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The Waldorf curriculum (see overview, grid) awakens and nourishes healthy intellectual, physical, and artistic development
in children. Subjects are introduced to stimulate the naturally emerging faculties at each
unique stage in a child's development. When children are met with developmentally appropriate
challenges and support, they are able to realize their full potential.
Schedule
8:10 am - 3:10 pm
Early dismissal at 1pm on Thursday for Grades I through V
Each day begins with a two-hour Main Lesson, where the class intensively studies one of the core
academic subjects: language arts, mathematics, history, or science. After Main Lesson, the day is
divided into 40-minute periods. The subject studied during the Main Lesson in the morning is
often woven into artistic activities during these periods. The challenges and joyful benefits of
handwork, music, and the fine arts are not separated from academic subjects, but are presented as
vital parts of a complete education. Class teachers also have extra Main Lesson periods throughout
the day with their class to reinforce academic subjects (such as reading, spelling, and math) or
offer special subjects (such as watercolor painting, perspective drawing, and nature studies).
Overview by Grade
Grade 1
First grade is the commencement of formal schooling marked by children’s new interest in learning, inspired by the
awakening capacities of memory and thinking. Students establish good habits of classroom life and work that will
form the basis for all subsequent learning at school. The students and teacher build the foundation for an ever-deepening
relationship while forming a socially cohesive group during this special year of “beginnings.”. |
Fairy tales from around the world. Nature stories. Pictorial introduction to the alphabet. Beginning phonics instruction. Alliterative verses and tongue twisters. Choral speaking. Speech exercises. Writing. Reading.
Numbers and counting. Roman numerals. Mental arithmetic. Number riddles and patterns. Introduction to the four arithmetic operations.
Spanish. German. Eurythmy. Circle games. Nature walks. Knitting. Pentatonic flute. Singing. Form drawing. Beeswax modeling. Watercolor painting. Drawing. Drama. |
Grade 2
This year, children continue to familiarize themselves with the fundamentals of arithmetic and literacy, further developing a repertoire of skills that were initially introduced in Grade 1. Teachers continue to use movement, rhythm, and rhyme as a key instructional tool.
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Fables. Legends. Hero stories. Alliterative verses and tongue twisters. Introduction to punctuation and grammar. Writing. Reading. Choral speaking.
Mental arithmetic. Multiplication tables. Number patterns.
Spanish. German. Eurythmy. Circle games. Nature walks. Knitting and crocheting. Flute. Singing. Form drawing. Beeswax modeling. Watercolor painting. Drawing. Drama. |
Grade 3
Noticeable physiological, psychological and cognitive changes take place in the child this year. The nine/ten year
threshold represents a very significant step in self-awareness. Children realize they are separate from their surroundings
and meet the world as individuals, often resulting in increased questions, self-doubt and wonder. The curriculum
is intended to foster inner security and teach respect for the earth, while helping children to develop a new
relationship with their surroundings. |
Hebrew stories. Cursive writing. Grammar: noun, verb, adjective, adverb. Spelling words. Reading groups.
Multiplication tables. Long division. Measurement. Money. Time.
Farming. Gardening. Habitats and house building. Cooking. Fibers.
Spanish. German. Eurythmy. Crochet. Flute. Singing: rounds. Strings. Form drawing. Beeswax modeling. Watercolor painting. Drawing. Drama. |
Grade 4
The fourth grade student is eager to learn more about their world close to home. Through imaginatively presented
lessons, the teacher meets the growing interest of the children in more concrete areas of knowledge and provides
them with opportunities for more independence in their work. The curriculum helps the children form a sense of
their relationship to their environment, in both a social and geographical sense. |
Norse mythology. Native American legends. Grammar: preposition, verb tenses. Punctuation. Spelling. Reading groups. Poetry and letter writing. Book reports. Speech work.
Local geography. Georgia history (including biographies). Map making. Orienteering.
Human and animal studies. Life cycles. Research projects.
Fractions. Long division. Double-digit multiplication. Mastery of multiplication tables. Word problems. Mental arithmetic.
Spanish. German. Eurythmy. Needlework. Flute. Singing: harmony. Strings. Form drawing. Watercolor painting. Drawing. Clay modeling. Calligraphy. Drama. |
Grade 5
A fifth grade student attains a certain ease and grace of physical movement intrinsic to their age. An awareness of
self strengthens. The celebration of their unique abilities at this time culminates in their participation in the spring
in the Greek Olympiad, a pentathlon event with other regional Waldorf schools. Cognitively, children approach
things in a more realistic and reasoning manner as emergent intellectual faculties are ready to be used more consciously. |
Ancient mythology and legends from India, Persia, Mesopotamia, Egypt and Greece. Sacred and secular texts from various cultural epochs. Grammar: subject, predicate, object. Punctuation. Spelling. Original compositions. Research projects. Letter writing. Book reports. Speech work.
Biographies of historical figures such as Pericles, Socrates, Aristotle and Plato. North American geography. Map-making.
