The Montessori Cultural Curriculum

The Montessori approach is based on the belief that children learn best when they are given the opportunity to explore and discover the world around them. The Montessori cultural curriculum includes lessons on geography, botany, zoology, science, art, and music.

In addition to helping children develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of the world around them, Montessori cultural education also plays an important role in promoting empathy and understanding. By learning about different cultures and traditions, children are able to develop a greater sense of empathy and compassion for others. 

“All the great men the world has ever had, in music, poetry, science etc., have all been children. We don’t know what the child will become, but he possesses a great force, and if he is to develop to the best of his capabilities by the time he is a man, it is essential that he obeys all the laws of nature during his development.” – Maria Montessori, The 1946 London Lectures 

Cultural Exploration

In the Montessori preschool classroom, there are six areas for cultural exploration: The World (Geography), The World of Plants (Botany), The World of Animals (Zoology), The World of Science, The World of Art and The World of Music. See our full list of activities and themes here.

• Cultural Exploration
  • The World (Geography)
  • The World of Plants (Botany) 
  • The World of Animals (Zoology)
  • The World of Science 
  • The World of Art 
  • The World of Music
• Presentations in the Montessori Cultural Area
  • The First Period: Practical Life
  • The Second Period: Sensorial and Language
  • The Third Period: Spontaneous Exploration
• Culturally Responsive Teaching in the Montessori Cultural Curriculum

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The World (Geography)

Geography is an integral part of the Montessori cultural curriculum. Children are introduced to the physical and political features of the world through maps, globes, and other materials. They learn about different countries, their cultures, and their customs. They also learn about the natural world and topography of our planet, including landforms, bodies of water, biomes, and climate zones.

Materials in the Geography area include: 

• Globe of Land and Water
• Globe of the Continents
• Puzzle Maps
• Land and Water Forms
• Flags of the World
• Geography Folders

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The World of Plants (Botany) 

Botany is another important component of the Montessori cultural curriculum. Children learn about plants and their life cycles, as well as the role they play in our environment. They also learn about the different parts of plants and their functions. Through hands-on activities, children develop a love and appreciation for the interconnectedness of nature.

Materials in the Botany area include: 

• The Botany Cabinet
• Food preparation of fruits and vegetables
• Plant care in the indoor environment
• Gardening in the outdoor environment
• Nature observation tray or table

“We must study the correlation between life and its environment. In nature everything correlates. This is the method of nature. Nature is not concerned with the conservation of individual life: it is a harmony, a plan of construction. Everything fits into the plan: winds, rocks, earth, water, plants, man, etc.” – Maria Montessori, Citizen of the World

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The World of Animals (Zoology)

Zoology is the study of animals and their behavior. In the Montessori cultural curriculum, children learn about different animals and their habitats. They also learn about the different classifications of animals and their characteristics. Through observation and exploration, children gain a deeper understanding of the natural world.

Materials in the Zoology area include: 

• A classroom pet, if available
• Observing animals in the outdoor environment
• Classified Cards with animals from the local environment, as well as from each continent
• Vertebrates sorting activity: cards with animals that children can sort into the five categories of vertebrates (mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians)

“Children have an anxious concern for living beings, and therefore the satisfaction of this instinct fills them with delight. It is therefore easy to interest them in taking care of plants and especially of animals. Nothing awakens foresight in a small child, who lives as a rule for the passing moment and without care for the morrow, so much as this.” – Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child

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The World of Science 

In the science area of the Montessori classroom, children learn about the scientific method and the process of experimentation. They also learn about different scientific concepts, such as gravity, magnetism, and electricity. Through hands-on activities and experiments, children develop a love for science and a sense of curiosity about the world around them.

Materials in the Science area include:

• Sink/Float Activity
• The Roman Arch
• Magnets
• Magnifying Glass
• …and many more science experiments!

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The World of Art 

Art is an important component of the Montessori cultural curriculum. Children are encouraged to express themselves through different art forms and techniques, including drawing, painting, and sculpture. Educators are mindful to focus on the process of art, rather than the final product, when introducing art activities to children.

Materials in the Art area include:

• Painting easel
• Rotating art materials in a variety of media: drawing, modeling clay, collage, printing and stamping
• Classified Cards of artists and artworks
• Art hung around the classroom at children’s eye level

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The World of Music

Like art, music is an important aspect of the Montessori cultural curriculum. Children are surrounded by music in the classroom, through instruments, recorded music and singing. They learn about different musical instruments, composers, and styles of music. Through creative expression, children develop a sense of self and a love for the arts.

