 When children are
first introduced to the sensorial materials, they learn to compare
weight (the Baric Tablets, the Brown Stair), textures (fabric, wood),
sounds (the Sound Cylinders, bells), and various dimensions (the Pink
Tower, the Cylinder Blocks). They begin to understand that objects
have properties such as length, weight, capacity, and duration and that
comparisons may be made by referring to those properties.
Children are familiarized with the language used to measure time
(e.g. morning and afternoon, yesterday and today, the days of the week,
the months of the year). We introduce the use of calendars. Students
often learn to identify time to the full hour. A wooden Montessori
analog clock is used to demonstrate the position of the numbers and
the movement of the hands.
Practice with non-standard measurements is a frequent enjoyable
activity (weighing with teddy bears, measuring the length of a table
with hands or Unifix cubes). Children learn about standard
measurements when being weighed on a scale and measured with a
tape measure. They experiment with the use of rulers and yardsticks.
They are also introduced to other measures of volume and the use of
fractions through extensive cooking experiences (cups, tsp., 1/2, 1/4).
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