February 2, 2022

Planning for Year Three of the 3-6 Montessori Classroom at Home – Materials List

This is the LAST year of the Montessori 3-6 classroom. Our oldest is will be five when she starts this part of the sequence and we will be close to fully completing the 3-6 sequence. Montessori 3-6 (also called Primary) overlaps with 6-12 so it is normal and expected for children to still be working through the math and language sequence.

Sensorial

We have all the sensorial materials for 3-6 other than the leaf cabinet and the knobless cylinders… we might grab them this spring (year 2) BUT we also may bump these to the fall. The rest were purchased for Year 1 and Year 2.

Leaf Cabinet – Kid Advance (Not Yet Purchased; Initially planned on introducing spring of 2022 but we bumped to the fall)

Knobless Cylinders – Kid Advance (not yet purchased; also bumped from spring 2022 to fall 2022)

Language

In the language sequence, much of what we need is an easy DIY at this point in the sequence although we will need a few items. We will still be using our metal insets and moveable alphabet that we grabbed for year two of the 3-6 classroom. We will likely be working with puzzle words at the start of the school year. As far as writing goes, we will likely be writing on paper and may or may not have introduced upper and lower case letters. We might do a little review and work with familiar materials first (depending on how much time we take off- we normally school year round but I am due at the end of April). I am just going to list items that will need DIY’d or purchased below.

I go into more detail about our language sequence for early reading and writing here and here.

Writing On Paper

These are all ideas from Missy Montessori. I am finding so much inspiration from her Instagram. You could DIY or just grab them from her shop.

In Montessori Primary you use pink and white lined paper to better illustrate where the letter should be written. At this time I am just planning on printing my own as needed instead of buying in bulk from Viking. You can grab it free here and here. There are also journaling sheets, nomenclature paper, and alphabet paper (in the traditional pink and white lined format) available on Teachers Pay Teachers.

Pictured are some ideas from Missy Montessori’s Instagram on how this would be on the shelf (at first it is simple but as they begin to write more, you can add to the options). I am focused on beginning and intermediate writing work right now. I am loving this video on teaching line placement she put out.

Upper and Lower Case Letters

Pink Lined Handwriting Cards & Booklets (can grab in Missy Montessori’s Shop)

So for this you just introduce the letters together on a card. I love the idea of using the pink lined paper, laminating it, then use a ring on it to keep them together on the shelf. I plan to get one I can take apart. I will just handwrite this work in cursive. You can grab them in Missy Montessori’s shop if you are doing print! She uses the one’s pictures for teaching letter placement.

Transcription & Spelling

I grouped this together because this will be a similar presentation on the shelf. You just need a box (I am leaning towards grabbing something simple like the wooden box pictured) and paper for both of these activities. Check out the presentations here.

Waseca Language Work

I am back and forth on whether I will need this. We would be using this for a spelling program. It may be something that would be more for first year of 6-12… but the more traditional route is to let the children write and use the spelling dictionary for spelling reinforcement. I love the concept. I could also maybe DIY something to have on the shelves? Hm. Decisions. Decisions.

Phonogram Dictionary

I likely will download, print, and have bound the phonogram dictionary on Montessori Albums’ website.

Waseca Reading Program

I am leaning towards doing the downloads of the reading program as opposed to buying it ready to go. We would use this prior to the language works (if we use them!) and it will be a fun, playful way to practice spelling. I like the idea of the downloads because it is more cost effective and I can grab them as I need them.

Montessori Grammar Farm

Our grammar farm is going to be a DIY. We have the Terra by Battat – Wooden Animal Barn – Toy Barn that is well loved. And plenty of Schleich animals that we continue to add to! HIGHLY recommend them. The girls love them. Momtessori Life has a printable version if you don’t have a farm or do not want to purchase one (or don’t have the funds!). It is well done and would be like using paper dolls.

Alternatively, you can set up other themed rugs or areas and do the same thing with them. Think safari, ocean, or whatever biome you are studying. I plan to start with the barn and then incorporate other biomes or locations into our topic of study as we move through the continents. Next year we will be studying Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Another idea is to use a doll house. We have an heirloom wooden doll house that I passed down to the girls that we would use for this! Just follow the child and use what they are into!

Montessori Grammar Farm Mat

I am back and forth on whether I want to DIY a mat for the space or simply grab a small table the right size for the Grammar Farm. I am leaning towards the later but LOVE this one from The Kavanaugh Report and would do something like that if I change my mind.

