Being witness to The Great Lessons, an important and unique part of the Montessori curriculum in the lower elementary years, is as thrilling for me as it is for the children. These exciting lessons are designed to awaken a child's imagination and curiosity and to strike them with the wonder of all creation.

Pictured above are some of our lower elementary children working on "The Timeline of Life" work that represents the beginnings of life on Earth from the simplest forms through the appearance of human beings. A great variety and magnificence of life is presented on the chart, with each living organism a play a role in an awesome and grand cosmic plan.

This chart and the children's work with it are such a great example of Dr. Montessori's quote: "Our aim is not only to make the child understand, and still less to force him to memorize, but so to touch his imagination as to enthuse him to his innermost core."