The basic Montessori philosophy continues in elementary with an increase in the growth of children’s independence and problem solving. The elementary program encourages a mature sense of justice and fairness, reinforces oral communication and written communication, provides for repetitive experiences in all academic skills, and fosters development of imagination and creativity.

The elementary curriculum expands the sense of order that was nourished in the early childhood environment to study the order of the universe. In elementary, children discover how these concrete ideas and skills fit into larger and considerably more abstract concepts. Lessons interrelate among such subjects as geology, history, language, math, art, music, and science. Children also have the opportunity to take in-depth specialist classes in music, art, movement, Spanish, and drama. The spiral curriculum of the Montessori interdisciplinary approach allows children to visit and revisit a subject through many different avenues.

The Practical Life lessons in elementary involve working as part of whole to make the the community stronger and classroom run smoothly. Lessons may include organizing fund raising activities, cooking, and time management. Daily jobs are also more advanced and require a larger degree of responsibility.

The Montessori approach to mathematics in elementary continues to be based on concrete understanding rather than memorization and recitation. Students continue to manipulate materials to gain a deep understanding of math concepts before shifting to more complex and abstract material. Topics that are presented to the students include but are not limited to: fractions and decimals, complex operations, word problems, geometry, and the introduction of algebraic theorems.

Language work is woven throughout nearly every lesson and certainly every subject area. Skills that continue to be developed and honed include reading and writing fluency, parts of speech, the use of semantics and syntax, vocabulary, research skills, and exploring literature and genres.

Science materials focus on the classification of living things, zoology, botany, geology, astronomy, anatomy, and chemistry. Students learn about the scientific method and often design and conduct experiments to better understand abstract concepts. Agriculture learning and care for plants and animals are integral components of the science curriculum.

Geography lessons are present throughout the classroom in the form of materials such as flags of the countries, land and water forms, world biomes, and maps—from socio-economic to topographical.

Elementary-age students begin to ask the larger questions about the history of the universe, the origins of writing, and their place in the world. The history curriculum gives students the tools to begin to answer these large questions. By bridging the gap between concrete and abstract concepts and guiding children to question and discover the universe and their place in it, Montessori education at the elementary level equips students with problem solving and critical thinking skills necessary to navigate the next great period of transformation: adolescence.