Overview of Curriculum

Waldorf curriculum unfolds in a way that aligns with a child’s natural developmental stages. In the early grades, students learn through imaginative storytelling, artistic expression, and practical skills like knitting and woodworking. Starting in grade one, Waldorf curriculum introduces math, science, and literacy skills, but always with a focus on hands-on learning and real-world applications. By the middle grades, students delve deeper into the analytical aspects of history, literature, and foreign languages, developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

North Star Waldorf Academy Kindergarten Curriculum

Early literacy is nurtured through captivating storytelling, poetry, drama, and song. These engaging activities enhance children’s attention spans, expand their vocabulary, and cultivate strong comprehension skills. Hands-on experiences, such as puppetry and acting, transform learning into a joyful and memorable experience, laying a solid foundation for future literacy success. This deliberate and methodical approach to learning cultivates essential qualities such as patience, perseverance, and a strong sense of self-esteem.

Rather than relying on traditional worksheets and drills, Waldorf kindergartens immerse children in a rich linguistic environment. Storytime, poetry recitation, and singing foster a love of language and develop phonemic awareness. Through hands-on activities like painting, sculpting, and woodworking, children practice fine motor skills necessary for writing. Additionally, dramatic play and puppetry encourage children to express themselves creatively and develop oral language skills.

This holistic approach to literacy ensures that children develop not only the technical skills of reading and writing but also a lifelong love of learning, an ability to be a part of a healthy, learning community, and a strong sense of self.

SCOPE AND SEQUENCE

North Star Waldorf Academy curriculum is grounded in Rudolf Steiner’s developmental picture of the human being, which recognizes that children unfold in distinct seven-year phases. Each phase corresponds to specific cognitive, emotional, and physical capacities, and the curriculum is designed to meet these capacities with developmentally appropriate content, methods, and artistic experiences. In the first stage of development (birth to age 7), children learn primarily through imitation and sensory exploration; in the second (ages 7 to 14), learning is guided through imagination, artistry, and strong narrative content; and in the third (ages 14 to 21), the capacities for critical thinking and independent judgment fully emerge.

At North Star Waldorf Academy, curriculum in grades 1–8 is crafted to engage the feeling life and imagination of the developing child, preparing the ground for intellectual rigor and ethical understanding in adolescence.

This scope and sequence reflects the recommendations of the Alliance for Public Waldorf Education and ensures thoughtful co-alignment with Common Core Standards. The curriculum meets academic benchmarks while maintaining a rich, human-centered approach that integrates storytelling, movement, the arts, and experiential learning across all content areas. Our intention is to nurture the whole child—head, heart, and hands—fostering not only academic readiness, but also social-emotional resilience, creativity, and a lifelong love of learning.

Grade 1

In first grade, the child crosses the threshold into formal learning with a sense of wonder and reverence for the world. The curriculum meets this stage of development with rich stories, rhythmic movement, and imagery that awaken the imagination and build foundational capacities in literacy and numeracy. The child is introduced to the world of symbols through letters and numbers, grounded in beauty and meaning.

Theme: The Wonder of the World; Foundations in Form and Imagination

• Language Arts: Introduce letters through fairy tales and nature stories, each letter brought to life through drawings and imaginative pictures. Begin writing and reading with whole words and simple sentences. Develop oral language through recitation and storytelling.
• Mathematics: Develop a sense of number through qualities (e.g., oneness, twoness); introduction to four processes (+, –, ×, ÷) through imaginative stories; rhythmic movement for times tables and patterns.
• Form Drawing: Straight and curved lines; symmetry and balance to support writing and spatial awareness.
• Nature/Science: Nature walks; seasonal changes; festivals; introduction to the local landscape and animals.
• Arts: Crayon drawing, watercolor painting, beeswax modeling, seasonal crafts.
• Music: Pentatonic songs; clapping games; mood of the fifth; pentatonic flute.
• Movement: Circle games; nature walks; rhythmic movement; Eurythmy.
• Handwork: Finger knitting and introduction to knitting with needles using natural fibers.

