The Hockessin Montessori School

A Brief Overview................................

Practical Life
The Practical Life Curriculum in the Elementary Program focuses on care of the developing self, awareness of the individual, responsibility in a classroom environment, cooking, money management, participation in classroom governance through class meeting and decision making, involvement in the school community through service to younger students and the Schoolyard Habitat, and involvement in the larger community through field trips, a major trip, and service projects both locally and internationally.

Sensorial
The student at this level continues the Sensorial activities through the use of concrete, hands-on materials.  The child in this stage makes the transition from concrete to abstract reasoning.

Writing
The Elementary student approaches the writing curriculum by using The 6 Traits of Writing in an array of activities including story writing, poetry, letter writing, essays, plays, and research.  In addition, the conventions of writing are studied through lessons in grammar, word study, and instruction in the mechanics of writing.  The Writer's Workshop process is the culmination to this by focusing on sharing, editing, and publishing. 

Reading
Reading at the Elementary age is characterized by continued development of reading skills with the use of the SRA and the Specific Skills Programs.  In addition,
reading practice continues utilizing the Kaleidoscope of Children's Literature Genre's Program, independent reading, teacher read books, and discussion groups.  Reading practice in gathering factual information for research from books, magazines, encyclopedias, and internet articles is also incoporated into this program.  Progress of a student's reading level is assessed through the use of the Accelerated Reader Program.

Research
Development of Research Skills such as finding and accessing information, note taking, organizing information, separating facts and opinions, outlining, documenting sources, editing and publishing, and both oral and written presentation are integral parts of the Elementary Curriculum.  The topics researched are varied and are guided through the use of questions based on the Fundamental Needs of Humans, observation and characteristics of plants and animals, and Bloom's Taxonomy of Knowledge which focuses on comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.

Mathematics
The Elementary Mathematics Curriculum proceeds from concrete to abstract reasoning and addresses the following topics: abstract mastery of the processes of Multiplication and Division, Concept Development and Operations and Applications of Fractions, Concept Development and Operations and Applications of Decimals, Standard and Metric Measurement, Graphing and Interpretation of Data, Binomials and Trinomials, Squaring and Square Roots, Cubing and Cube Roots, Pre-Algebra, Percentages, Ratios and Proportions, Statistics, and Geometry including topics such as Nomenclature, Area and Volume, Construction, and the Theorum of Pythagoras.

Life Science
Units of study include presentation, learning nomenclature, using scientific tools, observation, experimentation, research, and assessment.  Topics studied include Functions of Plants and Animals, Characteristics and Classification of Plants and Animals, Experiments and Real World Observation of the Natural World, the concept of Ecology and the Interdependent Web of Life, and Human Biology.

Physical Sciences
Units of study include presentation, learning nomenclature, using scientific tools, observation, experimentation, research, and assessment.  Topics studied include Physics and Simple Machines, Electricity, Magnetism, Light, and Sound.

Earth Sciences
Units of study include presentation, learning nomenclature, using scientific tools, observation, experimentation, research, and assessment.  Topics studied include Astronomy, Geology, The Water Cycle and Water's effect on the Earth's Surface.

History and the Humanities
The Elementary Curriculum focuses on the study of The Seven Continents, Delaware State History, US History, Timeline of Humans, Development of Civilizations and the Study of Early Civilizations, Human Communities through research based on the Fundamental Needs of Humans, and Physical, Political, and Economic Geography.