The Waldorf approach in the Grades

At the grade school level, students enter a time of steady growth – physically, emotionally, and intellectually. Through a rich, arts-integrated curriculum, teachers introduce academic skills and concepts in a way that meets each stage of development. Story, movement, music, and the visual arts are woven throughout lessons, engaging the whole child and nurturing curiosity, imagination, and confidence.

Waldorf education offers a classical curriculum that balances academic depth with artistic expression. Reading, writing, mathematics, literature, and the sciences are introduced in developmentally thoughtful ways, allowing students to experience learning as both meaningful and creative.

Each subject is taught through story, rhythm, and activity – helping students internalize what they learn and express it through their own words and artwork in illustrated lesson books. By Grade 8, students are developing independence, social awareness, and a growing capacity for abstract thought. Their Waldorf education helps them enter high school as confident, capable learners ready to meet new challenges with curiosity and purpose.

Teaching and class life

Each class is guided by a Class Teacher who typically remains with the students for several years, building a deep understanding of each child and fostering a strong sense of community.

Specialist teachers bring their expertise in languages, handwork, music, games, PE, and the practical arts.

Each morning begins with a two-hour Main Lesson block focused on one subject for three to four weeks. Students create lesson books filled with writing, drawings, and diagrams that reflect their own understanding and artistic interpretation of the material.

Class trips and local excursions build independence, strengthen class bonds, and connect learning to the natural world.

Service work is interwoven throughout the curriculum. Older students also take on leadership through the Social Action Committee (SAC) – mentoring younger classes, facilitating games, and supporting playground harmony under faculty guidance.

Student Support works alongside teachers and families to help every student build academic skills, social and emotional resilience, and self-advocacy.

Beginning in the middle grades, students participate in Cyber Civics, a digital literacy program that teaches online safety, ethics, and critical thinking. Lessons encourage students to become mindful, responsible digital citizens.

Our After School Program provides a warm, supervised environment where students can relax, play, and engage in creative activities after the school day ends.

Registration is open

To learn more or book a tour, please submit an inquiry form to connect with the admissions office.

If you’re ready to apply, visit our Admissions page to learn how.

“Our highest endeavor must be to develop free human beings who are able of themselves to impart purpose and direction to their lives.”

“Our highest endeavor must be to develop free human beings who are able of themselves to impart purpose and direction to their lives.”

~Rudolf Steiner

Explore curriculum by grade

The Waldorf curriculum moves in harmony with the child’s natural development, cultivating imagination, empathy, and intellectual curiosity.

Grade 1

Lighting the head and heart through storytelling

  • Introduction to the alphabet through pictures, stories and sound symbols
  • Form Drawing
  • Literacy is strengthened through vocabulary development, poetry and stories
  • Writing
  • Pictorial and Phonetic Introduction to Letters
  • Reading Approached through Writing
  • Speech Formation/Dramatics

  • Basic facts to 10
  • Foundational operations: addition, subtraction, division, multiplication
  • Geometric Movement

  • Nature study

  • Nature stories, fairy tales and ancient legends

  • French
  • Free-hand Drawing, Wet-on-Wet Watercolour Painting, Beeswax Modelling
  • Knitting
  • Pentatonic Flute and Singing
  • Eurythmy, Games, Rhythmic Movement, Outdoor Activities
  • Day trip outing
  • Class Play

Grade 2

Heroic tales and ethical fables

  • Writing (spelling, punctuation, syllables, upper and lower case, writing sentences)
  • Reading
  • Poetry
  • Rhyming
  • Speech Formation

  • Continuation with the four processes (addition, subtraction, division, multiplication)
  • Multiplication Tables
  • Geometric Movement
  • Place Value (1-1000)
  • Carrying/Borrowing

  • Nature Walks
  • Field Trips

  • Fables, Legends, Saints and Animal Stories

  • French
  • Form Drawing, Watercolour Painting, Drawing, Beeswax Modelling
  • Knitting and Purling, Crochet, Sewing, Making Soft Toys
  • Pentatonic Flute and Singing
  • Eurythmy, Cooperative Games, Rhythmic Movement, Outdoor Activities, Day Hikes
  • Class play
crayon roll in grade 2

Grade 3

A new outlook towards the world

  • Literacy
  • Basic elements of grammar (Spelling, Grammar, Punctuation)
  • Cursive writing
  • Speech Formation (Noun, Verb, Adjective and Adverb)
  • Independent reading
  • Comprehension and Sequencing
  • Story Writing

  • All Four Operations (long division and multi-digit multiplication, add and subtract columns)
  • Advanced carrying and borrowing, charts, data collection and problem-solving
  • Measurement: distance, capacity, weight and time
  • Geometric Movement

  • Shelter building
  • Nature Study
  • Gardening
  • Farming
  • Cooking

  • Hebrew language, culture, rituals and history
  • Shelters: climate and location in relation to ancient and modern house building techniques
  • Grains: nourishment and world cultures
  • Study of Practical life
  • Pioneer Life

  • French
  • Watercolour Painting, Form and Freehand Drawing, Beeswax and Plasticine Modelling
  • Knitting – three-dimensional project, Sewing, Crochet
  • Music literacy through Story, Singing in rounds, Pentatonic flute and beginning diatonic recorder, Notation of rhythm and notes
  • Eurythmy, Cooperative Games, Day Hikes
  • Farming field trip/overnight
  • Class Play based on the curriculum

Grade 4

Revealing strength, courage and adventure

  • Writing
  • Reading for comprehension
  • Spelling
  • Grammar and Speech Formation
  • Paragraph development
  • Dramatization
  • Composition and Letter Writing
  • Book reports

