Follow-Up Stories to the Second Great Story

The Montessori teacher appeals to the elementary child’s imagination from the first story they tell. Storytelling helps bring the theory of Cosmic Education to actual practice in the classroom. The Great Stories told at the beginning of each new school year place the children in touch with the universe, the earth, and with a variety of life. They spin a vision of the whole picture and lay a foundation for further exploration. These exciting stories pique the child’s interest and prompt questions that spur the child on to active participation in attaining further knowledge.

The theme of this month’s newsletter is intended to compliment the experiences of the children at the beginning of the school year. As they experience the telling of the Great Stories in your classroom, our hope is that their imagination is sparked and they are filled with excitement to begin new explorations. These stories build on elements of the Second Great Story, Timeline of Life, and potentially many other classroom explorations.

These stories I share with you are meant to serve as inspiration and support of your efforts to bring Cosmic Education to your classroom! Please use them as they fit the needs of you and your students, whether that is in part, or simply a starting-off point for planning your own stories.

Hello, young paleontologists! Do you remember when you heard the Story of the Coming of Life, when you heard of all the different types of plants and animals that came to be before human beings? Today, I have another exciting story to share with you about a special time in Earth's history called the Cambrian Explosion. Let’s use our imagination to travel back in time about 540 million years ago!

A long, long time ago, even before the time of the dinosaurs, there was a time known as the Cambrian Period. You might remember seeing that word at the very beginning of our Timeline of Life. This was a time when Earth looked very different from how it does today. The land was empty of big trees and plants, and the oceans were the most exciting places to be.

Now the Cambrian Explosion was not an actual explosion. During the Cambrian Explosion, something amazing happened. It was like a grand party in the oceans where new plants and animals were invited to join in! Around 540 million years ago, all sorts of new guests appeared on Earth.

New plants called algae began to fill the oceans with their vibrant green colors. These little plants were like the first party decorations, making the oceans more lively and full of energy.

But the real stars of the party were the animals! Imagine creatures like trilobites with their hard shells, snail-like mollusks, and strange sea creatures that had never been seen before. They were all wearing their best outfits, or in their case, their unique adaptations.

Let's talk about "adaptations." Just like you wear a raincoat when it rains, animals and plants have special features to help them survive. During the Cambrian Explosion, animals were trying out all sorts of adaptations. Some grew sharp spines to protect themselves, while others developed bigger eyes to see better.

Those trilobites we saw earlier? Well, they had tough shells to keep them safe. The pikaia was one of the first animals we have found to have a head distinct from its body, with a mouth it used for eating and tentacles for feeling what was ahead while swimming. And those plants? They were using their leaves to catch sunlight and make yummy food.

Imagine if we had a big book that told the story of life on Earth from the very beginning until now. In this book, the Cambrian Explosion would be like a chapter that introduced all these new and exciting characters to the story. It was a time when the world changed a lot, and the oceans became a bustling place filled with life.

Do you remember when you heard the Story of the Coming of Life? That story told you about the history of the Earth and how life evolved over millions of years. The Cambrian Explosion is like a colorful page in this story, showing us how different animals adapted to their ocean homes.

So, young explorers, the Cambrian Explosion was like a big party where lots of new animals and plants showed up on Earth. They were trying out new ways of living and growing, just like you try new things every day. Remember this story as you think about how life has changed over millions of years. I wonder what other creatures lived during the Cambrian Period? I’m curious to know what changes happened during other periods. Maybe you would like to get out the Timeline of Life and pick something to explore yourself. I cannot wait to see what you discover!

If you enjoyed this story and would like to explore other’s like it, follow the link below!

Use the special code GMSUBSCRIBER to receive an exclusive 10% off! This deal is just for subscribers and will only apply until the next publication.

The Prepared Environment is a key pillar of the Montessori educational approach. This intentional space is carefully designed to inspire curiosity, critical thinking, and a sense of wonder in children. The keys within this environment act as catalysts for independent inquiry. These keys are materials or resources that initiate and guide a child's exploration, sparking their interest and inviting them to delve deeper into a particular subject.

While the Montessori classroom is rich in carefully selected materials, there is an intentional limitation imposed on the number of resources available. By presenting a curated selection of materials, the teacher inspires and encourages the children to seek additional information from external sources, fostering independence and a thirst for knowledge that extends beyond the classroom walls.

In the context of the Second Great Story, several key resources can captivate the imagination and curiosity of elementary children:

Books and Visual Resources: A collection of age-appropriate books, historical atlases, and visual resources that showcase the different periods in Earth’s history. These materials serve as an introduction to different explorations of geography and biology.

Fossils: Authentic fossils of prehistoric plants and animals. These tactile objects offer a tangible connection to the past, sparking curiosity about the life of life and events on Earth before us.

Maps and Timelines: Maps and timelines that allow children to trace the movements of continents, the ice caps, and vegetation and life across time. These tools provide a visual representation of historical events.

Research Materials: Child-friendly encyclopedias, online resources, and libraries that enable students to conduct research independently. This empowers them to seek answers to their questions and explore topics in greater depth.

Did you enjoy this first issue of the Genuina Montessori newsletter? I’d love your feedback so that over time this newsletter can grow as a resource for Montessori elementary teachers! Respond to this email with your thoughts and constructive feedback with the subject line Subscriber Feedback.

Thoughts you want to share with the community? Would you like to be a guest writer for the next newsletter? Email me by responding to this email with the subject line Guest Writer.

Want to share big work related to a story you told (it does not have to be a story from Genuina Montessori!)? Share your experience/pictures (no identifying features of children, please) by responding to this email with the subject line Big Work for a chance to be featured in the newsletter!

If you share your students doing follow-up work inspired by one of my stories, or working with material purchased from my shop, please tag me on social media! #GenuinaMontessori

Lastly, if you enjoy this newsletter, please recommend it to others! Thank you for your support!