The Curriculum of the Steiner School - Class 3

Notes and Lesson Plans

Third Grade
updated August 27, 2023


Recorded here is my own personal collection of articles, resources, favorite links, teaching ideas, and lesson plans. It encompasses many years, from the very beginning of my experience studying and learning about Waldorf to the present time. People from all around the world visit my site and recommend it to others. Welcome!

This site records my journey. I hope my honesty is encouraging and helps break down some barriers that may prevent people from trying Waldorf methods. Because this is an ongoing site documenting my curriculum planning and ideas, some materials are more Waldorf-y than others. Please feel free to take what you like and leave the rest.



Class Three in Waldorf Education

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Third Grade Immersive Experience

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Notes on Schedule of Main Lesson Blocks

Everyone does it differently, and you don't have to think of the main lesson topics as "subjects" because many of them are interdisciplinary. I labeled them to the left but it is a bit arbitrary.

However, I find it helpful to give them rough categories so that I can be sure we are balanced in the kinds of thinking we practice throughout the school year.

Each discipline has different habits of mind, and I like to rotate between them. Alan Whitehead suggests this, although he suggests using three-week long blocks. We do a nine month school year with month-long blocks: two blocks of each subject plus a class play each year.

The Old Testament Stories could be considered Language Arts or Cultural. Topics like Fibers & Clothing and Housebuilding could be considered Science or Cultural. If you incorporate a look at the biomes of the world into Housebuilding, you are definitely giving it a Science slant. Likewise, if you are raising silkworms in the classroom or at home for the Fibers block. It's a rich year!

Some people incorporate their Grammar study into the first block of Old Testament Stories (the creation of things being a good time to talk about nouns), but I prefer to give Spelling & Grammar an entire block because we use this time to introduce the Montessori Grammar symbols and to begin Structured Word Inquiry. Both of these are an excellent fit with Waldorf.

Perhaps you might consider an order like this...
Old Testament I; Baking (Time, Temperature, Weight & Volume); Spelling & Grammar; Housebuilding; Old Testament II; Currency; Fibers & Clothing; Old Testament III; Farming & Gardening (Linear Measurement)


A Peek into the Classroom

Morning Verse for Lower Grades

Gallery of Chalkboard Drawings in the Waldorf Classroom grades 1 - 8

Waldorf/Steiner Main Lessons and Main Lesson Blocks VERY helpful article
from the Sophia Institute Online Waldorf Teacher Training program

  • The Main Lesson - Principles and Features
  • The Main Lesson - Structure
  • The Main Lesson - Rhythm
  • The Main Lesson - Planning a Main Lesson Block
  • Sample Template for Waldorf/Steiner Main Lesson Block


samples from the revised Third Grade Curriculum by Live Education!

    Sundial
    from Time, Measure, Form Drawing, and Money
    formerly called Time, Weight, Measure and Money - The Math of Practical Life

    Writing Letters
    from Grammar, Spelling, Proverbs, and Riddles
    formerly called Literature, Grammar, Spelling, and Word Families

    Marduk, Slayer of the Dragon
    from Stories from the Cradle of Civilization: Sumer and Akkad
    formerly called Myths and Culture of Akkad and Sumer


    there were originally two books on the Old Testament Stories
    Hebrew Myths and Culture - Creation and Patriarchs
    Hebrew Myths and Culture - Prophets and Kings

    they have been combined into one

    Painting the Six Days of Creation from Genesis
    from Stories from the Cradle of Civilization: The Hebrews

    the sample lesson "Learning to Write Hebrew in Five Lessons" has been removed


    the book Humanity on Earth - Shelter, Clothing, Farming has been divided up into three

    Earthen Dwellings: Adobe
    from Humanity on Earth: Dwellings and Housebuilding

    Rice
    from Humanity on Earth: Food and Farming

    Felting
    from Humanity on Earth: Fiber, Fur, Fullers and Weavers


Ruzuku Stand-Alone Courses

Why Ruzuku Courses?

My Professional Background

Third Grade Main Lesson Block Planning


Farming & Gardening

$30.00

Fibers & Clothing

$30.00

Grammar 3/4

$30.00

Housebuilding

$30.00


How to Teach Spelling
Grades 1 - 8

$65.00

Maths of Practical Life

$30.00


Place Value 2/3

$30.00

note that ALL of these courses are included in the Immersive Experience


General Waldorf Resources

The Education of the Child in the Light of Anthroposophy
article by Rudolf Steiner

How To Create, Tell, and Recall a Story

Four Ways to Connect with Storytelling
blog post - Simplicity Parenting

Overview of Childhood Characteristics - includes the four temperaments
article by David Mitchell

Blackboard Sketching book by Frederick Whitney (1908)
available online for free - with step by step directions and illustrations

How to Bind a Main Lesson Book

Main Lesson Book pages shared by Christopherus Homeschool Resources

browse through my collection of Pinterest Boards
with chalkboard drawings and main lesson book pages for many main lesson blocks

Movement for Childhood - wonderful site!

Waldorf Today Newsletter
very interesting & free weekly newsletter sent via email each Monday

Block Rotations Grades 1 - 8 (PDF)
by Jamie York

Summary of Math Skills for Grades 1 through 8 (PDF)
by Jamie York

A Grades 1 through 8 Math Curriculum Overview (PDF)
by Jamie York

Word Problems in Grades 1 through 8 (PDF)
by Jamie York

Jamie York has a BUNCH of free resources on his site including sample math MLB pages for grades 1-11, and lesson plans and assessments for grades 1-5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12.

Waldorf Science Newsletter - issues available in PDF format
page 13 of Vol.1 has a Science Curriculum in the Waldorf School Grades 1-8 overview / one page handout, and page 14 has the same for the Waldorf High School Grades 9-12

World Geography and Waldorf Education
blog post - Switzerite

When Should My Child Begin Music Lessons?
article by Sarah Baldwin

The Spiritual Gifts of Handwork
blog post - Knitting with Children

"Foundations of Waldorf Education" Series Notes
FREE links to all 25 volumes in this series of educational writings by Rudolf Steiner

DO NOT MISS The Online Waldorf Library's tremendous selection of Waldorf education books converted into PDFs and available for FREE download! You can literally save $1000's of dollars!


Curriculum Planning



Little Bluestem Homeschool Co-op
2018-2019

This was the main lesson block plan for our combined 3rd/4th grades:

    September - Local History & Geography

    October - Spelling & Grammar (Structured Word Inquiry, Montessori Grammar symbols)

    November - Maths of Practical Life (Time, Temperature, Mass & Volume)

    December - Class Play (Great Artists: "The Fantastic Art Show")

    January - Zoology I

    February - Tall Tales (Local Industry)

    March - Fibers & Clothing

    April - Maths of Practical Life (Currency)

    May - Zoology II


Little Bluestem Homeschool Co-op
2019-2020

This was the main lesson block plan for our combined 3rd/4th grades:

    September - Landforms & Water Features

    October - Grammar (Structured Word Inquiry, advanced Montessori Grammar symbols)

    November - Fractions

    December - Class Play (Hawaiian Mythology: "Legends of Hawai'i")

    January - Norse Mythology I

    February - Farming & Gardening

    March - Personal Narratives

    April - Linear Measurement & Coordinate Graphing

    May - Norse Mythology II



Resources & Recommendations Specific to Third Grade


Class Plays


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