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White Pine Classroom Curriculum

At VMS, our Preschool and Kindergarten curriculum is rooted in Dr. Maria Montessori’s belief that young children learn best through hands-on experiences and meaningful work. In the White Pine Classroom, children engage in purposeful work that sparks curiosity, builds independence, and develops foundational academic skills. Guided by Montessori philosophy and informed by child development research, our curriculum is broad, deep, and beautifully hands-on. Children explore Practical Life, Sensorial Learning, Language, Mathematics, Culture, and the Creative Arts in a calm, engaging environment.

 

​​​Practical LifeThe “humble tasks of daily living” form the heart of the

Montessori classroom and are powerful tools for growth.

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  • Pouring, sweeping, buttoning, polishing, and food prep

  • Care for plants, animals, and their own hygiene

  • Develop balance and body control through “line work”

  • Experience inner stillness through the Montessori Silence Game

  • Build independence, concentration, and dignity

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​Sensorial Education: Children engage abstract ideas

through concrete, hands-on materials.

 

  • Explore dimension, color, texture, sound, and smell

  • Build logical thinking and visual discrimination

  • Use materials like the Pink Tower and Sound Cylinders to organize sensory input

  • Lay the groundwork for math, language, and scientific thought

  • Allow teachers insight into developmental needs (e.g., hearing, vision)​

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​Language: From spoken language to written expression,

children build communication skills step by step.

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  • Enrich vocabulary across themes (animals, foods, tools, nature)

  • Strengthen hand control and auditory discrimination

  • Use Sandpaper Letters for sound and letter recognition

  • Use Moveable Alphabet for word-building

  • Progress naturally toward reading and writing

  • Express creativity through storytelling, journaling, and map labeling

 

Mathematics: Math is made joyful, tactile, and deeply understandable.

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  • Begin with quantity recognition and numeral association (1–10)

  • Explore the decimal system using golden bead materials

  • Engage in operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division)

  • Experience math as a logical, creative, hands-on process

  • Build mathematical confidence that lasts a lifetime

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Cultural Studies: The world becomes personal through

geography, science, and celebration.

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  • Learn about landforms, continents, plants, animals, and weather

  • Tend gardens and observe classroom pets

  • Mark time through seasonal rhythms and meaningful traditions

  • Celebrate global diversity and shared human experiences

 

Art, Music, and Movement: Creative exploration fuels cognitive and emotional growth.

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  • Paint, sculpt, draw, and build with intention

  • Sing, dance, play instruments, and move with freedom

  • Experience collaboration and celebration through group creativity

  • Develop confidence, coordination, and emotional fluency

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