1. The Five Senses and the Qualities Percieved
1.1. Olfactory (Smell)
1.1.1. Directly connected to the Limbic System and considered to be the seat of emotion. The human nose can differentiate up to a trillion different smells
1.2. Gustatory (taste)
1.2.1. Linked to smell
1.2.2. Sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and umami taste receptors on the tongue but flavor is the combination of taste and smell. Texture of food is sensed through the nerves of the lips and tongue
1.3. Touch
1.3.1. Skin is the largest sensory organ
1.3.1.1. Tactile:texture
1.3.1.2. Temperature:thermic perception
1.3.1.3. Baric:weight
1.3.2. Touch begins at 8 weeks in utero
1.3.3. Stereognistic:from the Greek steros (solid) and gnosis(knowledge). Combines the tactile and muscular sense aka how we know what something is in the dark
1.4. Visual
1.4.1. Half of the brains neural tissue deals with visual sensory input in some way
1.4.1.1. Dimension:length, width, and height
1.4.1.2. Form or Shape:the outline of 2D things
1.4.1.3. Color:the reflection or emission of light
1.5. Auditory
1.5.1. Air molecules vibrating and moving through space
1.5.1.1. Volume:intensity
1.5.1.2. Pitch:frequency of the sound wave
1.5.1.3. Timbre(tam-ber):color or quality of a tone
2. The purpose of the Sensorial Materials is to aid the child in categorizing and creating order by developing and refining the five senses through isolation of a singular sensation
3. The history of the Sensorial Materials comes from Dr.Montessori’s introduction to them via her work in the asylums
3.1. They were first created by Itard then later refined by Seguin and Montessori herself in the work with the intellectually disabled children
4. Characteristics of the Sensorial Materials
4.1. Invite Activity: by using real things that a child can move about and explore to gain intelligence
4.2. Beautiful Clean Attractive: bright colors and harmony of form
4.3. Isolate one sense and one quality whenever possible:allows the child to really focus on one thing and strongly build their knowledge base
4.4. Materialized Abstractions: pulls a thought out of the ether and gives it a name and sensation
4.5. Materials are Exact and Precise: sometimes mathematically so as in the Pink Tower, Brown Stairs, Red Rods. Indirectly prepares the child for difficult mathematical concepts later
4.6. Limited in Quantity:does not offer more impressions, but refines and organizes what the child already knows. Having only one set invites a deeper exploration of the material
4.7. Control of Error: perceptual, within the child; mechanical, within the material
5. Refinement of Sensory Perceptions: the child’s knowledge base grows as does their appreciation for the things around them
6. Classification and Categorization:human nature dictates we classify and order our world
7. Creations of Abstraction and the Associated Language:through work with the S.M the child generalizes qualities that allow them to “take off” into the abstract. Imagination is the result of the clear, precise language associated with the SM
8. Development of Accurate and Discriminating Recall of Impressions: the way the SM work provide such clear organization that the memory is so precise in the 3-6 year old
9. Development of Lifelong Tendencies toward Exactness and Precision:the SM provide the opportunity to discover orderly patterns and make connections based on the child’s observations
10. Preparation and Signs of Readiness for Sensorial
10.1. After experience with Practical Life
10.1.1. Three-part work cycle completion
10.1.2. Willingness to work
10.1.3. Ability to choose
10.1.4. Ability to follow a logical sequence
10.1.5. Interest in concentrating
11. Activity it’s the Sensorial Materials
11.1. Order of Introduction: first have built in Control of Error. Mechanical. then the materials that isolate one sense or quality followed by language and memory games at the pairing level. Next is grading with finer and less perceptible change.
11.1.1. Intro of Contrasting Extremes: Pairing
11.1.2. Grading: Similar but still different
11.1.3. Memory Games and Variations: extend concentration. Carry the image in their mind through space and time to pair or grade the materials
11.1.4. Language:for the perception the child has absorbed using the three period lesson to introduce the new vocabulary