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Middle School Grades 6-8

In the sixth, seventh and eighth grade middle school years, the students are met with a rigorous science, math, history and language arts study relevant to their developmental stages.

This is a delicate and powerful time of transition and change in the student’s body and mind.

The curriculum sets a high standard, allowing for the student to most fully engage in their work, ultimately self-directed and self-motivated. Skills of inquiry and reasoning along with moral, social and emotional capacities are cultivated across the disciplines in main lesson blocks such as physics or astronomy; geometry or algebra; and, the study of the fall of Rome, the silk road or the U.S. civil rights movement. A capacity for joy, wonder, and service are instilled in the student so that they may go on to meet the world in their individuality and sense of truth.

In the 6th grade, students are ready to to engage in the world of healthy competition.  The students now benefit from focus on strong competition -- competing to complete one another, where competitors push oneself and one‘s opponent to perform to their best potential. Students in these grades can choose to play basketball or cross country. Grade 6 competes in the Medieval games furthering their precision, power and play. Grade 7 practices orienteering during "The Age of Exploration" along with after school sports,  arts etc... with the focus furthering skill and achievement of power and levity.  Grade 8 culminates the Live Oak Waldorf experience bringing the children to a high level of performance and reward. Options include track and field, sports, and arts including a performance. 

Learn more about our athletic programs  

A typical day in the 6th grade:

  • 8:15 - 10:15 - Main Lesson : The Middle Ages (6 week block)
  • 10:15-10:40 - Snack Recess
  • 10:45-11:30 - Spanish 
  • 11:35-12:20 - Painting
  • 12:20-12:50 - Lunch Recess / 12:55-1:10 - Quiet Time
  • 1:15- 2 - Math/Geometry
  • 2:05 - 2:55 - Cyber Civics
  • 2:55-3:15 - Chores

After school care also available.

Educational Field Trips  Grades 6 - 8 

Field trips are an integral part of the educational experience at Live Oak Waldorf School.   Students become fully immersed in the direct observation and participation in curriculum related topics. The school’s location in the beautiful Sierra Foothills provides an abundance of opportunities to experience lessons directly with trips to a variety of historically and geographically interesting local areas.   Class teachers plan the experiences they feel best support their classes and the lessons. Parents play vital roles as chaperones and organizers. 

Example trips:

Sixth Grade: 

Fall Geology trip to Lassen National Park 
Spring Geology Trip to Yosemite National Park

Seventh Grade: 

Orienteering/Backpacking trip in the Sierra Foothills 
‘Age of Exploration’ trip on a historical tall ship in the San Francisco Bay
Kayaking/Hiking at Point Reyes National Seashore

Eighth Grade: 

Each eighth grade class plans a culminating 7-10 day trip to spend time together before the end of their elementary journey at Live Oak.  Past trips have been made to a variety of destinations including cycling excursions along the California Coast, train travels and service work in the Four Corners area of the Southwest,  paddling adventures on the Eel River and sea-canoeing in Maine.

Crafts Program 6 - 8

Students in the upper grades begin to broaden and delve deeper into their craft studies with blacksmithing, woodworking, and copper smithing.

6th  Grade Curriculum

  • Language Arts - biographies ext. grammar, spelling

  • Mathematics - Precision geometric drawing, business math and economics,  pre-algebra,  proofs

  • Spanish

  • Science - Geology and mineralogy,  physics, astronomy

  • Social Studies - Roman History, Troy, world geography, life of Christ, Crusades, Mohammed, Islam, medieval life

  • Woodworking 

  • Handwork - Sewing

  • Art - Black/white drawing, shadows, landscape paint, color contrast, spectrum

  • Eurythmy

  • Movement

  • Recorder

  • Orchestra/Band

  • Singing/Choir 

  • Gardening

  • Medieval Games

  • Path of Chivalry

7th Grade Curriculum

  • Language Arts - biographies, poetry,  Renais. reformation, 1400- 1700 AD, Arthurian legends

  • Mathematics - Algebra, Pythagorean Theorem, geometric proofs of Euclid 

  • Spanish

  • Science - Physics, chemistry, human physiology, health, nutrition

  • Social Studies - African geography, History I, History II

  • Woodworking 

  • Handwork - Special projects

  • Art - Perspective drawing, emphasis on painting techniques, intro to veil painting, mixed media

  • Eurythmy

  • Movement

  • Recorder

  • Orchestra/Band

  • Singing/Choir

  • Gardening

8th Grade Curriculum

  • Language Arts - The short story and creative writing

  • Mathematics - Intermediate Algebra, 3D geometry - platonic solids, ratios and proportions, the Golden Mean

  • Spanish

  • Science - Physics, organic chemistry, human anatomy, meteorology

  • Social Studies - 1700AD. to modern times, French and American revolutions, US Civil War, American Indian Independence Movement, and Civil Rights Movement

  • Woodworking

  • Handwork - Sewing machine

  • Art - Emphasis on technique, shading, perspective, proportion, comp., accurate rendering

  • Eurythmy

  • Movement

  • Recorder

  • Orchestra/Band

  • Singing/Choir

  • Age of Exploration

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