Multiage Grades 4-6
Our Upper Elementary program (Grades 4-6) consists of two, multi-aged classrooms, the Black Bears and the Loons. Each class has no more than 26 students, with a lead teacher and assistant teacher.
Transitioning from concrete to abstract, Upper El students at Mountain Village engage in high-level intellectual exploration. Through hands-on activities—ranging from cooking African cuisine and conducting fish dissections to solving complex fraction problems and debating global issues—students develop a deeper connection to the world around them. Broad themes such as Early Humans and Ancient Civilizations, Timeline of Technology, Biology, and Earth and Physical Science are integrated into the program.
Following the Montessori method, curriculum is not grade-specific, but is tailored to the readiness of each child. Teachers and students work together to create individualized work plans for each child, to ensure they have both breadth and depth to their studies. With these guides, students choose their own work and move freely about the classroom.
While we do adhere to Common Core standards, our students are not limited to grade level expectations. For example, a fourth grade student who has a facility in math may be presented lessons at a fifth or sixth grade level; at the same time, students who need more time to conquer a subject have the flexibility to pursue it until mastery.
