ELEMENTARY: 6-12 YEARS

Montessori education is based on the belief that children are individuals with their own strengths, needs, interests and learning styles. In this respect the teacher guides each child through the learning process by using materials that fit their specific needs and pace. In each Elementary classroom you will find children working on different concepts at the level that challenges them, without becoming frustrating. We believe that when a child is working like this, they are more engaged and focused. This in turn leads to a deeper understanding of the concepts that will underpin their forward progression.

The curriculum areas are: Maths, English Language and Spanish language and culture, Geometry and Measurement, History, Geography and Science, Creative Arts, Music, Drama, Dance, and Personal Development, Health and Physical Education.

The classroom is an English-speaking environment with a Spanish teacher for Spanish Language and Culture.

The Great Lessons

The curriculum is integrated using Montessori’s stories (The 5 Great Lessons), to add context to core study areas:

Great Lessons	*Study Area*
The formation of the universe, the solar system and the earth	Astronomy, Meteorology, Chemistry, Physics, Geology, Geography
The evolution of life on earth	Biology, Botany, Environmental Studies, Evolution of life, Zoology, Health studies
The coming of human beings to the earth	History, Culture and the Arts, Social studies, Scientific discoveries and inventions
Communication through signs	Reading, Writing, Linguistics, Language structure, Literature
Development of numbers	Mathematics, the origin of numbers, Number systems, Geometry and Measurement

In Elementary I most learning takes place through the manipulation of concrete materials although children naturally start to prefer to initiate projects and investigations in small groups. In Elementary II children start to show a preference for abstract learning and expression and use the concrete materials less often. Great works are undertaken, often culminating in complex presentations of learned skills and knowledge. These may take many forms, including posters, debates, presentations, theatrical representations and models, amongst others.

The scope and sequence of the Montessori curriculum is described as The Spiral Curriculum. It is based on the following characteristics:

The same materials are used in more than one level in an increasingly sophisticated way
Paper follow up work is introduced after initial presentations of concrete materials
Cultural lessons are reproduced and extended every year
Curriculum objectives are focused on making connections
There is a focus on thinking processes, problem solving and self-discovery
Connections between subject areas are taught explicitly
Curriculum areas in the Early Childhood environment prepare learners for work in the Elementary environment. For example: practical life activities prepare children for the fine motor work in manipulating math materials and handwriting; sensory materials prepare children for abstract math.