Montessori: Grating Soap

Montessori Principle: Practical Life—Grating Soap

"Grated soap?" you ask! Oh how we 💛 Montessori! Let us break down the concept here and show you how we tie the "work" into our broader cycle of learning at Water Lily!

This simple Practical Life exercise not only builds skills that feed into early writing capabilities, it builds self-confidence and encourages exploration. As educators, we can ask questions to spur further exploration of the student. The students in turn can experiment and explore with the tools, the materials—and a rich world unfolds: the scent of the soap, the texture of the soap bar vs. the soap shavings, the coldness and functionality of the tool itself is all fascinating to young minds.

Then, when the soap is later seen by the student at the classroom wash stand, it leads to feelings of accomplishment and value in the classroom community! This is the Montessori cycle that feeds curiosity and results in learning and positive growth for students!

Montessori Practical Life Cycle of Learning Infographic

Making soap may seem like an odd "work" to ensue, but in Montessori it is also the first step in making other materials for the classroom, including Clean Mud, homemade laundry, and soap for the wash stand. In other words, it is a material the child preps and then uses at their discretion and is used by their classmates too! In Montessori this beautiful cycle can be summed up in the infographic above: students start with the "work" then see their work in use in the classroom community and this results in a sense of value and subsequently builds a love for learning new works and exploring.

You may be surprised to hear that grating soap is one of the easiest practical life activities to assemble and do, even for young toddlers. It is a sensory activity that has so many benefits that children from toddler to school age love it. In Montessori, we focus on practical life activities that serve real needs, so that students see their work as meaningful. Try it out at home or your school and see how the "work" serves these many positive results!

Practical Uses for Grated Soap in the Classroom Environment

Grated soap can be saved and used for the following other works in the classroom:

• Cloth washing/laundry

• Montessori smelling bottles

• Bathroom/room scent water spray bottles

• Wash stand for cleaning fruits, handwashing, cleaning other materials/tools

• The skills of grating can later be scaffolded into works in many ways! Children increase autonomy and confidence when they can use their skills for new uses, like preparing foods (grating carrots, cheese, vegetables) for common snacks/meals like Mac and cheese, Zucchini/apple bread, and salads!

Educational Purpose:

• Direct: to develop the movements needed for manipulating a grater;

• Indirect: to strengthen the hand in preparation for writing; independence and concentration.

• Indirect: classroom material (for wash stand; e.g., to wash fruit)

• Indirect: builds self-confidence and a sense of accomplishment and value in the classroom community

• Direct: to develop the movements needed for manipulating a grater;

• Indirect: to strengthen the hand in preparation for writing; independence and concentration.

How to Introduce the Soap Grating Work to the Student

First we pick the materials and then we teach the process. From there we ask open-ended questions and engage exploration. Then the child works independently.

Materials:

• Child-sized tray (see photo)

• Small cutting board

• Small grater (or vegetable peeler)

• Soap bars in various scents to choose from

Presentation:

1. Invite the student to carry the tray to the table.

2. Sit with the student at their level and explain the tools and materials as well as their purpose in this particular work. For example say, “This is a grater. I’m going to use it to grate soap that we can use later."

3. Place the grater on top of the small tray.

4. Pick up the soap. Show the student how to use a downward stroke to grate the soap, modeling how to grate a small amount of soap, then put the soap down.

5. Pick up the grater to show your shavings, then set it down again.

6. Invite the student to try the work you just modeled.

7. Provide additional information on what to do with the shavings based on the child's desired end use of the materials. For example, show the student how to collect the shavings into a jar or tin for later use.