Introduction to Metal/Wood Frames and Insets

This lesson is the frst direct preparation for handwriting and further development of hand and
eye coordination. This will establish the basic habits for handwriting to assist for success.
Prior to introducing this lesson to the child, practical life lessons that utilize the establishment
of order, concentration, coordination and independence should have been explored. Some exam-
ples of these works are with the use of tweezers, eye droppers, art explorations and puzzles
with knobs.
Sensorial materials also have a defning place in the classroom due to the indirect preparation
for handwriting. This can be seen in the arrangements and fow of work shown to the child from
the very beginnings of Montessori. For example, the child arranges works from top to bottom
and works them from left to right, just as we learn to read and write. The knobbed cylinders,
geometric shapes, tactile boards and many other works require the child to use a three fnger
grasp, as one would a pencil. Make full use of these works throughout the childs preschool
years to further their development.
In Montessori education, all the materials are made with the pre-determined number of 10
in mind from the beginnings by Maria Montessori. The Metal Insets consist of 5 curved line
fgures and 5 straight line fgures, ususally arranged so the curved are on one stand and the
straight fgures on the other stand.
Arrangement in the stand should be as follows:
circle - ellipse - curvilinear triangle - oval - quatrefoil (in this order on one stand from left to
right)
square - rectangle - triangle - trapezoid - pentagon (in this order on one stand from left to
right)
Relationships to notice in explanation for their arrangement:
The diagonal of the square is the same diameter as the circle.
The length of the rectangle is the same as the ellipse.
The triangle and the curvilinear triangle have obvious shape relationship.
The relationship of oval and trapezoid is less direct.
Both the pentagon and quatrefoil are multi-sided.
At the frst of the year, only the frames should be out, as this is the time for initial presen-
tation lessons to be given. This allows for the process of order, repetition, coordination and
safety to be established.
Once the frst couple of weeks has passed, some children could be ready for the insets so this
would be the time to replace them to the work. Remember to remind the child when they see
something new or different on the shelf to ask for a lesson frst, or utilize circle time for intro-
ductions of new materials and expectations for use.
Metal/Wood Frames and Insets Preparation
Materials needed for work and on shelf:
- tray for child to carry work items to table/desk
- paper pre-cut into the size of 5 1/2 square
- holder for the pre-cut paper
- pencil holders (one for each child -predetermined by you how many children can use at one time-to use in car-
rying them to work table/desk)
- four sharpened pencils 1 lead pencil and 3 of color - start with primary (red, yellow, green, blue)
- pencil holders for the sharpened pencils to be on the shelf and returned to the same holder-(in
Montessori, color coordination is used)
- two sloping stands for the insets and their frames
- ten red frames(should be 5 1/2 square) and ten corresponding blue insets placed on the sloping
stands (these can be made from wood, metal, plastics or whatever you may have available-the frames and insets
shown below are metal, the stand, pencil holder and control is made of wood)
Metal Inset Stand Complete Tray ready to take to work space
Arrangement on the shelf is important for the process of order and should be as follows:
tray for carrying the work, paper holder and paper (5 1/2 size), pencil holder for child to
carry to work space, color coordinated pencil holders that stay on the shelf, colored pencils,
inset stands with frames (only for frst couple of weeks, then add the insets).
Metal/Wood Frames Lesson 1
Steps for lesson:
1. select the tray
2. put a 5 1/2 piece of paper on the tray
3. put a pencil holder on the tray
4. choose one lead pencil and two other color pencils and place in pencil holder on tray
5. choose the circle frame and place on tray
6. carry the tray with two hands on each side to work space
7. place tray on table
8. carefully pull out the chair and sit with care
9. move the tray to the back of the table
10. take the paper off frst and place in center of table
11. remove the frame with two hands and place it on top of the paper
12. remove pencil holder and place it to the right top(if right handed) or left top(if left handed)
13. slowly pick up with proper pencil grip (index and middle fnger are together and place on the
right side of the pencil and thumb on left side-for right handed and opposite for left)
14. purposefully position yourself in the chair to show proper posture for handwriting-look at
your feet making sure they are touching the ground in front of chair and under work space, sit
up straight with head looking forward then down to paper (making these moves slowly and almost gran-
dious to grab the childs attention)
15. hold the sub dominant hand over the top left side of frame and press gently at the top to
hold frame and paper in place
16. place the pencil point at the nine oclock position on the inside of the frame and trace
against the frame in a clockwise direction until reaches starting point
17. replace the pencil and choose a colored pencil to repeat steps 13-15 until 3 repititions of
same shape frame has been made on the same piece of paper
18. look at the shape and say circle, then write circle below the tracing of the shape
19. replace the pencil to the pencil holder
20. place frame, pencil holder and pencils back on tray
21. stand up from chair with care remembering to return the chair under the table
22. return the materials back to their original locations and tray to shelf
23. take fnished tracing and place in special spot for either taking home or creating a booklet
(see lesson on metal inset booklets)
Once the child has the initial lesson, they may choose to work with the other frames in order
on the stand as shown above and below. Once the frames have been completed with success,
the child is ready to trace the insets-remember to always show a lesson when a new concept is
introduced. This ability takes more control as holding the inset with the small knob while tracing
can be tricky and requires dexterity. Each time the child completes one form, that frame or in-
set should be returned prior to working with another. In Montessori environments, the process
of reptition in work processes fosters independence and concentration, among many other fac-
ets of educational success.
