Fifth Grade: The Golden Year

Fifth-grade students are developing confidence in academics, art, and movement. They are also becoming more socially adept and building character as they meet the demands of approaching adolescence. Lessons are based around the ancient civilizations of India, Persia, Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Greece, which serve as models for the students in their embrace of individual excellence and group collaboration toward common goals. In the spring, our Fifth Graders participate in a Greek Pentathlon with Fifth-grade students from other Waldorf schools. The games are held in a spirit of truth and beauty, as were the ancient Greek competitions.

Fifth Grade marks an important transition from mythology to history. Fifth Graders learn the geography of the North American continent, freehand geometry, factoring, and decimals. In science, they study botany, comprehending the inter-relatedness of life and environment. In language arts, students continue to build on their skills in grammar, reading, and writing. Students’ faculty for comprehension is growing, along with their capacities for understanding abstract concepts.

Learn how diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice are woven into our curriculum.