Montessori Grammar Farm Cards

This is something that I am going to do as we go. It can be writing practice or reading practice (kind of like … I will just write the name of the object (noun) on the slip of paper and so on. I think I will color code them but you definitely do not have to! If you wanted to purchase them premade, this set from Teachers Pay Teachers looks great and is very affordable. There’s also this bundle which has more then the grammar farm.

Montessori Grammar Symbols

I have been leaning towards grabbing these wooden grammar symbols from Kid Advance. It honestly wouldn’t be a lot cheaper to print them but if I do (or if you choose to) here is a link to grab some for free from Montessori Album. They would take up less space when out of rotation. Optional storage idea if you go the DIY route.

3-D Grammar Symbols

This is one that you can skip but if you have the budget, it is part of the sequence. My understanding is they aren’t used very much past the initial presentations and you can just start with the wooden, plastic, or paper versions. I am leaning towards skipping it BUT if I grab one, it will likely be from Kid Advance.

Grammar Symbol Stencil

I plan to grab this wooden one from Waseca. I adore their materials and this is very affordable. I hope it will last all three kids! It is something that you can choose to skip, but it will be used through lower elementary and they are fun!

Grammar Box

This material will likely not be used until first year of 6-12 BUT I like to have what is next in the sequence so that IF we were to need them, we would be ready. So, if Little Miss blows through the Grammar Farm materials above we will have it. Again, I don’t anticipate needing it before Fall of 2023 though. But we are year round homeschoolers and you never know 😉 We are going with Branch to Bloom’s Complete Montessori Grammar Box Set. Here’s more about them and how to use them.

Mathematics

We will likely be in the first “unit” of math works or beginning unit 2 in the beginning of year three of the 3-6 homeschool classroom. I am DIY’ing the complete bead materials (everything needed for both 3-6 and 6-12). I am using this tutorial from Teaching from a Toolbox. Suzanne also sells her materials on Etsy under the shop Montessori Basics. Much of what we need will come from the bead material. I go into detail on the Montessori Math Progression for 3-6 in this post.

Golden Beads (Still Using – DIY)

Intro to Golden Bead Work from Montessori Album (lots of options for purchasing)

Large and Small Number Cards (DIY)

This is one that we did as a DIY. You can download for free here and here. We printed on cardstock and then laminated. We will be introducing spring 2022 and still using at the start of the 3rd year of Montessori Primary.

Colored Bead Stair + Teens and Tens Boards

This set of beads is for the colored bead stair work (which we will have already done in year 2), teens + ten board work, and addition and subtraction with the bead stairs.

Bead Stair Layout from Montessori Album (lots of options to purchase)

The Dot Game

This is something we will likely grab from Teachers Pay Teachers when we need it.

Stamp Game

We bought ours used. It is from Alison’s. This is used for all four operations.

Short and Long Chains (DIY)

This is used for skip counting work, works in the squaring and cubing of numbers, and will also be used with the beaded squares and cubes.

Short Beads
Photo Credit: Tacklebox Montessori

Arrows for Short and Long Chains (Montessori Outlet; Not yet purchased)

I was planning to just download a printable but these are more affordable so I think I will grab them here.

Cubes and Squares (DIY)

This work is paired with the long and short chains. It is used for squaring and cubing numbers work.

Cubes and Squares from Tacklebox Montessori

Fraction Circles (DIY)

I was thinking about DIY’ing these from felt but it would be too difficult after 1/4 or 1/5. I am leaning towards grabbing the fractions kit from Mathesori. We would have what we needed for 3-6 & 6-12.

We will likely be purchasing this kit from Mathesori for the fractions work. It should cover us for our fraction work in 3-6 & 6-12.

Coin Unit

I am loving this unit from Momtessori Life called, “All about Coins“. I will definitely be using this as my main inspiration.

Needed:

Coin Printables
Bead Bars or Counters (already have!)
Real Coins (already have!)

Clock Unit

Montessori Telling Time 15 minute intervals

I was originally thinking about just introducing the clock but then I found this unit from Momtessori Life and had to switch gears! It is perfect for where we will be in the math sequence.

Needed:

Number Roll (DIY)

I love the number roll that Heartful Mom (a fellow homeschool mother!) added to herself. This is simply strips of paper that the child can tape together. BUT I love the idea of starting it on a toilet paper roll like this. So practical! This is a DIY.

Heartful Mom’s Kindergarten Monti Math Shelves

Memory Work Charts

I was able to download ALL the memory work charts we will need for FREE from Montessori Album. I love the way that Mathessori has organized the memory work items. I don’t need the bead materials (DIY), I found the charts, I already have the addition and subtraction strip charts and all I need is the multiplication and division boards so this is not a good fit for us BUT if I were purchasing all of these items, I would grab this kit.

