Bringing History to Life In the Elementary Classroom

Montessori Life, Summer 2004 by Goodnow, Margaret

In the 6-9 elementary Montessori classroom, the child is introduced to the notion of history through the story of the universe. Every year begins with this exciting introduction. It is what Montcssorians call the First Great Lesson. The teacher may present the story of the "Big Bang" and share various creation stories from around the world. Experiments and charts that spark the imagination and lead the child to further inquiry about the universe accompany these stories.

Montessori believed that "knowledge may truly be developed by awakening the interest" (Montessori, 1994, p.22). The child's interest in the 6-9 classroom is awakened through the use of the imagination. The educator's job is to spark the child's imagination, or as Montessori says, "To enthuse him to his inmost core" (Montessori, 1989, p. 11 ).

The First Great Lesson and the four Great Lessons that follow in history (the coming of life, humans, language, and numbers) all are presented in a manner that sets the child's imagination on a path open to discovery. "In the study of history and geography we are helpless without imagination, and when we propose to introduce the universe to the child, what but imagination can be of use to us?" (Montessori, 1989, p. 10).

As the child is introduced to the Great Lessons in the Montessori classroom, she is also studying the development of the notion of time, beginning with tally marks and moving on to studying the calendar and the clock. Through the use of various timelines, the child is introduced to the age of the earth and the age of the universe. He is then introduced to the BC/AD time line and the fundamental needs of humans. Following an introduction to the fundamental needs of humans from prehistoric time to modern day, the children spend a large amount of time researching and discovering how a particular historical culture satisfied its fundamental needs. The study of a culture can encompass many areas of the classroom and bring excitement to all students as they research, explore, experiment, and discover a fascinating civilization that came before their own.

Choosing a Civilization

The options to explore with the children are quite wide and exciting. Starting with early civilizations, one could choose to focus on the Egyptians, Greeks, or Romans. Or perhaps the mystery of the Middle Ages is of interest or the brilliance of the Renaissance. Last year my class studied ancient Greece. The children explored many of the fundamental needs of this time, including shelter, transportation, clothing, food, and art.

We began our study by forming small groups and making models of different types of Greek shelters. The children did research about their buildings, worked cooperatively when constructing them, and took pride in putting them on display for each other and their parents. Their imaginations were sparked as they tried to recreate the buildings they were reading about. The result consisted of a replica of the Parthenon, a Greek house, a Greek theatre, and the agora (marketplace).

They also sampled the foods of ancient Greece. They listened to and read Greek myths, constructed period costumes, and made sculptures and pots like those found from this time. Our studies culminated in a theatrical performance similar to what would have been done in ancient Greece.

Finding a Script Or Writing Your Own

Adding drama to any curriculum area in the classroom can be exciting for both the teacher and the children. "In an elementary Montessori environment drama is an excellent way to integrate the curriculum by bringing, literature, history, geography, music, dance, art and other subjects into a unified focus and experience for our students" (McKenzie, 1998, p.3).

There are many options when choosing to introduce drama in a curriculum area. The children can write their own drama based on what they learn through research, or in collaboration with the teacher, they can find a script suitable for their needs.

For our Greek drama, I consulted with my husband, John Goodnow, who is a theatre specialist with a passion for the history of the Greeks. He volunteered to write a drama based on the structure of actual Greek dramas that took place about 2,400 years ago. Wc were lucky because he was able to provide leading roles for my five third-level children, while making a place in the Greek chorus for the rest of the class. The results were wonderful, and the experience was enlightening and satisfying for us all.

The Play: The Golden Apple

The play that the children in my class performed, The Golden Apple, was based on events that resulted in the Trojan War. Three third-level girls played the roles of Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite, each trying to prove that she was the "most beautiful of all," as was written on the golden apple given to the gods by Discord (a loathsome character). This role was played by a third-level boy.

Paris (a handsome but unwitting prince), played by another third-level boy, was chosen to determine the one "most beautiful." Aphrodite persuades him to choose her as she promises him Helen of Troy, known to be truly the most beautiful woman in the world. This is an introduction to what began the Trojan War. Although the war is not part of the play, it is talked about and given significant description by Discord at the end of the play.