Parts of a Branch, Alison’s Montessori

• Biology, Botany 6-9

• In primary classrooms, children as young at 3 are invited to take apart and put together wooden puzzles with small knobs. These puzzles offer exposure to biology: parts of turtle, parts of a flower, parts of a seed, etc… Children learn that things have parts, learn to name them, locate them, and create booklets.
• In elementary classrooms, children from 6 to 12 continue their study of biology through a plethora of materials. This time, they learn about detailed parts, and functions of the components of the biology they study. Often times, elementary learners work with nomenclatures cards, missing the tangibility of wooden materials.
• The puzzle, Parts of a Branch, revives the interest of work through the manipulation of every little part of a branch: bud, stem, node, internode, and axil. This is how we learned the functions of each part of a branch:

Materials

• Parts of a Branch Puzzle, 5 wooden labels, and Control Chart
• Parts of a Branch Nomenclature Cards (6 labeled descriptions cards, 12 labels, 6 pictures, 6 labeled pictures, 6 cloze test description)
• A reproducible booklet with cloze test.
• A booklet with all parts described
• A reproducible blackline diagram of a branch

How it works

• 

• 

• With my lower elementary learner, we went on a walk and looked for patterns in branches. We observed that many branches were oblique and usually shooting upwards.
• We picked a couple of specimens to add to our learning experience.
• We observed the specimens, and compared them to the puzzle. We named all the parts on the puzzle, took the it apart, and labeled it. This way, we could see all the parts individually.

• 

• 

• After exploring the different parts using the puzzle, we read the Nomenclature booklet to learn the definition of each parts. We used the Nomenclature cards (picture/label/labeled description). We will use the cards with the cloze test when we are more familiar with the descriptions.

• 

• 

• Finally, my little learner was happy to get to his favorite part, coloring and labeling the Blackline diagram of a branch. He took the opportunity to add some leaves venation.

• 

• 

• The next time he works with the puzzle, and the nomenclature cards, he will have the choice to use the cloze test cards, and the reproducible booklet, which offer different challenges.

• 

• 

Disclosure: this experience was made possible thanks to Alison’s Montessori for having the confidence in their house-made products, and letting us try the puzzle at no cost, with no requirement on my part. I do write unbiased honest reviews, because I only write about products that work for us.

• Ready for a lesson? Please Subscribe to receive notifications for my next review.