The Montessori Brown Stair is work included within the Sensorial sequence. Specifically, it’s located within the visual sense of the sequence. During these works, children learn to discriminate between the differences between various objects visually.
What is the Montessori Brown Stair?
The work is made up of 10 brown prisms of the same length (20 cm) and different height, and it’s sometimes referred to as the Broad Stair work. The prisms vary from 10cm x 10cm x 20cm to 1cm x 1cm x 20cm.
The Brown Stair is often combined with the Pink Tower for visual sensorial extension activities.
The Montessori Brown Stair Lesson
You will need a mat to complete this work.
Using both hands, grasp the broadest prism around the middle. Say, “Heavy.”
Carry the prisms to the mat, and position them randomly with the broadest close to the narrowest for contrast.
Select the broadest prism, and then grasp with both hands. Lift it carefully to the lower left corner of the rug. Keep the prism’s long edge aligned with the left edge of the rug.
Run your index and third fingers along the space between the previously and newly placed prisms.
Take the time to look at the constructed stair with the child. Place your hands on either end of the broadest prism and slide them slowly back along the stair until you reach the narrowest prism.
Check the alignment of the edges. The little finger of each hand should touch the rug.
Walk the narrowest prism from left to right down the stairs, and observe, “Broadest. Narrowest.” Offer the child a turn. Once finished, return the prisms to the shelf, beginning with the broadest one.
There are many really great designs to do with the Pink Tower as extensions.
How do you incorporate the Montessori Brown Stair into your home school or classroom?