About the Lower Elementary Curriculum
(ages 6-9)
At this stage of development, children have acquired the ability to reason
in a conscious way, seeking relationships between facts and an explanation of
"why". They begin to move from the concrete into abstraction, and they enjoy
working in a group of their peers. The Montessori curriculum is designed to recognize this
growth and change.
Cultural Subjects - Children of this age
become interested in society and how they relate to it. They have a natural interest in
the subjects that open this world to them - History, Botany, Zoology, Geography, Geometry,
Art and Music. Each of these subjects is offered to the children with materials which
stimulate their natural curiosity.
Mathematics - The foundations laid in the
primary class lead the children to abstraction in the four basic functions of arithmetic,
the study of fractions and decimals, and the extraction of square and cube roots.
Language - The early reading experiences of
the primary level allow the children to develop a complete facility in reading, an
increase of comprehension through the materials for the cultural subjects, the technical
skills of spelling and grammar, and an introduction to creative writing.
Work Folders - periodically, the children will bring
home a brown accordion folder containing work finished from over a 3-4 week interval.
Loose papers may stay at home with the exception of those in the hardbound notebook. All
workbooks and notebooks should be returned the next school day. Please try to take time
and look at the work before the folder is due back.
Physical Education - Planned outdoor activities will be on Wednesdays
and Fridays this year. On these days the children will need to wear appropriate
"play" type clothing. Every child should wear a sneaker type shoe that laces
well or has secure Velcro closures. Slip-on shoes, sandals, or dressy shoes are not good
for activities executed on the court. Girls should wear shorts, split skirts, or slacks.
Shorts under skirts and dresses are fine. We do go outside in the Winter, weather
permitting. When it gets cooler please send your child to school with a jacket, hat and
gloves.
We do go outside in the winter, weather permitting.
When it gets cooler please send your child to school with a jacket, hat
and gloves. Please label all your child's clothing.
Lower Elementary 2004-2005 Class Schedule:
 |
We do not have a refrigerator space for cold items. |
|
|
We do have a microwave. Please limit
microwaveable lunches to a maximum of twice per week.
|
|
|
Order out days are the first Friday
of each month. |
|
|
Please instruct child about microwave time and package care. |
|
|
Please do not send pull-top container unless your child has mastered opening this item
without assistance. (You can help him/her practice this skill at home.) |
|
|
We will not have time to microwave popcorn at school. (Please send popped corn in a
bag.) |
|
|
Please include plastic utensils when necessary. |
|
|
Water only for drinks. |
|
|
Parents are welcome to eat lunch
with us. |
|
|
Parents, please provide a twenty-minute slot of time for your student to do work sent
home. It is best to set a routine for this work. Provide a quiet place where your student
may work without interruption from siblings or television. A younger child may have more
success working near a parent, i.e. the kitchen or dining room table. |
|
|
Parents should not sit with the student for the entire session. Time spent together
should be just to call out spelling words for the student to spell orally. For math, if
you want to interact, just play facts quizzes in the car while you are driving, to when
you have some short leisure time. We hope to convey the idea of responsibility for
homework to the student. |
|
|
Sometimes, getting into this new routine is difficult for the new, younger children. If
you feel this is the case with your student please let us know. |
Spelling Homework
On Monday evening each student will bring home a spelling list. Parents are asked to
please help with memorizing the words by calling out the words for the student,
encouraging oral spelling. Then the child copies the words on a separate sheet of paper.
Keep the session positive. The list of words the student copies each night while
practicing should come to class the next morning (Tue-Fri).
Math Homework
The children have math fact workbooks for homework use. We start the year reviewing and
then progress according to competency. Competency is determined by your student getting at
least 85% of the facts correct on the Friday timed test of 15 minutes per 100 facts.
Unfinished Class Work
At the end of the week we will send a student's unfinished work home to be finished over
the weekend whenever possible.
Other Information
