My Cosmic Address
Version 1: Nesting Boxes (3D)
Make a set of nesting containers using boxes, plastic tubs, or even paper cups. Label each to represent a level of the universe. Below is the basic cosmic set up, but for older learns you could also incorporate more levels like street, city, state, country, and continent.

• You
• Planet (Earth)
• Solar System
• Galaxy (Milky Way)
• Universe

Some Visual Examples of this activity can be found here: https://livingmontessorinow.com/montessori-monday-diy-cosmic-nesting-boxes-map-towers-and-me-on-the-map/

I found free art to go with this here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Cosmic-Nesting-or-Stacking-Pages-13649213

Paid Version of the activity: https://montessorikiwi.com/products/my-cosmic-address

Version 2: Flat Version
You can do this activity similarly to how you would a “me on the map” layered book.

Materials Needed:

• 5 (or more) sheets of colored paper or cardstock (or template)
• Scissors
• Markers, crayons, or pens
• Optional: glue stick or brads to attach in a flipbook or fan shape

Instructions:
Cut 5 (or more!) Nesting Shapes
Cut your paper into 5 rectangles or circles, each one slightly smaller than the last so they can nest or layer on top of each other. Neatness isn’t as important, this is about understanding how each level fits into the next.
Label each one (largest to smallest):
Layer and Discuss

• Starting with the largest shape (Universe), lay out the pieces in order, each one centered on top of the last like nesting dolls or a flipbook.

As you go, talk about how each layer fits inside the one before:

• “The universe holds everything there is—every star, every planet, every galaxy.”
• “Our galaxy, the Milky Way, holds billions of stars—including our Sun!”
• “Our solar system is just one little neighborhood in the galaxy.”
• “Our planet, Earth, is just one of the planets that orbits the Sun.”
• “And YOU live on Earth—so you’re part of the whole universe!”