There are so many amazing resources online for young children when it comes to Montessori. It is so much harder to find resources that are appropriate for older children! The shift to the second plane of development occurs somewhere between 6-years-old and age 7 for most children. It marks a huge shift how a child interacts with the world.
In the second plane of development children shift the way that they are learning. They are no longer learning purely through their experiences within the environment but abstractly through their imagination. This is the age of "cosmic education." Montessori argued that children of this age needed to be given the world. They needed huge work, big topics, and as much information about everything as possible. But not in a way that would just drill them, but in ways that would spark their engagement and interest in the world.
"Interest will no longer be there if the seed be sown too late, but at six years of age all items of culture are received enthusiastically, and later these seeds will be expand and grow. If asked how many seeds may be sown, my answer is: 'as many as possible!'" Maria Montessori, To Educate the Human Potential
These books all fit these goals, covering a large amount of fantastic information in a way that is relatable to this age!
5 Books for the Second Plane Child
So, I wanted to share some resources that I've found and love at home for the second plane! These would be great for any older child book collection!
- Born With a Bang: The Universe Tells Our Cosmic Story - the first of the Universe Series, which is a beautiful companion to the first Great Lesson used in Montessori elementary schools. This whole series is beautifully illustrated, and told in a story format which appeals to the second plane child. (More in this series: From Lava to Life: The Universe Tells Our Earth Story | Mammals Who Morph: The Universe Tells Our Evolution Story)
- Timelines of Everything - A visual format of timelines for so many different topics, giving just enough information to spark interesting conversations and additional research when kids are really interested
- Natural History - This giant and stunning book dives into all things natural world. It's more visually appealing than providing tons of information but it's an interesting way to really have fun with the natural world.
- The Story of Clocks and Calendars - Another beautiful book, this time talking specifically about this creation of man - time! It discusses a large range of time telling and keeping methods and how we created our own modern system.
- A Year Full of Stories: 52 classic stories from all around the world - This collection is amazing! Not only is it beautiful but includes folktales and legends from a variety of cultures and pairs them with certain days/seasons/months of the year. The stories aren't super long but are very engaging. I love the variety of cultures represented (its not all Western Europe!)
Do you have any second plane books you love?
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Comments
As a child, I loved a magazine we had in our 1st-3rd grade classroom called "Faces." It was sort of anthropology for kids. I wonder if it's still in print.
