Montessori Preschool Curriculum

Preschool students at Hilltop Montessori study practical life skills, sensorial skills, language skills, math, science, and history. After lunch, students are regrouped by age. While many three and four year olds go home at 12 or 1, kindergarten students remain for additional studies.

Mathematical studies at the preschool level include numeration, decimal system, computation, abstraction and memory work, fractions, money, time, measurement, geometry and mathematical concepts.

Numeration

1.00 Numeration 0-10
     1.10 Counts to 10
     1.20 Utilizes numerical rods
     1.30 Utilizes table top number rods
     1.40 Explores sandpaper numerals
     1.50 Explores spindle boxes
     1.60 Explores cards and counters
     1.70 Can describe short bead stair
     1.80 Plays memory game for identification of numeral to materials
     1.90 Plays shell game for identification of numeral to materials
2.00 Numeration 11-19
     2.10 Counts from 11-19
     2.20 Explores the teen board: Quantity, Symbol and Association
     2.30 Plays the dice game for numeral identification
3.00 Linear counting
     3.10 Ordinal (first, second, third) and cardinal (1,2,3) numbers
     3.20 Positive Snake Game: Learning combination of tens
     3.30 Completes and can demonstrate the Ten Board
     3.40 Completes and can demonstrate the 100-Board
     3.50 Counts with bead chains from bead cabinet
     3.60 Identifies and completes the 100 Chain with labels
     3.70 Identifies and completes the 1000 Chain with labels
4.00 Skip counting
     4.10 Can square numbers 1-10 with bead chains
     4.20 Can cube numbers 1-10 with bead chains

Decimal System

1.00 Introduced to the Decimal System
     1.10 Quantity and symbol (Presentation Tray)
     1.20 Decimal System Layout: 1-9,000
     1.30 Banker’s Game (gathering quantities ie. 4,965 from other children)
     1.40 Composition of numbers (5 stacked on 60, on 900, on 4,000)
2.00 Decimal System Operations with Golden Beads**
     2.10 Static addition
     2.20 Dynamic addition (Regrouping)
     2.30 Multiplication: Static and dynamic
     2.40 Static subtraction
     2.50 Dynamic subtraction (Regrouping)
     2.60 One digit division
     2.70 Decimal System Division

Computation

1.00 Static and dynamic addition
2.00 Static and dynamic multiplication
3.00 Static and dynamic subtraction
4.00 Static and dynamic division

Abstraction and Memory Work
(from concrete materials to abstract computation)

1.00 Addition
     1.10 Snake game
     1.20 Addition strip game
     1.30 Addition charts
2.00 Multiplication
     2.10 Multiplication bead bars
     2.20 Multiplication bead board
     2.30 Multiplication charts
3.00 Subtraction
     3.10 Negative snake game
     3.20 Negative strip board
     3.30 Subtraction charts
     3.40 Introduction to number line with positive and negative numbers
4.00 Division
     4.10 Division board
     4.20 Division charts

Fractions

1.00 Introduction to concepts of fractions: Whole to part
2.00 Understands whole, half, thirds, etc. – ninths

Money

1.00 Identifies currency by name
2.00 Beginning currency numerical values:
        Penny, nickel, dime, quarter, half-dollar, dollar

Time

1.00 Understands analog time to hour and half-hour
2.00 Understands analog time to quarter-hour
3.00 Understands analog time to five minute increments

Measurement

1.00 Understand nomenclature for length, weight, volume, temperature
2.00 Begins to use rulers, yardsticks, scales, solid and liquid measures,
        thermometers
3.00 Understands simple graphs and charts, with data or pictorially

Geometry

1.00 Identifies geometric solids: cube, pyramid, cylinder, sphere, prism
2.00 Recognizes circle, rectangle, triangle, regular polygons, quadrilaterals,
       and curved figures
3.00 Differentiates between circle, oval, and ellipse

Mathematical Concepts

1.00 Introduced to inequalities of numbers
2.00 Introduced to sets of numbers
3.00 Introduced to >, <, and =
4.00 Beginning word problems at individual level

*Wide variation is expected for math level at this age, exposure is offered following stepped mastery.

**Mastery is certainly expected for static activity across addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division