Science Lab Overview

The Montessori School of McLean promotes Science Education by focusing on the AMI 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 Lab curriculum is divided into two, three-year cycles of Introduction, Study, and Further Explorations as follows: 

            Year One:              Chemistry and Botany 

            Year Two:                 Zoology and Astronomy 

            Year Three:            Physics and Ecology