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Montessori
Curriculum |
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History &
Geography
Physical
Geography
-
The
Primary
Globes
(Age
3-5):
specially
prepared
globes
for the
very
young
child
that
isolate
single
concepts
of globe
study-how
land and
water
are
shown,
and the
corresponding
shapes
of the
continents
that
they
learned
from the
puzzle
maps.
-
The
Puzzle
Maps
(Age
3-7):
These
are
specially
made
maps in
the
forms of
intricate,
color-coded,
wooden
jigsaw
puzzles
representing
the
continents,
the
countries
of each
continent,
and the
states
of the
U.S.
They are
presented
to the
children
at an
early
age, and
are at
first
enjoyed
simply
as
challenging
puzzles.
Soon,
however,
the
children
begin to
learn
the
names of
given
countries,
and by
age 6
are
normally
very
familiar
with the
continents
of the
globe,
the
nations
of North
America,
South
America,
and
Europe,
along
with
most of
the
states
of the
U.S. As
soon as
the
children
can read
they
begin to
lay the
puzzle
pieces
out and
place
the
appropriate
name
labels
to each
as a
reading
and
geography
exercise.
-
Land &
Water
Formations:
materials
designed
to help
the very
young
child
understand
basic
land and
water
formations
such as
island,
isthmus,
peninsula,
strait,
lake,
cape,
bay,
archipelago,
etc. At
first,
they are
represented
by
three-dimensional
models
of each,
complete
with
water.
Then the
children
learn to
recognize
the
shapes
on maps,
and
learn
about
famous
examples
of each.
Transference
to maps:
Introduction
to
written
names
and
various
forms of
maps,
along
with
early
study of
the
flora,
fauna,
landscapes,
and
people
of the
continents.
-
Maps and
compass:
Introduction
to
longitude
and
latitude,
coordinate
position
on the
globe,
the
Earth's
poles,
the
magnetic
poles,
history
and use
of the
compass,
topographic
maps,
global
positioning
satellite
devices,
electronic
charts.
-
An
introduction
to
humankind's
search
to
understand
how the
Earth
was
formed,
from
creation
stories
to the
evidence
of
contemporary
scientific
research:
origins,
geologic
forces,
formations
of the
oceans
and
atmosphere,
continental
drift
and
tectonic
plates,
volcanoes,
earth
quakes,
the ice
ages and
the
formation
of
mountain
ranges.
(Age 6)
-
The
study of
coasts
and land
reliefs:
hills,
mountain
ranges,
volcanoes,
valleys,
plains,
etc.;
their
formation,
animal
life,
and
effect
on
people.
-
The
study of
the
hydrosphere:
ocean,
rivers,
lakes,
the
water
cycle.
(By age
8)
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Cultural
Geography
-
Countries
are
studied
in many
ways at
all
levels,
beginning
at about
age 3-4.
A number
of
studies
are held
every
year to
focus on
specific
cultures
and to
celebrate
life
together:
an
example
being
Chinese
New
Year,
when a
class
might
study
China,
prepare
Chinese
food,
learn
Chinese
dances,
and
participate
in a
special
dragon
dance
parade.
Anything
that the
children
find
interesting
is used
to help
them
become
familiar
with the
countries
of the
world:
flags,
boundaries,
food,
climate,
traditional
dress,
houses,
major
cities,
children's
toys and
games,
stamps,
coins,
traditional
foods,
art,
music,
and
history.
This
interweaves
through
the
entire
curriculum.
These
studies
culminate
in our
annual
cultural
fair --
a joyous
school-wide
celebration
of world
cultures.
-
Study
of the
regions
,
culture,
and
natural
resources
of the
United
States,
including
geography,
climate,
flora
and
fauna,
major
rivers
and
lakes,
capitals,
important
cities,
mountains,
people,
regional
foods,
traditions,
etc.
This
begins
in the
primary
and
continues
at
increasing
depth at
each
level.
-
The
detailed
study of
one
nation
at a
time.
Focus
moves
over the
years
from one
continent
to
another,
as the
children's
interest
leads
them.
All
aspects
of the
nation
are
considered:
geography,
climate,
flora
and
fauna,
major
rivers
and
lakes,
cities,
mountains,
people,
food,
religions,
etc.
