Explore the story of humanity through hands-on Montessori cosmic education work.
This Montessori Early Humans bundle helps children investigate the development of early humans through research, classification, timelines and inquiry-based learning. Designed to support the Montessori Timeline of Humans and Fifth Great Lesson studies, these materials encourage children to explore how humans adapted, created tools, formed communities and shaped civilisation.
Rather than isolated fact memorisation, this bundle supports deep exploration of humanity’s place within the unfolding story of the universe — a central part of Montessori cosmic education.
Ideal for:
- Montessori elementary classrooms
- Timeline of Humans studies
- Fifth Great Lesson follow-up work
- Cosmic education curriculum
- History and anthropology studies
- Homeschool environments
- Independent research work
- Neurodivergent learners needing structured visual learning
What’s Included
This Montessori-inspired Early Humans bundle includes a wide range of printable activities designed to support independent exploration and classification work.
Activities may include:
- Early humans research cards
- Classification activities
- Timeline work
- Reading and comprehension
- Matching cards
- Labelling work
- Visual learning materials
- Follow-up research extensions
- Independent inquiry activities
Children investigate:
- Early human species
- Adaptations and survival
- Tools and technology
- Migration and movement
- Shelter and clothing
- Community development
- Cultural evolution
- Connections between humans and the environment
The materials support both independent and collaborative learning within mixed-age Montessori environments.
Supports Children To:
✔ Understand the Timeline of Humans
✔ Explore early civilisation and adaptation
✔ Develop research and inquiry skills
✔ Build historical sequencing understanding
✔ Strengthen reading comprehension
✔ Connect history to cosmic education
✔ Encourage independent exploration
✔ Develop critical thinking and discussion skills
Why Montessori Guides Love This Resource
✔ Montessori-aligned cosmic education work
✔ Encourages inquiry instead of rote memorisation
✔ Supports mixed-age classrooms
✔ Flexible for independent or group work
✔ Easy to print and prepare
✔ Visually engaging for elementary learners
✔ Supports history, geography and science integration
✔ Designed for authentic Montessori classrooms
Flexible Classroom Use
Use this bundle for:
- Fifth Great Lesson follow-up
- Timeline of Humans studies
- Research projects
- Shelf work
- Group investigations
- History extensions
- Independent inquiry
- Homeschool history studies
- Cultural curriculum work
The open-ended structure allows children to pursue their own questions and discoveries while developing deeper understanding of humanity’s place within the wider cosmic story.
Created by a Montessori Educator
Designed by an experienced Montessori educator and school leader, these materials reflect authentic Montessori elementary philosophy — encouraging curiosity, independence, inquiry and meaningful connections across the curriculum.
The study of early humans plays an important role within Montessori cosmic education by helping children understand the development of human civilisation and humanity’s contribution to the world.
How to draw early humans
A set of step by step instructions and coloring pages for early humans
Humans or Primate sorting
Human or Primate? What is true for both? What is true for one group? What isn't true at all for either!
This sorting activity and follow up activities help students see commonalities between both.
Lucy Reading Passages
Lucy is estimated to have lived about 3.2 million years ago.
In this resource, designed for my own class of neurodivergent students I have made 2 versions that introduce Lucy.
1 x simplified story of who Lucy is in large and smaller print
1 x cloze excercise (with answers provided)
1 x Lucy reading divided into question headings
1 x marking rubric to go with the above for the child to use to help guide them in a research project
Timeline of People
Trace the history of people through various time periods from the humans who lived with mammoth to today.
Using the red colour that is also found in other Montessori cosmic lessons this timeline draws out the history of humans introducing both key facts in human development along with interesting events and peoples.
I designed this pack to help my 9-12 neurodivergent learners who find research with books overwhelming but are ready for more indepth study of humans.
Includes events from different places, cultures and continents.
What makes us human?
1 x one page script of 'what makes us human' for adult
4 x versions of booklets (3 at 10 pages each, one version can be adapted to have whatever amount of pages needed). Students complete
Hominin or Hominid?
This visual sorting resource has been designed for young children, aged 6-9 to help get them have a clear understanding of what a hominid is compared to a hominin.
Timeline of early hominins
This Montessori inspired timeline introduces children to SOME types of early humans.
Students learn about
● Australopithecus
● Homo erectus
● Homo habilis
● Homo sapiens
● Neanderthals
