The Waldorf Curriculum

Below is a basic overview of the curriculum content typically offered in a Waldorf school. The content may vary depending on the classroom and community.

Each day begins with the main lesson (approx. 2 hours each morning  on a specific subject given over the course of a few weeks), followed by special subject classes, including handwork, movement/games and a foreign language. From Grade 1 through Grade 3, children develop the foundation for work through an artistic approach to all subjects.

Grade 1

• Language Arts (upper case letters, simple writing, drama)
• Literature & History (cultural studies: folk tales, fairy tales)
• Mathematics (the quality of numbers, counting to 100, Roman and Arabic numbers, the four processes)
• Geography (a sense of place, nature stories)
• Eurythmy (movements copying human actions, vowels)
• Form Drawing (straight line and curve, linear forms)
• Foreign Language (by ear – songs, verses, dances, games)
• Physical Education (cooperative games, outdoor play, circle games)
• Handwork (knitting)
• Artwork (painting, crayon drawing, beeswax modeling)
• Music (pentatonic recorder, singing, rhythmic activities)

Grade 2

• Language Arts (lower case letters, drama, grammar)
• Literature & History (cultural studies: fables, legends of saints and heroes)
• Mathematics (continuing work with the four processes, column addition)
• Geography (a sense of place, nature stories)
• Eurythmy (rhythms, consonants)
• Form Drawing (linear forms)
• Foreign Language (by ear – poetry, alphabet, numbers)
• Physical Education (cooperative games, rhythmic games, outdoor play)
• Handwork (knitting and purling, crochet)
• Artwork (painting, drawing, beeswax modeling)
• Music (pentatonic recorder, singing, rhythmic activities)

Grade 3

• Language Arts (cursive handwriting, grammar, spellling, drama)
• Literature & History (cultural studies: stories of the Old Testament, Native American tales, Jewish festivals)
• Mathematics (time, weight and volume, linear measurement, currency, carrying/borrowing)
• Geography (practical skills, shelters/housebuilding, farming, gardening)
• Eurythmy (rod exercises, the octave)
• Form Drawing (vertical symmetry)
• Foreign Language (by ear – continued work)
• Physical Education (cooperative games, outdoor play, line games)
• Handwork (more complex knitting and crocheting)
• Artwork (painting, drawing, beeswax modeling)
• Music (soprano recorder, singing in rounds, music notation)

Grade 4

• Language Arts (grammar, spelling, drama, poetry, intro to composition)
• Literature & History (cultural studies: local history, Norse Mythology)
• Mathematics (continuing with the four processes, intro to fractions, long division, averages, word problems)
• Geography (local geography, mapping)
• Eurythmy (concrete and abstract forms)
• Science (Zoology: comparative study of human beings and other animals)
• Form Drawing (Celtic knots, braided forms)
• Foreign Language (grammar begins, simple reading)
• Physical Education (cooperative games, team skills, square dancing)
• Handwork (add cross-stitch, embroidery)
• Artwork (painting, drawing, clay sculpting)
• Music (recorder, singing – two-part songs, notation, instrumental music – orchestra)

Grade 5

• Language Arts (grammar, oral and written reports, letter writing, composition)
• Literature (cultural studies: Greek mythology)
• Mathematics (decimals, fractions, mixed numbers, reciprocals, metric system, free-hand Geometry)
• History (ancient civilizations: Mesopotamia, India, Persia, Egypt, Greece)
• Geography (North American)
• Eurythmy (limb control exercises, movment to simple poems)
• Science (Botany)
• Foreign Language (continued work, Greek phrases, Sanskrit poems)
• Physical Education (Greek Olympics)
• Handwork (knitting with 4 needles – socks and mittens)
• Artwork (painting, drawning, clay sculpting – Greek vase)
• Woodworking (egg shape carving, simple toy)
• Music (recorder ensemble, singing – rounds, harmonies, music notation, orchestra, chorus, Greek music)

Grade 6

• Language Arts (grammar, composition, descriptive writing, business letters, spelling, drama, poetry)
• Literature (tales of chivalry, biographies of great men and women)
• Mathematics (percentage and ratio, business math, problem solving, estimation, precise Geometry)
• History (the transition from ancient to modern: rise and fall of Rome, The Middle Ages)
• Geography (Latin America, Earth’s configurations and contrasts)
• Eurythmy (rod exercises, three fold walking)
• Science (Astronomy, Physics, Geology & Mineralogy)
• Foreign Language (continued work, Latin sayings, proverbs)
• Physical Education (team sports, archery)
• Handwork (stuffed animals or dolls, work aprons)
• Artwork (painting, drawing: black/white media, clay sculpting)
• Woodworking (wooden spoon carving)
• Music (recorder ensemble, singing – rounds, harmonies, orchestra, chorus, Roman music)

Grade 7

• Language Arts (grammar, composition, creative writing, spelling, report writing, note-taking skills, researching)
• Literature (Arthurian legends, biographies, poetry)
• Mathematics (business math, pre-Algebra skills, precise Geometry, graphing, roots, negative numbers)
• History (The Renaissance and Reformation, The Age of Discovery)
• Geography (European and African Geography, tides, weather)
• Eurythmy (contrasting moods, inner characteristics of poems, ballads, tragedies)
• Science (Physics – add pulleys and levers, Inorganic Chemistry, Astronomy, Physiology)
• Foreign Language (conversational, vocabulary, word study)
• Physical Education (team sports, archery, gymnastics)
• Handwork (sewing clothing, slippers, hand puppets)
• Artwork (painting, perspective drawing, clay sculpting – the human hand, foot, bones, fired pottery)
• Woodworking (primitive bowl)
• Music (recorder ensemble, orchestra, chorus, ballads, opera, Renaissance music)

Grade 8

• Language Arts (same as Gr. 7, plus literary forms, Shakespeare)
• Literature (Shakespeare, poetry)
• Mathematics (practical math, Algebra, precise Geometry)
• History (the Industrial Revolution to the present day, U.S. History, current events)
• Geography (Asia, Australia, Antarctica, contrasts, as related to World Economics)
• Eurythmy (poems with tension/relief, contraction/expansion)
• Science (Physics, Organic Chemistry, Physiology)
• Foreign Language (conversational, vocabulary, word study)
• Physical Education (team sports, Greek wrestling, gymnastics)
• Handwork (machine sewing, simple clothing, darning)
• Artwork (painting – shadows, portraits, landscapes, drawing, clay sculpting – the human head, soapstone carving)
• Woodworking (simple moveable toy, stool, simple carpentry)
• Music (recorder ensemble, orchestra, chorus, Elizabethan songs)