Lower Elementary (1st-3rd)
Introduction to Lower Elementary
From primary to elementary…the continuum of education continues to build, challenge and reflect the educational needs of the student. In the six years your student spends in elementary they will be able to actively engage in not only a top-quality education, but also in forming their own educational process. Elementary students engage in experiential knowledge by using the Montessori materials, working together with other students to create their process, and by exploring the real world through field trips.
A look at the Lower El Work
Lower El students are engaged learners using the Montessori method and materials. Our elementary students build an understanding of their world through study and interactions with teachers and peers. The basis of our Elementary curriculum is History. We use the Great Stories from Montessori to introduce science, math, language, and culture. Each academic area of the classroom is further defined and refined to allow students to delve into a deeper understanding of educational concepts and tools.
MATHEMATICS
Mathematics is divided into six categories: operations, facts, linear counting, fractions, abstract concepts and applications, and geometry. Students use hands-on materials to discover, memorize, and utilize concepts such as equivalence, sets, partial products, and expanded notation.
LANGUAGE
In Language, our students study phonics and spelling; reading comprehension and the building blocks of stories. They also learn the tools to write through penmanship, using print and cursive exercises; studying the etymology of words both in the curriculum and in general; and by exploring how words are formed and used in speech. Students also practice how to communicate through vehicles such as creative writing, research writing, as well as presenting their work and discoveries to the class through recitations.
CULTURAL
Students get to explore their world through the cultural studies which are the true heart of our curriculum. Students examine their world through three main lenses, physical, intellectual, and experiential. They learn to categorize information through studying the physicality of things like land forms, plants, animals and humans. Next they use their intellectual skills to relate and connect concepts through frameworks like the Fundamental Needs of Humans and the Five Kingdoms.Cultural topics include History, Physical Science, Physical Geography, Human Geography, Botany, Zoology, Art, Music, French and Physical Education.
