The age range in the Primary Classrooms allows the younger children to have models for imitation and the older ones an opportunity to reinforce their own knowledge by helping the younger children.
INDOOR ENVIRONMENT CURRICULUM
ART EXPLORATION
A wide variety of art techniques and mediums are introduced to the children so that they can develop their own artistic expressions. Projects are developed to coordinate with the subjects being studied each month.
PRACTICAL LIFE EXERCISES
Small coordination activities such as spooning, pouring, washing and polishing are highly attractive to this age group. These activities allow children to imitate adult activities that they see every day. As children become absorbed in such activities, their attention spans lengthen, they pay attention to details, and they learn good work habits.
GRACE AND COURTESY EXERCISES
Social values and a social conscience are vital life skills. Keystone children come to understand that we all have responsibilities to others. Our curriculum introduces the child to everyday ethics and interpersonal skills at this very young age.
SENSORIAL MATERIALS
The sensorial materials used in our programs aid children in becoming aware of details by isolating qualities such as smell, color, weight, shape, texture, size, and sound. These materials help children focus their awareness and learn how to observe.
BOOK CORNER
We provide a cozy corner with a well-stocked library of age-appropriate books for either reading alone, with friends, or with a teacher. Teachers are careful to select books with appropriate subject matter, text, and length.
SPOKEN AND WRITTEN LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES
According to the Montessori philosophy, learning to read and write should be as natural as learning to speak. Children are exposed to a simple phonics program. Since there is a three-year age span in the Primary Classroom, the younger members of the class naturally want to learn from the older children as they read. Reading skills develop so smoothly that our children seem to “explode into reading.” Children also learn to compose their own stories and write them using the Montessori Moveable Alphabet.
MATH MATERIALS
Keystone students use hands-on materials so they can visualize what happens during mathematical operations. Children first learn simple counting and number recognition; then they learn addition, subtraction, multiplication and division using bead materials. We also introduce the decimal system by presenting concrete representations of units, tens, hundreds, and thousands. In this way, children participate in exciting games while learning mathematical concepts.
CULTURAL STUDIES/GEOGRAPHY
The study of the world’s cultures is the basis for this curriculum. Every month we emphasize a specific continent or area of the world. Children are exposed to the names of continents and countries. They are introduced to a culture’s food, music, dances, art, money, alphabet, numerical system and holidays. In this way, our children come to enjoy and respect the diversity of the other people in their classroom and community.
SCIENCE
Our goal is to cultivate a child’s fascination with the universe and develop a life-long interest in observing the world around them. Every month’s focus includes subjects in zoology, botany, physics, geology, and astronomy. See Cultural Studies/Science Units calendar in classrooms.
OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENT CURRICULUM
Keystone’s outdoor area for ages 2.5-6 years includes:
*Redwood climbing structure with slides, tire swings, rope ladder, trapeze swing, bridges, tunnel, steering wheels, etc.
*Tricycle pad with tricycles, wagons, fire engines
*Traditional swing area
*Sandbox with sand toys, trucks, cars, shovels, play animals
*Ball area with child-sized basketball hoop
“The child can only develop fully by means of experience in his environment. We call such experience ‘work’.” Maria Montessori