An Overview On The Lower Elementary Program

Typically staffed by a certified teacher and one or more helpers, these classes are referred to as “Elementary” and might be relatively small or have 30 or more students. In classes, mixed-age 6- to 9-year-old groupings are the norm, while 6- to 12-year-old groups are also utilized. Children are often taught lessons in small groups, after which they are allowed to continue their individual work as their interests and sense of responsibility are needed.

The Lower Elementary Program covers a wide range of topics. The term “cosmic education” was used by Montessori to refer to both the universality of the lessons to be taught and the idea that a child should understand the human condition through second-plane education.

Language, Mathematics, French, History, Geography, Science, Music, Computers, Physical Education, and many other subjects are covered in the course materials and lessons. Going out, or student-directed explorations of resources outside the classroom is a key component of the lower elementary program.

The Lower Elementary Program

The Lower Elementary Program offers a progression based on the Kindergarten and preschool years. The environment offers the following and reflects a new stage of development:

• Integration of the arts, sciences, geography, history, and language that appeals to the first-natural grader’s creativity and capacity for abstraction
• The formal scientific language of zoology, botany, anthropology, geography, geology, etc. is presented, the kid is exposed to accurate, well-organized material, and their intelligence and interests are respected.
• The application of timelines, images, charts, and other visual aids to present a linguistic and visual summary of each discipline’s founding concepts.
• Knowledge is presented as a component of a grand narrative that narrates the beginnings of the earth, life, human communities, and modern history — always within the perspective of life as a whole.
• Algebraic, geometrical, and arithmetic relationships are simultaneously revealed in a mathematics program that uses concrete materials.
• Open-ended inquiry and in-depth study are prioritized, with primary and secondary sources (rather than textbooks or workbooks) and other materials being used.

The show consists of interconnected stories that serve as the organizing, integrating “Great Lessons” and offer an enlightening overview. The history of the cosmos is covered by the Great Lessons, which range from the origins of the solar system, the planet, and life forms according to the big bang hypothesis through the formation of human cultures and the development of civilization. The child’s detailed study of the Great Lessons, assisted by impressionistic charts and timelines, fosters amazement and respect for the entirety of knowledge.

Below is further information regarding the Great Lessons.

Studies are integrated not only in terms of content, but also in terms of moral learning, leading to an appreciation and respect for life, moral empathy, and a strong belief in progress, the value of the person, the universality of the human situation, and what true justice entails.

What is Lower Elementary Cosmic Education?

The Montessori approach is distinguished from other educational approaches by Cosmic Education. It is in the middle of the room. Giving a view of the entire cosmos begins with this. By demonstrating the connectivity of all things in the world, the kid is encouraged to become interested in the intricacies by being shown the cosmos as a whole. In Cosmic Education, knowledge sharing is encouraged because learning is a necessary component of human development and cannot be satisfied without education. The purpose of cosmic education is to instill in children an appreciation for the universe, and an understanding of the rule and order that exists, rather than teaching history as a collection of facts.