Jr. & Sr. Elementary Programs

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The Elementary programs emphasize critical problem solving and research development. Students expand their knowledge in a wide range of academic subjects, building on the skills and social abilities that they developed in the Primary classrooms. Their interests now soar into all areas of learning and our classroom reflects that exciting new stage of development. 

Throughout the Elementary years, students are guided from concrete learning through the use of manipulative, concrete materials, to reasoning, questioning and thinking abstractly. The materials engage the children visually, auditory, and kinesthetically. Students are given a great deal of free choice in determining their educational paths with supportive limits. 

Academic subjects are integrated into a comprehensive program designed not to teach but to allow children to learn at their own pace. The Elementary curriculum includes the following areas: 

Each year, our work in the Elementary class begins with five important studies, called the Great Lessons. These stories dramatize known facts about the universe and the progression of human civilization. Through dramatic stories, experiments, charts, timelines, and illustrations, we center the children’s interests by helping them create a picture of the whole universe at work. From here, our classroom opens up to endless possibilities as students follow their own particular interests with a large measure of freedom. This unit of study forms the backbone that integrates our daily curriculum. The Great Lessons are part of Montessori called “Cosmic Education”. This is the child’s gradual discovery of how all things on earth in the past, present, and future, are interrelated. Through this work, the children develop a greater global vision of their world. 

The language and literature curriculum emphasizes creative and expository writing, interpretive reading of literature and poetry. We focus on word study, spelling, grammar, punctuation, penmanship and capitalization. Research skills are introduced, practiced through individual project work and refined as students work with a wide range of research materials. 

Students practice and use their reading and writing skills throughout the curriculum. Student further enhance their reading, critical thinking, and writing skills through participation in the Accelerated Reading Program.

The mathematics curriculum is presented with concrete materials, which reveal arithmetic, geometric and algebraic connections. Working with the Montessori mathematic materials ensures that mathematics is not simply memorized but understood. 

We extend the children’s knowledge of the decimal system as they explore its quantities and qualities. Students practice operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. We study the number hierarchy, fractions, decimals, negative numbers, squaring and cubing. Throughout math work, we are continuously applying what we learn to how it relates in daily situations.

Elementary students continue exploring geometry on a sensorial level. Students gain a strong understanding of fundamental geometric concepts through consecutive lessons with Montessori materials. Students begin with a study of congruency, similarity and equivalence, preparing them for later area and theorem work. We introduce the study of lines, measurement of angles and the construction of geometric figures. 

History work in the Elementary class begins with the development of the Solar System and early life on earth. Students study aspects of early civilizations, the development of humankind, and recorded history. Students learn how the contributions of humankind throughout history have brought us to where we are today.

Elementary students extend their knowledge of continents and countries with further research about the people, language and culture of different lands. Map work continues with the study of geographical features and landforms.

In this area, the children’s natural curiosity is stimulated through discovery projects and experiments, from which they draw their own conclusions. The first experiments are designed to give the children basic knowledge which will help them understand the development of the solar system, the earth, and its configurations, life on earth and the needs of plants and animals.