Practical Life – Skills learned in this area of the classroom lay a foundation for the rest of the curriculum. We introduce socialization skills and the work cycle, and practice fine and gross motor skills. The lessons teach responsibility for oneself, others, and the environment. They encourage independence and promote the development of a sense of order. Some examples of these lessons are: spooning and pouring, scrubbing, polishing, sewing, food preparation, and grace and courtesy lessons. For more information: “Understanding the Montessori Practical Life Curriculum.” 

Sensorial – These lessons sharpen the senses through comparing and contrasting activities, such as matching, grading, and sequencing objects.  Together, these activities form the foundation for mathematical, musical and scientific studies. Examples in the Sensorial area are: matching sounds or smells, matching or grading colors, grading by size, and learning plane and solid shapes.

Math – Lessons in this area begin with the very concrete and move to the more abstract. A variety of objects are manipulated to learn basic number concepts; place value is learned through manipulating the golden beads. Some examples are: sandpaper numerals for learning the symbols 1–9, the spindle box for understanding the concept of 0, the teens board and tens board for matching quantity and symbol, and the golden beads for understanding the decimal system and performing mathematical operations. For more information: “Understanding the Montessori Math Curriculum.”

Language – Our language materials are phonetically based and will help your child develop the skills needed for verbal communication, reading and writing. Examples in this area include games that provide opportunities for speaking, sandpaper letters for learning the sounds of the alphabet, the movable alphabet for constructing words and sentences, many opportunities for reading, and metal insets of design for perfecting the pencil grip. For more information: “How Do Montessori Schools Teach Reading?”

Geography: Our geography studies begin with learning about the land, air, and water that covers our globe.  We then move on to study the World’s seven continents with globes and puzzle maps, cultural items from the continents, and opportunities for tasting foods, dancing to music, and enjoying folk tales. We try to understand the similarities and the differences in the way plants, animals, and people adapt to the ecosystem in which they live.

Science: Through observations, experimentation, and research, we explore the worlds of physical and natural science. Starting with the basics, we explore the concepts of living and non-living, plants and animals.  Then, in zoology we study the five types of vertebrate animals and the invertebrate world’s insects and arachnids. In botany we learn about trees, seeds, and flowers through gardening activities and observations on our playground. Our location at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Reston is an accredited Backyard Wildlife Habitat as certified by the National Wildlife Federation. It’s a perfect place for walks by the stream and exploring nature.

Nature Studies: Maria Montessori said that “The land is where our roots are. The children must be taught to feel and live in harmony with the Earth.” Reflecting her philosophy, our science and nature studies give the children a deep appreciation for our earth and everything in it. Our children’s garden, part of a setting certified by the National Wildlife Federation as a Schoolyard Habitat, helps the children understand the cycles of life of plants and animals. From bulb or seed to flower, children plant and maintain the garden in both summer and winter. Food and water are put out for birds, chipmunks, and butterflies. Food scraps at lunchtime go into the compost bin and become soil for the garden. Worms found in all parts of the playground are carefully placed in the garden soil. Weekly nature walks in the surrounding woods provide an opportunity to see deer and hawks in their natural setting and to monitor the flow of the stream. We even have a bug catcher in the classrooms so insects that wander into our classroom can be safely returned to the outdoors. Through real contact with living things in nature, the children learn to share their world and live in harmony with all living creatures.

Art: The world of art is opened to the children through a comprehensive, process-oriented program. The easel is always available for mixing colors and self-expression. Concepts such as primary, secondary, complementary, cool and warm colors are taught with a variety of media available to the children. Art appreciation is introduced by a simple overview of the history of art, which is then brought to life by the study of individual artists and their work. The children enjoy learning about many famous artists through activities such as painting the famous Japanese Bridge by Monet or creating their own “cutouts” as did Matisse. These lessons culminate in the Kindergarten year with a trip to the National Gallery of Art for a look at “the real thing!” 

Peace Education: Our Peace Education program is one of the most important components of our curriculum. We understand that there is peace and goodness in every child, but not all children have the words and actions to give outward expression to their inner peace. We feel it is the responsibility of all the adults in our environment to encourage peaceful thoughts and actions, from the children and from each other. We use a program called The Virtues Project to incorporate intentional peaceful practice into our daily life at school.

Language and math are at the core of our kindergarten curriculum.  In language, the children progress through learning short vowels in the early years with us, and focus on long vowels and phonograms in kindergarten, leading to weekly reading of stories to volunteer parents. They participate in a writing class on a daily basis, learning how to form the letters and numbers correctly and taking mini “spelling tests.” Creative writing is related to our studies in science and geography and the three field trips we take each year. Math lessons include learning the numbers to 100, understanding the decimal system and performing the four mathematical operations with manipulatives, and lessons on time, money, measurement, temperature, and the calendar.   

Art appreciation is one of the favorite subjects in the kindergarten year. We explore periods of art history and specific artists throughout history through stories, games, and creative expression using a variety of media. For example, the children love painting the large “Japanese Footbridge” by Claude Monet, creating self portraits as did Vincent van Gogh, or painting a huge flower in the style of Georgia O’Keeffe. The year ends with a trip to the National Gallery of Art to enjoy the artists we have studied.