There is a chapter WAAAAAY way at the end of the Elementary Montessori Geography album (AMI - I'm not sure where it is in other elementary options)
Oh, those chapters at the ENDs of the albums are sly little creatures ;) Because they almost always have something for the youngest elementary children that builds into the later more complex work for the older elementary children - and yet, we don't get to them, because, well, they're at the end of the album, and shouldn't that be for the older children?
Interesting thing - all those math skills that are allegedly missing from the albums? Many of them are found right HERE in this section! Reading maps, using graphs in various forms, some introduction to statistics.... Yep. All here ;)
There are two sections with Human Geography
1) Interdependence of Human Beings in Society
This one could potentially begin in primary, but officially could start with the Fundamental Needs of Man and stem from there. We talk about the people in the process of making things (whereas so many other resources focus on the process of making things, but less on the people themselves). Books, videos, card material (available for purchasable download or can be teacher-designed) - the materials are simplistic enough, thus this whole area is SO easily overlooked!
NOTE! This is NOT the interdependencies from the Biology Album ecology chapter! (which should also be introduced earlier rather than later - another "back of the album - early work" chapter ;) )
2) Economic Geography
This area include the study of natural resource, study of consumption, comparison of production and consumption, imports and exports, volume of world trade, world commerce.
Materials needed: study resources, possibly the internet, and the economic geography stamps (the linked ones correlate with the AMI albums)
From the Introduction to Human Geography:
Here with the interdependencies is a prime place to emphasize that Montessori is not so much a method of education only – but a way of looking at life and interacting with it.Many of the following activities seem very, very simple – and they can be easily overlooked. I urge you: DO NOT MAKE THIS MISTAKE.Emphasize the connections between all humans – past, present and future. All those who came before us left us many gifts (and us adults will add “and many problems”). By focusing on these gifts, and passing them on, along with new gifts that have their foundation on the past gifts, we will pass fewer problems along to future generations.Gratitude.
Respect.Encouragement.Joy.We are all here together. Now. We have come from a common past that has taken many branches. Establish in your children the above listed traits, and they will have the tools they need to promote healthy relationships everywhere life takes them.Lower Elementary: InterdependenciesUpper Elementary: Economic GeographyFOLLOW THE CHILD, regardless of age – ages are guidelines ONLY.
