St. Michael’s Symbols 3-Part Cards Free Printable

This morning, in preparation for an activity that we plan to enjoy as a part of our family’s St. Michael’s Name Day Tea later this week, Luke helped me select images from Wikimedia for St. Michael’s Symbols 3-Part Cards.  I am sharing them today in case anyone else would like to use them this week in preparation for the Feast of the Archangels.

In the set of cards, there are three styles:

• Style 1 has words on the bottom and images with arrows pointing to corresponding parts of the images on the top.

• Style 2 does not include the arrows on top.  Instead, it includes descriptive phrases under the images to be matched with the words on the bottom of the cards.

• Style 3 contains images with titles, dates and artists underneath them on the top portion of each card and words naming symbols of St. Michael on the bottom.

The cards can be found here.

To use these cards as traditional Montessori 3-Part cards, simply print out two copies of any one style of cards.  Cut each card out around the outside black lines.  Then, with one set of cards, cut along the dotted lines, too. Then, use as in this video:

Or, enjoy any variety of games with the cards:

• Classifying Challenge (for 1 or more players): As a math tie-in, players try to classify cards by different attributes, for example making groups by wing color, by dark and light images, by images with shield and without.

• Concentration/Memory (for w or more players): Print two copies of any one style of cards.  Cut them out and lay the cards face down in even rows. Then, take turns revealing two cards. Anyone who finds a match gets to keep the match and go again, until they find no match.  Alternately, print one copy of one style of cards.  Cut each card out and then cut across the cards on the dotted lines.  Match the image portion to the word portion.  (For extra challenge, should you choose this option, you may want to attach the card parts to index cards so they will all be of a uniform size.)

• Go Fish (for 2 or more players; if there are many players, use more sets of cards): Print out two sets of cards. Cut them out and place them face down in a “fish pond”.  Have each player draw two cards. Then, Player 1 asks another player, “Do you have a ___?”, based on the words which correspond with the symbols of St. Michael.  If the person asked has the card requested, the card is given to Player 1, who lays the match down. If not, the person says, “No. Go fish!”” and Player 1 takes a face down card from the “fish pond”. Player 2 then takes a turn. Play continues until all cards are matched.  (For pre-readers who cannot figure out the picture cue, simply have them turn a card around so another player can see it, saying, “Do you have a card like this?”)

• The Everyone-Gets-One Slap Game (for 2 or more players): Print out enough sets cards so that each person can collect one in the end.  After cutting the cards out, lay out all the cards, minus one set, face up, so that each card is showing. Give the remaining set to the Caller as a deck. Have the Caller look at the first card and says, “Find a ___,” reading the word on one picture card.  Then, the other players should each take a corresponding card. Play ends when all cards have been collected.  (As an art study lesson, have the Caller ask other players to find cards with certain details in the images as opposed to just naming symbols.)

• Guessing Game (for 2 or more players): Lay one set of cut out cards face up so that all cards are showing.  Have Player 1 offer clues, such as, “I am thinking of an image that has an angel on it.”  “The colors used in the painting are mostly warm.”  “There is a sword in the image.” Etc.   Other players should try to guess which card Player 1 is thinking of.

• Scavenger Hunt Match (for 2 or more players):Using two sets of cut-out cards, Player 1 hides one set of cards in different places in the room and holds another set as the calling deck. Player 1 draws one card from the calling deck and describes it, telling Player 2 to go find its match. Player 2 has to find the match in the room.

• The Competitive Slap Game (for 3 or more players): Use two sets of cut out cards. Lay one face up so all of the cards show. Have a Caller hold the other set as a deck. The Caller should draw a card and name it by symbol, a description of the image or the meaning of the symbol.  Other players compete to be the first to slap the corresponding face up cards. Whoever slaps it gets to keep it. Whoever has the most cards at the end gets to be the next Caller.

• Lotto (for 3 or more players):  Give each child a set of cards.  Have all but one player select six of their cards to lay out in a 2 cards x 3 cards grid.  Have the other player act as the Caller, holding all eight cards as a calling deck.  The Caller should then describe one of the images or name one of the symbols.  Any player who has the card described, should turn it face down.  When a player turns over all of his or her cards, s/he wins.

However you choose to use the cards, enjoy!  Happy Michaelmas!

Want to be inspired with others' Montessori ideas an work?  Click on over to Montessori Monday and enjoy.