Montessori Sensorial Lesson: Thermic Tablets

Montessori Thermic Tablets are a Sensorial material that defines the child’s haptic sense. Children truly enjoy this work and you can purchase or create the materials at a reasonable price.

These Five Senses books from Montessori Services are a great way to introduce the senses and a new lesson (or simply to leave on the shelf) to children.

Thermic Tablets Lesson

Thermic Tablets Lesson: Presentation I

Use only the two most contrasting pairs (felt and steel)
“Would you like to have a lesson with the thermic tablets? Let’s go wash hands first.”
“These are the thermic tablets. Can you say thermic?”
Carry the box to the work area and place it in the center of the table.

Remove the lid and place it in the upper left corner of the work area.
Remove tablets one at a time by grasping the top edges with a 3-finger-grip.
Lifting tablet from the box, grasping bottom edge with a 3-finger-grip when it clears the box
Arrange from left to right in a horizontal line

Touch the index and third finger of the dominant hand to the center of each tablet, moving from left to right, slowly and thoughtfully: “Would you like to touch the tablets?”

Randomize the tablets in a horizontal line: “Now let’s see if we can find a match.”
Isolate the left tablet by moving it down and to the left. Touch it once in the center.
Touch each of the tablets once in the center until you find a match.

Move the match slightly out of line.
Touch the control, then the match: “These two match, they are a pair.”
Move the matched pair to the left below the box and match the remaining pair.
Recheck both pairs by touching the center once of the left and then the right tablet belonging to the same pair: “They all match. Shall I mix these up now and you can have a turn to match them?”

Thermic Tablets Lesson: Presentation II

Add the wood pair, then the slate pair

Thermic Tablets Lesson: Presentation III

“Let’s wash our hands.”
Remove tablets with 3-finger-grip:“These are … (wood, steel, felt, slate).”
Place them in random order in a horizontal line.

“I will find the coolest.” Feel the whole line, then move the two coolest aside to the left.
“Now I will find the warmest.” Feel the remaining tablets and isolate the warmest. Place at the right of the new line.
“I’ll find the next coolest now.”
Feel the remaining tablet. “This is the next to warmest.” Move the tablet beside the warmest tablet.
Check the order by touching each tablet once in the center, moving from left to right.
Randomize the tablets. Offer the child a turn: “Would you like to grade the thermic tablets from warmest to coolest?”

Best,
Marnie