Waldorf Education in the middle school years offers a broad academic foundation that nurtures critical thinking, creative problem solving and social capacities.
Science, English, mathematics and history are all enlivened and enriched through artistic expression, and an experiential approach caters to divers learning styles.
Students are challenged to think, ask questions, and explore complex subject matter from a variety of perspectives both individually and collectively. Curriculum is carefully tailored to meet the developmental needs of students in each grade level, all with an eye on preparing them for the journey ahead. All of our Middle School students continue their work with the Cyber Civics curriculum, preparing them for responsible and healthy engagement with technology.
Explore a complete overview of our curriculum here:
Sixth Grade
Patterns, Relationships and Order
As the sixth grade student steps into the many complexities of the adolescent years, the sixth grade curriculum guides students into habits of observation, discernment, will and thought that help provide the students with healthy tools for the upcoming life challenges and joys.
The sixth grader seeks an understanding of the world that is different from the fifth grader. This new wonder is often underlined with a specific urge for order and justice. The curriculum meets this natural tendency in the subject focuses of Roman History, Medieval History, Mineralogy, Astronomy, Business Mathematics, Physics (light, heat, sound, magnetism and electricity), World Geography and Geometry. The focus on observing polarities as well as cause and effect, in the natural world and in history, gives the students capacities to better understand humankind, themselves, and the outer world. They can then apply this knowing to their own choices as their development toward independent citizens continues.
Specific areas of emphasis include: critical thinking, denoting relationships and patterns in time, space and matter, team work, creative writing, constructive resolution, social justice, rightful speech and deeds. To further assist the developing adolescent thrive in the modern world, the Cyber Civics program is continued. This program prepares students to interact with and utilize technological tools in a healthy, constructive and responsible way. The sixth grade year is capped by a knighting ceremony (celebrating the virtues of knighthood) and the Medieval Games, which takes place in collaboration with many other Waldorf schools across Colorado.
Language Arts:
Spelling/Vocabulary — Latin roots and SAT words
Reading — weekly expectations
Poetry
Writing skills — Expository, Persuasive, Imaginative and Business
Grammar — further areas of complexity and nuance in tenses, punctuation, sentence structures, use of phrases, differences in voice, etc.
Longer composition organization - research and expository writing
Research project management
Various types of essay construction
World Language:
Spanish
Mathematics:
Business math — banking, percentage, interest, money, etc.
Conversions
Ratios
Decimals
Geometry
Introduction to and use of algebraic concepts
Complex word problems and applied math including physics applications
Science:
Physics — Light, Heat, Sound, Magnetism, and Electricity
Mineralogy
Water Cycle
Astronomy
World geography — Latitude and Longitude, Climates, Biomes, Bio-systems, etc.
Music:
Strings ensemble — Violin, Viola or Cello or Winds ensemble
Artistic:
Pattern making for sewing
Charcoal drawing
Pastel drawing
Watercolor painting
Clay
Woodworking
Illuminated Lettering
Calligraphy
Movement:
Eurythmy
Games
Archery
Skiing
Backpacking
Winter hut trip — skiing or snowshoeing
“Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.”
Seventh Grade
Explorations and Experiences
The seventh grade classroom is likely the most talkative in the school. The seventh grader is deeply engaged and enmeshed in his/her social life and in discovering the wider world. To meet these innate interests, the curriculum continues to expand their worldview through integrated and experiential work and thought. The curriculum meets their growing interest in the activities of the greater world and of diverse experiences. As their growth toward independence continues, the curriculum exposes them to complex history, challenging problems, ethical questions, and inspiring biographies with a focus on exploring.
To best nourish and prepare the budding adolescent to be active civil participants and engaged life-learners, the seventh grade curriculum includes the Age of Exploration (and all the ethical questions that surround these societal actions), the Renaissance Age (including the striving toward self-improvement and excellence), World Geography (with a focus on human culture as it derives from tradition and geology), Pre-Algebra, Geometry, Physics (with a focus on mechanics), Chemistry (combustion, acids/bases, freezing and boiling temps, etc.), Physiology (used to thoroughly address puberty, nutrition, drug and alcohol use/abuse, and healthy relationships), and Creative Writing.
