ASSIGNMENT # 3 RAEESA SHOAIB ROLL # D-17230

Module 3: Exercises of Sensorial Development

Question # 1: Write a comprehensive note on the importance of sensorial exercises?

Answer: The word sensorial is derived from the word sense. It refers to the sensation that a sense
sends to the brain at the time of receiving a stimulus from the environment. So that the Sensorial
exercises are those exercise which sharper the ability to use the senses.
IMPORTANCE OF SENSORIAL EXERCISES:
Sensorial exercises are very important for children. The child needs to acquire clear, conscious,
information that one can perceive from the environment. So, in order to get better abilities to use
senses, sensorial exercises are important. These exercises enable the child to adjust in all kind of
circumstances. During the sensitive period (0-7) of development, the child develops his sensorial
development very rapidly. Sensorial exercises enable child to make decisions and can learn fast.
Through sensorial exercises, the child begins to understand his environment. Dr. Montessori said that:
The senses, being explorers of the world, open the way to knowledge. Our apparatus for educating
the senses offers the child a key to guide his explorations of the world, they cast a light upon it
which makes visible to him more things in greater detail than he could see in the dark or
uneducated state."
The child has inner urge to explore this world through their five senses. Sensorial exercises have
materials and activities related to the functions of five senses for example discriminate the size and
shape, color, and patterns etc. these activities help him in development.
Sensorial exercises have a great influence on intelligence and ability to read, write and do anything.
For example, the child could not differentiate between the letters b or even p, and b. He claims that the
words are same. Because he cannot distinguish between lines, shapes and position. Sensorial exercises
help him to distinguish between them.
GROUPS IN SENSES:
Senses are grouped in eight categories due to the size, shape, composition, texture, loudness or
softness, matching, weight, temperature etc. These are:

1. Visual Sense
2. Tactile Sense

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3. Baric Sense
4. Thermic Sense
5. Auditory Sense
6. Gustatory Sense
7. Olfactory Sense
8. Stereognostic Sense

VISUAL SENSES:
In visual sense, children learn to discriminate differences between similar objects and different objects.
TACTILE SENSE:
In this type of sensorial exercise, children learn through their sense of touch.
BARIC SENSE:
In this exercise, child learns to sense the difference of pressure or weight of different objects. This
sense is sharp through the use of a band or of closing your eyes.
THERMIC SENSE:
In this exercise child works to enhance his sense of temperature.
AUDITORY SENSE:
The child can differentiate between different sounds through auditory sense. Thorough practicing these
auditory exercises, children can improve their sense of hearing.
GUSTATORY SENSE:
This is related to sense of taste. The child learns to differentiate between different tastes.
STEREOGNOSTIC SENSE:
In this exercise child learns to feel objects and make recognitions based on what he feels.
“When the hand and arm are moved about an object, an impression of movement is added to that
touch. Such an impression is attributed to a special, sixth sense, which is called a muscular sense,
and which permits many impressions to be stored in a “muscular memory”, which recalls
movements that have been made”.
Through these categories, the child experienced his first step in organizing his intelligence. The child
needs to master in all senses. He gets clear, conscious and he able to perceive his environment more
effectively. Dr. Maria Montessori believed that senses are developed at birth.

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Question # 2: What is Stereognostic sense and how can we develop it?

Answer: It is the combination of tactile and muscular memory in which a child can recognize
things by just feeling it. As Montessori says;
“When the hand and arm are moved about an object, an impression of movements added to the
touch. Such an impression is attributed to a special, sixth sense, which is called a muscular sense,
and which permits many impressions to be stored in a “muscular memory”, which recalls
movements that have been made”
By doing different kinds of sterognostic exercises, the child can recognize things by touching/feeling
them in his hands. Different materials are used to develop this sense such as, Geometric solids,
Mystery bags, Sorting Trays, Puzzle maps, and Sandpaper Globe.

HOW TO DEVELOP STEREOGNOSTIC SENSE:

Stereognostic sense is very important sense as it helps children to discriminate between different size
and shape by feeling the objects. It allows children to make a mental picture through the use of touch
the object.
These activities are first done with open eyes but afterwards child feels the object by blindfold. There
are a lot of exercises which can be done to develop stereognostic sense. The directress does all
exercises in front of the children.

