What to Do After the First Great Story: Montessori Follow-Up Activities
After presenting the First Great Story, there are many activities, experiments and areas of study that children may want to explore.
One easy way to do it is with a choice board like this one:
You do not need to present everything on this list. The First Great Story is designed to spark the child’s imagination and curiosity. As a key vehicle for delivering cosmic education the follow up activities are to help students see the story of the universe in practical, connected, meaningful ways and to develop awe, humility, curiosity and compassion.
Watch what interests your students, then use follow-up lessons and materials to help them investigate those ideas more deeply.
You may also find it useful to read my broader guide to the Montessori Great Stories and my classroom reflection on what happened after presenting the First Great Story.
Laws of the Universe
The Laws of the Universe are a series of experiments that demonstrate some of the scientific ideas introduced through the creation story.
Some Montessori teachers present these experiments as follow-up activities. Others bring them together into an alternative or expanded version of the First Great Story that places greater emphasis on the scientific processes involved in the formation of the universe and Earth.
You can also find more inspiration in my collection of quick and easy science experiments to use after the First Great Story.
The Solar System and Space
Children may want to learn more about the solar system, including:
- The Sun
- The planets
- Moons
- Asteroids
- Comets
- Meteors and meteorites
- Stars and galaxies
In 2026 my cohort loved these songs on Youtube which are packed with information, they became a near daily request!
Three-part cards, models, research projects and labelled diagrams can all be useful ways to support this work.
Layers of the Earth
The formation and structure of Earth is another natural follow-up to the First Great Story. Children can explore the crust, mantle, outer core and inner core through models, diagrams and matching work.
Possible resources include:
- A Layers of the Earth puzzle - get this one for free
- Layers of the Earth three-part cards
- Earth structure diagrams
- Research into how scientists know what is inside Earth
Seasons, Hemispheres and the Moon
The First Great Story can also lead into studies of Earth’s movement through space and how this affects the seasons.
Children may investigate:
- The tilt of the Earth
- Earth’s orbit around the Sun
- Why the hemispheres experience opposite seasons
- Seasonal changes in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres
- The phases of the Moon
- How the Moon may appear from different hemispheres
The Montessori Seasons and Tilt of the Earth material is a beautiful but expensive piece of equipment. A simple DIY model using a globe, lamp and markers can also demonstrate the main ideas effectively.
Other possibilities include:
- Seasonal observation journals. These needn't be complicated, a simple piece of paper with the name of the month and what the child sees outside are fine for young children.
- Southern Hemisphere seasonal wheel
- Northern Hemisphere seasonal wheel
-
Southern Hemisphere Moon phase work
Physical Geography
Physical geography allows children to explore how the forces introduced in the First Great Story have shaped the surface of Earth.
You may want to study:
- Oceans and seas
- Rivers and lakes
- Islands and peninsulas
- Mountains and valleys
- Basic land and water forms
- Advanced landforms
Elementary Observations has materials for advanced landforms. Continent projects can also help children connect physical geography with climate, animals, people and culture.
Biomes
A study of biomes helps children see how climate, geography, plants and animals are connected.
Children could compare environments such as:
- Deserts
- Grasslands
- Forests
- Tundra
- Freshwater environments
- Marine environments
This can lead naturally into mapping, animal classification, plant adaptations, food chains and independent research projects.
Elements and the Periodic Table
The First Great Story introduces the idea that matter is made from tiny particles. This can lead to work with atoms, elements and the periodic table.
When available, the Montessori atom structure board uses marbles to help illustrate the arrangement of particles within an atom. I've also made a cheaper version with card, circles drawn by sharpies and counters!
Older elementary children may also enjoy researching:
- How the periodic table is organised
- The properties of different elements
- Elements found in the human body
- Elements found in Earth and space
- How elements combine to form compounds
Ellen McHenry also has a useful collection of Free hands-on science activities, particularly for children aged 9–12.
Plate Tectonics, Volcanoes and Earthquakes
The movement of Earth’s crust is one of the most engaging follow-up areas for many children.
You can begin with a broad introduction using my Montessori plate tectonics activities, then allow children to explore volcanoes, earthquakes, mountain formation, ocean basins and the Ring of Fire in greater depth.
Related resources include:
- Plate Tectonics Activities
- Earthquake Matching and Vocabulary Cards
- Volcano Vocabulary and Definition Cards
- Free Parts of a Volcano Three-Part Cards
Children may also enjoy building model volcanoes, mapping tectonic plates, examining recent earthquakes or comparing different types of volcanoes.
Creation Stories from Around the World
After hearing the Montessori creation story, children can explore how other cultures and communities have explained the origins of the universe, Earth and humanity.
This work provides opportunities to compare common ideas, notice differences and discuss how stories reflect the experiences and values of the people who tell them.
I have written more about including creation stories from around the world in the Montessori classroom.
Creation stories should be presented respectfully and within their cultural context. Where possible, use authentic sources and help children understand that these are living cultural and spiritual narratives rather than simply myths to be judged against one another.
Making Connections Across the Curriculum
The First Great Story does not need to remain within the science curriculum. It can inspire writing, art, geography, history, mathematics and language work.
You may find these articles useful:
For example, children might write an explanation of how a volcano forms, create a labelled diagram of the solar system, calculate distances between planets, research a creation story or produce artwork inspired by the formation of Earth.
Independent Research
Some children will want to undertake their own research after hearing the story.
An inquiry template can help ensure that the project is both challenging and achievable. It can guide the child to:
- Choose a focused research question
- Record what they already know
- Identify useful sources
- Take notes in their own words
- Organise their information
- Create a final presentation, model, booklet or display
- Reflect on what they discovered
For some children independent research can be overwhelming which is where a choice board can be a great alternative.
The purpose of these follow-up activities is not to work through a fixed checklist. Instead, they give children different pathways for following the questions and interests awakened by the First Great Story.
Interested in more Montessori curriculum ideas?
Explore more Montessori curriculum articles here, or read my complete guide to the Five Montessori Great Stories.
Get a list of ideas in my FREE Montessori Cosmic Scope and Sequence
