Damariscotta Montessori School student Lucia Sandrock waits to talk about her research about Egypt.
The Damariscotta Montessori School recently celebrated Cultural Day at the school with elementary students and their families. Cultural Day is an annual event at the school that celebrates world cultures and the universality of humankind. The event this year was moved to May to allow for the displays to be set up outside.
In preparation for the event, elementary students at the school select a country of their choosing to research. The children then investigate the culture of their country, focusing on food, shelter, clothing, transportation, wildlife, art, geography, religion, and history. For the event children dress in ceremonial or traditional clothing from their country, and their research work is displayed for guests to explore.
“This event is a capstone for our history studies in the elementary program. The children put a tremendous amount of work into their research and are so enthusiastic about sharing it with others,” said Shawnaly Tabor, Damariscotta Montessori School lower elementary head teacher and associate head of school.
Damariscotta Montessori School student Josie Mess showcases her research about Mali during the school’s annual Cultural Day.
Montessori history curriculum focuses on the needs of humankind as a platform for studying world cultures. Children identify the common needs of all people and discover the way that different cultures seek to meet needs for food, shelter, transportation, defense, artistic expression, and more. Although historical conflicts are not shied away from, Montessori students focus on the story of humankind rather than the story of human conflicts.
In addition to the individual country exhibits, upper elementary and middle school students exhibited works of art created under the direction of art specialist Rachael Wyman.
Damariscotta Montessori School is accredited through the American Montessori Society and serves children from preschool through eighth grade. For more information, go to damariscottamontessori.org.
