Montessori Sensorial: Baric Tablets

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The Montessori Baric Tablets with Box continues the child’s development of the haptic sense.

Montessori Baric Tablets

There are many variations and extensions for this work. The Baric Tablets lesson is outlined below.

“Would you like me to show you the baric tablets?”

• Go to the sensorial area: “These are the baric tablets. Can you say baric tablets? Baric means weight.”
• Place box in the center of the work area. Remove box lid and place at upper left

The Baric Tablets Lesson: Presentation I

• Remove a heavy, a medium and a light tablet with a 3-finger-grip of the dominant hand
• Let the child feel each tablet before removing the next: “Heaviest. Medium. Lightest.”
• “Would you like to feel how heavy this is? Now feel how heavy this tablet is. Now this one.” The child weighs each tablet & returns.
• Place them randomly in a horizontal line.

• “I’m going to try to find the heaviest.”
• Pick up the left tablet with the right hand and transfer to the left hand.
• Weigh 5 or 6 times.  Put it down.
• Feel the other tablets in the same manner.
• Move the heaviest to the lower left: “This is the heaviest.”
• “Now I am going to find the lightest.”
• Check the remaining and move the lightest to the right.
• Move the medium tablet in the center of the two.

• Touch each tablet in turn:
• “This is heavy wood. This is light wood. This is medium wood.”
• Show the child how to mix up the tablets by mixing them up and then moving them into a horizontal line.
• This presentation can be repeated blindfolded or by looking away: “I am going to use my hands to do this work.” Encourage the child to do the same.

The Baric Tablets Lesson: Presentation II and Beyond

• Add one of each of three tablets at each presentation until the child can sort all.
• “You did that sorting well. Now I am going to make a stack of two medium, two heavy, and two light tablets to sort. Would you like to try it or do you want me to do it first?”

• Ask the child if she would like to do the work blindfolded (or by looking away).
• If the child would like to do the work, blindfold, and then make a stack of tablets.
• Give the tablets to the child one at a time to make heavy, medium and light piles.
• When the three piles are formed have the child feel each on in the pile to make certain they are the same.
• “Are you ready to take your blindfold off and check?”
• Alternatively (above), present by matching pairs blindfolded (or by looking away). Stack two tablets to make a matching pair. Then ask the child to feel, and recheck.
• Return tablets to box, replace lid and return to the shelf.

Best,
Marnie