Grammar Symbols: The Adjective

The adjective is the noun's closest companion — a smaller triangle of the same shape, always nearby. The elementary child grasps that adjectives enrich nouns with qualities. The symbol visually teaches the hierarchy.

• Framework: Montessori
• Unit: Language
• Learning area: Grammar
• Level: Ages 6-7

Objectives

• Identify adjectives as words that describe nouns
• Associate the dark blue medium triangle with the adjective
• Understand that adjectives attach to and support nouns
• Compose phrases combining article, adjective, and noun

Materials

• Large dark blue equilateral triangle (smaller than the noun triangle)
• Baskets of noun slips and adjective slips
• Chart telling the story of the adjective as companion to the noun

Instructions

1. Gather the group. 2. Tell the story: 'The noun is a great and heavy pyramid. But often the noun wants to be described — large, red, soft. For these describing words we have a smaller triangle of the same shape, in dark blue: the adjective.' 3. Place the adjective triangle beside the noun triangle. 4. Read phrases such as 'red ball,' 'soft pillow,' 'great mountain.' 5. Place the adjective triangle over each describing word and the noun triangle over the named thing. 6. Invite children to compose their own phrases. 7. Mark adjectives in printed text. 8. Introduce 'comparative' and 'superlative' later. 9. Combine with the article (small light blue triangle) to form 'the red ball.'

Educator tip

Let children delight in stacking adjectives: 'the big, red, soft, old ball.' The material grows with each added triangle.

Assessment

Note whether the child identifies adjectives in new text and composes rich descriptive phrases.

More from Language

• Function of Words: The Preposition
• Function of Words: The Pronoun
• Function of Words: The Adverb
• Function of Words: The Conjunction
• Function of Words: The Interjection
• Word Study: Prefixes
• Word Study: Suffixes
• Poetry Study — Rhyme, Rhythm, and Imagery