Communication Order
Communication Issue
Communication Text
This item deals with changes in the production of the materials for the 3-6 Prepared Environment, which results from revisions to the AMI blueprints. The recognised manufacturers of the approved materials are notified of any changes and they in turn make the relevant changes in the production of those materials.
Sensorial Material: Geometry Cabinet
For some time now the seventh triangle—the acute-angled, scalene triangle—has been part of the material. The question which arose about this triangle is where it should be placed in the cabinet, as there are only six spaces in the drawer of triangles. It has been decided that it should be kept in the drawer of the four quadrilaterals. This drawer contains the rhombus, the parallelogram and the two trapeziums (U.S. trapezoids), one acute-angled and one right-angled.
Arithmetic: Spindle Boxes
For many years there have been two containers for the spindles: one with compartments for the quantities from 0 to 4 and the other with compartments for the quantities from 5 to 9. From now on, there will only be a single container. This means that the children can see all the numbers from 0 to 9 at the same time. Besides introducing the concept of the zero, the latest design reflects what children have discovered with the Number Rods, but now the quantities are separated. In fact, that is the way Dr. Montessori originally designed the material.
Geography: Puzzle Maps of Continents
There have been two different productions of this material in place for some time, both of which are accepted. One set has a wooden base on which the pieces representing countries or continents rest or are placed. The other set has no wooden base; the pieces are kept in a separate container.
As regards the position of the knobs, there will now be two options as to where they should be placed. The knob may be placed where the capital of the country is situated or in the centre of the piece.