The New Village School in Sausalito, Waldorf-Inspired, Screen-Free | Elementary School
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Third Grade

Third Grade

Around the age of nine years is the culmination of the first phase in human development, where the child moves out of the symbiosis with the parent world and begins to develop a stronger sense of their own individuality. This stage is described by Rudolf Steiner as “the nine-year change”. At this time, deep questions like “Where did I come from and how did it all begin? What is my place in life?” begin to awaken in the child. In order to find an echo for these questions, creation stories from all over the world are shared offering deeply poetic and imaginative responses to how the world began and what makes life on earth possible. The children are deeply satisfied in being allowed to become stewards of the earth. They work in the garden, care for animals, cook meals, make clothing, build shelters, and learn about measurements and time. In this way, we could say that they “finally land on earth”, acquiring a grounded sense of place, meaning and belonging.


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Humanities:

  • Creation stories from around the world
  • Settling and Farming
  • Fibers and Clothing
  • Measurements block - liner, weight, volume, time, money
  • Indigenous Shelters and Dwellings block. This block concludes with a project to research and build a miniature shelter of their choosing and present to parents and classmates

Language Arts:

  • Introduction to the parts of speech: nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs
  • Reading comprehension and writing practice
  • Cursive writing practice
  • Class Play

Mathematics:

  • Math games and mental math practiced daily
  • Long division and multiplication practice
  • Expanding place value use - addition and subtraction practice
  • Measurements: liner, weight, volume, time, money

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Science:

  • Study of farming, animal husbandry, the cycle of the year, growing season, composting (cold, hot, and worm composting), and crop rotation, all paired with experiential lessons on our farm in Novato

Form Drawing:

  • Continues to be practiced in more complexity to prepare children for geometry and offers a sense of sacredness to forms which they experience in the natural world

Spanish & World Language:

  • Songs, verses games, and oral lessons used to develop comprehension and speaking
  • Complex commands practiced and use of complete sentences

Handwork:

  • Learn to crochet to make a scarf followed by a hat. Learn to embroider to make a nap with design

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Woodwork:

  • Projects: fork and salad server along with class building project in the school garden such as tables, benches, a small playhouse

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Travel:

  • One night camping trip in beautiful redwoods or school farm. For some this is the first overnight away from parents and led by teachers the 3rd graders love and trust

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