Montessori+ Pre-Elementary
SMS’s Signature Kindergarten Experience (Ages 5–6) · New for School Year 2027–28
Building the academic strength, independence and problem-solving skills children need for their Elementary journey.
A day in the life of an SMS Kindergartner
One connected Kindergarten experience. The day moves with purpose from concentrated academic work to investigation and creation, and families may extend it through the optional Amazing Adventures program.
Morning
Advanced Montessori academics
8:45 – 11:15 AM
A full Montessori work cycle in the Primary classroom: math, language, science, geography and culture.
Midday
Community time with Elementary
11:15 AM – 12:30 PM
Lunch and outdoor time shared with Elementary students, building friendships and mentorship.
Afternoon
Montessori+ learning
12:30 – 3:15 PM
Science investigations, ideas behind the Great Lessons, and Design & Engineering with real tools.
Optional after school
Amazing Adventures
3:45 – 4:45 PM
Martial arts, sports, robotics and the arts, exclusively for EPex Bundled families (ages 5+).
The SMS EPex Framework
Everything a Kindergartner does at SMS connects to six areas of growth, from comprehensive academics to social-emotional wellbeing, and one repeatable way of working that children carry with them all the way to Grade 5:
- 1Imagine Observe closely and define the problem
- 2Design Explain an idea and choose materials for a purpose
- 3Build Build carefully, with real tools and guidance
- 4Test Test what works and identify what does not
- 5Improve Revise rather than abandon the idea
Growing into:
Advanced academics in the Montessori Primary classroom
Kindergartners remain in their multi-age Primary classroom for the full morning work cycle. This preserves the three-year Montessori arc as children move from concrete materials toward increasingly abstract mathematics, reading and writing, with lessons matched to each child’s readiness.
Work is advanced because children understand what they are doing, not because they rush past the foundation.
Depth before speed. Understanding before memorization. Strong foundations before advanced work.
Mathematical foundations
- Linear counting, bead chains and the hundred board
- Decimal system with Golden Beads and the Stamp Game
- Four-digit operations, including dynamic work
- Essential combinations and passage to abstraction
- Mental math, equations, word problems, fractions, measurement and geometry
Language and literacy
- Word building and phonetic reading
- Phonograms, compound words, spelling patterns and word study
- Dictation, comprehension and original story writing
- Grammar, parts of speech and sentence analysis
- Journals, dictionary work, oral communication and presentations
Geography, history and culture
- Maps, continents, flags, land and water forms
- Time, family, community and cosmic learning
- Solar system, world cultures, weather, volcanoes and layers of the Earth
- Forms of art and music, building empathy and respect
Questions become experiences, and big ideas become tangible
Each afternoon, children move into the Montessori+ Pre-Elementary Studio, where they investigate with real materials, record observations and build models. The Kindergarten year introduces the ideas behind Montessori’s Great Lessons through developmentally appropriate experiments and stories, building familiarity with the vocabulary and concepts at the heart of the Elementary curriculum.
The concepts behind the Five Great Lessons, distilled for Kindergarten
- 1The Birth of the Universe and Earth
Balloon galaxies, states of matter, density, gravity and convection currents. - 2The Coming of Life
Seeds, hatching, microscopes, plant and animal adaptations, habitats and interdependence. - 3The Coming of Human Beings
Real tools, simple machines, kitchen chemistry, collaborative construction and the Spring Makers Market. - 4The Story of Language
Pictographs, symbols, storytelling, journals and Friday theater explore how humans preserve ideas. - 5The Story of Numbers
Trading, clay tallies, early number systems, measurement, zero and place value with Montessori materials.
Why it matters in the Elementary years
Children enter Elementary with meaningful hands-on experiences that become concrete reference points, connecting new abstract ideas to things they have already seen, built, tested or experienced.
Children turn questions into working models
A process children can use again and again. They begin with structured challenges and gradually make more of their own choices. The tools will change over time, but the habits stay useful.
Structures and mechanisms
Bridges, shelters, vehicles and simple machines help children explore strength, balance, motion, leverage, and cause and effect. A model makes science and mathematics visible.
Circuits and introductory robotics
Sequencing, switches, lights, conductive materials, sensors and movement. Children learn how precise instructions and careful connections make a creation respond.
Design and fabrication
Children sketch ideas, build in three dimensions, measure materials and use real tools with guidance. Selected projects may include guided 3D design and printing.
The habits behind the build
- Observe closely and define the problem
- Test what works and identify what does not
- Choose materials for a purpose
- Revise rather than abandon the idea
- Explain choices before and during the build
Nurturing empathy, resilience, self-awareness, collaboration and a strong sense of self
A community with Elementary
Lunch and outdoor community time are shared with Elementary students, building strong relationships between Kindergarten and Elementary children.
Mentorship, both ways
Kindergartners mentor the younger children in their Primary classroom, while Elementary students mentor them through collaborative projects and mixed-age experiences.
A smooth step into Grade 1
Familiar faces, places and routines make the transition into Elementary natural and confident, supported by Grace & Courtesy in everyday classroom life.
Building creativity, expression, teamwork and healthy habits for a balanced life
Amazing Adventures is exclusively for EPex Bundled families (ages 5+), from Montessori+ Pre-Elementary through Grade 5. Progressive instruction means skills build from one session to the next, year after year.
Martial Arts
Focus, coordination, discipline, confidence and physical fitness through structured practice.
Sports
Movement skills, teamwork, agility and sportsmanship, including soccer and badminton.
Robotics
Hands-on building, design, testing and STEM challenges using LEGO, leading toward robotics competitions.
The Arts
Creativity, expression and confidence through art, theater, dance, drama and ballet.
We do all the transportation.
SMS picks children up from school, takes them to the studio, field or park, and brings them back. Two enrollment periods each year: September and January. Zero hassles for parents, and a well-rounded experience for your children.
Practical life skills, responsibility, leadership and independence for everyday success
Responsibility
Classroom responsibilities and care of the environment, as children take ownership of their work and their community.
Leadership & voice
Leadership development, public speaking and presentations, as Kindergartners become the role models of their Primary classroom.
Executive functioning
Planning, focus and follow-through that prepare children to work independently and confidently in Elementary.
$40,000
Save up to $40,000 with EPex
Enroll in Montessori+ Pre-Elementary and lock your tuition from Kindergarten through Grade 5, with no annual increases.
Enrollment: September for children who turn 5 by August 31; January for children who turn 5 between September 1 and December 31 (they start the year in Montessori Primary).
