Montessori Activity: The Bead Cabinet - Sensorial Experiences with the Chain (Stage V)

 

AGE: 4.5-6 (the child should have worked with the initial bead presentation and the short bead stair and be very familiar with the sensorial materials)

OBJECTIVE(S): To show the child the progression of different relationships between units, squares, and cubes.

MATERIALS:

1.     Colored bead cubes

2.     Cube chains

3.     Several mats

 

PREPARATION:

1.     Place several rugs on the floor, one beneath the other.

2.     Bring the bead presentation tray containing 1 unit, 10 bar, 100 square and 1000 cube to the mat. Later add to these materials the 100 and 1000 chains.

STAGE V

1.     From the top of the mat, right to left, lay out the squares from 100 to 1 and below place the cubes:

- 100 square

- 9 square

- 8 square

- 7 square

- 6 square etc. to 1 red bead

- 1000 cube

- 9 cube

- 8 cube

- 7 cube

- 6 cube etc. to 1 red bead

2.     Let child observe this new layout. Does he see any similarities? Is there any relationship?

3.     Beginning with 1, show the child how many squares are represented in each appropriate cube. After each is shown replace the square to its appropriate place on the rug. In doing this superimpose the square directly over each square in the cube, counting it out (e.g. the square and cube of five). "This is the square of five", "This is the cube of five." Placing the square of five over the squares in the cube, count it out, "one, two, three, four, five." Repeat this procedure all the way through.

4.     Layout as before, but this time layout all of the squares in a vertical manner from left to right. Place the cubes underneath each appropriate row of squares. Let the child observe this pattern.

5.     Beginning with the 1 bead, place it next to the other red bead.

6.     Stack up the squares of two to form the cube of two.

7.     Stack up the squares of three to form the cube of three.

8.     Stack up the squares of four to form the cube of four.

9.     Continue in this manner all the way through 1000.

10.  Repeat the above step 4 in a horizontal manner.

11.  Beginning with the 1000 cube, build the cubes vertically to form a tower, superimposing one cube on top of another.

REFERENCES:

- https://archive.org/details/advancedmontess00livigoog
- Shu-Chen Jenny Yen’s On-line Montessori Albums http://faculty.fullerton.edu/syen/mts/math/_link.htm