Our Montessori Bookshelf: Life on Earth
As children approach their elementary years, they can truly access the power of their imagination. As a result, they begin to ask big questions and want to explore through space and time. One way to support this big thinking is to provide resources they can explore. We love to find books that children lose themselves in, and that support deep learning.
We’ve found the following books particularly engaging, especially as children begin to grasp the vastness of time, the interdependency of all living things, and how human life is a continuation of much that has come before. For those children who have spent time working with the Timeline of Life, these books will reinforce concepts while offering new doors to open!
Continental Drift: The Evolution of our World from the Origins of Life to the Far Future
By Martin Ubce
The dance of the continents throughout the earth’s history provides a structural overview of this incredible resource. The mix of types of illustrations, including images from the Natural History Museum in London, support the engaging text. This is a very large book, and rightly so! While Continental Drift can be a resource for students’ research, it is also just a delight to read due to the author’s ability to make complex topics quite accessible.`
Forgotten Beasts: Amazing Creatures that Once Roamed the Earth
By Matt Sewell
With 45 lushly illustrated forgotten creatures and accessible paragraphs about each, this is a wonderful resource for children wanting to start prehistoric life research or just peruse particular pages. Each life form listed also has a key for their size, weight, diet, and the period they lived. Sewell’s stated intention is to bring these often lesser-known beasts of our past into more bright and colorful detail as paleontologists theorize they were probably not “muddy brown or boring green” and he does so quite well!
Life: The First Four Billion Years: The Story of Life from the Big Bang to the Evolution of Humans
By Martin Jenkins, Illustrated by Graham Baker-Smith
This incredibly large book is full of information and is the perfect resource for young people who have big questions about life on Earth. The illustrations balance a deep sense of mystery with scientific details, and this book embodies the magnitude of the story of our planet. It is a must-have for those interested in exploring everything from the primeval seas to the various giants who rose and fell as the dominant rulers of the land and air.
Prehistoric Actual Size
By Steven Jenkins
For young people looking for a simpler source of prehistoric information, this picture book relies more on images with just the right amount of accompanying text to capture our imagination. The life-sized illustrations help young readers visualize the Baryonyx claw or the spiny shark's size. Super fun for any age!
We hope these resources serve not only as a subject of study but also a source of wonder and inspiration. As children immerse themselves in the rich tapestry of life's history, they develop a deep sense of connection to the natural world and a profound respect for all living beings. Here is a printable list of the book titles for you.
We invite you to
schedule a tour to see how children embark on a lifelong journey of learning and discovery!