• Foreign Language:Two foreign languages will be offered starting in grade 1 such as German, Spanish, French, and, or Sign Language.

Grade 2

In second grade, the child begins to see the world in terms of contrast and polarity—between the noble and mischievous, the heroic and the flawed. The curriculum mirrors this developmental phase through animal fables and stories of saints and heroes, offering both moral reflection and humor. The academic program builds upon first grade with greater complexity and independence.

Theme: Polarity in the World; The Noble and the Mischievous

• Language Arts: Fables and legends of saints; introduce punctuation, spelling patterns, and parts of speech. Strengthen phonics and word families.
• Mathematics: Deepen understanding of four processes; place value; carrying and borrowing; continue rhythmic times tables.
• Form Drawing: Mirroring and symmetry; dynamic curves and crossings.
• Nature/Science: Continue observation of animals and plants; introduce gardening; connections to animal fables.
• Arts: Watercolor painting; beeswax modeling of animal forms; illustration of fables.
• Music: Pentatonic flute; folk songs and simple rounds; rhythm games.
• Movement: Eurythmy with animal and saint imagery; games of cooperation and rhythm.
• Handwork: Crocheting simple forms and creating practical items.

• Foreign Language: Students experience foreign languages through stories, games, and songs.

Grade 3

The nine-year change marks a deep inner shift as the child awakens to a new sense of individuality and separation from the world. In response, the curriculum becomes grounded in practical life: farming, building, clothing, and food. Through this immersion in human tasks, students develop confidence and capability while strengthening their academic skills.

Theme: The Child in the World; Practical Life and Selfhood

• Language Arts: Hebrew Bible stories; cursive writing; expanded grammar and composition; introduce paragraph structure.
• Mathematics: Measurement (length, volume, weight, time); money; deeper work in place value and long arithmetic.
• Form Drawing: Rotational symmetry; woven forms; transitions from form to cursive writing.
• Nature/Science: Farming, house building, clothing and shelter around the world; hands-on projects; gardening.
• Arts: Watercolor painting; simple perspective; practical drawing and construction.
• Music: Transition to diatonic flute; singing with simple harmonies.
• Movement: Practical skills; Eurythmy reflecting themes of work and effort.
• Handwork: Sewing and weaving projects; making dolls or useful household items.
• Foreign Language: Students continue to experience foreign languages through stories, games, and songs.

Grade 4

Fourth grade students stand at a turning point in their development, growing in confidence yet confronting the tension of separation and independence. This is a year of exploring boundaries—geographical, personal, and social. Norse mythology, local geography, and animal studies offer archetypes and structure as children navigate the complexity of their inner and outer worlds.

Theme: Awakening Individuality; Exploring Boundaries

• Language Arts: Norse mythology; grammar, punctuation, spelling; composition and personal voice in writing; research projects.
• Mathematics: Fractions introduced through imaginative stories and real-life applications; long division.
• Form Drawing: Complex interlacing patterns and animal forms.
• Nature/Science: Local geography and California history; animal studies and physiology.
• Arts: Perspective drawing; watercolor layering; Nordic motifs.
• Music: Singing in rounds and parts; instrumental ensemble work.
• Movement: Cooperative and individual games; Eurythmy with Celtic/Norse themes.
• Handwork: Cross-stitch; simple embroidery projects connected to animal studies
• Foreign Language: Foreign language work deepens as fluency grows, children experience cultural traditions, games, songs, and food.

Grade 5

Fifth grade is often seen as a time of balance and grace, as the child stands poised before adolescence. The curriculum reflects this harmony with the study of ancient civilizations, botany, and geometry—subjects that embody beauty, form, and order. Students deepen their sense of cultural identity and historical progression while continuing to refine academic capacities.

