A Developmental Approach

With Rudolf Steiner’s work in child development at its core, the Lower School curriculum at the Washington Waldorf School is perfectly tailored to meet the changing needs of your child at each step of his or her journey through school.

Grade by grade, the Lower School curriculum follows the development of the child, considering their physical, emotional, and intellectual growth. Subjects such as geography, history, geometric drawing, perspective drawing, and the sciences are introduced in a way that meets the inner questions a child holds as they grow and change.

A few examples:

  • Around the age of nine, many children become sensitive to their own separateness from their family and to their individual vulnerability within a larger world. Particularly at this age, children love to figure out how they would build a structure to keep themselves protected from the weather, and the 3rd grade curriculum includes very practical experiences that give a child confidence in farming and house building, on how to survive on their own.
  • The fiery nature of adolescence is reflected in the chemistry of combustion in grade seven.
  • Teenagers need for independence and their inclination toward rebellion is mirrored in the study of historic revolutions. These connections make the educational experience relevant, engaging, and satisfying.

Targeted Curriculum, Profound Understanding

Grade 1

First Grade at Waldorf School

History and Literature

Fairy and folks tales from around the world; nature stories; poetry.

English and Grammar

Pictorial introduction to the alphabet; sight words; phonemes; word families; rating

Mathematics

Qualities of numbers 1–12; introduction to the four operations; basic geometric shapes and freehand geometric drawing

Geography and Sciences

Study of nature and the seasons through observation; nature walks; activities outdoors in all weather

Spanish

Verses, songs, and games (vocabulary parallels main lesson subjects).

Art

Beeswax modeling; watercolor painting (primary colors); drawing; form drawing

Music and Performing Arts

Singing and flutes in the pentatonic scale; class play; speech

Handwork

Making knitting needles; knitting

Eurythmy

Moving in the circle accompanied by pentatonic music on piano

Movement Education

Rhythmic circle games; jump rope

Note: Each class teacher approaches this general curriculum guide with the freedom to shift and cater it to the particular group of students he or she is teaching.

Grade 2

Second Grade

History and Literature

Fables and folklore; legends of "holy" people from various cultures who have made a difference; Native American stories; poetry

English and Grammar

Beginning composition skills; grammar; directed reading groups; reading 

Library

General library use

Mathematics

Arithmetic in the four operations; calendar; time

Geography and Sciences

Natural life cycle explored through nature and animal stories; activities outside in all weather

Spanish

Verses, songs, and games (vocabulary parallels main lesson subjects)

Art

Form drawing; beeswax modeling; watercolor painting; drawing; clay modeling

Music and Performing Arts

Folk music; singing and flutes in the pentatonic scale; class play; speech 

Handwork

Knitting and purling 

Eurythmy

Fables and animal stories; mirror forms; movement to piano

Movement Education

Games; jump rope; running; coordination activities; throwing and catching

Note: Each class teacher approaches this general curriculum guide with the freedom to shift and cater it to the particular group of students he or she is teaching.

Grade 3

Third Grade

History and Literature

Hebrew Bible stories; Farming and pioneering stories; Native American stories; stories of indigenous peoples around the world; poetry

English and Grammar

Composition; grammar; editing; poetry

Library

Fiction and non fiction

Mathematics

Long division; prime numbers and factoring; arithmetic continued; geometric forms continued; measurement

Geography and Sciences

Practical studies; farming and gardening; composting; grains; the growing cycle; study of shelters and house building in various environments; sheep sheering, washing, carding, dyeing and spinning wool; where things come from

Spanish

Verses, songs, and games (vocabulary parallels main lesson subjects)

Art

Beeswax modeling; watercolor painting; form drawing; clay modeling; fiber arts

Music and Performing Arts

Singing and C-flutes in the major scale; musical notation and dictation; rhythms; percussion instruments; solfège; singing in rounds; class play; speech

Handwork

Crocheting

Eurythmy 

Alphabet gestures; “spelling” simple words or names; major and minor movements in musical gesture. 

Movement Education

Continued jump rope activities; tag games and relay races; begin tumbling; begin circus arts; throwing and catching games.

Note: Each class teacher approaches this general curriculum guide with the freedom to shift and cater it to the particular group of students he or she is teaching.

Grade 4

Fourth Grade

History

Local and regional history of Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC

English and Grammar

Composition; letter writing; grammar; research; animal reports

Literature

Norse sagas; and poetry; Native American stories; Kalevala; poetry.

Library

Animal research projects

Mathematics

Fractions; factoring continued; geometry; complex four-part symmetry; Celtic knots

Geography and Sciences

Animal studies; local geography (Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC) 

Spanish

Conversation; grammar; reading; writing short compositions

Art

Colored pencil drawing; pastels; animal drawings; woven form drawing (Celtic knots); maps; watercolor painting

Music and Performing Arts

Violin or cello; C-flutes; reading and musical notation; part singing; class play

Handwork

Cross-stitching

Woodwork

Carving; hand whittling

Eurythmy

Crossing forms in the space; concentration and rod exercises

Movement Education

Circus arts; games; rhythmic exercises

Note: Each class teacher approaches this general curriculum guide with the freedom to shift and cater it to the particular group of students he or she is teaching.

