Waldorf Grade 3

At age nine, children go through an important shift in their consciousness. It’s the time when they discover that the Tooth Fairy is their parents, there is no Santa Claus, and parents and teachers are flawed.

It is a time when loneliness sets in and the child realizes that she is alone. The Waldorf curriculum comes to support this inevitable consciousness change with rigor in the world of practical skills:  Farming, making clothing, house building, measurement, and cooking. This explains to the students, through experience and building of competence, that they themselves can participate in the adult world and be self-sufficient. Loneliness is thus transformed into independence. The work done can help to make the world more beautiful. Stories remain important to children at this age. Quality literature and engaging tales filled with magic and wonder help the child to feel enchantment. Old Testament Stories are the literature of this age, with some Hebrew learning in the mix. The Patriarchs, Kings, Queens, and Prophets describe the willing, feeling, and thinking to the nine-ear-old.
Download a PDF of the Grade 3 Book Recommendations.
More on Waldorf Grade 3

For Curriculum Development in Waldorf Grade 3

A Journey through Time in Verse and Rhyme Heather Thomas
A Handbook for Steiner-Waldorf Class Teachers Kevin Avison, ed.
Active Arithmetic Henning Andersen
An English Manual Dorothy Harrer
And There Was Light Jakob Streit (also a reader)
Children and Nature, Making Connections George Russell
Immersion Learning: A Travelogue Frans Lutters
Let’s Talk and Play Jane Eliot
Math Lessons for Elementary Grades Dorothy Harrer
Second Grade Development, Observation, and Assessment: Background and Manual Else Gottgens
Spelling by Hand Jeremy Herrmann
Teaching Science through the Grades David Mitchell, ed.
The Waldorf Main Lesson Eric G. Müller
To Grow and Become Rudolf Copple, ed.
We Willl Build a Temple Jakob Streit (also a reader)
What Animals Say to Each Other Jakob Streit
Verses and Poems and Stories to Tell Dorothy Harrer
Voyage in Song and Story Jeannette Resnick  

 

For Artistic Work in Waldorf Grade 3

A Hawthorne Valley Harvest William Ward, ed.
Bare Hand Knitting Aleshanee Akin
Basic Sculptural Modeling Hela Lowe
Creative Form Drawing Rudolf Kutzli
Creative Pathways Elizabeth Auer
Exploring Shapes Creatively Arthur Auer
Learning about the World through Modeling Arthur Auer
Learning to See the World through Drawing Elizabeth Auer
Painting at School Dick Bruin
Pedagogical Theater Arthur Pittis
25 Plays David Mitchell, ed.
Five Plays for Waldorf Festivals Richard Moore
Will Developed Intelligence Patricia Livingston and David Mitchell
Xavier Sings of His Alphabet Friends Mary Lynn Channer

For Meeting Children’s Needs in the Grade 3 Waldorf Classroom

A Healing Education Michaela Glöckler
Child Development and Pedagogical Issues David Mitchell, ed.
Developmental Signatures David Mitchell, ed.
Developing the Observing Eye
Cynthia Lange
Difficult Children: There Is No Such Thing Henning Koehler and Joseph Bailey
Educating the Will Michael Howard
From Images to Thinking David Mitchell, ed.
Growing Up Healthy in a World of Digital Media Michaela Glöckler
Helping Children on Their Way Elizabeth Auer
Helping Children to Overcome Fear Hawthorne Press
Learning about the World through Modeling Arthur Auer
Rubicon Rudolf Steiner & Mona Ruef, ed.
The Four Temperaments Helmuth Eller
The Temperaments and the Arts Magda Lissau
Will-Developed Intelligence Patricia Livingston and David Mitchell
Working with Anxious, Nervous, and Depressed Children Henning Koehler and Joseph Baily

Readers for Waldorf Third Graders

As My Heart Awakes Arthur Pittis
Fee Fi Fum Arthur Pittis
Jonathan and the Tree Gilad Goldschmidt
King Thrushbeard Kelly Morrow
Lazy Jack Kelly Morrow
Liputto Jakob Streit
Little Bee Sunbeam Jakob Streit
Matt McFlack and His Flyaway Kite Kyra Robinov
Puck the Gnome Jakob Streit
Rukia Goes to School Susan Cook
Snip, Snap, Snout Arthur Pittis
Sylvain and Jacosa Kelly Morrow
Tatatuck’s Journey to Crystal Mountain Jakob Streit
The Cricket and the Shepherd Boy, A Christmas Tale Reg Down
The Little Gnome Tender Root Jakob Streit
The Sun with Loving Light Stephen Bloomquist
The Prince and the Dragon Kelly Morrow
When I Hear My Heart Wonder Arthur Pittis

Read Aloud Books for Waldorf Third Graders

Jonathan and the Tree Gilad Goldschmidt
Little Bee Sunbeam Jakob Streit
Tatatuck’s Journey to Crystal Mountain Jakob Streit
The Sun with Loving Light Stephen Bloomquist
To Grow and Become Rudolf Copple, translator and ed.
When I Hear My Heart Wonder
Arthur Pittis

Festivals in the Waldorf Grade 3

Michaelmas David Mitchell, ed.
Traditions: Integrating the Days of Awe and Wonder into the Waldorf Grades Curriculum Erica Jayasuriya
Gazing into the Eyes of the Future: The Enactment of Saint Nicholas in the Waldorf School David Tresemer
Waldorf Education: A Family Guide Pamela Fenner, ed.