Lower Elementary
Elementary Program
Lower Elementary Curriculum
Language:
The main areas of our lower elementary language curriculum are phonics, reading, writing, grammar, and word-study. The pink, blue, and green Montessori reading series is used in the lower elementary classroom for both reading and writing. We also use a leveled reading laboratory in our daily work which allows children to learn at their own pace as they strengthen their reading comprehension and word study skills. In addition to independent reading, children read in small and large groups and make weekly visits to our school library for story time where they discuss literary elements such as character, setting, and plot. Grammar is introduced through the different Montessori grammar symbols used in diagramming sentences and identifying the parts of speech. Writing begins with basic sentence structure and progresses to paragraphs, and for some, essays. Students learn the different reasons and styles of writing, narrative, expository, and eventually, persuasive. We also focus on manuscript and cursive handwriting and encourage our students to use proper letter formation and spacing in their writing.
Math:
After having truly explored and understood the concept of numeracy in our primary program, lower elementary students use leveled Montessori math materials to truly understand the concept of place value as well as the four basic operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division with whole numbers. Children use engaging math materials to understand a concept concretely and then work towards abstraction. Time, money, and measurement are also applied through explorations in and out of the classroom, and basic geometry is explored through their studies of lines, angles, and polygons.
Cultural:
Our unique Montessori Cultural Curriculum consists of three main subjects: history, science, and geography, and stems from Maria Montessori’s Five Great Lessons:
- The Story of the Universe
- The Timeline of Life
- The Coming of Humans
- The Timeline of Numbers
- The Timeline of Writing
History
Each September, our elementary cultural studies begin with Montessori’s First Great Lesson: The Story of the Universe. From this interactive, dynamic annual presentation, children study the laws of the universe through different lessons and experiments. In history, we discuss different ways humans mark the passing of time, including tally marks, calendars, timelines and clocks. We also study the fundamental needs of people and focus on different continent studies each year.
Geography:
Connecting to our Story of the Universe, we move to our studies of the earth. Our explorations begin with large concepts, such as the study of continents and oceans, and gradually become more specialized as we focus on countries, regions, and states. We also study the biomes and cultures of these continents, as well as the physical geography, which includes the layers of the earth, land and water forms, volcanoes, rocks and minerals, and map skills.
Science:
Our lower elementary science curriculum includes botany, zoology, and physical science. Children learn how scientists categorize organisms in order to study them. We begin with a lesson about living versus non-living things, and then focus on more specific topics in botany and zoology such as external parts of plants and animals. In our science lab, children conduct hands-on experiments, such as the growth of hay as seen through microscopes, mag-lev technology, as well as growing and maintaining our hydroponics tower.
Specials:
Lower Elementary students also participate in weekly art, music, physical education, library, spanish and technology classes. The classroom and specials teachers work together to combine themes and lessons in order to create an integrated curriculum.
Unified Elementary Annual Themes:
Each year both elementary programs explore different themes that coincide with and enhance our curriculum. Some examples of our independent study projects are: women’s history month, black history month, president’s Week, poetry month, and peaceful leaders projects. All students learn grace and courtesy lessons and peace and conflict-resolution skills. Students also focus on seasonal themes throughout the year which are supplemented by field trips.
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