The elementary ages
As the spiral curriculum continues, the elementary student is now moving into his/her second plane of development. Imagination, socialization and moral justice are major distinguishers of this new development stage.
Although folk and fairy tales do have their place in the elementary classroom, Dr. Montessori's vision of imagination - its power and centrality to emotional and intellectual life - is the basis of Montessori's elementary education. Nothing compels the six-year old learner like the canopy of stars overhead, or the anatomy of a cell, or an inside view of sub-atomic physics. Imagination creates a vision that expands and contracts, while fueling the mind to explore and to create a still bigger view with deeper enthusiasm.
"Human consciousness comes into the world as a flaming ball of imagination... The secret of good teaching is to regard the child's intelligence as a fertile field in which seeds may be sown to grow under the heat of flaming imagination" (Montessori 1948)
Elementary Montessori students explore the realm of mathematics, science and technology, the world of myth, great literature, history, world geography, civics, economics, anthropology, and basic organization of human societies. Their studies also cover the basics found in traditional curriculum such as; memorization of math facts, spelling lessons, and the study of vocabulary, grammar, sentence analysis, creative and expository writing and library research skills.
In the elementary classroom the students are presented with the five Great Lessons: the story of how the world came to be, the development of life on Earth, the story of humankind, the development of language and writing, and the development of mathematics. The lessons and projects normally span many months.
