Close
"Free the child's potential, and you will transform him into the world."
Maria Montessori

Chemistry, Biology & Physics

Learning in Context

During the Elementary years, ages 6 to 12, the child has an intense need to understand their place in the universe. In order to help them satisfy this curiosity and provoke further questions for the children to investigate, we tell them the greatest story of all – the story of the origins of the universe and the formation of the stars, planets, the sun, and the Earth.

This story sets the broadest possible context for learning for the children, setting the universe in time, and entices them into further exploration in all subject areas, including the arts as well as the sciences. Having provoked the Elementary children’s imagination and wonder about the intricacies of this infinitely complex universe, the children are encouraged to investigate and discover the answers to these interesting and puzzling questions.

They are free to hypothesise, discuss and debate all the questions about Science raised by First Great Lesson. The child’s interest is sparked, not only by the teachers’ retelling of the Great Stories and the many fascinating follow-up on lessons, but also by the interests and the investigations of their peers and the explorations of the older children in this multi-age environment.

The inspiration to do more, to learn more, to satisfy one’s own interests is at the core of Montessori.

Dual-Language Learning In The Classroom

As the children receive many follow-up lessons in Earth Science, Chemistry, Physics, and Astronomy, the Lower Elementary Chinese Teachers provide Chinese language extension in order to support and encourage the child’s ability to communicate about such fascinating principles in fluent Putonghua.

The Upper Elementary student investigates how human begins are profoundly connected to the world around them, which leads to investigation of economic and cultural geography. Learning becomes deeper and more integrated, and concepts more complex. Chinese Teachers support these increasingly complex concepts by providing more detailed vocabulary and additional Chinese language lessons on Earth Sciences.

Elements Of The Montessori Elementary Learning Experience

There are many more opportunities to learn and to explore the questions raised during the first Great Story in small groups. Science projects and Materials encourage and assist further exploration by the child to begin to answer all of these questions raised.

In the Lower Elementary classroom, Physical Geography is a key area of exploration, as well as an initial exploration of Culture and Economic Geography.

In Upper Elementary, deeper exploration occurs. Children explore more in-depth into, and the concept of the influence role of geographic features and the influences on the economies of various types of societies and their resulting economies is investigated according to their own interests.

Interest is sparked, not only by the teachers’ retelling of the Great Stories and the many fascinating follow-up lessons, but also by the interests and the investigations of their peers and the explorations of the older children in this multi-age environment. The inspiration to do more, to learn more, to satisfy their own interests is at the core of Montessori.

After this introduction to Chemistry in the First Great Story, children explore the three states of matter in more depth, discover what the universe is made of – atoms, investigate basic atomic theory, and then conduct experiments to understand more about compounds, solutions, and mixtures. Later they learn about Mendeleev’s Table of the Elements and get excited about building atomic models or about the history of the discovery of the Periodic Table. There is literally no end to the possible avenues of interest and or exploration.

As the children receive many follow-up lessons in Earth Science, Chemistry, Physics and Astronomy, the Lower Elementary Chinese Teachers provide Chinese language extension about the solar system, sun and the earth, Geographic features including continents and oceans, countries and flags, maps, the Three States of Matter, and more.

The Upper Elementary student investigates how human beings are interrelated with the world around them, and economic and cultural geography are key topics of interest. Learning becomes deeper and more integrated, and concepts more complex. Chinese Teachers support this learning by providing more detailed vocabulary and additional Chinese language extension lessons about Energy and its role, the Solar system, the inter-dependencies between earth and humans, biomes, and more.

The Upper Elementary student investigates how human beings interrelated with the world around them, and economic and cultural geography are key topics of interest. Learning becomes deeper and more integrated, and concepts more complex. Chinese Teachers support this learning by providing more detailed vocabulary and additional Chinese language extension lessons about Energy and its role, the Solar system, the inter-dependencies between earth and humans, and biomes, and more.

More On Geography

What is the impact of the Earth’s relationship to the Sun? How does it move through space?  What causes gravity? How is gravity different on other planets? Why do we have seasons and climatic zones?

Read more

More on Science

There are many more opportunities to learn and explore the questions raised during the first Great Story in small groups. More science projects and materials encourage further exploration by the child. Some typical follow-up work after the Story of Formation of the Universe includes reading, investigating through science experiments, and Going Out to find examples in nature or in museums.

Read more