Lower Elementary Program

The Elementary Curriculum

Elementary students are divided into two age groups: 6 to 9 year olds (Lower Elementary) and 9 to 12 year olds (Upper Elementary). The curriculum and overall approach to lessons in both of these groups are tailored to the new stage of development these children have entered. Dr. Maria Montessori saw the years of 6 to 12 as a "second plane of development", a period of stability in terms of learning capacity when children, if given appropriate means and opportunity, can take in and store a tremendous volume of knowledge. A Montessori Elementary environment provides just this combination of enticing materials and intriguing impressions.

Lower and Upper Elementary students are beginning to try to understand their place in the cosmos. These children are more interested in understanding the "how" and "why" rather than simply the "what" of their earlier Primary years. More social and aware of their place in a group, Montessori Elementary students relish small and large group lessons and discussions. They are becoming more abstract thinkers, curious about the moral and physical laws of the universe around them. Topics are integrated to give a broader view of concepts, and the year starts out with the teling of the Montessori “Great Lessons” to spark off the children’s imagination as to ‘how things began’ – both on this earth and in the universe. These lessons provide a framework for the curriculum and carry a common theme that all living things have a cosmic role in life and are all interconnected.

The Elementary program offers the same benefits as the Primary program: individualized education, cooperative group work, choice of activity and independence. However, at the Elementary level the children are accountable for managing their time at a new level. They are expected to complete daily, weekly and long-term assignments and they quickly learn that privileges are earned and consequences experienced when time is not utilized efficiently. Teachers help Elementary students follow daily and weekly work plans to ensure that all topics are covered and that each child is sufficiently challenged.

Because we cannot predict what our ever-changing world will require our children to know 15 or 20 years from now, our goal is not so much the content of what the children learn, but rather that they know what to do and where to go for new knowledge. Study skills, presentation techniques, and computers, reference books are all part of the Elementary program.

Lower Elementary Curriculum

The Lower Elementary class is a multi-age group made up of six to nine year olds. Blossoming social awareness and curiosity about the broader questions of life and its rules mark this age. Teachers work with small and large groups, as well as with individual students to present lessons appropriate to the ability level of each child.

Practical Life

Everyday living skills take on a broader and more abstract meaning at this developmental stage. Elementary children are encouraged to take responsibility for the daily routines in the classroom and refine certain life skills they have already developed. Along with their duty to keep things neat and organized, they begin to take responsibility for the moral tone of their classroom community. Class discussions about right and wrong, fair and unfair, and how to get along are a crucial part of their evolving understanding of their place in the world.

Language

Comprehension skills and reading fluency are a focus of the language curriculum in the Lower Elementary. The work is individualized and appropriate for each student. The students work to develop cursive italics handwriting, which is enjoyed by girls and boys alike. There are physical materials to teach parts of speech, sentence analysis, and grammar. These help make understanding the English language enticing and exciting. Research and report writing skills become a focus, a very satisfying activity for this age group.

Math

Our Lower Elementary students solidify their understanding of addition, multiplication, subtraction and division, taking these numbers up to the millions and billions. They explore fractions and equivalencies, measurement, squaring and cubing, geometry, time, money, and problem-solving.

Cultural

Researching and exploring other cultures and times is of great interest to the Elementary students. Geography, history, geology, botany, zoology, and physiology are woven together in an interdisciplinary way that entices the children to begin learning and exploring all aspects of human civilization. Cooperative group work takes place a great deal in these areas of the curriculum.

Specials

Lower Elementary students enjoy a weekly study of Spanish, learning conversational skills, vocabulary and grammar. They also develop their creative talents through weekly art classes in which they use various mediums in challenging but enjoyable projects. They are introduced to the different techniques of the great masters.