Maria Montessori said, “Play is the work of the child.”

She believed that when children are encouraged to explore their world through meaningful activities, curiosity is unleashed and learning takes off. With purposeful engagement, children exhibit more joy as they make discoveries about their world.

At Inly, meaningful activities are integrated into our Montessori classrooms and woven throughout our curriculum. Walk into any classroom, and you’ll see students fully engaged in their work—whether it’s an individual math or writing lesson or an in-depth study of a topic. 

Each year at Inly, Kindergarten through eighth-grade students have an exciting opportunity to delve into project-based work that connects to our school-wide cultural theme. They immerse themselves in a topic and display their findings in a creative format at the School’s Learning Fair. 

The 2023-24 theme is “Around the World: Interconnectedness and Initiative,” and each level delved into a specific topic that tied into their cultural studies. They paid close attention to what it means to care for a community— from the smallest scale of families and classrooms to larger systems like governments, religions and economies.

Kindergarten
Exploring Home Across the Continent 

Each classroom immersed themselves in the study of traditional and modern African dwellings, uncovering the unique architecture, cultural significance, and innovative designs shaping communities across the continent of Africa. Through books, storytelling, and hands-on projects, students will proudly present their newfound knowledge and insights of African home life.

Lower Elementary
Waves of Change: Exploring Water, Refugees, and Climate Resilience 

Students delved into the innovative solutions emerging over the last decade to address the pressing challenges posed by water scarcity, environmental degradation, and forced migration. Through research, inquiry, and hands-on exploration, students will showcase their insights into the critical role of water, refugee resilience, and climate adaptation in shaping a more sustainable future for all.

Upper Elementary
Change and Exchange: Ideas and Innovation in the Time Silk Road Trade 

Students explored timeless themes like how geographic features influence patterns of trade and how the interactions humans have lead to an exchange of ideas and subsequent iterations and innovations. Students will showcase their findings as related to history and our modern-day experiences with map work, information writing and handmade projects. 

Middle School
Fashioning a Sustainable Future: Exploring the Unexpected Interdependent Relationship Between Fashion and Water

Stunned at the discovery of just how much water is used in the production of textiles for fashion, students researched watershed ecology and local restoration efforts. Students developed a creative visual representation advocating for an alternative to high water-consuming fast fashion. 

Inly families are encouraged to attend the Learning Fair on Friday, March 8th from 9:30 to 11:30 am.