Materials in the Music area include:

• The Bells
• Musical instruments
• CD or audio player with headphones
• Classified Cards of instruments and composers
• Singing songs

“How touching it is that man has this instinct, this joy and sentiment for music. Through the little children these things, art and music, remain forever with humanity – over time music has been recombined and developed throughout humanity.” –  Maria Montessori, The 1946 London Lectures 

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Presentations in the Montessori Cultural Area

In the Culture area, Montessori educators always utilize the same framework for presentation. They follow the “Process of Learning” to introduce an idea and create an interest. This natural process of learning is the foundation for the Three Period Lesson, which was originally designed by Edouard Seguin, a French physician who inspired Maria Montessori’s work. It is also in line with Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development and Kolb’s Four Stages of Learning, which point to concrete experiences as essential to the process of learning.

In the Three Period Lesson, educations first introduce an idea, then give experience with that concept, and finally offer the opportunity for “verification,” or confirmation of knowledge. This process of learning repeats itself in many forms in the Montessori classroom and throughout the Montessori pedagogy. 

The First Period: Practical Life

In the Culture curriculum, the first “period” is an introduction to the area through Practical Life activities. For example, in geography, this could include Walking on the Line while carrying a flag, pouring water into the Land and Water Forms, and dusting the globes. This introduction through Practical Life allows the child to build a foundational understanding of aspects of the culture curriculum through concrete, hands-on experiences. 

The Second Period: Sensorial and Language

We then offer the child a lot of experience (the second “period”) to take their interest further first through sensorial exploration, and then through language lessons. For example, in geography, sensorial exploration includes work with the globes, the puzzle maps, and the flags, followed by oral language in the form of Classified Cards and language lessons, including names of countries and continents. This is reinforced by written language and reading materials related to the area. 

Sensorial Keys

Although we cannot present the child with all the information that exists in each of these areas, we can provide keys that allow for exploration, inspiration and understanding. The First Plane child (ages 0-6) is a sensorial learner and learns through hands-on experiences. Educators can offer “sensorial keys” that they hope will spark children’s interest in a topic, and inspire them to explore that area in greater depth. 

For the preschool-aged child, these sensorial keys can be anything that is tangible, and can be manipulated or explored by using their senses. Any abstract or intellectual concepts (such as dinosaurs, which require the child to imagine a time millions of years ago, and the Solar System, which requires the child to imagine something incredibly large) are best reserved for the Second Plane of Development (ages 6-12). 

After having explored the sensorial keys to the culture area in the classroom, educators hope that children will then go on to use their natural inquisitiveness and curiosity to further explore the world beyond the classroom. 

The Third Period: Spontaneous Exploration

Finally, in the third “period,” we offer the child the opportunity for verification of what they know, in the form of spontaneous exploration. These are creative activities that come from the child, and are the child’s way of expressing what they know and building upon the knowledge they have acquired from the culture materials. 

In Geography, this might include making their own map of the world. Some ideas children come up with to make a map include tracing and drawing the continents with colored pencils, pin-punching the shapes of the continents, or even sewing the continents’ outlines onto a piece of fabric!

Culturally Responsive Teaching in the Montessori Cultural Curriculum

Culturally responsive teaching involves making connections between different subjects and cultural experiences, with particular emphasis given to the cultural backgrounds of students represented in the classroom. In a Montessori classroom, educators integrate cultural activities and themes into a variety of subjects, such as math, science, and language. For example, children may learn about the cultural significance of certain foods in a food preparation activity, or explore the cultural traditions and music of different countries in a music lesson.

As in all areas of the Montessori classroom, particular consideration should be given to not bringing our own biases into the curriculum, materials and lessons that we offer in the Culture area. For example, educators can make concerted efforts to not focus primarily on Western or male composers and artists in the music and art areas, and we can introduce vocabulary for all of the continent maps equally when offering language lessons for puzzle maps, even if we ourselves may be more familiar with the shapes and names of one continent than another. These changes can contribute to creating classroom environments that are rooted in diversity, equity and inclusion. 

Overall, culturally responsive teaching is an important aspect of Montessori education that helps children develop a sense of pride in seeing themselves and their cultural backgrounds represented in the classroom environment. Through the six areas of the culture curriculum, children can gain a deep understanding and appreciation of the diverse world around them.