Our language arts program emphasizes an integrated writing and reading program where students use writing strategies to decipher higher-level meanings and apply them to real world situations. 

Highlights of our curriculum include:

• Apprentice Sentences

• Literary Analysis Strategies

• Read 10-12 Books per year

• Poetry

• Memoirs

• Paragraph Formation

• Literary Essays

• Compare/Contrast Essays

• Editing/Revising

• Persuasive Writing

• Letter Writing

• Scientific Writing

• Fiction Writing 

• Graphic Novels

• Play Writing

• Speech & Debate
  

Math and Spanish are the only subject where students are differentiated by skill level.  

The goal of the Math Program is for students to complete Algebra I by the end of their third year. The math sequence is Foundational Math, Pre-Algebra, and Algebra I.  The program can also accommodate students up through geometry.

Our Spanish program provides a rich experience of language, culture, and Latin American and Spanish history.

Personal World focuses on adolescent social-emotional literacy as they
navigate from childhood into adulthood. 

The program emphasizes:

• Values Clarification

• Leadership & Goal Development

• Learning & Communication Styles

• Conflict Management

• Confidence

• Self-esteem

• Generosity & Compassion

• Service Learning

• Spontaneity

• Human Health and Wellness

• Cyber Civility

Our students engage in group projects, simulations, socratic dialogues, debates, and independent projects to explore an array of civics, social studies and world history topics.

Year A:  Histories of Ancient Civilizations

• Year-Long Research Project

Year B:  Government and Revolutions

Year C: World Issues and Economics

• Montessori Model UN Program

Our science curriculum is deeply embedded into our agriculture program, with students learning academic concepts through the work of the hands on the farm and by conducting real-world research projects.

Our methodology utilizes place-based education, which uses the local community and environment as a starting point for learning, fostering a deeper connection between students and their surroundings. 

Year A:   Soil–Chemistry & Earth Science

Year B:  Plants/Animals–Biology

Year C: Water–Physics and Chemistry

Our Art Program is integrated throughout all subjects and most projects, directly relating to concepts studied in language arts, social world, natural world, and personal world.   

Project examples include:

• Ancient Peru: Weaving tapestries

• Language: Graphic Novels

• Ancestral Pueblo: Pottery

• Dust Bowl:  Photography

• Bees: Bee paper mache

• Flower Anatomy: Flower Dyes

• Personal World: Family Chess Pieces

• Script Writing: Set Creation
  

Student’s study economics through real-world experiences that include:

• Designing, marketing, implementing, and assessing a student business

Projecting income and expenses and developing financial reports

Practical Life consists of hands-on, daily living activities designed to foster independence, concentration, and responsibility.

Examples include:

• Executive Functioning

• Time Management

• Prioritization

• Communication and Conflict Management

• Cooking and Cleaning

• Farm Chores

• Typing, Word Processing, Spreadsheets, Slide Shows

• Going out to lunch

• Planning Events and Trips

• Shopping, Changing Tires, Construction, Mowing …

• Outdoor Play and Work

• Yoga

• Internal Martial Arts

• Brain Based Exercises

• Sports: Students have opportunities to participate in sports with local partnerships or clubs

Field experiences and experiential learning are an integral part of the Farmstead program. Rather than limiting learning to the classroom, students regularly explore the broader community through field trips, site visits, and hands-on experiences that bring their studies to life. These opportunities allow adolescents to see how knowledge is applied in the real world, ask meaningful questions, and connect their academic work with authentic experiences.

Guest lecturers and community experts also play an important role in the program, sharing their knowledge and experiences with students. Examples of past guest speakers include an archaeologist, a Traditional Chinese medicine doctor and martial arts practitioner, a beekeeper, composter, recycler, regenerative farmer, combustion engineer, salsa dancer, historian, cyanotype artist, and economist. These interactions expose students to a wide range of disciplines, perspectives, and potential career paths while deepening their understanding of the world around them.

Adolescence is a time when young people are developing both independence and a deep need for belonging. At Farmstead, family and community life are an essential part of the program, creating a supportive environment where students feel known, valued, and connected.

Within the multi-aged community, adolescents learn to live and work together with respect and responsibility. They share in the rhythms of daily life, contribute to the well-being of the group, and develop meaningful relationships with peers and mentors. Through collaboration, shared problem-solving, and community responsibilities, students experience what it means to belong to something larger than themselves.

Families are also an important part of this community. Open communication, gatherings, and shared experiences help strengthen the partnership between school and home. Together, we create an environment where adolescents feel supported as they grow in independence, develop confidence in their abilities, and begin to understand their role within a broader community.

If you'd like, I can also write a shorter, slightly more Montessori “Erdkinder” version that emphasizes micro-economy, responsibility, and community interdependence, which could make this section even more distinctive for a Montessori adolescent program.