Waldorf Education in the early grades is focused on nurturing healthy, conscious, curious, resourceful and balanced individuals. The curriculum is thoughtfully considered to bring intellectual challenges, blended with experiential opportunities and artistic exploration. From letters through stories to mathematics through movement, academic foundations are laid through joy filled learning that engages students and allows exploration of concepts at a deeper level.
Teachers work diligently to meet students across a range of developmental points and ideally work closely with families to nourish the growth of each individual student as a whole human being.
Reading, writing, history, math, and science are accompanied by opportunities to cross-country ski, play an instrument, knit, carve wood, or perform on stage. These essential parts of the curriculum work closely together to develop the intellect, a sense of wonder, and a joy of learning intended to last a lifetime.
Explore a complete overview of our curriculum here:
First Grade
Fairy Tales and Form
The first grade child is surrounded by a loving, artistic environment rich in imagery, art, movement, and work in nature that awakens the wonder of learning.
The first grade child’s developing capacities of memory, gross and fine motor skills are nurtured in the first grade curriculum through imagery, movement, music, handwork, drawing, writing, and foreign language. First grade is a time to awaken the wonders of numbers, letters, language, color, rhyme, natural phenomena, classroom habits and a healthy social life. Yes, formal reading curriculum begins in 1st grade and students dive in with an engaging, imaginative, phonemic based approach.
Language arts:
Alphabet Letter blends
Word construction
Sentence construction
Handwriting
Rhyme
Verse
Show and tell
Class Play
World Language:
Spanish
Math:
Number sense/value
Counting
Learning and applying all four basic processes (+, -, x, =, division)
Story Content:
Moral tales from around the world
Nature tales
Science:
Observation and play in nature
Artistic:
Knitting
Watercolor painting
Flute playing
Singing Form
Drawing
Beeswax modeling
Illustration
Movement:
Eurythmy
Games
Hiking to Wetlands
“The Earth is firm beneath my feet
The sun shines bright above
And here I stand so straight and tall
All things to know and love”
Second Grade
Heroic Deeds and Thoughts
The second grader continues their journey of learning and growing within a space of moral inspiration. Most academic learning is integrated into fables and stories of heroism. These contrasting themes offer a foundation of inspiration and guidance for the developing self which is tenderly present at this developmental stage.
The story content nourishes an awareness of polarities and contrasts in nature and humankind as a foundation for their social interactions and self-development. Academic explorations continue to develop skills and capacities in reading, writing, mathematics, observation, cooperation, and self-responsibility.
Language Arts:
Reading development
Spelling
Parts of speech
Cursive writing
Dictation
Poetry
Sentence structure and paragraph introduction
Story composition
Class play
World Language:
Spanish
Mathematics:
Practice and deepening of four basic processes
Place value
Four processes with two, three and four digit numbers
Word/situational problems
Number patterns
Column addition, subtraction work (carrying and borrowing)
Multiplication table memorization
Science:
Observation and play in nature
Geography:
Tales and fables from around the world
Artistic:
Knitting patterns
Watercolor painting
Flute playing
Singing
Form Drawing
Illustration
Movement:
Eurythmy
Games
Hiking to Wetlands
Cross Country skiing
“Where there is charity and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance.”
Third Grade
Independence and Interdependence
As the third grade child becomes more conscious and engaged in their self awareness, it is a time to develop rightful character through both moral stories and practical work (in spades and with spades!). In order to meet the emerging sense of self, the third grader is met with a curriculum that focuses on the basic needs of humans and how they can participate in meeting their own needs and the needs of others. This year focuses on practical, hands on abilities and skills. The third grader learns about food production and preparation, shelter differences around the world and basic skills of building, clothing varieties around the world and basic skills and knowledge of making and using fibers.
Along with this practical and hands-on curriculum, the third grader is led through a discovery of the culturally important and impactful Old Testament stories and the Jewish faith (through the journey of the Waldorf grades, all world religions are discussed and discovered to build understanding and compassion about this aspect of human societies). The Old Testament stories, which tell of the development of a human culture, parallels their experience of developing their own independence and their own skills of gardening, cooking, building for themselves and clothing themselves. These stories also develop moral thinking through the many themes of human interaction, struggle, achievement and decisions that are addressed.
Integrated into these themes are continued strengthening of academic skills including: reading, paragraph and composition work, poetry, punctuation, grammar and spelling as well as measurement and complex problems with measurement (time, weight, liquid, linear, money, etc.), long multiplication and division with up to four digits and more complex situational math problems (much to do with practical work).
Language Arts:
Independent reading
Spelling
Grammar
Dictation
Poetry
Sentence types and usage
Paragraph structure and composition
Class play
Mathematics:
Measurement (time, weight, liquid, linear, money, etc.)
