Cosmic Education begins with the 6-year-old – though in Montessori’s time there was simply a shelving divider, and a child could freely move between the Casa and the Elementary classes. There are some schools that structurally and programme-wise make it possible for a child to move between environments when they feel ready or interested. Some children spend time in two different environments for perhaps a few months, others transition quite rapidly. The language/cultural extension materials (geography, history, science, biology, etc) of the Casa prepare the child with information that sets the foundation for Cosmic Education. Children who are still spending time in the Casa may visit the elementary class for some of the Great Stories, thereby perhaps capturing the child’s interest to delve deeper.
![Montessori classroom outdoor lesson](https://montessori-ami.org/sites/default/files/images/questions/6-9-outdoors.jpg)