One of my goals for the summer is to work back through the scope and sequence (post to come), specifically with language, math, and sensorial, even if I know Joey has mastered a skill.
Part of the reason I want to do this is because we’ve jumped around and have had many gaps in our school days. I want to make sure I haven’t just assumed Joey’s mastered a skill and I also want him to see the natural sequence and build-up of the materials.
One of the things I’ve been reading about is the pink series in Montessori language. The school I previously taught at used the Phonetic Reading Program from California (developed by Montessorian Lo Ann Jundt) and while it’s a great program, it’s expensive and takes up more space than I have. Having not really heard of the pink series, I was interested in what it was and liked the idea of following traditional Montessori.
What is the Pink Series?
Following pre-reading and pre-writing in the language scope and sequence, the pink series is when the child begins to blend and form 3-letter words. The pink series is sometimes referred to as CVC, consonant-vowel-consonant, because the words follow this pattern.
While I’m still wrapping my head around the pink series, my understanding is that there are a few different works in the sequence.
Sandpaper Letters -Â Montessori suggested starting with sandpaper letters first progressing in the order the child would trace the letter: o, e, a, i, u.
Matching Sandpaper Letters to Moveable Alphabet – The Learning Ark has a great post on this. No need to be redundant. 🙂
As an aside to the language sequence as a whole, The Learning Ark recommends an ‘I Spy’  sound game in progressing presentations before introducing the sandpaper letters followed by matching objects by beginning letter, sand tray, and matching pictures by beginning letter. There’s definitely a lot of great information over there, so be sure to check it out.
Sound Bags/Baskets – You could have a basket or bag filled with corresponding to a short vowel sound (ie, cat, hat, bag, tag, rag). First, you could present each short vowel sound separately (the ‘a’ bag, then ‘e’ bag, etc), then you could have a bag with the different short vowel sounds (ie, cat, rug, tin, mop, jet).
Object with Moveable Alphabet – Using the moveable alphabet, you can have the child take short vowel objects and spell the words. Montessori Moments has a nice post on this.
Picture Card with Moveable Alphabet – Using the moveable alphabet, you can have the child take short vowel picture cards and spell the words.
Matching Object to Word Card – As the child progresses, you  can have a tray of different objects and their corresponding word cards. The child would then match the object to the card.
Matching Picture to Word Card – Matching picture to the word card is the same as with the object. It’s just making the concept more abstract.
There are a few more activities I’ve seen, but haven’t been able to find much more about them other than printables– secret word slips, mixed vowel picture mats, reading phrases and sentences with CVC words.
Pink Series Resources
- Montessori for Everyone has some great resources on all the reading series –
- Free Pink Cards with Picture and Word from Montessori Materials (FREE)
- Free Printable Moveable Alphabet from Montessori Materials (FREE)
- Pink Series Word Lists, Pictures, and Labels from Homemade Montessori
- Printable Pink Series Sequence from Montessori Print Shop (This is what we use.)
- Free Printable Pink Reading Series (Levels 1-6) from The Helpful Garden
- Free Montessori Pink Level  from Practical Homeschooling
Do you use the pink reading series? If so, what does it look like in your home or school?
3 comments… add one
We’ve been using the pink series for the last few weeks. Like you we started out with a somewhat eclectic approach, much of it Montessori based but without much of a structure or a plan. I felt my boy was lacking a solid foundation in his reading and struggling because of it, so we started over with the pink series. I had some complaints at first that it was too easy (individual words) followed by too hard (phrases and sentences), so I guess the level was actually pretty much spot on. We started sight words afresh 2 weeks ago, and this week my boy read hist first book all by himself!
So happy with this approach, it’s absolutely the best for my boy right now; and I’m looking forward to progressing with the blue and green series when he’s ready. Hope Joey enjoys it too!
Oh, and I forgot to mention, we’re using The Helpful Garden materials and they’re such high quality – I’m very very happy with them.
It is very interesting..I am studying montessori teaching at the moment. I will keen to use this system.
Montessori series are a great modules for all age groups