1. SORTING TRAYS
Material:
A tray with three bowls or dishes:
 Small dishes are filled with buttons and beans;
one type in each bowl.
 One large dish will be placed empty in the
middle of the tray.
 Material should be different in shapes and size.
Exercise:
 Place tray in front of the child.
 Pick up one of the largest item in the bowl and close eyes and feel it by using both hands. And tell
child that it feels different when the directress closes her eyes.

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 Then ask child to feel the object with his eyes opened and closed. And place it in the large empty
dish.
 Repeat it again for other items.
 The child first checks all these things by their hands and feels them. Introduce names of each item.
 Then child closes his eyes or used blindfold, again feel the items, named it, and then put it into the
second tray.
 Then ask child to open his eyes and sees how perfectly he has done.
 Invite children to repeat it.

2. MASTERY BAG:
Material:
 A cloth bag
 10 to 20 small objects different from one
another such as, a key, a cotton ball, a button, a
small basket etc.
Presentation:
 Ask the child to come and work with you.
 Show and tell the name of mystery bag to students.
 Ask them to sit in the semi-circle.
 Take all objects out of bag and place them on the table and ask children to handle them in their
hands if they wish to do so. When they get familiar to the objects, and then put them back in the bag.
 Then put one hand into the bag and feel an object and tell children about what you feel, for
instance, soft, fluffy, light, etc. also name the object in a loud voice, i.e. I think this is a ball.
 Then, pull the object out of the bag and checked whether you were right or wrong. If right then
say, yes! That’s right.
 Repeat it with all children till all objects are done.
 To sum up, stereognostic sense exercises are very helpful for children to develop stereognostic
sense.

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Question # 3: Write a note on Three Period lesson and memory games?
Answer: Three period lessons are used for teaching new words to the Montessori children. The
directress teaches both names of material and the names of qualities (positive, comparatives and
superlative) related to the material. The three period lessons are;
 Naming period
 Recognition and Association Period
 Pronouncing Period
NAMING PERIOD:
 The directress presents the child with three contrasting objects, and places them on a mat
leaving some distance between them. Then, she feels the objects thoroughly one at a time.
Then she asks the child to repeat as she does. After the child has felt these objects and placed
them back. Then she places her finger on a tip of the object and gives name saying “this
is___________.” For instance this is cube. She gives names to all objects in the same
way. Then, the teacher will repeat the names of each of the objects.

RECOGNITION AND ASSOCIATION PERIOD:

After naming the objects, the directress will ask her students to recognize objects by their names
saying,” Show me ______ “. For example show me the cube.

PRONOUNCING PERIOD:
 When the directress is sure that the child can name the object, then she challenges the child to
name the object himself. For instance, she may point out the object and ask “what is this” the
child answers “This is cube.”
 In the three period lessons, there are three grading lesson and that are Positives, comparative
and superlative. Here taking an adjective to explain these periods.
Grading Positives Comparatives Superlatives
First Period This is big cube This cube is bigger This cube is biggest.
than this.
Second Period Show me the big cube. Show me the cube Show me the biggest
which is slightly bigger cube.
than this book.
Third Period What is this? Which cube is bigger? Which cube is biggest?

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MEMORY GAMES:
 Memory games can be introduced to children before and after the three period lessons. These
games are helpful for children to bring interest in those materials that they already know very
well. It is child’s nature to lose interest in the materials that he knows very well and memory
games help them to build interest back in known material.
 Children need to revise his lesson again and again which they have already learnt. These games
help them to learn their activities and materials which they have been learnt. These games also
help to motivate students in discovering variations in materials.
 These games help the teacher to verify the child’s language of the material as well as these
games prolong the activity with the material which result a stronger absorption by the child.
GAME 1:
Matching at a distance:
 Place two different tables with distance.
 Put a pair of materials, one on each table.
 The teacher takes one object from the table and asks her student to feel it by holding the object
in his hand.
 Then asks the child to bring the same object from the distant table.

GAME 2:
Grading from a distance:
From a midpoint:
 Place two different tables with distance.
 Place the grading materials (e.g. pink tower, broad stairs etc.) at random on one of the table.
 Pick up one of the extreme (for instance largest cube in the pink tower) and move it to the other
table and place it there.
 Then ask your student to feel it and bring that cube which is just a smaller than this one.
 Continues up to the smallest cube.
From a midpoint:
 Place two different tables with distance from one another.
 Place the grading materials at random on one of the table.
 Then pick up middle sized cube in the pink tower and move it to the other table.
 Ask the child feel it and bring the cube which is just smaller or bigger from that one.

