Montessori Curriculum:

Rising Star Montessori School's program is ungraded with an open-ended curriculum that allows students to progress at their own pace. The curriculum follows the child rather than the child fitting into a set curriculum where all are expected to do the same work at the same time. The curriculum offers children freedom of choice in a dynamic, energized and free-flowing classroom where learning is hands-on.Our schools offer following programs.

Pre-Primary Curriculum- Toddler Age 1.5 – 3 years

Every person has a unique learning style, including your child. At their early age, they are absorbing everything in their environment; whether it is emotional, social, or academic. In our school, we understand the importance of following the individual child’s development and allowing the child to satisfy his/her learning needs through experience. Our teachers structure the classroom so that students can be independent and confident. Through observation and authentic assessment, our teachers gain knowledge of how your child learns best, (is your child a visual learner, an auditory learner, a kinesthetic learner) then organize the environment to meet each child’s needs. Rather than construct the knowledge for your child, our caring staff, help facilitate and guide the learning/skills your child needs to become a life-long learner.

Each classroom is filled with materials children love. The beauty of the materials and the classroom environment, appeals to all of the child’s senses. The Early Childhood classrooms contain five main content areas; Everyday Living, Sensorial, Math, Language, and Science/Culture. The Everyday Living area (spooning, pouring, cleaning activities) assists the child in developing independence, confidence, coordination and order. The Sensorial area (sound cylinders, pink tower, brown stair, blue and red rods, etc) increases your child’s awareness of his/her senses and guides the development of concepts such as, volume, gradation, length, and discrimination.

In the Montessori classroom, Math is one of the most intriguing to new parents. Even at an early age, children begin using manipulative to understand the numerical concepts of numeration, linear counting, the function of the decimal system and other supplemental topics. The Language area of the classroom is phonics based with a whole language approach. Children learn to identify letters and sounds using Montessori sandpaper letters, by matching sound objects, manipulating a moveable alphabet and forming

words. The Science and Culture area of the room broadens your child’s horizons by providing opportunities for children to explore our universe, the planets, continents, living and non-living things and more!

The children learn to resolve conflict between one another on a one on one basis under the guidance of their teachers. Your child will recognize, continue seeking and gain confidence leading to independence within their learning environment.

Primary Curriculum  Age 3 – 6 years

RSMS offers a full Montessori curriculum with standard Montessori materials. Here the children learn through hands on experience and creative exploration. Enhanced learning and social development occur in this multi age setting. The youngest children observe and interact with the older children. In turn the older children serve as role models and learn responsibility and leadership skills. The materials in each classroom are grouped into the four major divisions: Practical Life, Sensorial, Math and Language.

Practical Life exercises are the starting point for the youngest child entering our classroom. These are tasks required for daily living which develop the child's sense of order, coordination, concentration, and independence. There are four distinct groups of Practical Life exercises: care of person, care of environment, development of social relations, and movement. The children in our classes can be seen performing activities such as pouring, polishing, washing, sorting, dressing, and using simple tools.
The Sensorial materials help the child recognize and understand the impressions he is constantly receiving through his senses. These materials include beautiful manipulative dealing with size, color, shape, sound, texture, form, and dimension. As well as helping the children classify concepts, the Sensorial materials provide the groundwork for the development of other skills such as music, math, and language.

Mathematical materials in our primary classrooms emphasize the concepts of number recognition, quantities, linear counting, the decimal system, simple fractions, and beginning lessons in the four operations. The children are busy working together counting the chains, sharing out quantities, and creating large numbers with the "golden beads". These concrete materials show the child the beginnings of what will later become abstract concepts.

Language is an integral part of the Montessori curriculum, emphasizing both spoken and written language. Many of the Practical Life and Sensorial exercises are prerequisites for learning to read and write. Language materials include sandpaper

letters teaching phonetic sounds and letter shape, movable alphabet for composing words and simple sentences, many types of language card exercises, and the metal insets, which develop pencil control necessary for writing. Often our children can be observed sounding out simple words and creating their first stories. The language work is also incorporated into the other areas of the classroom such as science and social studies.

