The Culture Materials ~ The Sandpaper and Continents Globes

The Montessori casa (preschool) classroom is divided into five areas.  These areas are Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, Mathematics and Culture.  This blog post is about the Sandpaper and Continents Globes which fall within the Culture area of the classroom.  The Culture area is comprised of different subjects - Geography, Zoology, Botany, History and Science.  (Art and Music are also considered to be part of the Culture area.)

The study of Geography usually begins with the globes.

The Sandpaper Globe (left) and The Continents Globe (right)

Sandpaper Globe

The Sandpaper Globe is introduced first.  (Note:  This globe is also referred to as the Land and Water Globe.)  In order for the child to move into detail about the specific continents of the world, they must have a concept of a globe representing land and water.   The surface of this globe shows land (represented by brown sandpaper) and water (represented by a smooth blue surface).

The Sandpaper Globe (a.k.a. The Land and Water Globe)

The child is shown how to hold the globe with one hand on the base and one hand on top.  You may begin the lesson by stating something such as "We live on the Earth.  This globe is smaller than our Earth, but it shows us what the Earth looks like.  Our Earth is made of land and water."

Land is introduced.  "This is land.  We can stand on the land."  The child is invited to feel the land portions of the globe.

"This is land."

Water is introduced.  "This is water.  Fish swim in water."  The child is invited to feel the water portions of the globe.  The child is invited to continue exploring the Sandpaper Globe.

"This is water."

Continents Globe

After the children have had the opportunity to explore and work with the Sandpaper Globe, they are introduced to the Continents Globe. (Note:  This globe is also referred to as the Coloured Globe.) 

The Continents Globe (a.k.a. The Coloured Globe)

The Continents Globe is the same size as the Sandpaper Globe.  The surface of the globe shows water as a smooth blue surface.  Each continent is smooth and slightly raised.  There is no longer sandpaper to identify the land.   Each continent is a different colour:  yellow for Asia, green for Africa, orange for North America, pink for South America, white for Antarctica, brown for Australasia and red for Europe.


For the introductory lesson, both the Sandpaper and Continents Globes are brought to a mat or table.  The child is invited to examine and explore the globes.   They will notice that the land is no longer brown, but divided into coloured areas.   "We call these large areas of land, continents."  The child is introduced to the names of the continents in a three period lesson.

Exploring The Sandpaper Globe

Exploring The Continents Globe

Working Together to Explore the Globes

After the children have had the opportunity to explore and work with the Continents Globe, they will be introduced to the Puzzle Maps - specifically, the Continents of the World map. 

The Puzzle Maps

The Continents of the World Puzzle Map

This material is introduced to children at 2 1/2 to 3 years of age.