Waldorf Curriculum Overview
Grade 1
Central theme: Fairy tales, fables and myths from around the world
Math: Number patterns, manipulate numbers up to 24 with the four processes of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division
Language Arts: Letters of the alphabet; word families; exercises in reading, writing, and speech; story properties; drama
Science: Nature studies and nature walks
Foreign Language: Spanish and German songs and poems
Art: Form drawing, watercolor painting, crayon illustration
Music: Pentatonic flute, singing in unison
Handwork: Knitting
Eurythmy and movement
Grade 2
Central Theme: Legends, saints, fables
Math: Place value (1–1,000), addition and subtraction of large numbers by carrying and borrowing, regrouping, number patterns, all four arithmetical operations, multiplication tables
Language Arts: Phonetics; reading and writing letters; words and sentences; drama; reading in groups; library time
Science: Animal behavior, gardening, nature studies and nature walks
Foreign Language: Spanish and German songs and poems
Art: Form drawing, watercolor painting
Music: Recorder, singing in unison and in rounds
Handwork: Crocheting
Eurythmy, movement and games
Grade 3
Central Theme: Old Testament Stories
Math: Calculate with time, money, measurement; continued practice with the four arithmetical processes and the multiplication tables.
Language Arts: Reading, composition and grammar, cursive writing, spelling, drama, library time
Science: Farming and gardening (first week-long farm trip)
Foreign Languages: Spanish and German beginning vocabulary
Art: Watercolor technique, drawing
Music: Recorder, choral singing, string instruments
Handwork: Knitting and crocheting
Eurythmy, movement and games
Grade 4
Central Theme: Norse mythology, Native American stories, the animal kingdom
Math: Fractions, long division, averages, factoring, simple geometric forms
Language Arts: Grammar, composition, research project, drama
Science: Animal physiology, environmental science
History & World Cultures: Massachusetts history and geography, map making
Foreign Languages: Spanish and German vocabulary development
Art: Watercolor, form drawing, clay modeling
Music: Recorder, choral singing, string ensemble, scales, notation
Handwork: Embroidery
Eurythmy, movement and games
Grade 5
Central Theme: Ancient cultures of India, Persia, Egypt and Greece
Math: Fractions, mixed numbers, decimals, beginning geometry
Language Arts: Composition, grammar and syntax, research, drama
Science: Botany
History & World Cultures: U.S. geography; history and geography of ancient cultures
Foreign Languages: Spanish and German beginning grammar
Art: Colored pencil, drawing and shading
Music: String ensemble with an option to begin a wind instrument, choral singing
Handwork: Circular knitting
Woodwork: Carving
Eurythmy, games, training for the 5th grade Olympics
Grade 6
Central Theme: Early Europe
Math: Percentages, business math (interest and discounts), statistics, geometry, Math Skills class twice per week
Language Arts: Grammar and composition, letter writing (business and personal), drama, English Skills class twice per week
Science: Geology and physics, with lessons in acoustics, optics, heat, and magnetism
History & World Cultures: History geography of Rome; Europe in the Middle Ages; North and South American geography
Foreign Languages: German and Spanish reading and letter writing
Art: Color wheel, three dimensionality in drawing, painting
Music: String or wind ensembles, choral singing
Handwork: Sewing
Woodwork: Carving
Eurythmy, 6th grade Medieval Games
Grade 7
Central Theme: The Age of Explorers
Math: Beginning algebra, geometry, Math Skills class three times per week
Language Arts: Creative and expository writing, research, drama, poetry and prose, English Skills class three times per week
Science: Physics, inorganic chemistry, mechanics, astronomy, physiology, anatomy
History & World Cultures: Renaissance history, the Reformation, the Age of Discovery, European and Latin American geography
Foreign Languages: German and Spanish verb tenses, reading, and writing
Art: Perspective drawing, veil painting, portraiture, sculpture
Music: Orchestra or recorder ensemble, choral singing
Handwork: Quilting
Woodwork: Ship building
Eurythmy, physical education
Social inclusion/community service
Grade 8
Central Theme: The Age of Revolutions
Math: Algebra I, geometry, Math Skills class three times per week
Language Arts: Poetry, essays, compositions, research papers, drama, English Skills class three times per week
Science: Physics, organic chemistry, physiology, computer science
History & World Cultures: American, French, and Industrial Revolutions; geography of Africa and Asia
Foreign Languages: Students specialize in German or Spanish, with the study of grammar, composition, and culture four times per week
Art: Composition and proportion, pastels, clay modeling
Music: Orchestra or recorder ensemble, choral singing
Handwork: Machine sewing
Woodwork: Furniture making
Eurythmy, physical education
Social inclusion/community service