Sandpoint Waldorf School, Rudolf Steiner

Picture by Jarré
Special Events

Greek mythology is taken up in the fifth grade. The debates and struggles of the Greek gods with one another are more complicated and engage the children's mental powers more than did the simple, powerful action of the Norse myths. A constant theme of metamorphosis in the Greek stories -- evolutionary, organic change in all things in dramatic and even unexpected ways -- perfectly sets the stage for the fifth grade nature study of the plant kingdom with all its incredible changing forms growing out of one another.

Seed to root, and shoot to leaves of changing shape and size, to expanding flower petals, flower parts, fruit, and seeds once more. From tiny algae to towering oaks, a sense of oneness in the cycles of life is slowly felt. The unity of the plant kingdom with the earth's surface is a major theme the children can wonder at as they sketch, paint, and write descriptions of the plant world.

The children of the fifth grade are crossing the bridge from imaginative thinking to the beginning of historical or time consciousness. They are introduced to the development of Western man as it evolved from ancient India to ancient Greece. They are given the flavor of ancient India and its Vedas, the Ramayana, the Mahabarata, and the stories of Buddha, or of Krishna. They learn of old Persia and Zoroaster, they relate to Babylonia through the Epic of Gilgamesh and cuneiform writing, and to Egypt with its mythology, monuments, and hieroglyphics. Finally, they take up the richness of ancient Greece: the Iliad and the Odyssey in story form (as they were once originally told), the biographies and stories of the Persian Wars and the Golden Age of Greece when history as we know it first began to be written down.

Also in the fifth grade, the children continue to work in geometry (begun pictorially in the form drawing of earlier years), up to a pictorial presentation of the Pythagorean theorem. They continue in handwork and crafts, often by making parts of their own clothing, needle knitting socks, hats, and mittens, and making toys such as animals, dolls, and doll houses.

In math, they work through fractions and decimals applied in as real and practical ways as possible. With geography, they expand their work to include all of North America. Colorful freehand map drawing helps them to develop a clear, personal understanding of geography. Composition work and spelling are also woven into the main lesson work.

Along with the regular class presentations and plays throughout the school year, woodworking, music, modeling, foreign languages, painting, drawing, gardening, sports, and eurythmy are all part of the fifth grade curriculum

Continue scrolling through the grades to better understand the phases of development and learning that Waldorf students experience.
Early Childhood | 1st grade | 2nd grade | 3rd grade | 4th grade | 5th grade
| 6th grade | 7th grade | 8th grade |Specialties | Back

Sandpoint Waldorf School Where the love of learning that lasts a lifetime . . . begins.
P.O. Box 95, Sandpoint, ID 83864 (208) 265-2683 e-mail: sws@coldreams.com


	Picture by Jarré	Special Events
	Greek mythology is taken up in the fifth grade. The debates and struggles of the Greek gods with one another are more complicated and engage the children's mental powers more than did the simple, powerful action of the Norse myths. A constant theme of metamorphosis in the Greek stories -- evolutionary, organic change in all things in dramatic and even unexpected ways -- perfectly sets the stage for the fifth grade nature study of the plant kingdom with all its incredible changing forms growing out of one another. Seed to root, and shoot to leaves of changing shape and size, to expanding flower petals, flower parts, fruit, and seeds once more. From tiny algae to towering oaks, a sense of oneness in the cycles of life is slowly felt. The unity of the plant kingdom with the earth's surface is a major theme the children can wonder at as they sketch, paint, and write descriptions of the plant world. The children of the fifth grade are crossing the bridge from imaginative thinking to the beginning of historical or time consciousness. They are introduced to the development of Western man as it evolved from ancient India to ancient Greece. They are given the flavor of ancient India and its Vedas, the Ramayana, the Mahabarata, and the stories of Buddha, or of Krishna. They learn of old Persia and Zoroaster, they relate to Babylonia through the Epic of Gilgamesh and cuneiform writing, and to Egypt with its mythology, monuments, and hieroglyphics. Finally, they take up the richness of ancient Greece: the Iliad and the Odyssey in story form (as they were once originally told), the biographies and stories of the Persian Wars and the Golden Age of Greece when history as we know it first began to be written down. Also in the fifth grade, the children continue to work in geometry (begun pictorially in the form drawing of earlier years), up to a pictorial presentation of the Pythagorean theorem. They continue in handwork and crafts, often by making parts of their own clothing, needle knitting socks, hats, and mittens, and making toys such as animals, dolls, and doll houses. In math, they work through fractions and decimals applied in as real and practical ways as possible. With geography, they expand their work to include all of North America. Colorful freehand map drawing helps them to develop a clear, personal understanding of geography. Composition work and spelling are also woven into the main lesson work. Along with the regular class presentations and plays throughout the school year, woodworking, music, modeling, foreign languages, painting, drawing, gardening, sports, and eurythmy are all part of the fifth grade curriculum Continue scrolling through the grades to better understand the phases of development and learning that Waldorf students experience. Early Childhood \| 1st grade \| 2nd grade \| 3rd grade \| 4th grade \| 5th grade \| 6th grade \| 7th grade \| 8th grade \|Specialties \| Back
Sandpoint Waldorf School Where the love of learning that lasts a lifetime . . . begins. P.O. Box 95, Sandpoint, ID 83864 (208) 265-2683 e-mail: sws@coldreams.com