2022/2023 Academic Outline
I can’t believe it is already time for our final year of 3-6 with Little Miss! PLUS my Tot is going to be moving into the 3-6 Classroom this year. *Sigh* Time truly flies. It has been such a blessing to be apart of my girls educational journey. We love homeschooling and Montessori!
We wrapped up our school year mid April this year (with 182 days!) and just welcomed our new little one. I went ahead and finished our Year in Review, updated our digital portfolio/tracking tool, put together our next six weeks lesson plan (that we plan to start in June!) plus a little rough outline of summer + fall units but I didn’t know if I would have time to get my yearly planning completely done before the birth of our third child (and I was right!)
We will continue with “Tot School” this summer. Practical Life work overlaps with “Tot School” and the 3-6 Classroom but we will not start the sensorial materials before the fall. We will be waiting for the signs of readiness. The specific signs of readiness that we are looking for are:
- Shifting from side by side play to playing together. She is actually starting to do now.
- Ability to listen to a lesson/new presentation – so close! She is hit or miss!
- Sensitive period for classification – she is in a huge language acquisition phase right now. I feel like closer to 2.5 she will be more ready for this. We shall wait and see!
The first year of 3-6 is characterized heavily by both practical life work and sensorial work. This spring we have had 2-3 new works for our tot (in the units we have done or practical life work) but some weeks she isn’t as interested as others. I will likely keep this format until 3 or perhaps even throughout the year. Follow the child, right?
In contrast, the last year of 3-6 is characterized heavily by language, mathematics, and cultural works. There is still practical life, but it isn’t new or even on the shelf (as often – we are in a sowing sequence and some early weaving work that will likely continue!) and there is some sensorial work that is still to come but it is light in comparison with Year 1 & 2. I am getting serious about our shelving situation this summer and ensuring that we have the space to accommodate two different places in the 3-6 classroom plus have all the materials that my oldest needs access to during work cycle available.
I am also excited for my oldest to have some teaching opportunities as her sister moves into more of the materials. That is one of the beautiful things of the multiage classroom that is hard to replicate at home unless you have more than one child.
Our Daily Rhythm
- Wake + Milkies (for the Tot) + Morning Routine (Breakfast, supplements, brush teeth, get dressed)
- Morning Work Cycle
- Lunch
- Quiet Time (Quiet play, work, or games)/Afternoon Work Cycle OR Afternoon Activity Outside of the Home
- Dinner
- Evening Routine
GENERAL OUTLINE
PRACTICAL LIFE
There are a few items on our list that we haven’t gotten to for our oldest that are on this list that we may or may not get to but would be fun and then there are 5 items that we will be prioritizing for her (starred).
As I already mentioned, our tot will be heavy in practical life work during her transition year and first full year of 3-6.
Year 3 Montessori 3-6
- Using a Sieve
- Garlic Press
- Making Bubbles
- Sewing a Button
- Shoe Polishing
- Flower Arranging
- Clothes Washing (By Hand)
- *Responsibility for certain daily care of environments duties; helping and advising younger sister
- *Sowing Work
- *Weaving Work
- *Hand Strengthening Work
- *Braiding and Advanced Braiding Work
- Ironing
Tot School/Transition to 3-6
- Puzzle Progression
- Pouring Work (dry)
- Opening and Closing Containers
- Big Button Dressing Frame
- Buckling (organic)
- Gross Motor indoors and out
- Gross Motor (balance and swinging)
- Latches (continue)
- Lock and Key Large
- Nuts and bolts large
- Sweeping (continue)
- Mopping (continue)
- Dusting (continue)
- Setting the table
- Folding Napkins
- Clear the Table
- Squeezing Orange Juice
- Spreading Knife (review/continue)
- Cutting Banana (review/continue)
- Watercolor Painting (continue/own tray)
- Sorting Objects
- Dressing Frame: Snaps
- Gluing (reintroduce/continue)
- Washing Dishes
- Drying Dishes
- Cleaning Windows (reintroduce/continue)
- Use of Scissors (one presentation already; reintroduce)
- First Sowing Card
- Dressing Frame: Buckles
- Baking
- Recycling
- Make Bed
- Toilet Independence
- Assist with Cooking
- Continue cutting progression (knives)
- Folding Laundry
- First Board Games
- Carrying a Mat
- Carrying a Tray
- Walking the Line
- Self Care (Hair, Teeth, Washing)
GRACE AND COURTESY
These lessons have been such a blessing. Our oldest daughter loves them and even our tot joins in from time to time. This year we will be more intentional with our tot and begin bringing her intentionally into the 3-6 classroom and practicing grace and courtesy more regularly. Especially in the spring (after age 3).
