Good Idea for the Classroom

This idea came to me as I was enjoying a single serving of cheese. Inspiration sometimes comes to me at strange times. I took the wax that the cheese came in (about 1/2 cubic inch worth) and started warming it with my hands (playing with it and kneading it). It occurred to me that I could make small geometric solid shapes with this wax. Now, how to make that idea work in the classroom? I am saving enough wax as I enjoy the cheese, in an air tight container. Then I will do the following to make it into an extension to the beautiful geometric solid work we have in the Montessori Sensorial area of the classroom.

• First get two, 7 day pill organizers--the formed wax fits in there nicely
• Next make small pictures of each solid shape to glue onto the outside of the pill organizer--one for each "day of the week"
• place the formed wax in the pill organizers and place on an attractive tray
• the children can look at the shapes--mash them up and try to recreate the shapes--sphere, cube, ovoid, etc...
• if the wax gets too hard just warm it slightly by placing the pill containers, with wax inside, into a folded heating pad for 30 minutes or so before class begins--or before the first child works with it--then it should stay pliable when it goes form one child's warm and busy hands to the next.

I have not actually tried this yet--it is a bit early in the school year for this type of extension--but I am anxious to give it a try--I think it will be well received by the children. The attractive blue geometric solids are a very popular work in our classroom.

Take care,

MissT