Brickton Programs

At the 6 – 9 level, students are ready and eager to discover the world. In the Toddler and Children’s House Programs, they experienced a rapid rate of physical, emotional and cognitive growth, devoting their energy toward building the foundation of basic tools for learning, developing and refining the use of their senses and their bodies.

Now their imagination is poised to take hold, guiding them through a journey beyond their immediate surroundings. They have a new found hunger to know all about what people do, how they do it, where they do it, and why they do it. They are intrigued by the notion of rules and how rules work to maintain order and solve problems. They begin to discover how everything they do on a personal level impacts the group as a whole, and they grow to recognize their role as a community member.

Curriculum

Dr. Montessori believed that the inspiration for learning drew from an appreciation of the Big Picture. Meaning and understanding trace to a cosmic framework on which the student can structure information in a logical and coherent way. Curiosity is driven by a need to put together the whole. In the 6 – 9, the students are introduced to Dr. Montessori’s Great Lessons, which are presented with reverence and ritual, as the universe and life can awaken only awe and wonder within the human spirit. The Montessori curriculum is grounded in the Great Lessons as students continually return to the cosmic framework of knowledge, bringing with them new material which they can place and arrange in a thoughtful and analytical manner. The emphasis is on the interconnectedness of knowing, how all aspects of learning intertwine with one another. No one course of study exists independently. There is math in science and history, and language in everything.

The school year begins with the Story of the Universe, followed by the Story of the Coming of Life. These stories prompt the students to embark on a journey through science and history. The Story of Language and the Story of Math lead the students into the language and math curriculum. At the 6 – 9 level, the focus is on broad strokes and setting the foundation of basic concepts so that they can be pursued in greater depth in the 9 – 12.

• Language - Reading, Grammar, Written and Oral Communication, and Handwriting form the backbone of the language curriculum. Students receive instruction in all components on an ongoing basis as progress in one area is interdependent with progress in the other two.
• Mathematics - A prominent feature of the Montessori approach with respect to mathematics is an insistence on the use of concrete materials leading to a discovery of abstract principles.
• Numbers and Numeration cover Concept of Numbers; Numeration; Number Theory; Place Value, and Mathematical Languages and Notation.
• Operations and Relationships of Numbers encompasses Function and Process, Memorization of Number Facts, and Interrelationships.
• Fractions are first introduced by working with quantity using Montessori
  materials, then with symbol, associating quantity with symbol.
• Geometry includes the study of both Plane and Solid Geometry over a three year cycle of work.
• Science - Students cover nomenclature and characteristics of living things through sequential work  with materials in Botany and Zoology.  Additionally, students study principles of Scientific Inquiry, learning the process of acquiring knowledge through the practice of experimentation which begins with a question about how the world works.
• Social Studies - The curriculum boasts a comprehensive array of concrete materials that introduce concepts of physical, political, and economic geography.
• Geography introduces students to to the study of the nomenclature of the structure of the earth, basic geology, and land forms. They further study continents, the political organization of continents, and major cities and land.
• History begins with examining of how time works, learning concepts of telling time, days, months, years, decades, and seasons.  Students learn universal characteristics of how people live. Their study is conducted longitudinally over different time periods, comparing and contrasting how civilizations met their needs, such as clothing, housing, and transportation.
• Civics also plays a role in the curriculum. Students discover the importance of community as part of human survival. They strengthen their understanding and knowledge of how best to solve problems and appreciate the differences among us and continually strive to build their respect for each other and the environment.
• Spanish - Students learn basic vocabulary and culture through concrete activities and experiences. The emphasis is on the spoken language at this age.
• Fine Arts
• Music is formally taught using the Orff Schulwerk method and students also participate in a chorus class.
• Art is taught by a specialist who helps students use a variety of media to full effect, including pencil, crayon, pastels, watercolor, and clay.  Additionally, a timeline of art history is included in the curriculum starting with cave art through the modern art of today.
• Physical Education
• Gym includes off-site swimming and skating and switches between on-site dance and drama each year.
• Health and Safety presentations are integrated into the daily experiences and focus on personal health, welfare, and safety.  Sample topics include heathful eating, cleanliness, the importance of sleep, and how to be safe crossing the street.