The Phases of Moon

This is the activity that introduce the MOON'S PHASES by using the monthessori method - work cycle.

MATERIAL:

1. A container with 8 sets of cards, cards of control set have the name of the object printed beneath each picture. These cards represented to introduce the phase of moon in one month.
2. Cards of matching set with the name cut off.
3. One set of the name cards for labeling.
4. Rug.

PREPARATION:

Invite an individual child or a selective group of children who are familiar with the pictures in the set to do the exercise.

PRESENTATION 1 (Three Period Lesson):

1. The teacher takes two or three cards. She/he takes one of the cards on the table in front of the child. She/he tells him/her that she/he is going to teach him the names of the moon phase.
2. The First Period to introduce the name of the moon's phase:
   The teacher puts the card on the tablets to one side. The teacher makes an association between the quality and the name by taking up each card in turn, placing it in front of the child and saying several times:
   "This is new moon.... new moon."
   She pauses a moment before saying "new moon", "waxing crescent" or "first quarter", (depending on which cards she/he is showing) and raises her/his voice slightly, enunciating clearly.
   She repeats until she thinks the child has made the association between the picture and the name.
3. The Second Period
   She places the pictures in front of the child. In order to make sure that the child has understood and in order to help him fix his knowledge, she asks him:
   "Point to the waxing crescent."
   "Point to the new moon."
   She asks, again and again, sometimes mixing the pictures first, sometimes asking for the same one a second time in succession. The teacher tries to make it interesting and enjoyable. Each time the teacher says "new moon" or "waxing crescent" the child has to make an association in his mind of the name with the pictures. It is proof that the child understands if he hands the teacher the correct picture. If he makes mistakes too often, she/he does not correct him but goes back to the first stage of the lesson.
4. The Third Period
   Now, the teacher sees if the child can remember the name for himself. She/he places the tablets to one side. Then, the teacher puts one of the pictures in front of the child. She/he asks him/her: "What picture is this?" She/he does the same for the others pictures. She/he asks the child again several times for the name of the different pictures. If the child has done this easily, or on another day, the teacher introduces one or two others pictures. She/he places the pictures in front of the child as in the First Period and names it several times. Then, she uses the others pictures by joining them with the first ones in the second and third stages of the lesson.

PRESENTATION 2:

1. Obtain the rug, point the location of the work, and naming the work.
2. Bring the container from its place on the shelf and place it in the upper right-hand corner of the rug.
3. Remove the control cards and name each one as it is placed left to right on the upper edge of the rug.
4. Remove the picture cards of matching set, place them at random beneath the container.
5. Point to the control card picture and find its matching picture card.
6. Remove the label cards, and place them at random beneath the container.
7. Point to the first picture and have the children say its name.
8. Point to the word beneath the first control card and slowly move the index finger under the word as you read it.
9. Closely observe the random labels and select the matching word. Clearly read the word.
10. Place the label beneath the control card word to compare and then place it beneath the unlabeled picture.
11. Read the control word and label after each successful matching.
12. After the exercise is complete, read and remove the labels and return them to the container.
13. Next remove the pictures of matching set, return them to the container.
14. Randomly pick up the control cards, replace them to the container.
15. Replace the material on the shelf properly, and replace rug.

DIRECT AIM:

1. Development of visual perception.
2. Development of a sense of left to right progression.
3. Labeling.
4. To enlarge and enrich the child's vocabulary.

INDIRECT AIM:

1. Preparation for reading.
2. To develop the skill of classification.

CONTROL OF ERROR:

1. Control Card.
2. The teacher.

POINT OF INTEREST:

1. Seeing the material.
2. Naming the pictures of control sets.
3. Matching the pictures to control sets.
4. Labeling.
5. Learning the new words.

AGE:
3 to 5 years.

LANGUAGE:
Names are used for pictures.

NOTE:
Presentation may divided up: matching pictures, then when the child can name the pictures successfully, the child can be presented labeling the pictures of matching set.