Theme: Harmony and Balance; Cultural Roots of Civilization

• Language Arts: Ancient India, Persia, Egypt, Greece; narrative writing; grammar refinement; beginning essays and speeches.
• Mathematics: Decimals; introduction to geometry through compass and straightedge; nature of number.
• Nature/Science: Botany; plant classification and observation; native and cultivated plants.
• Geography: North American geography; landforms and peoples.
• Arts: Geometric drawing; Greek art styles; watercolor and pastel.
• Music: Continued string and wind instruments; ensemble skills.
• Movement: Greek pentathlon; Eurythmy exploring balance and form.
• Handwork: Knitting socks; beginning handwork with patterns and symmetry.

• Foreign Languages: Work continues to deepen in complexity as fluency grows.

Grade 6

As students enter puberty, their thinking becomes more analytic and their desire to understand cause and effect increases. The Roman world—with its laws, engineering, and societal structures—meets this developmental stage with clarity and purpose. The curriculum introduces formal scientific observation and geometric reasoning, mirroring the child’s growing need for logic and order.

Theme: Cause and Effect; The Roman Mind and Earthly Order

• Language Arts: Roman history; advanced grammar and composition; persuasive writing; biographies.
• Mathematics: Business math (interest, percentages); ratio and proportion; geometric drawing and area.
• Science: Geology and mineralogy; beginning physics (light, sound, heat); observational experiments.
• Geography/History: Roman Empire; early European and Middle Eastern history.
• Arts: Black-and-white drawing; clay sculpture of Roman forms.
• Music: Complex ensemble work; theory and composition.
• Movement: Team sports; Eurythmy with Roman and form themes.
• Handwork: Patterned hand-sewing and embroidery; leatherwork or clay work.
• Foreign Languages: Students begin to use their command of languages to express themselves in writing and conversation.

Grade 7

The seventh-grade student is filled with curiosity, idealism, and the stirrings of individuality. The Renaissance—with its spirit of exploration and human inquiry—mirrors this expansive phase. Students are invited to stretch beyond previous boundaries in both thought and creative expression, embracing subjects that challenge and inspire a more nuanced understanding of the world.

Theme: Exploration and Invention; Renaissance to the Age of Discovery

• Language Arts: Renaissance biographies; creative and analytical writing; poetry and journal writing.
• Mathematics: Algebraic thinking; formula use; perspective geometry.
• Science: Physics (mechanics); chemistry (combustion); physiology and health.
• Geography/History: World geography; exploration; colonial histories.
• Arts: Perspective drawing; portraiture; Renaissance techniques.
• Music: Vocal and instrumental ensemble; musical composition.
• Movement: Structured athletics; Eurythmy with expressive gesture.
• Handwork: Sewing garments; woodworking with tools.
• Foreign Languages: Students have opportunities to visit places where they can use their language skills and support the learning of younger students.

Grade 8

Eighth grade marks the culmination of the lower school journey, as students prepare to cross the threshold into high school. The curriculum reflects the quest for identity and social understanding through studies of revolution, human anatomy, and the modern world. With deepening critical thinking and expressive skills, students are encouraged to take ownership of their learning and envision their role in the world.

Theme: Revolution and Independence; the Modern World

• Language Arts: American and world revolutions; literary analysis; essay and thesis writing.
• Mathematics: Algebra I; geometry; review of arithmetic concepts in context.
• Science: Physics (electricity, magnetism); chemistry (food and fermentation); human anatomy.
• History/Geography: American history and civics; industrialization; global perspectives.
• Arts: Drawing and painting with realism; final projects.
• Music: Advanced ensemble work; solos; composing and performing original works.
• Movement: Team sports; dramatic Eurythmy; final performance projects.
• Handwork: Completion of multi-step projects; student-directed craft or invention.
• Foreign Languages: In this capstone year, students demonstrate their command of both languages learned in presentations and projects.

Support Northstar Waldorf on June 10th!

Join us at the North Star Charter Petition Hearing to show your support for our proposed charter!

Encinitas Union School District office.
June 10th at 6pm
101 S. Rancho Santa Fe Rd, Encinitas CA 92024

We look forward to seeing you!

Warmly,
Melissa Nilsen Ph.D.
Lead petitioner, North Star Waldorf Academy

Interested in Enrolling Your Child? Let us know!