Curriculum

The JLMS curriculum encompasses a broad spectrum of topics and activities in the classroom. Children move about freely, talk and choose their own work, carrying it out with great concentration and enthusiasm. The classroom is divided into the following areas where the children may select activities. The curriculums listed below span through an age range of 3-12 year olds.

Practical Life - Children learn to care for themselves and their environment. Through the activities in this area, children develop fine motor skills, independence, and a sense of order and concentration. They learn how to be gracious & courteous towards others. These skills continue to be refined throughout the elementary years with practice in activities such as "A Spring Tea Party".

Sensorial/Geometry - Young children experience the world through their five senses. Students develop and refine their sense of sight, touch, hearing, tasting and smelling by working with the specialized materials in this area. They begin to order their perceptions of size and space. These skills prepare the children for their work with our hands-on geometry materials. Through practice with these materials, the students will naturally come to an abstract understanding of geometry.

Math - Children learn about quantities, and the symbols that are associated with them. Sequencing numbers and skip counting are two favorite games in our classroom. The decimal system is introduced through hands-on, concrete materials. The arithmetic operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division are presented through hands-on materials, allowing the children to understand the concept behind these tasks. Children explore the concepts of time, fractions, and measurements. During the elementary years, students will continue to use hands-on manipulatives to conduct work with the four operations, geometry, fractions, factors, and multiples. This hands-on approach to math will lead into the critical thinking skills needed to learn about the decimal system, graphs, statistics, practical applications, pre-algebra, and advanced geometry.

Geography - Children learn about their community, country, and the world around them through puzzles, flags, & maps. Children learn about land, animals, and people from around the world by exploring pictures, books, and beautiful objects. Children also learn to create their own landforms using clay and water. During the elementary years, students will participate in a detailed study of the physical geography of the earth using a variety of maps, globes, hands-on experiments, interesting gadgets, illustrated charts, and picture/definition cards. The students will continue their study of the seven continents with a special focus on environments, basic human needs, and human activities throughout the world.

Peace Education - Maria Montessori's vision and goal was the reconstruction of society and the establishment of world peace with the help of education. Our contribution to this goal, is to encourage in each child, the skill and ability to become a peacemaker.

Science - Children take a hands-on, experimental approach to science. Through the materials, the children are introduced to many scientific studies including: magnetic/non-magnetic, living/non-living, rocks & minerals, the lifecycle of a butterfly, the solar system, oceans/sea life, the seasons, dinosaurs/fossils, our bodies, and the study of botany & zoology. During the elementary years, the students will continue to participate in hands-on activities & experiments as they conduct in-depth studies of the following areas: matter, energy, astronomy, botany, zoology, ecology, and the scientific method.

Health Sciences - Primary & elementary students develop and strengthen their gross motor skills and coordination through outdoor play, games and experiences. The focus will be on teamwork, cooperation, and the ability to follow instructions. The elementary students will also participate in hands-on activities & research as they learn about the following areas of study: The Major Organs of the Body, The Systems of the Body, The Sense of Smell & Taste, Nutrition, Food & Food Handling, Individual & Community Development, and Wellness.

Art - Children develop visual, mechanical and perceptive skills by working with different artistic media. Children explore our science & cultural studies through art activities, involving techniques such as: cutting, gluing, drawing, pin punching, painting, sculpting, sewing, knitting, weaving, and other means of artistic expression. One of the goals of our art curriculum is to encourage creative problem-solvers and potential craftspeople.

Pottery - (kindergartners & elementary students only). The children will work with low-firing clay to make a variety of projects. All the projects are done through hand-building. Some of the ideas include: bowls, ornaments, handprints, plaques, candleholders, etc. The children will glaze their own pottery, and all the projects will be kiln fired.

Music - Children participate in various musical experiences including singing and playing simple instruments. Children are introduced to the different "families" of instruments within an orchestra. They refine their listening skills by learning to hear certain sounds within a piece of music. Children explore music, instruments, and dances from around the world.

Language Arts - Children practice writing through a variety of creative activities using mediums of sand and colored pencils to trace lines, curves, & geometric shapes. They learn to form letters through the tactile experience of the sandpaper letters. The children trace names, words, & poems. They learn to copy words and sentences. The children begin to compose their own sentences, and read them back to us. Their own writings become a bridge to reading! Other pre-reading activities include visual discrimination and patterning games. Children learn the sounds associated with the letters of the alphabet; later, blending them to make words. The children begin to read phonetic words, sentences, and books. As they learn different phonograms and sight words, the children begin to read non-phonetic words, sentences, and books. During the process of reading, the children are gradually moving into learning the concepts of punctuation, spelling, and grammar. These skills are building blocks to the children's ability to write their own literature, such as poems, stories, and autobiographies. With a solid foundation in reading, the students will learn how to conduct and record their own research. They will be given opportunities to practice their public speaking skills by sharing their research with others.

History - The first history lesson begins with the childrens' sharing of their own personal timelines. The second history lesson begins with giving the children an opportunity to share their family's beliefs about the history of the universe, life, & human beings. With these foundation stones in place, the children will learn about the beliefs of a variety of scientists/religions/historians/ archaeologists through a series of discussions: The History of the Universe, The History of Life Coming to Earth, The History of the Coming of Humans, The History of Writing or Language, The History of Mathematics or Numerals. These talks are the gateway to further historical exploration in the following areas: The Common Needs of People, Ancient Civilizations, Early Explorations of the World, The Timeline of Modern History, Art History, Indigenous Peoples of the USA, Exploration & Settlement of the USA by Non-Natives, Colonial Times, Formation of the USA, Industry of the 1800's, Development in the USA (1865-1945), The Fifty States, The People of the USA, and The Government/Politics/Citizenship of the USA.