Maria Montessori has created a foundation for art, encouraging the child's physical and mental development of self awareness in the environment. The observation of nature, composition and drawing using the geometric insets the color tablets have common roots based in the elements of art.

"...educating the eye and the hand at the same time and training the child to observe and execute drawings with intense aplication, prepares the mechanical means for design, while the mind, left free to take its flight and to create,

is ready to produce."
The Advanced Montessori Method,vol.2.

There is no actual Montessori method to teach young children drawing or artistic expression. This is a valid point since the younger child is in a process and discovery stage. Every teacher in a Montessori classroom environment has the opportunity to plan appropriately for the ART area. The Montessori division of areas , Practical Life, Sensorial, Math, Language and all Cultural activities give enhancement to coordinate art throughout the classroom. The ART area then becomes not just a shelf with jobs, but a total way of learning.

Here is my favorite art project for a specific day, Johnny Appleseed day, September 26.

Apple mobile (construction - join and separate;
2. Crayon rubbing - drawing;
3. Torn paper design ( construction - separating on paper plates);
4. Painting apple halves on paper plates;
5. Pin punch apples for tree decoration on the clasroom wall;

This theme is more than an American holiday or folk hero story or legend. It is a valuable lesson for environment studies, peace education, health education, botany, geography, music, drama, and games, anywhere in the world. It also contains a positive moral and human message.

These art activities can be complemented with the reading of a book about Johnny Appleseed, and lots more activities to choose from the web sites I suggest here. Click on an apple image to visit educational sites on this theme.

Goldilocks and the three bears art project – hand puppets art