Elementary Grades 1-5

In these early grades, students' imaginations are strong and their intellectual capacities are blossoming, All subject areas are introduced through experiential and artistic means.

The curriculum in the elementary years presents the history of humanity as it coincides with the development of the child; meeting the child at the right time and the right place of his/her development. Every child, beginning in 1st-grade start their mornings with a 2-hour main lesson block of math, language arts, science, and literature. In addition, every student is required to take Spanish, music, fine art: painting, sculpting and crafting, practical art: blacksmithing, woodworking and handwork, eurythmy, movement and games, and drama. 

With age-appropriate movement exercises, imaginative games, and precise skill development, the Live Oak Waldorf School movement curriculum offers our students the space and opportunity to integrate their senses, to move through developmental challenges, to play joyfully, to meet and move through social challenges, and to practice interacting in an important diversity of roles with their peers.  Grade 1-4 movement class concentrates on the development of individual movement skills and healthy social interactions in the form of games and in use of math and reading skills. 

A typical day in the 2nd grade:

• 8:15 - 10:15 - Main Lesson:  Native Californian Legends (6 week block)
• 10:15-10:40 - Snack Recess
• 10:45-11:30 - Spanish 
• 11:35-12:20 - Math
• 12:20-12:50 - Lunch Recess /  12:55-1:10 - Quiet Time
• 1:15- 2 - Modeling /Art
• 2:05 - 2:55 - Music
• 2:55-3:15 - Chores

After school care also available.

Educational Field Trips Grades 1 -5 

Field trips are an integral part of the educational experience at Live Oak Waldorf School. First and second graders may take several short day trips that correspond to aspects of the curriculum. Beginning in the third grade, classes take overnight field trips that allow the students to become fully immersed in the direct observation and participation in curriculum related topics. 

Looking for private schools in Auburn CA? The school’s location in the beautiful Sierra Foothills near Auburn 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:

Third Grade: 

• Overnight experience on the Live Oak campus 
• Overnight trip to a working organic farm such as Full Belly Farm in the beautiful Capay Valley

Fourth Grade: 

• Trip to Indian Grinding Rock State Park
• Overnight trip to the coast and the Monterey Bay Aquarium
• Overnight Gold Rush immersion trip

Fifth Grade:  

• Overnight Botany trip to Filoli gardens, Mendocino gardens 
• Day trips to museums for ancient civilizations studies                                 

Crafts Program 4 - 5th

4th and 5th grade students begin their craft studies with blacksmithing and woodworking.  Blacksmithing begins in the 4th grade with the building of a forge followed by the second half focusing on woodworking.  In the 5th grade the school year starts out with woodland management: responsibility for what is around and participating as a co-creator. The second half focus is back on woodworking.

Waldorf Curriculum for Grades 1-5 

1st Grade Curriculum

• Language Arts - Introduction to writing,  
• phonics, letters, reading, fairy tales (Grimm’s) 
• Mathematics - 4 processes, quality of #’s, counting, 2,3, 5,10 x tables, Roman & Arabic numerals
• Spanish
• Painting - watercolor, wet on wet
• Form Drawing
• Knitting - simple projects
• Pentatonic Flute
• Music 
• Eurythmy
• Movement
• Gardening

2nd Grade Curriculum

• Language Arts - Extended skills, writing, reading, Fables, Aesop's, Native American stories, Saints and legends
• Mathematics - 4 processes, X tables, column problems, number patterns
• Spanish
• Painting - watercolor, wet on wet
• Form Drawing
• Knitting and Purling
• Pentatonic Flute
• Music
• Eurythmy
• Movement 
• Gardening

3rd Grade Curriculum

• Language Arts - Intro grammar, letter writing, Old Testament stories, Native American stories
• Mathematics - Extending skills, perimetermeasurement, carrying & borrowing, prime #'s, time & money, long division
• Spanish
• Social Studies - Farming, homes, shelter, clothing, fabric, fibers, house building, cooking
• Painting - Watercolor, wet on wet
• Form Drawing
• Crochet & other handwork
• Recorder
• Music
• Eurythmy
• Movement
• Gardening

4th Grade Curriculum

• Language Arts - Grammar, Human being & animal, Norse myths, Kalevala
• Mathematics- Deepening of skills, fractions
• Spanish
• Science - Zoology
• Social Studies - Local history, state history,local geography
• Painting - Watercolor
• Form Drawing- Woven forms
• Cross Stitch
• Recorder
• String Instrument
• Choir
• Blacksmithing / Wood carving
• Eurythmy
• Movement
• Gardening

5th Grade Curriculum

• Language Arts - Extended skills, Stories of ancient cultures
• Greek myths
• Mathematics - Adv. skills, metric sys., decimals, fractions, freehand geometry, averaging area, Pythagorean Theorem
• Spanish
• Science - Botany, Zoology cont.
• Social Studies - Greek history, ancient hist., US geography
• Painting - Watercolor
• Knitting - 4 needle knitting, socks
• Recorder
• Orchestra
• Choir
• Woodwork
• Eurythmy
• Movement
• Gardening