Decanomial Set (DIY)

This is used once the child is into memory work. It has the vertical, horizontal, and angular decanomial layouts plus the multiplication checkerboard layout.

Decanomial Beads from Tacklebox Montessori

Snake Game (DIY)

This game is used for all four operations. We will likely have done the Search for Ten Snake Game, but will be still using Memory Work later in the sequence.

Addition Snake Game from Montessori Album Pictured (Lots of options for purchasing)

Addition and Subtraction Strip Board (Alison’s Montessori- Used)

I grabbed this last year used from another homeschool mom. She had not even opened it yet. It came with a free printable version of the subtraction strip board. So we already have both items.

Multiplication Board (Kid Advance; Not Yet Purchased)

Division Board (Not purchased; Kid Advance)

Small Bead Frame (Not purchased; Kid Advance)

This is the first material in the passage to abstraction. This could be used in the last year of 3-6 and it could be used in the first year of 6-12.

Large Bead Frame (Not yet purchased; Kid Advance)

Racks and Tubes (Not yet purchased; Kid Advance)

Cultural

Science (Physical, Biology, Zoology, Botany)

We are still making our way through the Waseca Curriculum (free!) and will use it for both science and geography. We have several lessons in our sequence that we will plug in next year. Feel free to check out our cultural sequence in our Tracking Tool/Portfolio. More on how we use that tool here.

My Body Unit

We have already done The Outer Body, the Dental Unit, and the Skeletal System in year two of the 3-6 classroom. We will have the Muscular System ready to go first and will still need prep for the Nervous System (Brain and Five Senses), Organs, Respiratory System, Circulatory System, Reproductive, Digestive + Nutrition Study, and the Immune System. Much of my inspiration in planning is from both Every Star is Different and Momtessori Life. These are VERY much of interest to Little Miss. I have a Google Doc with Resources and the Rough Outline I have together for these. You are welcome to view it and use what inspires you! I will do another post on this in the future. Much of my inspiration for this unit is from Momtessori Life.

3-D Model of the Human Body (Will already have)

Felt Human Body (Will already have)

Felt Heart Model

Missy Montessori shared this on her Instagram

I am loving this and am *thinking* about trying to make my own…. undecided! We shall see!

Geography

We will be studying Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia this year in Geography. Last year we did North America, South America, and Antarctica. We also have already done the Intro to Geography activities as well. For each continent we will grab the continent puzzle (we get ours from Kid Advance), 3 part cards, biome work (3 part cards and maps), and we may grab the readers from Waseca (I also might DIY them… we shall see!) We also LOVE Shleich animals (and have a running list of them broken down by continent here) and will likely grab a mix of those and Safari/Safari Toobs for each continent. I will do a resource post for each of those units. So far we’ve spent 2-4 weeks on each continent we’ve studied.

Africa Puzzle Map (Kid Advance; Not Yet Purchased)

Europe Puzzle Map (Kid Advance; Not Yet Purchased)

Asia Puzzle Map (Kid Advance; Not Yet Purchased)

Australia Puzzle Map (Kid Advance; Not Yet Purchased)

Puzzle Map Storage Hack (Ikea Style)

The cabinets for the puzzle maps are EXPENSIVE. I LOVE this hack from a fellow homeschool mom. I am back and forth between doing one like this for the continent we are studying OR having one for all of them (I may do both but have the later on the sun porch where my hot mess of a storage solution is for our material rotation). She used tension rods with mounts on her Ikea Kallax shelves.

Updated to add: We do a lot with the arts in our home and I will add a few Music resources and curriculum will be using soon!

Practical Life

We have much of what we need for practical life. In fact, in year three of Primary, all the initial lessons have been completed. Much of what our oldest will participate in we already have in our home and she has already been given a lesson on. She will also begin to model and demonstrate for her sister more as she begins more practical life work in “tot school” and later in the school year (January 2023!) she joins the 3-6 classroom. We have been pretty heavy in real life, practical life experiences. You can read more about what we have done in our home here and here. You can also check out our practical life sequence in our Tracking Tool/Portfolio. More on how we use that tool here.

Updated to add: I totally flaked on this BUT we will be leaning into our sewing sequence. I will add materials needed to this outline soon!

That’s our material list for year three of the Montessori Primary Classroom at home. I can’t believe we are gearing up for our oldest’s kindergarten year! Time truly flies.

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