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GAME 3:
Stereognostic:
 It should be done in the group.
 Children sit in the circle around a mat.
 Then directress gives them material in their hands (for instance one cube of the pink tower to
each student).
 Then children hold cube behind their back and feel them.
 Then directress asks for the largest cube and it should be placed on the mat.
 Children judge the cube size and place it on the mat.
GAME 4:
Material to the environment:
 Spread out the mat and place the material for instance color tablets on the mat randomly.
 The directress takes tablets and asks her students to figure out something in the environment
of that same color and shade.
GAME 5:
Matching at the distance:
 Spread out the mat and place the material for instance color tablets on the mat randomly.
 The directress gives something to child from the environment and asks her student to match it
to the closest match in the material on the mat.
 To sum up, three period lessons and memory games have a great importance in the Montessori
school. They are really helpful in teaching Montessori students.

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Question # 4: Explain all exercises briefly in chapter 4.1 Exploring dimensions. Make
illustrations/ diagrams and mention vocabulary too

Answer: EXPLORING DIMENSIONS:

Exploring dimensions group come under the visual exercises. As visual exercises is an important part
of the sensorial development. In this group, exploring dimensions, the child learns how to discriminate
between objects having similar shapes and colors but varying in length, width, height or thickness.

EXERCISE 1: THE CYLINDER BLOCKS

Materials
4 blocks each contain 10 cylinders with knobs, each cylinder fitting into its respective hole.

Block 1: The cylinders vary in two dimensions: The

diameter increases from 1cm to 5.5cm. The height
remains constant at 5.5cm.

Block 2: The cylinders vary in three dimensions: The

diameter increases from 1c, to 5.5cm
the height increases from 1cm to 5.5cm.

Block 3: The cylinders vary in three dimensions: The

diameter increases from 1cm to 5.5cm
the height decreases from 1cm to 5.5cm.

Block 4: The cylinders vary in one dimension: The

diameter remains the same.
The height increases from 1cm to 5.5cm.

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EXERCISE:
 Take consent of a child.
 The directress begins exercises with holding the knob of the first cylinder.
 Remove and place it on the table without making any noise.
 When she is done, she will select the largest and return it to its place it to its appropriate hole
without making any noise.
 After completing her presentation, she will ask children to do the exercise.
 After doing block 1, then he should be presented with 2, 3 blocks.
VOCABULARY:
Block 1: Thick and Thin
Block 2: Large and Small
Block 3: No language because no dimension is isolated
Block 4: Tall and Short. The positives, comparatives, and superlatives

EXERCISE 2: THE PINK TOWER

Material:
 Ten wooden cubes varying in sizes from 1 cubic centimeter to
1 cubic decimeter.
Exercise:
 Select a mat and spread it on the floor.
 Take the consent of the child.
 If the directress is right handed, the child should stand on the
left side of her.
 Hold the largest cube and move it closer to other cubes and
figure out the sizes of the cubes.
 Place the biggest one on the mat and then look for the second
biggest.
 Place second biggest cube on the biggest one.
 Compare and place all the remaining cubes in the same way.
 Now, place both hands on the sides of the biggest cube and
move slowly upward. The purpose of doing this to give the idea to
child about the tower that gradually it becomes narrow.

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Vocabulary:
 Cube
 Large, small
 Large, larger, largest.
 Small, smaller, smallest.

EXERCISE: BROWN STAIRS

Material:
10 brown wooden
prisms of the same
length (20cm) but
differing in height.
They vary from
10cm x 10cm x
20cm to 1cm x 1cm
x 20cm.
Exercise:
 Select a mat and spread it on the floor.
 Mix the prisms on the floor but make sure they are not touching each other.
 Hold the largest prism and compare it with others and make sure that you are holding largest
and thickest one.
 Place it towards the far left side of the mat in such a way that square side of the prism is facing
towards you.
 Find the second thickest prism and compare it with other.
 Bring it closer to the largest one and push it towards largest one and there must not be any
space between these two.
 Continue to arrange rest of the prisms.
Vocabulary:
 Broad, narrow
 Broad, broader, broadest
 Narrow, narrower, narrowest.

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 EXTENSION EXERCISE: PINK TOWER AND BROAD STAIRS (VERTICAL):
Material:
Pink tower, broad stairs and a mat.

Presentation:

 Spread the mat one the floor.

