I've spent the last two days setting up the classroom for the upcoming school year!  I was able to spend much more time on the details of things this year because my director set up all the furniture and the basic Montessori materials!  This made it much easier and I was able to really put a lot if time fine tuning everything!  

Here is our practical life area

Lots of big, dry objects to start the year out with.  Many apples and acorn works as well to go along with our light apple theme for September.  This first month will be mostly grace and courtesy, the peace curriculum, and many role modeling activities at circle time but we're adding apples in there just for a light theme and to base art projects around.  Plus, around our area, apples are being harvested at this time so our snack will likely be local apples for the first month!

Here is our geography and science area- My personal favorite!  Many new works are on the shelf that I made over the summer.  That Earth rug is so amazing!  My director picked that up at a friends garage sale!  It is perfect!

This is our math area.  Notice the two trophies- the school has one the grand Marshall and first place in our local parade!

Here is a close up of the early math shelf.  

simple addition operations, teen numbers, and sequencing numbers from 1 - 100

Advance math

This is looking at the art area as well as the metal insets.

Our Circle Garden

Land Water Air Sorting

This is a really simple land, air, water variation!  A former co-worker of mine had something like this years ago with scrapbook paper but I think it was with pictures.  I've discovered over the years that works with objects in them (vs. pictures) are so inviting to the the children and are in constant use.  So once again, I went through all my objects and found 6 for each.  I used all animals but I think I might expand it with other items such as buildings and vehicles.

I was really excited about finding this paper.  I've been keeping my eyes out for it for a few years and wanted  paper with realistic graphics!  Ben Franklin was the place to go as I found all 3 under the Northwest section!
It was 12 x 12 but I cut it to 8 1/2 x 11 so it'd fit in a tray on the shelf.

Vertebrates and In-Vertebrates

I had the opportunity to work at a different Montessori school over the summer co-teaching with an old friend!  It was a great experience to work with someone else and at a different school.  I love seeing new works, getting fresh ideas, and seeing the ins and out's of how they do it!  I met some great teachers, kids, and families over the last 6 weeks.   

This is one of the works in the science area that was in constant use. 

So Jessica was nice enough to give me the master!  

It's a vertebrate and in vertebrate sorting work with objects.

 I went through a bunch of my unit study boxes (sea life, Halloween, insects, animal kingdom etc.)  and was able to find all the objects I needed.  There is also a black lined master to put with the work for the kids to color after the initial lesson.  

I'm excited to put this on the shelf this fall!