  • Fractions (equivalent fractions, expanding, reducing, greatest common factors and least common multiples)
  • Long Division
  • Long Multiplication
  • Geometric Movement

  • Study of humans and animals

  • Local Geography
  • Map Making (travel routes, home and school)
  • The four directions, geographic placement through movement

  • Norse Mythology and Sagas
  • Stories from Canada’s Indigenous People
  • History of North Vancouver
  • Early Colonization

  • French (writing, reading and vocabulary)
  • Watercolour painting (warm/cool colours), Form drawing, Advanced drawing techniques, Beeswax modelling, Celtic knot illustrations, Modelling animals and local landforms
  • Cross Stitch, Embroidery, Felting
  • String orchestral instrument, C Flute, Singing (canons and rounds), Choir, Musical notation (sing and play from sheet music)
  • Eurythmy, Cooperative Games and Sports, Day Hikes
  • Overnight trip to the Cheakamus Centre Longhouse
  • Class play based on the curriculum

Grade 5

The golden year

  • Independent Writing
  • Reading, Vocabulary and Grammar
  • Spelling
  • Speech Formation/Dramatics
  • Composition/Creative Writing
  • Novel Study
  • Plays

  • Freehand Geometry
  • Fractions
  • Factoring
  • Decimals
  • Ratio
  • Long Division
  • Multiplication

  • Botany
  • Zoology

  • Canadian Geography

  • Greek Mythology and History
  • Ancient Civilizations: Egypt, India, Mesopotamia and Persia

  • French (develop memory, language, translative thinking and vocabulary skills)
  • Watercolour painting, Form and freehand geometric drawing, Sculptural modelling, Woodwork
  • Cross Stitch, Sewing, Four-needle Knitting for mittens and hats
  • Strings, Recorder, Singing, Music literacy, Choir
  • Cooperative Games, Greek Pentathlon (discus, javelin, wrestling, long jump, and running), Team sports, Eurythmy
  • Greek Pentathlon, multi-night overnight trip
  • Class Play based on the curriculum

Grade 6

Emphasizing the concrete world

  • Writing: Expository, Descriptive and Narrative Writing, Conditional Sentences
  • Reading, Vocabulary and Grammar
  • Spelling
  • Composition, Report Writing, Editing
  • Biographies
  • Speech Formation
  • Creative Writing
  • Literature
  • Drama

  • Geometric drawing with instruments
  • Percents
  • Fractions
  • Decimals
  • Business Math
  • Graphs
  • Ratio
  • Interest
  • Discount

  • Physics: sound, light and colour, heat, magnetism, static electricity
  • Botany

  • Minerals and Geology
  • Geocentric Astronomy
  • World Geography

  • Roman and Medieval History
  • The Crusades
  • Medieval Society, Arthurian legends
  • Ancient History, Troy

  • French
  • Cyber-Civics
  • Watercolour painting, Drawing, Sculptural modelling, Three-dimensional work, Woodwork/Carving
  • Pattern-making and Sewing
  • Strings, Recorder, Singing, Music literacy, Choir
  • Eurythmy, Cooperative Games, Sports, Circus arts
  • Class Play based on stories from the history curriculum

Grade 7

Age of exploration and human greatness

  • Essays, Expository Writing
  • Note-taking
  • Poetic Structure
  • Grammar
  • Reading
  • Spelling
  • Research Skills
  • Composition/Creative Writing
  • Literature and Drama

  • Geometry
  • Algebra
  • Power
  • Square Roots
  • Solve computation problems and conceptual word problems

  • Inorganic Chemistry: lime cycle, salts, acids and bases
  • Physics: mechanics and simple machines
  • Human Physiology: systems of the body

  • Geography of Europe and Africa, or the Americas
  • Astronomy

  • Renaissance
  • Reformation
  • Age of Discovery
  • Age of Exploration

  • French
  • Cyber-Civics
  • Knitting (advanced), Painting, Clay modelling, Perspective drawing, Freehand drawing, Woodwork: carving, objects with moveable parts
  • Pattern-making and Sewing
  • Strings, Recorder, Singing
  • Team sports, Eurythmy, Cooperative Games, Health, Circus arts
  • Class play: Typically builds on some aspect of the curriculum

Grade 8

Exploring integration and interconnectivity

  • Creative Thinking and Critical Reasoning
  • Oral Presentation
  • Vocabulary Development
  • Reading
  • Research Skills and Report Writing
  • Poetry and Short Story Analysis and Writing
  • Composition/Creative Writing
  • Speech Formation/Dramatics
  • Advanced Literature
  • Short Story
  • Shakespeare

  • Pre-Algebra, Mechanical/Mathematical Geometry
  • Review of solids and measurement

  • Physics: Hydraulics, Aeromechanics and Electromagnetism
  • Chemistry: studying the properties of Sugars,
  • Starches, Proteins, Fats and Oils
  • Physiology and Nutrition

  • Geography: surveys of landforms, oceans, atmosphere, climates and ecosystems

  • American Revolution to the modern-day
  • Industrial Revolution to modern history
  • French Revolution
  • Reformation

  • French
  • Painting, Clay Modelling, Drawing, Drama
  • Machine-sewn garments, Woodworking: building a useful object, like a small table
  • Strings, Recorder, Singing
  • Team sports, Eurythmy, Cooperative Games, Health
  • Camping trip
  • Class play: Shakespeare comedy, musical, or a well-known classic

“A philosophy of freedom must set out from the experience of thinking, for it is through this experience of thinking that a human being discovers his own self, finds his bearings as an independent personality”

“A philosophy of freedom must set out from the experience of thinking, for it is through this experience of thinking that a human being discovers his own self, finds his bearings as an independent personality”

~Rudolf Steiner