Learning through Projects

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Over the past few years, I have discovered that children learn so much through project work. Even though these children are only 3,4 and 5, it is quite amazing to see how this happens! As I am a Montessori teacher with a science background, I love to share my love of nature and our environment with the children. By “following the child” and creating a sense of awe and wonder with them, the children can go on a path of discovery themselves(with the aid of their wonderful families!)

When the children have settled into school in October we start to examine and talk about the animals that live in OUR COUNTRY,IRELAND! They are familiar with rabbits, foxes, deer, squirrels, otters, etc from their stories! We then look at the pictures and animal models in school and each child will pick an animal from which they will do a project with the help of Parents! Children learn so much from each other and the children who are in their 2nd year, are familiar with sharing their information, so it isn’t long before new children see how it all works! Projects are displayed in the classroom along the beams(each beam has a different project theme). The children love to see their projects displayed! After a child has presented his project we have a question time which is always fun as the “audience” love to ask questions.

We have monthly projects which generally follow a theme of expanding the children’s knowledge and interests to give a bird’s eye view of our world! We visit Eagles Flying and see and learn about Birds of Prey so which leads to our 2nd project “BIRDS OF PREY”!

Bird feeders are up in the garden and the children love watching and getting to know our garden birds. Each child picks a garden bird and for our next project!

After Christmas, I introduce our Continents using school materials(a jigsaw continent map) and our animal baskets( a basket of animals for each continent). During miserable, cold Winter days, visiting and getting to know the animals of Africa, takes us on a lovely journey to a beautiful, exotic continent. At this stage, when the child chooses his animal, I am always amazed at observing how even the youngest child has grown in confidence when presenting his project to the class! Families also enjoy the project research allowing older children to help their younger siblings!

Australia is usually our 2nd continent as the strange animals that live here hold a special fascination for the children! The marsupials, reptiles, amphibians, and strange mammals like the duck-billed platypus and the echidna as well as the Tasmanian devil and the kiwi bird take them into another world. We have lovely stories in the school about these animals so there is plenty of materials to feed their curious minds!

Through project work, the children’s language and scientific knowledge expand and they absorb and learn so much from sharing with each other.

And so we move through the continents and are taken on a great journey. I love the project work as I learn so much too! Our classroom beams are filling up fast as we have now moved to S.America! We are learning about the rainforest and the sad plight that is happening to the animals which these children love so much. I hope that they will become great citizens and by becoming aware of the destruction that we, humans, are causing to the planet, they will make a change!! They are the future and they care!