Grade 5

Fifth Grade

History and Social Studies 

Ancient India, Persia, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and China; Hinduism; Buddhism 

English and Grammar

Grammar; active and passive voice; book reports 

Literature 

Greek myths; scenes from ancient history; tall tales; biographies

Library

Dewey Decimal System. 

Mathematics

Decimals; geometric forms; Pythagorean theorem

Geography and Sciences

Botany; biomes; US and North American geography; unusual animals; insects

Spanish

Speaking; reading; writing; grammar; Mexico; festivals.

Art

Freehand geometric drawing; watercolor painting; maps; drawing for botany; nature sketches; clay modeling

Music and Performing Arts

Class play; Orchestra; singing in parts; Grades 5 & 6 Chorus

Handwork

Advance 3D knitting; projects in the round

Woodwork

Carving bowls; symmetry; use of gouges, mallets, etc.

Eurythmy

Five-pointed star; rod exercises continued; gestures of musical tones; major scales

Movement Education 

Greek games (javelin, discus, ring wrestling, long jump, running); circus arts; relays

Note: Each class teacher approaches this general curriculum guide with the freedom to shift and cater it to the particular group of students he or she is teaching.

The Class Teacher

At WWS, each class has a core teacher that stays with them for multiple years. Especially in the younger grades, this "class teacher" is the primary teacher who works with the children. This continuity enhances the children’s learning in both academic and social aspects and enables the class teacher to develop a deep understanding of the child as an individual and the class as a community.

In contrast with the traditional model in which an elementary school teacher teaches the same curriculum year after year but must “learn” and grow to understand and cater his or her teaching style to a new group of students every year, the Waldorf school approach allows the class teacher to deepen his or her understanding of the individual needs and nuances of their class and model the act of learning and preparing new curriculum year after year.

Main Lesson

Each day begins with the class teacher and a lively two-hour main lesson which concentrates on one subject for a period of three to four weeks. These “Main Lesson Blocks” vary in their subject matter: math, science, history, English, and geography are all taught in this block format.

This intensive, concentrated focus on a subject over several weeks builds a strong connection to the subject, and because the main lesson is a longer class period, there is time to explore subjects through a variety of activities such as drama, music, visual arts, movement, and writing. This multifaceted approach allows children to engage fully in the act of learning not just with their heads, but also with their heart and their hands.

Our goal is to build capacities, not just skills — capacities for greater learning, critical thinking, and problem-solving for the future that awaits each of our students.

Main Lesson Books

During each main lesson block, the students create their own Main Lesson Book. These beautiful books are organized, ongoing records of the students work and are filled with observations, illustrations, diagrams, stories, and essays. This act of generating one’s own artistic “textbook” helps foster a deeper sense of understanding and ownership of the content and subject matter.

Subject Classes

In addition to the daily Main Lesson, the student’s day is enriched with a variety of special subject and skills classes often taught by teachers who are experts in their fields. The curricula for these classes also moves in harmony with the development of the children and includes Spanish, handwork, woodwork, Eurythmy, instrumental and vocal music, games and outdoor education, form drawing, and art.

Sports

Competitive sports programs begin in the fifth grade. Students may participate in cross-country (fall), soccer (fall), basketball (winter), and baseball or softball (spring). The "56-ers" teams carefully introduce fifth and sixth graders to team sports, stressing teamwork, fair play, and skill development.

Middle School and High School teams compete against other area independent schools as part of the Potomac Valley Athletic Conference. Membership on sports teams is open to all students, and participation is encouraged. Read more about our athletic program.

Class Trips and Field Trips

Each grade takes at least one trip during the school year. These trips into the woods and mountains are designed to meet the children’s developmental level, help them gain self-confidence, and encourage their connection to the natural world and to each other. There are also a variety of local field trips and excursions related to each grade’s curriculum.

  • Overnight trips begin in third grade with a trip to Hawthorne Valley Farm in upstate New York where students participate in the farm activities, often witnessing the birth of a new calf.
  • In the fifth grade, students travel to a Waldorf school within our region to participate in an Olympiad competition with fifth graders from other Waldorf schools.
  • In the 7th grade, the students take a more extensive camping trip that includes nature experience often combined with a ropes course and team building exercises.
  • The 8th grade traditionally takes a week-long trip that includes a wilderness experience and a cultural component.

Media and Technology

WWS is committed to fostering students’ capacities for imagination, warm interaction, independent thinking, and healthy feeling. We discourage media exposure from the daily experience of our young students. Children are deeply affected by images, and they carry these images into their play and conversations, which then influences other children as well.

Beginning in the Middle School, students are introduced to media and technological devices in the classroom with a focus on students becoming healthy, ethical, and knowledgeable digital citizens. Keyboarding, word processing, and computer research skills are also introduced and developed at this time. Lower School students may not use phones or other devices during the school day, except as part of technology class. By partnering with our parents, we encourage our students to be mindful digital citizens and to view and use technological devices as useful tools.

Middle School

In order to ensure that students experience a variety of teaching styles and receive comprehensive academic preparation for high school, the team of teachers widens as the students grow older. Starting in the 6th grade, the students are taught mathematics and English by specialists. In the 7th and 8th grades, some of the main lessons will also be taught by teachers other than the class teacher. An active outdoor education program which combines the 7th and 8th grades is offered and includes off-campus trips for activities such as rock climbing, canoeing and kayaking, orienteering, biking, and ice skating.

Learn more about the Middle School years at WWS.