Fifth Grade Curriculum / Resources

We are using a variety of materials for our home education. I have always been quite dedicated to the Waldorf approach, but also appreciate other methods as well. For instance, Charlotte Mason's approach was designed specifically for home education, and I have found much of her approach not only blends well with Waldorf but also works well for us. I am also doing much in-depth research on Classical Education. Interestingly, this has sent me straight to Steiner for more in-depth research! Studying the history of CE (as opposed to simply neo-CE) has helped me to understand the entire history of education and how (and perhaps why) the various methods came about.

• Cradle Tales of Hinduism, Nivedita -- for much of our India block -- especially the stories of Krishna
  
• Notes from attending Rudolf Steiner College weeklong course: "The Art of Teaching Grade 5"
• Ancient Mythlogies, Charles Kovacs
• Recorder by Peter Gelling -- for use with our C-flutes; this is a very nice music book as it gives lots of music theory. It also has a number of nice duets -- great for home schoolers! But if you are using a C-flute, be sure to use the fingering chart that comes with the C-flute (diatonic).
• "Botany" by Donna Simmons
  
• Key to Decimals
• Key to Fractions (began in 4th grade; completed during 1st sem. of 5th grade)
• Live Education!
• The Children's Material -- A Complete "Miracles" Course for Children, Bette Jean Cundiff; we use this as our "spiritual works" material, a la Charlotte Mason, reading it typically at the breakfast or dinner table.
  
• The "Write" Approach Book 1 -- Form Drawing for Better Handwriting by Joen Gladich and Paula A. Sassi; we are revisiting this book to help improve fluidity of handwriting; we originally used it in Grade 3 for many weeks before introducing the Vimala alphabet
• A Greek Alphabetarion and A Greek Hupogrammon both by Harvey Bluedorn. Yes we are learning the Greek alphabet and basic Ancient Greek! I know you will not find this subject on many Waldorf curriculum lists. However, my research of CE drove me deeper into Steiner and I found that at the first Waldorf school(s), Greek and Latin were indeed taught! Through my study of CE, I have found many, many good reasons to teach these languages. My plan is to begin Greek this year, since we will be encountering Ancient Greek mythology soon and Latin next year. And by the way, the old Waldorf curriculum wall chart does indicate Greek and Latin. Does anyone know of any Waldorf schools teaching these? I think I only found one in the states. If so, please let me know!
  

The above are mostly our Waldorf-inspired curriculum choices. The following are our literature selections -- I suppose they can be called "Charlotte Mason" selections or simply "free reading." These I read to my son.

Heidi
A Christmas Carol (well we didn't actually finish it and it is rather challenging, but we will read it again next year and hopefully see the play)
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

On his own this year, he has read Harry Potter books 1-3 (saving the others until he is a bit older) and is currently reading Farmer Boy.

Other selections from our loosely CM piece of home education:
The Story Book of Science, Jean Henri Fabre (I read; he narrates back)
By Pond and River, A. Buckley (my son reads this aloud and narrates it back)
Home Geography for Primary Grades, by C.C. Long; I originally found this at Project Gutenburg, but click here to see & download a PDF including original illustrations and cover. My son has enjoyed this book very much and it would make a lot of sense to use it in fourth grade as well. I think you will find the opening section written "To the Teacher," to ring of Waldorf ideas and approaches to this subject. (I read; he narrates)

Geometry and Integrating Subjects

We are thoroughly enjoying our first geometry block! We are using LE Geometry and finding it an inspiring, intriguing approach. Today, we did an interesting activity drawing first two parallel lines. As soon as I find the camera, I will post a picture.

Using Rudolf Steiner's idea of economy in teaching, we are pulling spelling words from the Geometry lessons. Here is a partial list of words from the last week or two:

geometry
triangle
Euclid
scalene
right
angle
isosceles
equal
equilateral
obtuse
parallel

We now have shorter Main Lessons, integrating a bit Charlotte Mason style. So instead of belaboring whether and what and how much writing to do each day, I simply set the timer for 15-20 minutes and "copywork" (or dictation) may or may not be related to Main Lesson, especially since we are currently in a math block. So for instance, my son has written a couple of passages that are related to this block (one on Euclid and one on the 3-4-5 triangle). On other days, to keep the writing practice going, I will pull a particularly beautiful passage from one of the books we have recently read, or maybe from a poem.

The more I read directly from Steiner, the more I am encouraged. When he spoke of "economy" of teaching, I do not think he meant for this to be as labor intensive as we often make it!

I am finding some of what "Steiner said" to be startling!! -- in a good way. In future posts, I will share some of my discoveries. In the meantime, I highly recommend Practical Advice to Teachers, and The Kingdom of Childhood.

Our Advent Spiral

Our home education group, W.I.S.H. (Waldorf-Inspired Sacramento Homeschoolers) celebrated our 5th annual Advent Spiral Sunday, December 9. We held the event at the Sacramento Yoga Center where I am a part-time instructor. The room was spacious and nearly square, creating an ideal setting for our gathering.

This year, we decided that the older children could help be the "keepers of the magic" and so they participated in setting the room. To protect the floor, we first laid down large canvas painters' drop cloths, and covered them with white sheets. We then found the center and marked it with a stool. We built the spiral from the outside with freshly cut evergreens. After laying a basic spiral path, we added more greens. Then we placed beautiful, large shells, crystals and stones along the path near the greenery. Finally, cut-out golden stars (made of thick cardstock; check your local craft store) were strategically placed along the spiral where the children would later set their candles.

