Living and non-living

What materials are needed for this activity?

For this activity, the directress needs various pictures of living and non-living things and a heading card for living and non-living.

How this activity is presented?

The directress begins the activity by telling the child that they are going to be discussing living and non-living things. She briefly explains the difference between living and non-living things, by telling the child that living things can breathe, reproduce and grow, while non-living things cannot do any of those three things.

The directress places the two headings at the top of the mat and shows the child the different pictures. She tells him that they need to match the pictures to their respective columns, either the living column or the non-living column. The directress ensures to involve the child as much as possible in discussing each picture.

When all the pictures have been matched, the directress gives the child an overview of all the living and non-living things. She shows him how to check the dots on the back of the cards to check if it is correct (this is the control of error).

What skills does the child acquire from this activity?

This activity develops the child concentration and grouping skills, it encourages him to be patient throughout the activity, it helps the child understand the differences between living and non-living things, as well as this activity helps the child instill a love and respect for nature.

Looking for more Montessori activities?

Here is a list of all the Montessori Cultural activities. These include: Nature table, Nature walk, Blindfold trail, Silence game, Living and non-living things, Importance of the sun, Sandpaper globe, Continent globe, Plant classified cards, The tree, The leaf, The flower, and the seed.

Botany

• Nature Table

• Nature Walk (group)

• Blindfold trail (group)

• Silence game (group)

• Sandpaper Globe

• Continent Globe

• Importance of the sun

Plant classification cards

• Loosely grouped plant classification cards: matching

• Loosely grouped plant classification cards: three-period lesson

• Loosely grouped plant classification cards: for the reading child

The tree

• The tree nature walk

• Tree puzzle

• Tree nomenclatures: matching

• Tree nomenclatures: three-period lesson

• Tree nomenclatures: for the reading child

The leaf

• The leaf cabinet (presentation one)

• The leaf cabinet (presentation two)

• The leaf cabinet (presentation five: a naming exercise)

The flower

• The flower nature walk

• Growing plants

The seed

• Seed dispersal

Zoology

• Field trip

• Model animals

• Large pictures of animals in their natural habitat

• Phylum (presentation one: overview)

• Phylum (presentation two: focusing on the Phylum class)