Year 3 Montessori 3-6
- Review Lessons with Tot
- Introducing Friend to New Acquaintance
- Tea Party Manners (Review and Play)
- Introducing a Friend to a New Acquaintance
- Expressing Admiration
- Acts of Service
- Helping Others
- Praying Out Loud
- Socio-emotional Development Work
Tot School/Transition to 3-6
- Greeting a Person
- Thank you
- Excuse Me
- Introduction of One’s Self
- Introducing a New Friend
- Talking on the Phone (regular and virtual)
- Yawning
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Blowing Nose
- Interrupting
- Watching another child’s lesson
- Watching another child work
- Waiting Hand
- Offering Help
- Socio-emotional Development Work
SENSORIAL
Sensorial is wrapping up for my oldest and will just be beginning for my tot. Again, we are waiting for signs of readiness before introducing to the littlest Miss. I pulled both the pink tower and brown stairs off the shelf so they are fresh and exciting when they make their appearance (most likely this spring!).
Year 3 Montessori 3-6
- Advanced Cylinder Blocks
- Hand Bells
- Visual Work with Blindfold
- Knobless Cylinders
- Leaf Cabinet
Tot School/Transition to 3-6
- Cylinder Blocks
- Pink Tower
- Box 1 of Color Tablets (and maybe Box 2?)
- Geometric Solids
- Presentation Tray of Geometric Cabinet & Presentation 1
- Stereognostic Bags Presentation
- Smelling Jars
LANGUAGE
We are continuing to lean into the early writing and reading sequence for Little Miss. She has continued to show an interest during our break in playing with sounds, writing, and the movable alphabet. We will shift this summer to having a dedicated shelf just for language for her and this fall will bring the introduction of the grammar farm. I can’t wait to see what her last year of 3-6 has in store for her in her discovery of language.
The Littlest Miss is in a language acquisition phase. She is very much adding vocabulary to her internal word bank. Asking “what’s this?” and “why not?” are her favorite questions at the moment. As I continue to observe her, I will begin conversationally and playfully to point out sounds. Some children are interested in playing sound games as early as 2.5/3 while others are after 4 (like my oldest). I want to follow the child here and simply observe interest.
Year 3 Montessori 3-6
- Pre-Reading Activities (sound games, read a-loud, storytelling, poetry, playing with words; games with sandpaper letters and moveable alphabet)
- Phonetic Object Box 1 & 2
- Activity Words
- Puzzle Words
- Reading Folders + Booklets
- Early Readers
- Second Set of Puzzle Words
- Waseca Reading Program
- Phonogram Dictionary
- Montessori Grammar Farm
- Metal Insets
- Moveable Alphabet (independent writing)
- Square Board with Lines
- Writing on Paper
- Upper and Lower Case Letters
- Capital Letters, Periods, Commas, and Question Marks
- Transcription & Spelling
- Waseca Language Work
- Creative Writing
Tot School/Transition to 3-6
- Vocabulary Objects
- Vocabulary around home, outside, in public
- Read Aloud
- Object to object matching
- Object to picture matching
- Beginning to Play with Sounds
- Sound Games Level 1
- Read Aloud
- Story Telling
MATHEMATICS
This past year we officially began the Montessori Math Sequence with our oldest. Prior to this, math is quite organic in Montessori. We won’t have any math work on the shelf for our youngest although she is welcome to listen to lessons or watch sister work. We’ve honestly had to create space for our oldest to work without the Littlest Miss grabbing materials or interrupting presentations for math. I’m excited for when she is ready to respect sister’s work in this area.
Year 3 Montessori 3-6
- Teens and Tens Boards
- Search for Ten Snake Game
- Linear Counting/Chains of 100 & 1,000
- Fractions (sensorial)
- Golden Beads Addition
- Coins Unit
- Stamp Game Addition
- Golden Beads Multiplication
- Golden Beads Subtraction
- The Dot Game
- Stamp Game Subtraction
- Stamp Game Multiplication
- Golden Beads Division
- Stamp Game Division
- Skip Counting by Tens
- Exploring Measurements (whole numbers)
- Number Roll
- The Clock
Tot School/Transition to 3-6
Under the age of four, Math is very organic. It’s very much a part of our world in a tangible way. There is no rush to “learn our numbers” for we are already experiencing quantity. Instead of teaching abstract numbers, lean into organic math opportunities such as counting one’s steps, bringing Momma two apples, nothing there are three sparrows on the tree, etc.
CULTURAL
This is a broad subcategory under language but there is so much here in the 3-6 classroom that I find it easier to give Cultural it’s own category.
