Today we live in a truly globalised world. Nearly every country depends, to some extent, on others—whether it’s for finished goods or the raw materials needed to produce them. From the clothes we wear to the food we eat and the electronics we use, so much of what we consume is made possible through a complex network of international trade, labor, and logistics.
And our Montessori materials need to reflect this reality.
It’s about helping children see how the world really works.
In the past, Montessori Economic Geography resources for 9-12 year olds have often suggested that the needs of, say, a farmer or a baker are met solely by local people within their community. While that may have been true in certain times or places, it doesn’t reflect the complexity of modern life. Today, a farmer might rely on seeds developed in another country, machinery made overseas, and fertilizers shipped from yet another part of the world. A baker might source ingredients globally—flour from one country, sugar from another, packaging materials from a third.
So, if we’re committed to giving children an honest, age-appropriate picture of life in different eras, we should also help them understand the globalised world they live in today.
That includes introducing concepts like:
-
Taxes and how they affect production and pricing
-
Government policies that shape farming, manufacturing, and retail
-
Global production lines, like those found in garment factories or electronics assembly plants
- The ecosystem behind a product arriving at our place or classroom. There are so many people and items that go into one thing arriving in our classroom.
This concept has traditionally been introduced in the Montessori Geography curriculum for 9-12 year olds with interpendence charts focusing on 'what and who does the farmer need' and 'what and who does the butcher need.' I personally have found the traditional charts to not be holistic in nature lacking depth of what humans need to suceed.
My economic geography resource is designed to open up rich conversations and meaningful learning experiences. It includes:
-
Lesson plans and teacher scripts to guide your presentations
-
Discussion prompts that can be used to integrate language arts and essay writing
-
Shelf work to support independent exploration
-
Posters and charts to help make abstract concepts more concrete and visible in the classroom
This resource is flexible and layered, allowing you to tailor the depth of discussion to the needs of your learners.