For those of you who may not have access to this type of materials for use or creation, try to
think about anything you can trace around for the inset portion (ex: oatmeal canister) and create a
frame from cardboard. This is still showing a circle, tracing a frame and inset and accomplishing
the same outcome desired for handwriting success.
Metal/Wood Frames Lesson 1 (continued)
Helpful Hints:
-Proper pencil grip is important, make use of pencil grips for those who need them.
-Pressure of pencil on paper may be a skill that needs more tactile works to foster, however
when the pencil breaks is opportunity to point out pressing too hard.
-Use darker color pencils to allow for the shapes created to be bold and noticeable.
-The child should be able to trace the inside of all frame forms before moving to the insets.
-Insets will require more dexterity and control, therefore assure the child is ready with inter-
est and proper writing techniques before proceeding with further lessons on the metal insets.
-This work may take several months for completion if you are creating booklets, so suggestion
would be to allow for storage place that the child will be able to keep his work until ready for
working the next time.
-Use names of shapes and write them on the completed tracing to allow for further develop-
ment of language skills.
-Points of positive reinforcement with the work might include the choice of colors used, the
beauty of the shapes, the neatness of the lines, and in further lessons noticing the overlapping
patterns.
-Returning the tray to the storage shelf space is important so the next child will have the
needed materials for success.
-Only using the same number of pencil holders as children you want to allow to work at one time
with this material, will give the children a visual guideline.
-Offer a visual guideline of a booklet you created to show the fnished work, as well as for the
children to use as a control. Create a completed booklet for frames, one for insets, one for
frame variation and one for inset variations. (see metal inset booklets lessons for more)
-Invite the children to choose the metal/wood frames and insets often.
The metal/wood insets and frames lessons aim to prepare the child for handwriting by learning
to sit properly when writing, to hold a pencil properly, to learn correct pressure on pencil and
paper and control of movement. These concepts are fostering the childs indpendence, concen-
tration, coordination and order. In addition, the child is indirectly gaining eye hand coordination,
extending vocabulary by learning the names of the shapes and being introduced to geometry.
The following page contains variations and extensions of the original lesson and should be intro-
duced once the child has worked with all the forms.
Metal/Wood Frames Lessons (continued)
Extensions and Variations:
All extensions and variations are worked in the same order as the original lesson.
1-Beginning at the top left of the form traced, draw a straight line from top to bottom verti-
cally. Continue with these steps always starting back at the top, to the right of what was just
drawn, and continue to the bottom of the form until complete with vertical lines. Proceed with
original steps for returning work to shelf and creating a booklet. Extend this work for those
who want more by challenging them to fll in all the white space with lines.
2-Beginning at the top left of the form traced, draw a straight zig zag line to bottom of shape.
Continue with these steps focusing on starting at the top, to the right of the last line drawn and
continuing to the bottom of the shape. Proceed with original steps for returning work to shelf
and creating a booklet. Extend this work for those who want more by challenging them to fll in
all the white space with lines.
3-Beginning at the top left of the form traced, shade with light pressure working from left to
right, just as we read and write. Make special note of soft pressure leaving light shading and
hard pressure leaving dark shading. New vocabulary has just been introduced with art concepts
applied, as well as tactile senses are heightened to produce desired end result.
4-Select a frame and inset to work with together at the work space. Trace the inset, then
rotate the frame 90 degrees and trace the frame. Remove the frame and notice the pattern.
Extend this lesson by flling in the areas with single top to bottom lines with colored pencils.
Extend again by rotating the same shape, this time make two traces and then next extension
make three traces. This can be continued for each shape on its own piece of paper and creating
a booklet for taking home their hard work.
5-Use a different shape each trace by choosing from the left on the stand and working towards
the right. Start with one shape, return it to shelf, get the next shape and place on top of last
one drawn on paper in order to create patterns. Extend this by offering use of different col-
ored pencils and flling in areas with top to bottom strokes or left to right action.