Decimals. Long division. Word problems. Mental arithmetic.
Botany: stages of plant life, insect world, lower orders of plants.
Spanish. German. Eurythmy. Advanced knitting. Flute. Three-part singing. Strings. Freehand geometric drawing. Fountain pen. Watercolor painting. Clay modeling. Drawings inspired by Greek and Egyptian forms. Drama. Woodwork. |
Grade 6
Sixth grade is the gateway to pre-adolescence and idealism. The curriculum serves to ground the students, to inspire
them to venture out toward the unknown, and to offer an introduction to their quest in life. This year is both an
ending and a beginning. |
Tales of chivalry. Arthurian legend and Celtic myth. Poetry, ballads and scenes from medieval history. Compositions and short-story writing. Dictation and debate. Sentence, paragraph and essay structures. Book reports and projects.
Rise and fall of Roman Empire. Medieval society. Monasticism and rise of the church. Feudalism and crusades. South American geography. Map-making.
Percents and business math. Pre-algebra. Metric system. Biographies of mathematicians.
Physics. Geology. Astronomy.
Spanish. German. Eurythmy. Advanced handwork. Soprano and alto recorder. Choir. Ensemble and orchestra. Geometric drawing. Black and white drawing. Roman and Carolingian calligraphy. Watercolor painting. Clay modeling and Roman style relief. Drama. Woodwork. |
Grade 7
Through the exploration of an unknown world, the seventh grade curriculum challenges the thought processes of
the young adolescent, leading him/her to discovery, understanding and discernment. They learn, as the Explorers
did, that going one's own way means leaving behind the familiar territory of security and stability |
Historical novels and biographies. Tales of adventure and discovery. Stories about tribal life. Ballads, legends, and folk tales. Dictation and debate. Sentence structure. Creative writing. Note taking and summarizing. Longer essays and comparisons.
Late Middle Ages. Renaissance. Age of discovery and exploration to 1500. Biographies. Geography and resources of Africa and Europe. Research projects.
Introduction to algebra. Graphing. Exponents and roots. Estimation and situation problems. Basic geometric theorems. Ration and proportion. Fibonacci sequence and Golden Ratio.
Inorganic chemistry. Human physiology. Physics. Astronomy.
Spanish. German. Advanced handwork. Soprano, alto and tenor recorder. Choir. Ensemble and orchestra. Geometric drawing. Painting (copying a Renaissance “master”). Perspective drawing. Clay modeling. Drama. Woodwork. |
Grade 8
A Waldorf eighth grade experiences a gradual but significant shift from the presentation of a subject solely from the
teacher to the class, to the mutual consideration of a subject by teacher and class together. A sense of community
develops, in which speaking becomes more thoughtful, listening more attentive. The result is a greater sense of self.
The students expand their sense of place in the world. More importantly, they leave with compelling questions that
will continue to fuel their love of learning in the years ahead. |
Texts from influential writers such as Shakespeare and Edgar Allen Poe. Styles and forms of poetry. Folklore and poems from around the world. Grammar and syntax. Newspaper articles and editorials. Skits and playwriting. Note taking and journaling. Oral news reporting.
1700 to present. French and American revolutions. Industrial Revolution. American History. Biographies. Physical and cultural geography of Asia and Middle East. World geography. World religions.
Practical mathematics. Plane and solid geometry. Algebra. Graphing. Computers and binary system.
Organic chemistry. Anatomy. Physics and meteorology.
Spanish. German. Machine sewing. Recorder. Choir. Ensemble and orchestra. Charcoal drawing. Painting. Calligraphy. Clay modeling. Drama. Woodwork. |
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Curriculum Grid
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| Language Arts |
| Writing, reading |
| Speech, drama |
| Spelling, grammar |
| Composition |
| Research, formal & informal |
| Classical languages |
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| Mathematics |
| Arithmetic |
| Word problems |
| Measurement |
| Geometric form drawing |
| Geometry |
| Algebra |
Business math |
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| History |
| Ancient legends |
| Old Testament stories |
| Norse mythology |
| Indo-European mythology |
| Ancient Egypt, Greece |
| Ancient Rome; Medieval period |
| Renaissance period; exploration |
| Revolutions, up to the modern era |
| American history |
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| Science |
| Geography |
| Nature study |
| Zoology |
| Botany |
| Geology; astronomy |
| Physics |
Chemistry; physiology |
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| Music |
| Singing |
| Chorus |
| Wooden flute |
| Recorder |
| Cello or violin |
| Orchestra |
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| Fine and applied arts |
| Painting, drawing, modeling |
| Perspective drawing |
| Handwork |
| Woodwork |
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As a dynamic process, each grade curriculum is intended as a descriptive guide for teachers, providing
latitude for each teacher's creativity and imagination as they seek to enliven the subjects for
the students. In addition, the art of teaching in Waldorf schools celebrates the teacher’s dedication
to their own pursuit of a lifetime of learning as they move through the grades with their students.
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