Around the House Vocabulary
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Eco-Happy
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Common Core
Our Around the House Vocabulary cards are text-free picture cards with 12 real photographs of common household objects and furniture. 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. Young students see these objects every day but often don't know their precise names. Learning the right word for something they already know gives them the language to talk about their home and daily life with confidence.
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 household object, with no text; objects are ones students see every day (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 see 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 around the house vocabulary cards?
First, spark student curiosity by saying you're going to do some work with things we find around the house. Discuss what students have in their own homes. 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 or at home and place each card beside its object. Then use the cards for sorting games, such as sorting household objects from animals (easier) or sorting them by room (more challenging). When students are reading, move on to our Around the House 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 the everyday objects they encounter in daily life.
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