Art
Year 3 Montessori 3-6
- Free access to Materials
- How to Videos, demonstrations, or classes as requested for drawing or painting
- Classical Art Exploration (Mostly tied into thematic units)
- Cultural Art Exploration (Mostly tied into thematic units)
- Art Journaling
- Nature Journaling
- Summer Art Study
Tot School/Transition to 3-6
- See practical life for early art lessons. More about how to use materials and earning access.
Music and Dance
Year 3 Montessori 3-6
- Exploring Genres
- Exploring Instruments
- Hand Bells (unit and on going)
- Piano (Keyndergarten)
- Free Dance
- Dance Lessons (Tap and Ballet)
Tot School/Transition to 3-6
- Exploring Genres
- Exploring Instruments
- Free Dance
- Dance Lessons (Tap and Ballet)
Geography
This year we are continuing our exploration of the continents. We also plan to do a Christmas unit in December that will be a fun global exploration to break up our confident studies. This is subject to change and not fully flushed out yet.
Year 3 Montessori 3-6
- Orientation to the Four Directions
- Australia Unit
- South America Unit
- Europe Unit
- Christmas around the World
- Africa Unit
- Asia Unit
Tot School/Transition to 3-6
This will not be an area of independent exploration in our transition year. We will dive in with the Introduction to Geography Lessons in the Summer of 2023 (Officially Year 1 of the 3-6 Montessori Classroom for Littlest Miss). As always, our tot is welcome to join in on whatever sister is being presented.
History
Year 3 Montessori 3-6
- Europe (ancestry)
- Thanksgiving
- Black History Month
- Women’s History Month
Tot School/Transition to 3-6
This will not be an area of independent exploration in our transition year. We will begin our early history exploration fall 2023 during her first official year of Montessori 3-6.
Science
This year will have quite a few science topics woven into our units and seasonal exploration. We are wrapping up 3-6 topics from our Waseca Biomes curriculum as well. Next summer will be early Waseca works that overlap with or complement the early Geography work for Littlest Miss and build up to the Great Lessons for Little Miss. Crazy to think we are so close to this!
Year 3 Montessori 3-6
- My Body Unit
- Summer Unit (Strawberry & Trout Studies; Explore Ponds)
- Air Cycle Ballet (Waseca)
- Our Planet Collage (Waseca)
- Layers of the Atmosphere (Waseca)
- Getting Dirty (Waseca)
- Sand and Clay (Waseca)
- Layers of the Soil (Waseca)
- Eggshell Crunch (Waseca)
- Kangaroo Mini Unit
- Farm Unit (lots of language and math as well!)
- Seed Hunt (Waseca)
- Mini Pumpkin Unit
- Leaves (fall)
- Weather Unit
- Flowers & Leaves (spring)
Tot School/Transition to 3-6
- Getting Dirty (Waseca)
- Eggshell Crunch (Waseca)
- Plant or Animal (Waseca)
- Weather Unit
- Explore Sister’s Units to Interest
Bible
Our main goals for Biblical literacy under 6 is a firm understanding of: 1 – the Biblical narrative Genesis-Revelation (selected stories), 2- who God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are, 3 – the gospel and 4 – beginning to memorize scripture, 5 – familiar with teachings of Jesus (parables and sermon in the mount), and 6 – understand worship (why, what, and how).
To ensure we lay a solid foundation for the Littlest Miss and fill in any gaps for Little Miss, we will do lots of story telling and have a few different focuses on the shelf. (For example, Noah’s Ark). Our oldest has a really solid grasp of what we have focused on Genesis to the Gospels so we will first focus on the what happened after the resurrection and move through the narrative to Revelation. Then move to focusing on the OT narrative. (Most likely although we will likely study worship alongside.)
Foreign Languages
We are not a bilingual family, will not be doing language immersion (at this time), and will remain child-led in our exploration of languages in 3-6. In our homeschool, we are focusing first on our mother language and then expanding to Spanish. Outside of this Greek and Hebrew may make its way onto the shelves as this has been of interest on and off due to Daddy’s studies. I *think* that I am going to focus on vocabulary paired with pictures that go with our unit studies… maybe? And wait on exploring individual letter sounds or letter sound correlation until after we are very comfortable reading and writing in English. If we blow through this and my oldest wants more, I can always make more or grab the curriculum I am planning to use at the start of 6-12.
Year 3 Montessori 3-6
Whew! Now you can see why I wasn’t 100% sure I would get this done before the baby came. It is a lot to plan for two in the Monti homeschool classroom! I can’t believe our third is here. I need to get organized with 0-2 materials. Goodness, time flies!
If you loved this post, check these out:
- Six Week Detailed Lesson Outline Summer I 2022
- 2021/2022 Year in Review
- Planning for Year 3 of the 3-6 Montessori Classroom at Home
- What to DIY, Skip, and Buy for Montessori Homeschooling (Primary Edition)
- Montessori Homeschool Record Keeping