Elementary Curriculum


Cosmic Education A Curriculum for the Montessori Elementary
The PLAN OF COSMIC EDUCATION applies to what Dr. Maria Montessori termed the Four Planes of Development: Birth to 6 years - infancy to early childhood 6 to 12 years - childhood and elementary schooling 12 to 18 years - the juvenile stage of adolescence 18 to 24 years - emergence to adulthood
Our Elementary Program Includes
LANGUAGE
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	History of the English language and of writing Written composition: content, handwriting, mechanics Spoken language including oral reporting and dramatics Research Literature and style Grammar: parts of speech including noun classification, singular and plural and verb conjugation Sentence analysis including simple, compound, complex and elliptical sentences Interpretive reading Word study: suffixes, prefixes, compound words, synonyms, homonyms and word families Spelling
SCIENCE
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Biology: the needs, structure and function of plants and animals including external parts, internal parts and body functions of vertebrates Scientific methods: observing, writing records Ecology
GEOGRAPHY

	Formation and composition of the earth and the solar system emphasizing the earth and sun Effects of water and air: water cycle, rain, winds and ocean currents Physical geography including natural features Economic geography: resources and industries, production and consumption, imports and exports, inventors and technology Cultural geography: locations and descriptions of culture
HISTORY
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Time: clocks, calendars and time lines Prehistoric plant and animal life Needs and tendencies of man Early man and early civilizations Classic cultures Last 1OOO years of Western civilization with an emphasis on United States history
MATHEMATICS
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	Calculating beyond thousands Multiples, factors and divisors Powers of numbers Common and decimal fractions Squaring and square root Cubing and cube root Negative numbers
GEOMETRY
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Plane figures: lines, angles, polygons, circles, equality, similarity, equivalence and area Pythagorian Theorem Solid figures including volume
ART
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Practice involving a wide variety of media and techniques History Appreciation
MUSIC
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History Singing, writing and reading Appreciation
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
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Techniques of athletic and rhythmic activities, indoor and outdoor games, team sports, relays Good habits including sportsmanship, judgment, memory, leadership and continued effort
GOING OUT
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Going on field trips, including what to take, how to write or telephone for information, how to write thank you letters, business letters, personal letters and rules of conduct Nutrition and health
FIELD TRIPS
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Museums, zoos, theaters, factories, libraries, television and radio stations
ENVIRONMENT
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In addition to a complete set of Montessori-designed materials, the environment contains many materials that are made by the Director for pursuing knowledge and research. The classroom contains a suitable library of reference books and encyclopedias. Many of our language, geography, history, and biology worksheets are made by the staff and are unique to our school. There is also a large outdoor play area for the children to enjoy.
Elementary children range in age from 6 to 9 and 9 to 14. All children work at their own pace under the observation of a Montessori-trained teacher. Montessori teachers are trained "observers." They note where the child is intellectually and socially, then "show" the child how to improve. Montessori elementary teachers do not specialize in subject matter, but in the whole child. Montessori classroorms in many ways resemble an extended family. Everyone knows everyone. Work is shared and learning is vitalized by social life. There is free communication and movement. Children are free to pursue their own interests at their own pace within the structure provided. They are NOT free to do nothing.