In the Kitchen Vocabulary
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Our In the Kitchen Vocabulary cards are text-free picture cards with 12 real photographs of familiar kitchen objects. Students learn the precise name of each object through the three-period lesson, building spoken vocabulary before they read. They are designed for Montessori primary classrooms, homeschools, English learners, and intervention settings.
Montessori language work begins with the child's own world, and the kitchen is one of the first places young children want to help. Learning the precise names of kitchen objects gives students the words they need to join in with cooking, baking, and cleaning up, both at home and in the classroom.
Because the cards have no printed words, pre-readers can focus on the photo and its name. Later, students can sort the cards, or match them to the real objects around them.
What's included
- 12 cards, each showing one real photograph of a kitchen object, with no text; objects are ones students are familiar with (see photo for list)
- Cards are approx. 4¼" x 3¾"
- Eco-laminated with a food-grade laminate, with rounded corners
- Sturdy, clear reclosable bag for storage
- Lesson plan included
Display these cards in our medium cloth pouches (sold separately).
Created by a Montessori teacher. Eco-printed in our rural New England office.
Made in the USA. CPSIA compliant.
Note: Photos may change from those pictured.
Why do vocabulary cards matter for reading?
Interest drives learning. Montessori is a student-centered approach: the teacher observes what each student is curious about and offers materials that match. Young students are fascinated by the real objects they encounter every day. When they are interested in the topic, students will choose these cards again and again. Each time is more practice naming, discussing, and sorting. That practice builds vocabulary, part of the language comprehension side of reading in both Gough and Tunmer's (1986) simple view of reading and Scarborough's (2001) reading rope.
How do you use in the kitchen vocabulary cards?
First, spark student curiosity by saying you're going to do some work with things we find in the kitchen. Discuss what students see in their own kitchens at home and how each object is used. Then, choose a few cards at a time and use the three-period lesson to name each object. Once students know the names, invite them to find the matching real objects in the classroom kitchen or at home and place each card beside its object. Then use the cards for sorting games, such as sorting kitchen objects from our Clothing Vocabulary cards. When students are reading, move on to the In the Kitchen 3-Part Reading Cards.
What ages is this for?
Typically ages 3 and up. The cards work well for pre-readers and students in intervention settings. They are especially useful for English learners, since they cover everyday words used at home.
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