Primary
Montessori School of Northern Virginia
Primary
Primary is a time of remarkable growth, discovery, and confidence building. In MSNV’s Montessori classrooms, children are deeply engaged in hands-on learning that brings reading, writing, mathematics, science, and culture to life.
Students choose purposeful work, concentrate for extended periods, and take pride in mastering new skills. They learn to ask questions, solve problems, care for their classroom, and support one another — all within a warm, supportive community guided by experienced teachers.
Over the course of the Primary years, children grow not only academically, but socially and emotionally, developing independence, curiosity, and a genuine love of learning that prepares them beautifully for Elementary and beyond.
The Curriculum
| Practical Life |
The Practical Life lessons allow the child to learn to navigate the world through activities of daily living. This area is prepared with activities that provide the child with real-life opportunities and experiences to take care of himself, others, and the environment. Examples of topics/lessons include grace & courtesy; care of self and others; care of environment; and movement |
| Sensorial |
Sensorial materials serve as an aid to refining the senses. Montessori called these materials, “the keys to the world.” They each represent a universal truth about the physical world - the idea of sweetness, brightness, roughness - giving the child a greater connection and understanding of their world. Examples of topics/lessons include exploration into geometry and algebra concepts with triangles and cubes (visual sense); weight and temperature(tactile sense); matching activities (gustatory and olfactory sense); matching, grading, and developing pitch with the bells (auditory sense); and identifying objects through touch (stereognostic sense) |
| Language |
Language in Primary is the foundation of communication. Children develop speaking, writing, and reading through meaningful materials and conversation. Spoken language supports expression and understanding, helping students share ideas and make sense of the world around them. Examples of topics/lessons include materials and lessons are prepared for speaking, writing, and reading. |
| Math |
Montessori found a way to make math intelligible to the young child through concrete materials which appeal to the child’s desire to explore things sensorially. The materials are presented to the children for them to manipulate a mathematical concept. Examples of topics/lessons include concepts of numbers 1-10; the decimal system; memorization; and passage to abstraction. |
| Cultural |
Cultural materials introduce children to the wider world—geography, history, biology, and human connection. Through hands-on exploration, students learn about diverse communities, natural systems, and the interdependence of life, building curiosity and respect for the world around them. Examples of topics/lessons include astronomy; animal classification; introduction to the scientific method; and land and water forms. |
| Art, Music, & Spanish |
Art materials are set up in the classroom similarly to the practical life activities. Students are able to explore through cutting, drawing with various mediums, painting, printing, pasting, sculpting and sewing. Music is part of the classroom everyday with songs as a group, and instrument exploration. In addition the Primary students have a group music class once a week. Spanish is a weekly lesson for the primary students where they learn songs and fingerplays and learn vocabulary words about their day including numbers, colors, clothes, weather and family. |