In addition to the four major divisions in each classroom, there are supplemental areas such as Geography, Science, Art, and Music. In the Geography area the children are exposed to work such as maps, land and water forms, and flags. On the Science shelves the children have access to simple science experiments and classification materials, as well as, activities teaching the solar system, the human body, plants, and animals. Art is interwoven into the curriculum and extends to all areas of the classroom.

The role as teacher in our classrooms is to guide and facilitate the child's learning based on their individual needs and interests. The Montessori teacher wants to lead the children to discover and develop their own talents and potential.

The most significant element of our primary classrooms is not located on the shelves with the other materials. It is the opportunity the child has to explore his own interests and to manage his learning. It is also the attention and instruction given in learning to respect oneself, to respect others, and to respect the environment - whether it is this small environment where the child is working or the world at large. By practicing the lessons in "grace and courtesy" the young child can learn to internalize patterns of caring, politeness, and understanding. Our primary Montessori classrooms provide each child with an important place to work and learn: the essential way to grow.

Lower Elementary Curriculum Age 3 – 6 years

Our class is a working community of children and adults. The environment spans three age levels of six to nine years (grades 1 – 3). Younger children are continuously inspired by the older students’ work, while older students revise and enhance their skills as they mentor younger students. The multi-aged group setting also provides for individual differences. The elementary class provides diverse opportunities for social growth, while challenging growing imaginations.

The elementary program emphasizes critical thinking, problem solving and research skill development. Students expand their knowledge in a wide range of academic subjects; building on the skills and social abilities that they developed in the primary classrooms. Their interests now soar into all areas of learning, and our classroom reflects this exciting new stage of development.

Throughout the elementary years, students are guided from concrete learning, through the use of manipulative concrete materials, to reasoning, questioning and thinking abstractly. The materials engage the children visually, auditorially and kinesthetically. Students are given a great deal of free choice in determining their educational paths, with supportive limits.

Academic subjects are integrated into a comprehensive program designed not to teach, but to allow children to learn at their own pace. The lower elementary curriculum includes the following areas:

Language and Literature
The elementary language curriculum emphasizes creative and expository writing, interpretive reading of literature and poetry. We focus on word study, spelling, grammar, punctuation, penmanship and capitalization. Research skills are introduced, practiced through individual project work and refined as students work with a wide range of research materials. Students practice and use their reading and writing skills throughout the curriculum.

Mathematics
The mathematics curriculum is presented with concrete materials, which reveal arithmetic, geometric, and algebraic connections. Work with the Montessori mathematics materials ensures that mathematics is not simply memorized, but understood.

We extend the children’s knowledge of decimal system as they explore its quantities & qualities. Students practice operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. We study number hierarchy, fractions, decimals, negative numbers, squaring & cubing. Throughout math work, we are continuously applying what we learn to how it relates in daily situations.

Geometry
Elementary students continue exploring geometry on a sensorial level. Students gain a strong understanding of fundamental geometric concepts through consecutive lessons with Montessori materials. Students begin with a study of congruency, similarity & equivalence, preparing them for later area and theorem work. We introduce the study of lines, measurement of angles and the construction of geometric figures.

History
History work in the elementary class begins with the development of the solar system, and early life on earth. Students study aspects of early civilizations, the development of humankind, and recorded history. Students learn how the contributions of humankind throughout history have brought us to where we are today.

Geography
Elementary students extend their knowledge of continents and countries with further research about the people, language and culture of different lands. Map work continues with the study of geographical features and landforms.

Science
In this area, the children's natural curiosity is stimulated through discovery projects and experiments, from which they draw their own conclusions. The first science experiments are designed to give the children basic knowledge, which will help them to understand the development of the solar system, the earth and its configurations, life on earth and the needs of plants and animals.

Elementary students learn to trust their own initiative and abilities, take responsibility for their work, and become self-motivated learners. By gaining respect for themselves, others, and the environment, children develop the desire and ability to continue learning throughout their lives.