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Economic
Geography
-
Natural
Resources
of the
Earth.
-
Production:
How
natural
resources
are used
by
humankind.
-
Imports
and
Exports:
The
interdependence
of
nations.
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History &
the needs
all people
share
-
The
basic
needs of
man are
food,
shelter,
clothing,
defense,
transportation,
culture,
law,
religion
or
spiritual
enlightenment,
love,
and
adornment.
(This
study
begins
at age
5-6 and
continues
throughout
the
curriculum.)
-
The
concept
of time
and
historical
time is
developed
through
many
activities
and
repeated
at
deeper
complexity
from age
5:
-
Telling
time on
the
clock
-
Time-lines
of the
child's
life
-
Time-lines
showing
the
activities
of a
day,
week,
month,
year
-
Family
trees
-
Time-line
of the
Earth's
history.
-
Time-line
from
8,000
B.C. to
2,000
A.D. to
study
ancient
to
modern
history.
-
The
story of
the
evolution
of the
planet
and its
life
forms
over the
eons is
first
studied
at about
age 6,
along
with an
overview
of human
history.
This is
repeated
throughout
the
curriculum
in
increasing
depth of
study.
-
Each
year the
child
continues
to study
and
analyze
the
needs,
culture,
technology,
and
social
history
of
various
periods
in
history.
The
trends
of human
achievement
are
charted,
such as
the
development
of
transportation,
architecture,
great
inventions,
and
great
leaders.
-
By
age 8,
students
begin to
study
the
earliest
humans,
ending
with an
introduction
to the
first
farmers.
They
consider
early
societies
in terms
of how
they
organized
themselves
to meet
the
common
needs of
all
peoples:
food,
clothing,
shelter,
defense,
transportation,
medicine,
arts,
entertainment,
government,
and
religion.
-
The
Upper
Elementary
level
(ages
9-12)
history
program
follows
a
three-year
cycle of
thematic
study.
Students
study
whichever
themes
are
being
presented
that
year
regardless
of their
age. In
year 1
of the
cycle,
the
class
will
focus on
the
creation
of the
universe,
formation
of the
earth,
evolution
of life,
and
early
human
civilizations.
These
topics
were
first
introduced
at the
lower
elementary
level.
At this
level,
students
will go
into
considerably
greater
depth
and
prepare
increasingly
sophisticated
projects
and
research
reports.
-
Continuing
the
three-year
cycle of
thematic
history
study at
the
Upper
Elementary
level
(ages
9-12),
in year
2 of the
cycle,
the
class
will
focus on
ancient
civilizations,
including
the
Mesopotamian
cultures,
Greece,
Rome,
ancient
China,
Byzantium,
ending
with an
introduction
to the
Middle
Ages.
In the
third
year of
the
three-
year
cycle of
thematic
history
study at
the
Upper
Elementary
level
(ages
9-12),
the
class
will
focus on
American
studies,
including
an
introduction
to the
history
of the
United
States,
American
folk
culture,
technology,
children's
literature,
government,
and
geography.
The
class
will
also
consider
Pre-Colombian
Central
and
South
American
cultures,
the
Native
American
peoples
of North
America,
the age
of
exploration,
and the
immigrant
cultural
groups
who came
to
America
from
Europe,
Africa,
Asia,
and
Latin
America.
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Our
Goals |
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The
Montessori
curriculum
varies
at
the
four
levels
of
our
school,
but
our
goals
are
consistent
throughout
the
programs:
- To enter into a partnership with parents in the education of their children.
- To encourage the self-motivation and self-discipline that will lead to a life-long pursuit of knowledge.
- To lead children to mastery of precisely identified intellectual, social, and physical skills.
- To help children develop a positive self-image as the key to the development of their full potential.
- To foster open minds, compassion, and respect for others.
- To balance self-reliance, independence, and responsible freedom with the skills of working cooperatively.
- To instill in each child a sense of duty and personal responsibility for the world in which we live.
- To spark in our children imagination, wonder, humor, and joy...
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Woodland Hill Montessori School
100 Montessori Place, North Greenbush, New York 12144
Tel: 518.283.5400 | Fax: 518.283.4861 | Schoolcare &
Afterhours: 518.496.4136
Email:
info@woodlandhill.org
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