Lower Elementary
Active Learning for Active Minds
Your 1st through 3rd-grade student is ready to ask big questions, make meaningful connections, and take on increasingly challenging academic work. Guided by authentic Montessori principles, our Lower Elementary program combines a strong foundation in reading, writing, mathematics, science, and cultural studies with hands-on exploration and individualized instruction. Children are challenged to think deeply, work with purpose, and stretch their abilities while developing the independence, curiosity, and confidence to become engaged, capable learners.
Why Lower Elementary Students Thrive at DGS
The Lower Elementary years are an extraordinary period of intellectual expansion. Children are no longer satisfied with simply knowing what—they want to understand why, how, and what if? Our Montessori environment meets that growing curiosity with rich academics, big ideas, hands-on discovery, and opportunities to think deeply, make connections, and become increasingly independent learners.
Igniting the Reasoning Mind
The elementary child has an incredible appetite for knowledge and a growing ability to reason, imagine, and connect ideas. Our teachers harness that energy through engaging lessons and a carefully prepared Montessori environment that invites children to investigate everything from the structure of language and the patterns of mathematics to the mysteries of science, history, geography, and the natural world. Children aren't simply given answers—they are inspired to ask better questions, explore deeply, and discover how ideas connect.
The Power of a Multi-Age Classroom
Our 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders learn together in a dynamic Montessori community where children experience what it means to be both a learner and a leader. Younger students are inspired by the work they see around them, while older students deepen their knowledge and confidence as mentors and role models. Within this three-year cycle, teachers know each child well and can provide the right combination of support, challenge, and academic expectations as they progress toward mastery.
Building Friendships & Community
The elementary years bring a powerful new interest in friendships, fairness, belonging, and the wider social world. Through Montessori Grace and Courtesy, collaborative work, class discussions, conflict resolution, and daily life together, children learn to communicate thoughtfully, navigate disagreements, consider different perspectives, and take responsibility for their role in the community. These experiences help children develop empathy, confidence, and the skills to build strong, healthy relationships.
Real-World Learning in Action
Montessori education invites elementary children to move beyond memorizing facts and begin discovering how ideas connect—to one another, to their communities, and to the world around them. At Davidson Green School, rigorous academics are enriched by purposeful work, hands-on discovery, meaningful experiences, and opportunities to take learning far beyond the classroom.
Learning by Doing, Building & Discovering
Montessori children are active learners. They manipulate materials, conduct experiments, build, design, create, question, revise, and try again. From engineering challenges and scientific investigations to our annual Science and Engineering Fair, children have opportunities to put ideas into action and experience the excitement of discovering why and how things work.
Strong Academics, Deep Understanding
Academic excellence is at the heart of our Lower Elementary program. Children build strong foundations in reading, writing, grammar, mathematics, science, history, and geography through a carefully sequenced Montessori curriculum that moves from concrete experiences toward increasingly abstract thinking. Teachers know their students deeply, challenge them appropriately, and expect meaningful progress and mastery—not simply completion. The goal is more than knowing the right answer; it is understanding the ideas behind it and developing the confidence to tackle increasingly complex work.
Adventure as an Extension of the Classroom
Some of the most powerful learning happens beyond four walls. Field trips, cultural experiences, exploration of our natural environment, and even overnight mountain trips give children opportunities to experience what they are studying firsthand. These adventures build independence and resilience while feeding the elementary child's growing fascination with the larger world.
Connecting with the Wider Community
Montessori education encourages children to see themselves as active, contributing members of a larger community. Through volunteer work, service projects, community partnerships, and meaningful engagement beyond our campus, students discover that even at a young age, they have something valuable to contribute. These experiences build empathy, responsibility, and an understanding of our interconnectedness—helping children recognize that they have both the ability and the responsibility to make a positive difference in the world around them.
Active Sustainability
We believe students understand sustainability best when they can get their hands dirty. At Davidson Green School, students compost food waste, grow and harvest food, care for animals, tend gardens, explore aquaponics and vermiculture in our geodesic dome, and participate in our farmers market. These are more than lessons about sustainability—they are real responsibilities that help students see themselves as active caretakers of their school, their community, and the natural world.
What Our Families Say
The Admissions
Process
Ready to see your young learner thrive? Follow these steps to begin your application and secure your spot for the upcoming year.
01
Attend an Info Session
Start by scheduling a visit. You will tour our classrooms and see our active curriculum in person.
02
Submit Your Application
Complete our online application along with the $80 application fee.
03
The Student Visit Day
We want to make sure DGS is a good fit. Your child will spend a day or more on campus participating in activities alongside their future peers.
04
Submit Records & Recommendations
As part of your application, you will provide your child's past school records and have their current teachers fill out our recommendation forms.
05
Enrollment Decision
Once we receive all your materials and visiting is complete, our team will review your application. We will reach out with an enrollment decision so you can begin planning for the school year ahead!