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MIDDLE GRADES 6-82022-07-22T15:58:00-07:00

At the heart of the Waldorf approach is a recognition of the physical and emotional changes that occur as a child matures. At the grade school level, our teachers take care to introduce skills, subjects, and concepts appropriate to the child’s physiological, emotional, and spiritual development. We use a multi-sensory approach, integrating the arts into each subject to engage the whole child in the learning process rather than simply imparting intellectual information.

Integrated, Experiential Learning

In the middle grades, we introduce courses in technology, business math, physics, modern history, and strings ensemble or flute. Students gain experience in giving oral presentations, debate, observation, and drawing conclusions. Inquiry and reasoning skills and moral, social and emotional capacities are cultivated across the disciplines.

Our comprehensive curriculum is carefully considered to inspire learning and understanding in preparation, both intellectually and emotionally, for the challenges of high school, post-secondary school and life. We encourage personal initiative, social awareness, and critical thinking.

The middle school years culminate with a year-long study and an oral and artistic presentation. In grade 8, students begin a gradual transition to high school through immersive experiences, including a week-long campus visit, inclusion in Friday elective classes, and participation in high school trips.

The developing adolescent values human connections, desires a strong moral compass and craves challenging academics. We strive to support our middle-grade students in their unfolding emotional lives by nurturing their emerging sense of self.

The Middle Grades

Our Faculty2023-01-02T17:25:39-08:00

Students are held by their class teacher and supported by several subject teachers. The class teacher stays with a class from Grades 1 through 8 and delivers the core curriculum. Through their time together, the class teacher builds a deep understanding of each student while each student grows in confidence and security. Specialty teachers provide instruction in their areas of expertise.

Media & Technology2021-11-29T15:02:09-08:00

Cyber Civics is a comprehensive digital literacy curriculum for middle schools offering award-winning, standards-aligned lessons that teach students to become ethical, safe, and productive digital citizens. www.cybercivics.com

Curricular Trips2021-11-29T17:30:16-08:00

Annual class trips into the oceans, forests, and farmlands are designed to meet the student’s developmental level, help them gain self-confidence, and encourage their connection to the natural world and each other. There are also a variety of local field trips and excursions related to each grade’s curriculum.

  • Grade 6: Caving Trip
  • Grade 7: Canoeing Trip
  • Grade 8: Wilderness Adventure Trip
Learning Support2022-03-10T14:36:11-08:00

The Learning Support Program helps students overcome hindrances to learning and become self-advocates over time. The program is overseen by the Learning Support and Therapeutic Care Group (LSTCG), which works closely with faculty, staff, specialists, and parents.

The Social Action Committee (SAC)2021-11-24T14:39:55-08:00

Student volunteers meet regularly to train as student mentors and helpers. They learn conflict resolution skills and reflect upon their own experiences to bring understanding and empathy to their work with the younger students. The SAC contributes to the healthy social life of the school and community by taking an active role in supporting and guiding the younger students at recess under the supervision of the SAC Coordinator. They lead student training, conduct assemblies, lead role-playing and skits in younger classes, mentor younger classes, and participate in Circles of Friendship or No-Blame meetings.

“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

Middle Grades 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
  • English composition, grammar and spelling
  • 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
  • Cyber-Civics
  • Painting, Clay Modelling, Drawing, Drama
  • Machine-sewn garments, Woodworking: building a useful object, like a small table
  • Strings, Recorder, Singing
  • Sports, Eurythmy, Cooperative Games
  • Grade 8 play production: Shakespeare comedy, musical or operetta, or a well known classic

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Accepting applications

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