Function of Words: Verb

Materials:

For Independent Work:

Box or envelope with a verb symbol and marked "1" with prepared one-word commands
Box or envelope with a verb symbol and marked "2" which contains prepared slips with 10 commands which include an object, such as "Open the door".

Purposes:

To help the child become aware of the function and different aspects of the verb.
To give the child the impression of the verb as energy.
To stimulate interest and engage the whole child in reading.
To expose the child to the feelings in literature.
Preparation for future work in grammar.
Practice in Reading

Age: 5 and up

Preparation: The child has been working with the Function of Word exercises through the Preposition.

Presentation:

Invite the child for the lesson and to bring the box of symbols to the table. You will bring the teacher writing materials.
Write a slip for a farm animal with an article, adjective, and a noun. Have the child read and bring it. Move the slip and object to the left side of the table.
Repeat at least one more time.
Write a slip with only a verb. Example: march
Ask the child to bring it from the farm. Be playful and insistent when the child says they can’t.
Ask the child if they can do what the slip says and have them do it. Move the slip below the objects
Repeat this process of writing two more slips for the verb.
Comment that there are some things we can bring others we can do.

Symbolize

Introduce the red circle and explain it is for words that tell us things we can do.
Place the label. Let the child place the symbol for the other two.
Show the child the independent work Verb Box 1.

Control of Error: None

Following Exercises:

List: the child can write a long list of action words with the Moveable Alphabet or on paper

NOTE: Present the Adverb and the Logical Adverb Game before going onto the rest of the exercises

Transitive (has an object) and Intransitive (keep going, the action by itself) Verbs
- This is done with a small group 2-3. Write each child a message to read and do. Some children should get commands with an object like “open the box”, and others will get open ended commands like “smile”. For the child who gets the single verb, encourage them to keep going. Every child should have a turn to do an intransitive verb.
- Ask the children to place the red circle over the doing word on their slip.
- Offer a summary of how some words give us an action to keep doing and some tell us an action that stops.

Independent Work with Verb Box 2: A box with prepared labels that include one action and one object (lift the box) for the child to do and then symbolize.
Internal Actions:
- This is done with a small group. Write a message for each child to read and do. Make all outward actions except for one with an internal action “imagine a tree”. Each child should have a turn with an internal action.
- Ask each child what they did, and for the internal action, make a point to mention that you couldn’t see the action, but they did it. Invite the children to symbolize.
- Offer a summary that sometimes we can do things that can’t be seen.

Verb Tenses:
- Write a slip for the child to read and do, “wave your hand”. As they are doing it, ask what they are doing (waving) several times. When they stop, ask what they did (waved). Repeat for another slip.
- Offer a summary that some words change when you are doing them and after you did them.
The Verb Changes: Write a message for the child to read and do “clean a table”. Have the child symbolize the slip. Cut the label apart and rearrange the words to “a clean table” and have the child symbolize. Notice that the doing word has changed. Repeat for another. Do at least one more such as “dust a pan” or “wash a cloth”
Writing Phrases: The child can write their own verb phrases with the Moveable Alphabet or on paper. If the work is on paper, they may use the stencil to draw in the symbols.

Pedagogical Notes:

The verb is more abstract than the noun family
Dr. Montessori used the circle to reflect the sun. The red circle represents energy and movement.
When the child engages in creative story writing, encourage them to use the symbols. They offer an interesting visual to what kind of writer they are. If there are lots of triangles, they are a descriptive writer. If there are lots of circles, they are an action writer.