After cleaning up the left over greens, we placed chairs around the perimeter along with folded yoga blankets for the children to sit upon the floor. The room was completely dark except for the one large candle at the center of the circle on the low stool. All entered the room quietly while my son played a gentle advent song on the pentatonic harp. (He's a big 5th grader now!) After all were seated, we sang a simple song that our family learned from Ananda years ago: "Give me a Light to light my way; Truth is a Light so wise men say." This helped to further set the hushed mood. Then I read a simple Advent story.

Our Angel, the oldest girl in our group -- now almost 13! -- was the first to walk the spiral. As each child walked, we sang another simple song: "Johnny is walking to get his little light. All the stars are watching him by day and by night. (lights candle) Now he has his little light and his face is shining bright. Carefully he's walking home to keep it by his side." This year we were quite spontaneous and rather than letting all the children walk first, some of the adults walked in between the times of the children. Rather than singing, my son resumed playing the harp for the adults. This created a nice balance between voice and instrument to accompany the walking.

Afterwards, we sang the "Give me a Light" song for a few more rounds before everyone quietly left the beautifully lit up room. After all had exited, our Angel brought the apple-candles out so that everyone could take one home.

One of our moms graciously prepared the apple candle-holders. This is a simple project. All you need are some beautiful red apples and short candles. The white 4" emergency candles work well. Just cut into the core/stem section of the apple enough to insert the base of the candle. Each child holds his apple/candle and walks the spiral to the center Light. After lighting his candle, he walks back out of the spiral, bringing his light and finding his star on which he places his apple/candle. Slowly the entire room lights up!

We have also done this event outdoors and I have found that it works beautifully out-of-doors as well. In some ways it is easier to do this outdoors because there you have an advent garden growing (in a spiral shape, perhaps some herbs). You can always add more greens. The nice thing is you do not have to worry about cleaning up everything right afterwards. You can simply leave the greens in place and everyone can quietly leave the beautiful scene. Of course, someone needs to stay behind to release the candles!

Blessings on this last week of Advent! You can also keep a simple Advent Wreath in your home the four weeks before Christmas. The first week, light just one candle; the second week, two and so on. Here is a little verse that you can say to accompany the lighting of the candles. Starting with the first week, display your precious crystals, shells; the second week, small plants or flowers; the third week, carved animal shapes, etc.

The first light of Advent is the light of stones.
Stones that live in crystals, seashells, and bones.

The second light of Advent is the light of plants;
Plants that reach up to the sun and in the breezes dance.

The third light of Advent is the light of beasts;
Swimming, flying, leaping, running . . . the greatest to the least.

The fourth light of Advent is the light of Man;
The light of hope that we may learn to love and understand.

Blessings on your Advent season. Enjoy this special time!

"Spiritual Works"

It's been about a month now and things are going well. I have *tweaked* our schedule several times and think we have working pretty well. Noah is enjoying the short lessons, especially when it comes to some of the things he has had resistance to, such as writing. He is also enjoying all the extra reading that he gets to hear.

Charlotte Mason was a Christian woman who believed in training the child in spiritual and moral values (not unlike Rudolf Steiner!). In her school schedule, reading from the Bible was pretty much a daily occurrence. Now, I do not have anything against the bible. I just think that my son may get more out of it when he is a little older. Besides, as this is third grade, the Old Testament stories are already a part of the curriculum and he is getting plenty of nourishment from them.

However, I still liked the idea of having a reading period dedicated to "Spiritual Works," but it had to be something that the child can relate to. So I searched my bookshelves. In our spiritual life, we value the teachings of masters from both the East and the West, and most especially, the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda who sought to show the unity of all religions. So, I found a book on my shelf called The Flawless Mirror, by Kamala, one of PY's early disciples. It is written in a beautiful, easy-to-read narrative style, telling of many of PY's lectures, travels, and correspondence with Kamala in the 20s and 30s. What's more, she mentions many places that my son has been to such as Santa Barbara and Pismo Beach, which makes it all the more relative to him. There are passages, I know, that go "above" him, about some of the loftier spiritual goals. However, as I was reading recently of R. Steiner, that it is good for them to not "get" everything we bring -- that it will still go in -- and then later in life it will be there when needed, or called into consciousness. Noah enjoys these stories of Swami. I think next we may read the book about his childhood.

New Year, New Day, New thoughts

Wow! Finally, I have a blog! I have been wanting to do this for some time.

And as a homeschooling mom, it comes at an interesting time -- I am in the process of 'revamping' our homeschooling approach. For the past three and a half years, we have taken a primarily Waldorf-inspired approach. Overtime, I have gained an appreciation of unschooling and made a conscious choice to do 'structured' schooling just three mornings a week.

Now, however, I am in the process of integrating much more of a Charlotte Mason approach to our homeschooling. I read lots of CM material when we first came to the idea of homeschooling about five years ago. I was intrigued with the similarities to Waldorf ideas.

So why am I making the change now, in my son's 3rd grade year? Noah seems to be getting fatigued with the longer, main lesson approach -- you know the body language: laying all over the desk, etc. I am hoping that the switch to shorter lessons will have a positive effect.

The other attraction to CM is, of course, all of the great literature. It seems like a natural fit for us since Noah's favorite thing to do is curl up while I read to him. And, I absolutely LOVE literature. There are SO many good books and although we are 'always' reading great books, I think the CM approach will give us so much more.

My plan is to keep the Waldorf elements that I love and think are key: form drawing, watercolor painting, singing, music (recorder and violin) and handwork. We will still keep a main lesson theme for a block of time, but shorten the length quite a bit. And of course, there is a lot of crossover; for instance, in the use of poetry and narration.

Since I'm a big believer in 'down' time for children -- allowing them to simply 'be' -- I'll make sure Noah still has plenty of time for free play and to enjoy his own pursuits.

As the plan unfolds (and reality sets in -- which it always does!), I will continue to share.