Elementary Program

Ages 6 to 12 Years | Grades 1 to 6

Our Elementary classrooms provide an environment for children to continue to develop their reasoning, imaginative minds. Our teachers guide elementary students as they contemplate all aspects of the world around them, the universe, and their responsibilities as part of a society.

A Sense of Belonging and Interdependence

The Elementary classrooms provide a wide variety of carefully designed Montessori materials to bring the children into contact with practical and concrete means of exploring and mastering a rich curriculum. Students study the interdependence of life; the development of civilization, language, and culture; and their roles as contributors to and stewards of life on Earth.

Students are given the freedom to pursue projects in depth without interruption, under the guidance of the teachers who keep careful records on each child’s progress and needs, supporting them as they develop in their responsibility towards their school work and community. Multi-age groupings at the elementary level enhance social development and learning, and a sense of belonging. The elementary program provides a developmentally based and integrated approach to the child’s studies, which include:

Language – Speaking, self-expression, writing, grammar, and reading.
Art, Music & Drama – Creative expression, individual, and group art and ceramics projects. Each class puts on a class play each year. Music appreciation and lessons throughout the year.
Mathematics – Montessori manipulatives for arithmetic, geometry, and algebra.
Science – Biology, chemistry, geology, geography, physics, astronomy.
History – Study of the development of human cultures within a framework of the fundamental needs of humans.
Spanish Language – Students study Spanish in weekly Spanish lessons.

Community & Collaboration

Students in Santa Cruz Montessori Elementary classes have many different opportunities to experience the world outside their classroom. Part of the child’s learning environment is the greater community, and a “going out,” or short trip in small groups, which is planned by the students themselves as an extension of their study, is common in the elementary classes. A going out might be a trip to the library or to the local museum, or it might be a community service project.

Lower elementary classes go on a camping trip each year, where children can explore the outdoors, challenge themselves in new ways, and work together as a community. Upper Elementary classes attend outdoor environmental camps in the fall and spring. Other field trips throughout the year include trips to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, symphony, museums, and state parks.