 Bring the broad stairs (prisms) to the work place.
 Place the thickest prism on the mat with a rectangular
side facing you.
 Then, place second thickest prism on the first thickest
prism.
 Arrange all in the same way.
 Then, take largest cube of pink tower and close it to the right square side of the thickest prism.
 Place cube gently with both hands and make sure that it completely contact with the square
face of the prism.
 Take second cube and place it on the first cube in a way that it contacts exactly with the side
of the second prism.
 Continue to assemble the rest of the cubes in the same way.

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Question # 5: How does Montessori program help develop Tactile Sense?

Answer: In Tactile sense child learns to perceive his world via touch. For young children, the
sense of touch is a key to understanding the world around them. Encourage touch and exploration,
discussing what your child is touching. Is it "rough" or "smooth"? Is it "bumpy" or "silky"? Use rich
descriptive words that will teach your child the language to describe what he feels. It is to be
remembered that these games are of the greatest importance in the method, because upon them, in
union with the exercises for the movement of the hand, we base the acquisition of writing.
TACTILE EXERCISES ARE DIVIDED INTO FOUR CLASSIFICATIONS:

Sense Classifications Different Exercises

Exploring Textures:
Exploring Weight:
Tactile Sense Exploring Temperatures:
Exercises of Stereognostic
Sense:
Touch Board, Touch Tablets, Touch the Fabric
Baric Tablets
Thermic Bottles, Thermic Tablets
Sorting Trays, Mystery Bags, Puzzle Maps,
Sandpaper Globe

HOW MONTESSORI PROGRAM HELP TO DEVELOP TACTILE SENSE:

In Montessori program, materials such as the Rough and Smooth (Touch) Boards, Touch Tablets, and
Fabric Box are some of the first touch materials that child will use. Look for fabric, wood, different
grades of sandpaper, different types of paper, and other materials that help your child learn about the
language and explore the experience of touch.
Note: For all different exercises mention above the pre-requisite is to sensitize fingers. Below mention
few exercises and how to do it.
EXPLORING TEXTURES:
Touch Tablets:

Materials: One box having five pairs of wooden tablets with

gradations of roughness. A blindfold.

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Procedure:
 Take out two to three pairs with greater contrast and put it on the
table.
 Mix them and then pick one tablet at a time feel it in hand, lightly
stroke it and then put aside.
 Tell the child “I am going to find the one which is just like this”.
 Find the other tablet and put it with previous one. Allow child to
feel the similarity.
 Repeat this exercise with all the rest tablets. Now again repeat this exercise while using blindfold.
Now again mix the tablets and allow child to do this himself.
Here child learn a tactile sense to differentiate between rough and smooth. The blindfold will help the
child to focus on his attention upon one sense. Children learn the vocabulary by three period-lesson.
Vocabulary:
Rough and roughest

EXPLORING WEIGHT:
Baric Tablets:

Materials: Three separate boxes having six to eight wooden

tablets. Each set is a different weight, color and wood from each
other. Tablets are however same in shape and size. A blindfold.

Procedure:
 Bring two boxes on table which contains heaviest and lightest tablets.
 Directress shows the child how to hold the tablet in palm of a hand.
 Feel the heaviest tablet and also let the child to feel it. After that child can handle the tablet himself.
Now again repeat this exercise while using blindfold.
Here child learn a tactile sense to differentiate between the weights and later on for mathematics. The
blindfold will help the child to focus on his attention upon one sense. Children learn the vocabulary
by three period-lesson. Vocabulary: Heaviest and lightest
Directress plays five memory games with the child.

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EXPLORING TEMPERATURE:
Thermic Bottles:

Materials:
Four pairs of metal containers, each pair containing water at various
temperatures.
Bottle Pair 1: 37°(Room temperature), Bottle Pair 2: 27°(tap
water), Bottle Pair 3: 17°(Refrigerated water), Bottle Pair 4:
47°(warm water), Cool refrigerator water, tap water.

Procedure:
Directress prepares bottles.
 Take out first set of bottles have the child feel the bottles one at a time. Tell the child that “I am
finding the bottle which has the same temperature”. Put bottles in a line and let the child take the
bottles and feel it.
 Repeat with second set, third and fourth. Mix them and line up and let the child do it by himself
under directress supervision.
Here child learn a tactile sense to differentiate between different temperatures. Children learn the
vocabulary by three period-lesson.
Vocabulary:
Hot and cold.

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