The Montessori Primary Years course of study is an integrated view of interrelated disciplines offered in three-year cycles, which starts with the global and historical perspective, then moves forward to current and local events. This approach differs from the traditional model in which the curriculum is compartmentalized into separate subjects, with given topics limited by grade level.  In the Montessori approach, lessons are introduced simply and concretely, in the context of history in the early lessons and are reintroduced several times during the following years at increasing degrees of abstraction and complexity. The curriculum from the primary through the Primary Years program is engineered to meet and capitalize on the changing developmental stages of the child. This is a very key foundation of the Montessori Method. The major developmental change for a child of Primary age is gaining the ability to reason and to imagine, and these skills are used in the classroom.

This course of study is an integrated thematic approach where major concepts are introduced through the Great lessons, which challenge the imagination and provide a framework which ties separate disciplines of the curriculum together into studies of the physical universe, the world of nature, and the human experience.  Mathematics, science, literature, the arts, history, social issues, government, philosophy, economics, art, and the study of technology all complement one another in our curriculum.

Children learn about other disciplines by starting at the beginning; the origins of the universe; the formation of the stars, planets, the sun and the earth.  Time lines, charts and research cards on the advancement of civilizations help children study areas of interest – geology, biology, geography and history.  Different periods of history are explored broadly, and students pursue many areas in depth.

History	The third Great Lesson is an introduction to the History of Humans.  This story shows how long in the history of the universe humans have been on Earth. Within this context how humans to began using tools.  Further study includes: ·      Early Human Life in Society: study of early societies in terms of food, clothing, shelter, language, mathematics, defense, transportation, medicine, arts, entertainment, government, religion ·      Concept of Time and Historical Time: o      time lines of child's life; time lines for a day, week, month, year o      Family trees o      time line of the Earth's history §       Formation of the universe §       Story of Evolution of the Planet: life forms over eons §       Time line from 8,000 B.C. to 2,000 A.D. to study ancient to modern history: early civilizations including Mesopotamia, ancient Greece, ancient Rome, ancient China, Middle Ages o  Global Studies including, individual country histories, folk culture, technology, children's literature, government and geography o  China’s and other country’s culture & history, global exploration Trends in human achievement: development of transportation, architecture, great inventions, great leaders
Story of the Coming of Humans
Clock of Eras
Fundamental needs of Man
Use of the Hand
Phases:  Nomadic, Agricultural, Urban
Importance of Geography
Civilizations
Migrations
Interdependencies
Chinese History
American History
History of the U.K.
Clock – telling time
Timeline – family life