The Culture area is one of the favorites. There is always an air of excitement and anticipation. The children actually participate in their learning and link all cultural aspects together. They look at Earth in geography and link social and economic development with the physical geography that affects the planet.

Science may be enhanced by a specialist doing experiments with the children; again, hands-on involvement is used with the students.

The classroom may contain a wide variety of animals for the children to study and tend.

Art, Music, and Physical Education vitalize the already integrated Montessori elementary prepared environment. Art projects are natural extensions of classroom work. For example, a child may make a tapestry of geometric figures, a three-dimensional salt map of a continent, or a mural of Colonial life. All of these projects reinforce and expand academic skills and artistic sensitivities.

The schools may have annual art shows and musical performances.

Music activities complement the child's work. National anthems, folk songs, and historical ballads key into the Social Studies areas, for instance. Writing music and plays provides occasion for dramatic integration of the Arts: Drama, Speech, Painting, and Literature.

Emphasis is put on

• Fluency
• Comprehension
• Correct grammar
• Creative writing
• Reference use in both the school and the community

The children write and perform plays for their own amusement. All of this is interrelated with the other "core" subjects.

Continuing from the preschool foundation, all concepts are introduced with concrete materials from:

• Basic operations
• Squaring
• Cubing
• Prime factors
• Square roots
• Geometry
• Algebra

All concepts are given when the child is ready and not at a given chronological age. Our students consistently work above expected grade level.