We have a big trip to Disney planned soon, and with the Great Lessons on my mind, it’s no surprise that I’m seeing Montessori homeschool lessons everywhere. Epcot is particularly wonderful for homeschool experiences. Specifically — I think it’s entirely possible — that Epcot presents to the masses the first four Montessori Great Lessons each day.
My kids will have received the first four stories prior to our upcoming trip. What a fantastic way to reenforce them all than with the spectacle of Illuminations fireworks and rides through the Land and Spaceship Earth!
For the First and Second Great Lessons: Coming of the Universe & the Earth (chaos to order) and Coming of Human Beings we can watch Illuminations.
Illuminations: Reflections of Earth
Description from the Disney World site:
The Story of Earth
Gather around the World Showcase Lagoon to witness the incredible history of our planet.
Part One: The Earth Is Born
Earth’s fiery birth begins with flames and fireworks erupting from the lagoon. Beneath a swarm of heavenly explosions, red and golden lights blaze on the shimmering waters. As the volcanic effects subside, a glowing globe glides peacefully across the waters.
Part Two: The Triumph of Life
Our individual stories culminate in one adventurous tale. The illuminated surface of the globe reveals the history of humanity and the achievements of our time.
Also for the Second Great Lesson (specifically botany and biomes) there’s this ride:
Living with the Land
Description from the Disney World site:
Multimedia displays of diverse eco systems, from rain forest to farmstead, bring our agricultural history to life. As you cruise by, hear about mankind’s past successes, failures, lessons learned and hopeful future when it comes to living off the land.
View specimens of produce from around the world, some modified to jaw-dropping effect, in the pavilion’s 4 greenhouses. Live eels, tilapia, catfish and freshwater shrimp are also on display as you travel though the fish farm.
Then inside the great sphere itself, Spaceship Earth, we have the Third Great Lesson: Coming of Human Beings & the Fourth Great Lesson: Story of Writing!
Description from the Disney World site:
Blast Off to the Beginning
Enter the iconic geosphere for a look at the landmark moments that made today’s communications technology possible.
Travel back to the dawn of recorded history, when early man painted his thoughts on cave walls, the Egyptians invented papyrus and the Phoenicians devised the alphabet. See ideas spread like wildfire with the invention of Johannes Gutenberg’s printing press, Greek systems of mathematics and the inspiring works of the masters of the Renaissance. The wheels of time turn ever faster as we progress to the modern age of media communications, from newspapers announcing the end of the Civil War to the televised broadcast of the moon landing and beyond.
Garsh I love Disney. So. Flippin. Much. Epcot is totally my happy place.
