First Grade 

After their rich experience in Kindergarten, our First Graders are physically robust and ready for more structured academic learning. Our First Graders are 6 years old by May 1st, which is very typical for Waldorf schools. Lessons administered with care and creativity help each child to develop healthy habits and self-discipline while continuing the all important learning foundation of imaginative thinking and curiosity. Literacy and numeracy is built through repetition, movement, imitation and rich images from stories. 

Second Grade

While the social cohesiveness and friendships so strongly fostered in First Grade begin to take root, individual personalities start to emerge even more strongly in Second Grade. Eager to explore the world around them, students become more aware of their separateness from others. Two extremes of moral conduct illustrated by stories of tricksters (such as fables) and tales of both ancient and more modern heroes / compassionate people. Math and language foundations from the previous year are built upon with rigorous learning of times tables, carrying and borrowing in addition and subtraction, and an introduction to place value . During their second grade year, our students all experience a thorough second grade assessment. This information is used by the class teacher to address each child’s unique needs, and to as a basis for further assessments or referrals where necessary.

Third Grade

Significant developmental changes take place in this year as the “bubble of early childhood togetherness” bursts and children start to experience themselves as separate from others. Some may start to question everything and feel somewhat separate from the world, others may even feel loneliness and fear. This is an important time for the child to learn self sufficiency, investigate what it means to have a respectful relationship with the earth, and grow self-esteem through lots of hands-on work and the mastery of wonderful challenges.

Fourth Grade

Coming out of the “nine year change,” fourth graders emerge with increased confidence and a readiness to explore personal interests, gifts, strengths and challenges. The Norse sagas, full of characters with real human foibles who adventurously explore the world around them, are beloved by fourth graders and their unbridled curiosity. Likewise, through the study of the animal kingdom and the unique specializations of various species, the student learns more about the world and themselves. The geographical outlook is extended outwards from school/home environment to the neighborhood, city and county, then all the way to the state boundaries of Washington State. The study of the Salish coastal tribes of our region since time immemorial, as well as historical vignettes from Colonial history, enliven the fourth grader’s connection to the land and its use.

Fifth Grade

The Fifth Grade child is at a point of harmonious balance between childhood and adolescence, between the inner feeling world and the emerging world of intellectual objectivity. History moves from the mythological perspective to actual events, stirring the child’s experience of their own humanness, while geography leads the children further away into unfamiliar lands. Now it is possible for the child to gaze into the greater outer world while becoming ever more conscious of the world within. 

Sixth Grade 

In Sixth Grade the child takes a firm, intentional step into the outer world, while also having increased awareness of the physical self and bodily changes. Geological study of the earth, the rise and fall of the Roman empire, and the Medieval age all speak to the developmental stages of the sixth grader. The child is able to relate to the logic, discipline and orderliness of the Roman era while empathizing with the struggle and growth it represented in human history.  The sixth grade curriculum offers students the opportunity to use their developing understanding of causal relationships and to sharpen skills already developed in previous grades. 

Seventh Grade 

As the Seventh grade student enters puberty they are on their way to selfhood. Their intellect is growing and expanding in new ways. Students relate readily with the history block of the Renaissance and Reformation, which show the flowering of human potential, art, science and learning. The study of biographies of people who struggled with existing authorities and social institutions to bring about great change speaks to this developmental stage.

Eighth Grade 

The Eighth Grade student experiences a birth into more of an intellectual consciousness, and crosses the threshold from childhood into adolescence. Eighth graders become more aware of themselves, their drives, and the rhythms of their bodies. Students are encouraged to take greater responsibility for their learning and are given the opportunity for self-discovery through a year long “Eighth Grade Project” involving a mentor from the greater community. The overarching theme in this year is for students to find their connection to the whole world and, through that process, come to know themselves. 

As the eighth grader asserts their independence, they look for examples of earnest striving in the adults around them. Historical studies of revolutions and struggles for independence speak volumes to them. The year culminates in a special graduation ceremony celebrating each student’s individual accomplishments throughout their educational journey at our school.