While being exposed to the traditional Montessori Great Lessons (The Beginning, The Timeline of Life, The Coming of Humans, The History of Writing, The History of Math) students explore and experience the known truths of the universe and the progression of human civilization. The curriculum focuses on how the world came to be, the development of life on earth, the story of humankind, the development of language and writing, and the development of mathematics. After being introduced to the Great Lessons, the children dive deeper into each subject area by participating in rich, exciting activities and follow-up lessons to expand their understanding of the topic areas.
This exploration of the universe is presented in three-year cycles. Through hands-on research, experiments, and incredible child-driven presentations students learn about the world around them and their unique place within it. Often at the completion of a subject area the children will develop a culminating event to share their knowledge through creative theatrical presentations.
Year 1: The Formation of the Universe and the Timeline of Life
The first Great Lesson weaves a tale of the origins of the universe and our own planet. Using impressionistic charts and experiments directly related to the basic physical properties of matter, a foundation is laid for the future study of physics, chemistry, astronomy, and geology.
Year 2: Contemporary Civilization
Through a contemporary cross-continental study of cultures from around the world, the curriculum focuses on the study of the continents. We explore the geography, people, and cultures of the lands as they are today. The children are introduced to new ideas where they develop cross-cultural knowledge and skills, and explore their community, nation, and world.
Year 3: Ancient Civilizations
The school-wide focus is to explore and discover "How and why were ancient civilizations created?" Within this study the children receive the traditional great lessons that introduce:
- The History of Math
- The History of Writing
Through research, classroom materials, library sources, fieldtrips, and group lessons the children study: Egypt, Rome, Greece, China, and other ancient civilizations of their choice.