The Cyber Civics program is continued which prepares students to interact with and utilize technological tools in a healthy, constructive and responsible way. Utilization of computers for class assignments typically begins with direction regarding typing and formatting. The seventh graders typically participate in a local mapping explorations experience as well as a winter hut trip and spring wilderness canoe trip for which they make their own wooden paddle..
Language Arts:
Spelling/Vocabulary — SAT words
Reading — weekly expectations that include various social, ethical and historical themes
Creative Writing — Short Stories
Writing skills — Expository, Persuasive, Imaginative and Business
Poetry
Grammar — further areas of complexity and nuance in tenses, punctuation, sentence structures, use of phrases, differences in voice, etc.
Longer composition organization — research and expository writing
Research project management
Various types of essay construction
World Language:
Spanish
Mathematics:
Pre-Algebra — Positive and negative integers, powers, roots, equations, etc.
Geometry
Complex word problems and applied math including physics and mechanics questions
Science:
Physics — Light, Heat, Sound, Magnetism, and Electricity as well as Mechanics Physiology — Nutrition, Body Systems, Drugs and Alcohol chemistry
Chemistry — acids and bases, combustion, lime cycle, freezing/boiling point, etc.
World geography — Focus on Cultural development and geology
Music:
Winds and Brass Ensemble
Artistic:
Make marionette doll and offer a marionette play in May
Perspective drawing (as a complement to the study of the Renaissance)Complex illustrations pertaining to historical and cultural studies
Charcoal drawing
Pastel drawing
Watercolor painting
Clay
Woodworking — Wood canoe paddles
Movement:
Eurythmy
Games
Skiing
Winter hut trip — skiing or snowshoeing
Spring wilderness canoe Trip
“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character — that is the goal of true education.”
Eighth Grade
Revolution and Solution
Eighth grade is the crowning year at WSRF and a year when we seek to honor and respect the further developing and independent 8th grader. As part of our school mission, we utilize this year to round out the sense of being a world citizen and life-long learner through guided work and independent study. A major part of the 8th grade year is the 8th grade project. Each 8th grader selects a topic which they will deeply explore for months. The students are required to align with a mentor who then guides their course of learning through this experiential research project that carries through the majority of the 8th grade year.
As part of continuing to encourage self-responsibility and social responsibility, the themes of constructive citizenry, social justice, critical yet flexible thinking, leadership, organization, and collaboration are deepened. In preparation for their high school years and beyond, students are immersed in various challenging and engaging subjects including: World Revolutions and Modern Conflicts, Modern History, Economical World Geography, Meteorology and Weather, Anatomy, Organic Chemistry, Algebra, Geometry, Physics, and Short Stories.
This is a time when we continue to integrate discussions and awareness of ethics and morals into all areas of study in order to deepen the connection to integrity and quality in character. The Cyber Civics program is continued which prepares students to interact with and utilize technological tools in a healthy, constructive and responsible way. During their year, eighth graders work toward community service and fundraising for their 8th grade class trip. The class trip serves as a time to celebrate accomplishments, recall memories and to build new, fun group memories. Our graduates tend to transition very successfully into one of our multiple local high schools.
Language Arts:
Spelling/Vocabulary — SAT words
Reading — weekly expectations that include various social, ethical and historical themes
Creative Writing — Short Stories
Writing skills — Expository, Persuasive, Imaginative and Business
Poetry
Grammar — further areas of complexity and nuance in tenses, punctuation, sentence structures, use of phrases, differences in voice, etc.
Longer composition organization — research and expository writing
Research project management
Various types of essay construction
Class Play — often a full Shakespearean production
World Language:
Spanish
Mathematics:
Algebra 1
Geometry
Complex word problems and applied math
Science:
Physics — Light, Heat, Sound, Magnetism, and Electricity — deepened from previous work
Anatomy
Organic Chemistry
World Economic Geography
Meteorology and Weather
Music:
Winds and Brass Ensemble
Artistic:
Sewing clothing and quilting
Independent illustrations
Charcoal drawing
Pastel drawing
Watercolor painting
Clay
Movement:
Eurythmy
Games
Skiing
Winter hut trip — skiing or snowshoeing
Spring Class Trip (Recent past trips include San Francisco, Seattle, Washington D.C./Williamsburg, New Orleans)
“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
