So what do you think of this idea?

Planning on those traditional store-bought Valentine cards this year? How about creating opportunities for each child to make Valentine book markers instead? They make a sweet little gift, can be used all year long, AND might even encourage more book reading!

Supplies Needed:

• Paint chip cards (please respect the paint/hardware stores and ask for permission to take extras) OR cut and paint your own colored strips.

• A small hole puncher and a heart puncher
• Colored string or narrow ribbon

Developmental benefits:

• Hand-eye coordination
• Order
• Concentration
• Independence
• Self confidence
• language: finger strengthening for writing, left-to-right movement for writing and reading,
• math: units through counting hearts, understanding directionality – up/down, in/out, over/under (string or ribbon through hole)
• THE JOY OF CREATING & SHARING

Photo: teachingmyfriends blogspot

Martha Huester of Muenster, Germany shares a Math Project: “Counting Apples”
Great project Martha! Thank you.Materials
1. Tray
2. Mat with the dividing line
3. 1 – 10 laminated numbers – randomly. (for a younger children, start from 1 – 5 )
4. 55 (fifty five) wood green apples (for a younger children, 15)
5. Small container for wood apples.Control of Error
1. 55 apples
2. Visual stair shape; each step increasing by one
3. Lines for apples
4. Ten spaces for numbers

A blog of the United Montessori Association- Montessori Distance Learning – Montessori Teacher Certification