Geography is included in the Montessori primary environment to give the child a simple foundation of understanding the world in which he lives.

The concepts of geography are presented starting with the whole and moving to the parts, beginning with the earth as a whole sphere using the Globe of Land and Water and the Globe of Continents. This is followed by parallel presentations in the political, physical and cultural aspects of geography also approached from the whole to the parts. As in all other areas, the child is first given the concrete experience, then the accompanying language orally, and then the same language in writing.

The beginning lessons of geography are sensorial in their nature. It begins with the concrete presentation of constructed landforms depicting the concept of land and water. This concept of land and water is followed by the relationship of a continent and an ocean. At a later date the child learns the names of the continents and oceans. Thus the child progresses from the concrete representation of land and water to the abstract line on a map which means an island, lake or other form.

The further use of the continent maps, the colored control charts, and later, maps printed in black and white, will take the child to the realm of the abstract. Printed labels of countries and other parts of maps lead to indirect sight reading.

The use of concrete materials in geography should bring the child to a level of understanding which will foster in him a desire to create his own materials of his own making, such as making land forms of clay, making his own maps with watercolor and pin-pricking the continent and country shapes. A full understanding of these concrete materials which then leads to a full understanding of the abstract concepts prepares the child for a life-time of interest in time, space, places and people.