Practical Life (Daily Living)

The lessons and exercises of Practical Life prepare the child to care for himself and his environment on a daily basis. The purpose of the Practical Life activities is to instill in the child a sense of order, independence, and respect for himself, others and the environment around him/her. As the child works with these activities, he develops the concentration, coordination (particularly eye-hand coordination) and the motor skills needed in all other areas of learning.

Sensorial

The purpose of the Sensorial lessons is to awaken the child to an awareness of each sense and the power of concentration. A child's use of the hands-on materials enables the child to explore and experience each of the five senses and to learn to recognize and distinguish subtle differences inherent in the activities. The concepts learned through concentration and hands-on experience provide the framework for further lessons in the math, language and cultural areas of the class.

Language

Reading, writing and grammar---the foundations of communication with others. The purpose of the Language area of the class is to help the child learn to express himself and to communicate with others both verbally and through the written word. The activities/ lessons begin with learning the "sounds" of the letters of our alphabet through the use of the sensory/hands-on material called sandpaper letters, on to spelling with the moveable alphabet and finally the use of grammar symbols to learn the complexity of our language. Children begin working on handwriting skills with the use of the material called metal insets, gradually working on fine motor skills until they are ready to work on formal handwriting. The curriculum integrates all aspects of reading and writing and it promotes a clear understanding of the uses of language.

Mathematics

The purpose of the Mathematics activities/lessons is to introduce the child to the symbols, quantities, properties, and uses of numbers. The manipulation of concrete materials to explore mathematical concepts concretely and then allow him/her to move easily into the abstract level of logical reasoning. The lessons/activities in mathematics begin with simple one to one correspondence and progress to a firm understanding of the decimal system, to the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division as well as the abstract concepts of geometry. It is often said that the true genius of Maria Montessori can be seen in the material found in the Mathematics area of the classroom.

Cultural (Cosmic)

The Cultural, sometimes known as Cosmic, curricula includes the study of botany, zoology, cultures, Spanish, geography, history, art, music, and storytelling. The lessons and activities in each of these areas allow the child to learn about places, times, traditions, and ideas of the world, to gain an understanding about the interconnectedness of the peoples of the world, and to inspire him/her to create a positive effect upon the world.

Outside the Classroom (events and trips)

Please click the link below to view the Field Trips for Primary students.

Field Trip Flyer