Science Lab

The Montessori School of McLean promotes Science Education by focusing on the AMI and AMS Science Elementary Albums that include all aspects of scientific inquiry for the 6-12 child.  In addition to the Montessori albums, labs also reference the National Science Education Standards and the State of Virginia SOLs to compliment the curriculum. The MSM Science Lab program is designed to enhance the elementary child's scientific studies in their classroom, which fit into the larger picture of what Dr. Montessori called "Cosmic Education" for the 6-12 child. 

What is Cosmic Education for the 6-12 child?

"Cosmic Education lets the child’s own questions provide the basis for exploration of the world. Because these questions are heeded and nurtured, the child really connects with knowledge. Subject matter, then, is made relevant to the child’s personal quest, providing an inner motivation. A Montessori education does not give the child a collection of trivial facts but rather bestows a vision of interrelated knowledge and a love of learning."  

NAMTA’s What is Montessori Elementary?, 1995.

In Science Lab we continue the child's explorations of the natural world by engaging his intellect and sparking his imagination with exciting and engaging, age-appropriate hands-on experiments and discussions.  

The MSM Science Elementary Lab curriculum is divided into two, three-year cycles. 

Lower Elementary and Upper Elementary levels follow the Science curriculum in the Montessori classrooms. The Science Lab teacher, a trained Montessorian, works closely with classroom teachers to integrate lessons and concepts that can be explored further in either environment. The three-year cycle is as follows: 

            Year One:              Astronomy and Earth Science (Geology)

            Year Two:              Physical Science (Physics and Chemistry)

            Year Three:           Life Science (Botany and Zoology/Humans)

Elementary students attend class in the MSM Science Lab weekly for one hour. Every other week they meet with the lab teacher in their classroom to work further, in smaller groups, on the concepts and ideas discussed in their weekly lab class.

Prior to coming to the Elementary, MSM primary students will have had an entire year of weekly "LunchBuncher" Science Lab. Students are exposed to Astronomy, Earth, Physical, and Life Science in "hands-on" explorations that engage their fascination and start to question the natural world around them.