Pribor za rad se sastoji od deset crvenih štapova (gredica) koje se razlikuju u samo jednoj dimenziji - dužini. Najduža crvena gredica ima 1 m, a najkraća 10 cm. Glavni cilj ove Montessori vježbe je razlikovanje djetetu apstraktnih pojmova d u g a č k o i kratko. Kao i ružičasti toranj i smeđe stepenice, i ovu vježbu djeca rade od prvog dolaska u vrtić (mogu ju raditi od 2,5 godine).
Material for the work consists of ten red rods, which differ in only one dimension - length. Longest red rod is 1 m, and the shortest 10 cm. The main purpose of this Montessori exercise is to distinguish abstract concepts of l o n g and short. The children can work with this material from their first arrival at school (from 2.5 years).
Kratke gredice na tepih donosimo s obje ruke, ispruženih dlanova. Dugačke gredice nosimo na isti način (dijete gredicu uhvati dokle može dosegnuti s rukama: mala djeca nisu u mogućnosti dohvatiti krajeve), ili okomito ispred sebe (ja sugeriram taj način zbog sigurnosti u grupi - da ne bi bilo ozljeđenih; naime najčešće imamo 20 ili više prisutne djece pa je malo prostora). Moram priznati da je bolji prvi način zbog osjećaja za dužinu, ali sve ovisi o uvjetima:
We bring short rods on the carpet with both hands, palms outstretched. We are carrying long rods the same way (the child reach with hands where she can: very young children are not able to reach ends), or vertically in front of you (I suggest this way for the safety of the group - to prevent injuries; in fact, we have 20 or more children every day present, so there is a little space). I must admit it is better the first way because of feeling for the length, but it all depends on the conditions:
Kad crvene gredice donosimo na tepih, polažemo ih bez nekog reda:
When we bring the red rods on the carpet, we lays them on the carpet strewn:
Kad su sve gredice na tepihu, slažemo ih po dužini - od početka tepiha (počinjemo s najdužom gredicom uz gornji rub tepiha. Ostale slažemo nakon nje, prema sebi).
Gredicu koju ćemo složiti ne stavljamo odmah uz prethodnu, već ju stavimo na malu udaljenost od prethodne (već složene) gredice i dlanom prelazimo duž cijele gredice. Tada ju prislonimo uz prethodnu. Ovo je dobar način da dijete uoči razliku u dužini između gredica (i komparira: npr. dugačak, duži, najduži)ako ih je nosilo do tepiha u okomitom položaju (kao što sam opisala iznad).
When all the red rods are on the carpet, we put them by the length from the beginning of the mat (start with the longest red rod along the upper edge of the carpet. We put other upon it, to ourself).
We do not put next red rod right by the previous, but put it on a small distance from the previous (already arranged) red rod and cross with palm along the entire length of red rod. Then we lean it to the previous. This is a good way for the child to see and feel the difference in length between the red rods (and compared: eg. long, longer, longest) when they were carried to the mat in a vertical position (as I described above).
Kad su sve gredice složene, dijete obilazi tepih i gleda kako pribor izgleda iz ptičje perspektive.
When all the beams are done, a child is walking around the carpet and watch how this material looks from a bird's perspective.
Kontrola pogreške se (osim vizualnim putem) obavlja i s najkraćom gredicom. Njome klizimo uz ostale gredice kako bismo vidjeli da li razmak odgovara duljini najkraće gredice.
Control of error is (except visually) done also with the shortest red rod. We slides with it along with other red rods to see if a space corresponding to the length of the shortest red rod.
Na kraju, gredice vraćamo na policu počevši od najduže.
In the end, we put red rods back on the shelf, starting with the longest.
Djeca vole razne dodatne vježbe:
Kids love a variety of additional exercises:
- mjerenje različitih predmeta ili dječje visine pomoću crvenih gredica / measurement of various items or children's height with red rods
- slaganje crvenih gredica na udaljenim tepisima / working on two distant carpets
- slaganje labirinta - djeca kroz labirint hodaju ili puze. Budući da nije velik razmak, usavršavaju kontrolu pokreta, osjećaj za ravnotežu, balansiraju: / setting up a maze - kids walking or crawling through the maze. Since there is not much space, improve control of movement, sense of balance:
- slaganje crvenih gredica s povezom na očima / working blindfolded
- kombiniranje crvenih gredica sa smeđim stepenicama (ovaj način slaganja djecu najčešće podsjeća na bor ili antenu): / combine red rods with brown stairs (usually, this way often reminiscent of pine or antenna):