Exploring South America: Curriculum Activities for Montessori Preschool Classrooms

One of my favorite aspects of teaching in a Montessori environment is being able to celebrate diversity, and instilling in my students an awareness of and interest in other cultures. This month we have been exploring the continent of South America and the theme has been integrated into every area of the classroom. The painted tree on our main wall has been transformed into the rainforest, and the Montessori students have enjoyed creating animals and placing them in each of the layers: forest floor, understory, canopy, and emergent.

When studying a particular continent, it is nice to reinforce the Montessori folder color of that continent by putting activities on the shelves that reflect it. For example, South America is pink, and our activity shelves give us the perfect opportunity to help make connections across the curriculum. Below are of some of the activities that we have had on our shelves over the past few weeks.

Montessori Practical Life

materials for South America sewing activity: pin cushion with threaded needle, child scissors, felt shape of South America, dish of animal shape buttons, pink thread

Transferring activity with pink pom poms
Pouring activity with pink rice
Spooning activity with coffee beans
Sewing a button on South America
Sorting nuts
Transferring plastic snakes (anacondas) with a pair of tongs
Slicing bananas
Weaving a placemat
South America card lacing
Beaded bracelets

Montessori Culture and Science

South America flag coloring material: glue, straws, markers, flag to color

Working with the puzzle map of South America
Reproducing the flags of Brazil and Chile
Nomenclature for Parts of a Toucan and Parts of a Crocodile

Montessori Art Activities

materials to make a button snake; felt pieces, markers, foam pieces, buttons, cut out of snake and tongue, finished button snake

Tracing animals such as a capybara, on our light-up tracing table
Insect rubbings
Pink playdough
Painting toucans
Coffee filter butterflies
Paper plate piranhas
Making a button snake
Butterfly collage

Montessori Language Arts

South America animals matched with word labels

Matching activity with rainforest word labels and corresponding pictures
Journal stories about living in the rainforest
Labeling the layers of a rainforest
South America booklets (labeling the animals)

Montessori Math

Cards and counters with pink pom poms
Cards and counters with wooden ladybugs
Addition with tree frog counters

Bree — NAMC Tutor & Graduate

This year long series looks at the experiences of teachers, parents, students, and Montessori education itself, as we follow a student through his first year at a Montessori Preschool. Montessori Insights and Reflections of a Preschool Child’s First Year is a collection of useful stories, tips, and information that have arisen from one real student’s Montessori journey.