and to work on
 a medium size pitcher
 an apple-slice
 small scrub brush
 a serving dish
 a cutting board
 a small bowl
 a bucket*
 small towel*
 a sponge*
 a bowl of apples on a shelf
or counter
 apron
 adult sized apron for presentation.

Note: * These items are only needed if the classroom does not have a permanent
dishwashing area.

Presentation:
1. Invite the child to do the apple slicing work.
2. Wash your hands and invite the child to do the same.
3. Bring the apple slicing materials to a table.
4. Set the bucket on the floor to the right of the table and unpack the items in the
bucket onto the tray in the following order at the top of the tray, above the cutting
board and slicer: the pitcher, small scrub brush, (sponge and small towel remain in
the bucket until you use them for clean-up). Place the bowl to the left of the slicer.
5. Take the child with you to the bowl of apples and choose an apple, return to the
table.
6. Place the apple in the bowl.
7. Get water in the pitcher and return to the table.
8. Pour 2/3 of the water over the apple resting in bowl.
9. Pour the remaining water in the bucket.
10. Turn the apple in the water. Tell the child, “This will help to remove the dirt”. (POI)
11. Scrub the apple gently with the scrub brush.
12. Dry the apple and lay it on the cutting board with the stem facing upward. Notice
the shine on the apple. (POI)
13. Empty the water from the bowl into the bucket.
14. Pick up the apple slicer. Show the child the sharp cutting edge-side and the blunt-
edge side for holding. (POI)
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 15. Tell the child that you will need to stand to slice the apple so that you can push
down on the apple better and control the slicer. Stand and ask the child to stand as
well.
16. Hold the slicer, thumbs on top of holding the ledge, fingers curled underneath.
17. Explain, “Now let’s place the hole of the slicer right over the stem of the apple, so
we can see it.” (POI)
18. Pushing down on the slicer, directly from above, press it firmly through the apple
until apple splits and it pops open, comment “It opens like a flower.” (POI)
19. Push down on the apple core with your thumbs while still holding the underside of
slicer with fingers; slide the slicer up and off of apple.
20. Lay the cutter in the bucket so the pulp won’t dry on it.
21. Holding the core with left fingers, peel slices down with right fingers. Tell the child,
“Let’s open the flower some more.” POI).
22. Place apple core in the wastebasket or compost bucket.
23. Take the apple slices and arrange attractively (perhaps in a circle) on a serving
dish.
24. Walk around the classroom and serve apple to classmates, i.e. offer a piece to
children until they are all gone.
25. Explain that you will need to clean up this work completely and then the child can
have a turn.

Cleanup:
Note: If the classroom has a permanent dishwashing set up then the dishes can all be
washed at the dishwashing stand. If not use the following clean-up process.

1. Go to the sink to get water in the pitcher. Pour fresh water into bowl, leaving a
small amount in the pitcher.
2. Wet the sponge and sponge clean the serving dish. Dry and replace the serving dish
on the tray.
3. Rinse the brush in the bowl of water. Sponge-clean it, dry it and place it on the
tray.
4. Wipe any apple pieces remaining on the cutting board into the bucket and sponge
clean it. Say, “Let’s make sure there are no little pieces of apple or apple juice left
on board.” (POI) Replace on tray.
5. Hold the knife in right hand blade upward. Slide gently over folded sponge held in
the left hand. Dry the knife the same way.
6. Place slicer on top edge of bucket, blades upward. Take pitcher of water and pour
water over blades to remove large bits of apple.
7. Carefully turn the slicer over, so the blades face downward. Holding the slicer in left
hand, take the sponge in the right and run through spaces between cutting blades
in an up and down motion. “Let’s make sure we wipe in each space.” (POI)
8. Check to see if there are any bits of apple left on slicer.
9. Holding slicer in left hand, towel in right hand, run towel through spaces between
blades and carefully pull out underneath – or if towel is too large to thread all the
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 way through slicer pull from underneath as far as it goes, then pull back out on top
(blunt) side.
10. Replace the slicer on the tray.
11. Dry the pitcher and replace on the tray.
12. Sponge the sides of the bowl, pour the dirty water into bucket, dry bowl and
replace on tray.
13. Dump the water in bucket in the appropriate place, sponge and dry.
14. Pack items in the bucket as follows: the bowl, pitcher sits in the bowl, brush sits in
the pitcher.
15. Set the bucket and the cutting board to the side of the tray on the table.
16. Sponge off the tray and dry with the towel.
17. Place the cutting board and slicer and the bucket on the tray.
18. Rinse and squeeze the sponge at the sink and place in the bucket.
19. Hang the towel on the line or place in the hamper and get a dry one. Place it on the
bucket.
20. Invite the child to cut and serve an apple.

Control of Error:
 Visual and aesthetic sense – child sees if apple is sliced symmetrically around core,
i.e. proper placement of slicer on apple
 visual – child sees if equipment is free of apple and water
 tactile – child will become aware of unsafe use of slicer.

Purpose:
 Grace and courtesy
 fine-motor control
 concentration
 following a multi-step process
 developing order
 fostering independence.

Age Range: 3 1/2 – 6 years

Additional Exercises: Cutting and serving other

fruits and vegetables (using a knife or chopper).

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Food Preparation – Table Manners
Table Setting

Materials:
 Tray
 place mat
 basket
 dishes (plate, cup, saucer)
 tableware (fork, knife, spoon)
 napkin
 Flowers in vase and doily
(optional, not included in
presentation below).

Presentation:
1. Invite the child to have a
lesson on table setting.
2. Locate the tray on the shelf
and carry to a large table.
3. Place the tray in the upper right corner of the table.
4. Remove the basket from the tray and place in the upper left corner of table.
5. Remove the placemat and center it towards the front of the table.
6. Remove the plate from the tray and place it in the center of the mat.
7. Remove the saucer and place it at the top right corner of the mat.
8. Remove the cup and place on top of the saucer.
9. Remove the fork and place it at the left of the plate.
10. Remove the knife and place it at the right of the plate.
11. Remove the spoon and place it at the right of the knife.
12. Remove the napkin. Fold it in half and place it under the fork.
13. Place the tray under the table.
14. Pause to admire the place setting.(POI)
15. Return all items to the tray in reverse order.
16. Invite the child to do the work.

Control of Error:
 Visual memory of correct place setting
 a photograph or drawing of correct layout could be provided as a control.

Additional Exercises:
 Setting more than one place
 setting without a control picture
 using a tablecloth

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 setting different shapes of tables, e.g., round, oval
 adding pieces of silverware and dishes: salad fork, soup spoons, bread and butter
plates, cup and sauces, candle sticks, flowers etc.;
 packing, unpacking and setting for a picnic
 using a napkin ring
 set up a tea party
 using different napkin folds
 have a shelf with supplies stacked as they would be at home - child selects correct
number of items and type needed.

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Additional Food Preparation Lessons

 Cucumber or carrot peeling and cutting

 orange squeezing
 nut cracking
 egg slicing
 cheese slicing
 spreading on bread
 grating cinnamon
 sifting flour
 cooking and baking projects (best done as small group activity)
 procedures for group snack
 procedures for individual snack
 procedures for lunch at school
 dining in a restaurant
 preparing a picnic
 preparing a tea party (including serving tea).

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