9-12 years

In the Upper Elementary program, students continue to grow their sense of connection to the world around them as well as their independence in exploring it.

Through a continuation of the great Montessori stories, social and natural sciences are motivated by how the students’ world evolved: the creation of the universe and, more specifically, the Earth; the evolution of life, and, more specifically, the evolution of the human animal; the development of human civilizations, and, more specifically, the development of civilizations in the Americas.

Supplementing these cultural studies, our Montessori materials help students gain competence in particular skills and sets of facts. In addition, students research individually chosen topics and summarize their findings through timelines and/or reports. Similarly, students often make and test conjectures based on their mathematics or other observations of the world.

However, the main academic goal is to help students learn how to become independent learners.

Upper Elementary\ students also help make decisions about field trips and even plan overnight field trips in which a variety of practical life skills are practiced and developed.

Finally, Upper Elementary students serve as leaders in the school, helping organize school projects and working with younger students.