Memorization of times tables up through the twelves
Long division and multiplication
Word/situational problems
Science:
Gardening
Building
Cooking
Dying
Geography:
Shelters around the world
Clothing around the world
Cooking around the world
Measurements (money, etc.) around the world
Artistic:
Crocheting
Watercolor painting
Flute playing (rounds)
Singing (rounds)
Form Drawing
Illustration
Movement:
Eurythmy
Games
Farm trip(s)
“Our highest endeavor must be to develop free human beings who are able themselves to impart purpose and direction to their lives. The need for imagination, a sense of truth, and a feeling of responsibility—these three forces are the very nerve of education.”
Fourth Grade
The Outer World and the Inner World
Following the grounding and practical third grade year, the fourth grader is ready to look beyond himself to world knowledge, history, and experiences to develop more awareness of where they fit in the bigger world picture. The fourth grade curriculum meets this curiosity through the themes of Norse myths, animal studies, and a study of our local geography and history including the Ute People.
At this stage, the level of independence and responsibility begins to increase, making it important that the developing child builds consciousness about their character and how to apply that character toward the well-being of himself and of others. To accomplish this, the contrast of human characteristics are considered through the engaging and intriguing stories of the Norse gods and goddesses including their foibles, victories, failings and nobility. The tendency of characteristics are further examined through the comparison of man and animal. Studying the innate behaviors of animals allows a contrast to how the human being may stand in service, care and independent decision. The consideration of local geography and history develops a foundation upon which the developing child can stand. This conversation includes the stories of the Native Americans (taught in an honest yet age appropriate way). These explorations offer themes into which the varied academic intentions are imbedded.
Language Arts:
Independent compositions
Independent reading for recreation and learning - class readers
Research project and paper
Dictations
Grammar
Letter writing
Descriptive and narrative writing styles
Poetry
Spelling
Class play
World Language:
Spanish
Math:
Further practice with long division and complex addition, subtraction and multiplication
Fractions - all four processes
Introduction to decimals
Science:
Study of animals
Local geography and all aspects of earth science that apply
Music:
Strings ensemble - Violin, Viola or Cello
Artistic:
Cross stitch
Map making
Clay
Form drawing - braided and woven knot forms
Watercolor painting
Flute
Independent illustration
Movement:
Eurythmy
Games
Skiing
Numerous field trips to nearby historical and geographical locations
Spring camping trip
“What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.”
Fifth Grade
Balance, Beauty and Botany
As the fifth grader begins the transition from childhood to early adolescence, the theme of the year is transformation. The fifth grade curriculum focuses significantly on the study of transformation of human culture and consciousness in the mythologies and history of ancient civilizations including India, Egypt, Babylon, Persia, and Greece. Through the rich and diverse stories of these varied cultures, the fifth graders observe, study and consider these cultural transformations as a comparison of her own physical, emotional and intellectual transformation.
Colorado state history and United States history is also deeply studied. Another area of development is examined through the study of Botany. All families and types of plants are considered in their varied characteristics and functions in the world. The academic studies parallel the various themes and include more complex ideas, problem solving, creative team work, independent study/research and applied mathematics work. To further assist the developing adolescent thrive in the modern world, this is the year that we begin the Cyber Civics program (which continues through middle school). This program prepares students to interact with and utilize technological tools in a healthy, constructive and responsible way. The fifth grade year is capped by the Pentathlon which is a traditional Greek experience where the students may compete, along with many other Waldorf schools, both for skill and for sportsmanship.
Language Arts:
Spelling - Greek roots
Grammar -
direct/indirect voice, subject/object, prepositional usage, quotation use, declarative and exclamatory voice, imperative and interrogative verbs, etc.Research paper
Research presentation
Independent composition
Poetry
Journaling
Letter writing
Reading to learn
Reading complex historical literature and class readers
Daily speech work
Socratic discourse
Class play
World Language:
Spanish
Math:
Geometry - aligned with study of ancient civilizations and the birth of geometric concepts and applications (i.e. Egyptian building, Pythagorean studies, etc.)
Further study and application with fractions
Further study and application with decimals
Conversions
Ratio and proportions
Prime numbers
Square numbers
Metric measurements and conversions
Calculation of world monetary units and conversions
Science:
Botany
Geography - Colorado and United States
Geography of locations of ancient civilizations
Music:
Strings ensemble - Violin, Viola or Cello
Artistic:
Knitting socks (and possibly other attire including mittens)
Clay modeling
Geometric drawing
Watercolor painting
Independent illustrations
Egyptian and Greek forms
Movement:
Eurythmy
Pentathlon preparation and training (Greek wrestling, discus, javelin, long-jump, and running)
Games
Skiing
Field trips pertaining to Colorado and US history as well as botany
Spring camping trip
“We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.”
