The three-period lesson, step by step

The three-period lesson is how a Montessori guide teaches a child the name of something: a color, a shape, a letter sound, a continent, a part of a leaf. It moves from naming, to recognition, to recall. The child can stop at any point without being wrong, and you write down the period they reached so the next lesson starts from there.

Before you start

Choose two or three items the child can tell apart easily. For a first color lesson, red and blue work better than red and pink. For sandpaper letters, pick sounds that look and sound different, such as "m", "a" and "t".

Prepare the materials and invite the child to a table or a rug. Sit on the child's side, usually on the side of their non-writing hand, so your demonstration doesn't block their view.

Let the child explore the materials first. If the lesson is about rough and smooth, the child should have touched both before you name either.

Use one word for each item and say it the same way every time. "Red." "Blue." Skip "This is a red one" or "This color is called red". Extra words make the name harder to pick out.

The three periods

First period: naming. Hold or touch the first item and say its name. "This is red." Pause. Let the child look, touch it, repeat the word if they want to. Then the second item: "This is blue." Then the third, if you're using three. You can name each one more than once. The child doesn't have to say anything in this period.

Second period: recognition. Ask the child to find or act on an item by name. This is the longest part of the lesson, and you can make it playful:

• "Show me red."
• "Put blue on your lap."
• "Hand me red."
• "Put red under the table."
• "Where is blue?"

Mix the items around between requests so the child can't rely on position. Keep going as long as the child is interested.

If the child hands you the wrong item, don't say "no". Take it, name it again ("This is blue"), and go back to an easier request.

Third period: recall. Point to an item and ask, "What is this?" The child names it from memory. Start with the item the child has recognized most reliably. If they name it, move to the next.

Give the third period only when the second period has gone smoothly. If the child hesitates or guesses in the third period, return to the second for a few more requests, or end the lesson and come back another day.

Knowing when to stop

A three-period lesson can be very short. Signs that it's time to end:

• The child looks away, stands up or reaches for other work.
• The child answers the same item every time regardless of the request.
• The child starts guessing in the third period.

End warmly and put the materials away together. The child will meet the material again, and you'll know where to start.

Older children often move through all three periods in one sitting. Younger children may stay in the second period across several days.

Recording the period each child reached

Write down three things after each lesson: the date, the items you named, and the highest period the child reached with each one. A child can reach the third period with "red" and still be in the second with "blue".

A simple grid works well. List the children down the side and the items across the top. In each square, write 1, 2 or 3 with the date. A blank square means you haven't presented that item yet.

Use the grid when you plan the next week:

• Children at period 1 or 2 get the same items again, through a short second-period game.
• Children at period 3 with every item are ready for new ones.
• Children who reached period 3 weeks ago may need a quick check, since recall fades if the child hasn't used the word.

Keep the grid near your lesson planning materials and fill it in the same day. By the next morning you won't remember whether a child named "triangle" or only pointed to it.