Though teachers modify the curriculum to meet the specific needs of their class, the following descriptions represent the typical curriculum for each grade at The Waldorf School of Atlanta.

Grade VII Curriculum
Through the exploration of an unknown world, the seventh grade curriculum challenges the thought processes of the young adolescent, leading them 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.

Main Lessons
History: Late Middle Ages: rise of cities, nationhood, rivalry between church and state. Biographies might include Eleanor of Aquitaine, Richard the Lion-Hearted, Francis of Assisi, Dante. Renaissance to 1700: a rising merchant class lays the foundation for these studies. Studies may include choosing a Renaissance “master” to study and copy. The Age of Discovery/Exploration from 1400. Historical themes are exemplified in many biographies: Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, Columbus, Magellan.

Literature: Arthurian Legends, historical novels, biography. Humorous stories. Tales of adventure and discovery. Poetry and ballads. Scenes from the Renaissance. Stories about tribal life.

English and Grammar: Review all grammar. Develop a plasticity of the language based on the theme of Wish, Wonder and Surprise. Note-taking, original writing and summaries, longer essays, and comparisons. Spelling. Research papers. Class play.

Geography: Geography of Africa and Europe. World geography: tides, map reading, weather, geographical terminology, leading into astronomy. Studies may include interviewing a native, along with other research, to write a report on a country or sharing sample dishes for a buffet meal.

Science: Chemistry: combustion, chemical transformation, acids, bases, salts, lime cycle. Physiology: the nine systems, nutrition, and first aid. Physics: light, magnetism, static and current electricity, mechanics. Astronomy: study of the star motions and the celestial globe. Comparison of Ptolemaic and Copernican systems.

Mathematics: Algebra. Graphing. Perimeters, areas, exponents, and roots. Formulae. More complicated problem solving, mental computation, estimation and situation problems. Basic geometric theorems and a brief introduction to projective geometry.

Drawing, Painting, and Modeling: Exact geometrical drawing, two-dimensional, to theorem of Pythagoras. Areas of squares, triangles. Perspective drawing. Wet and dry painting, transparent colors. Modeling the human hand and foot in clay.