Waldorf Grade 6

In sixth grade, the 11/12 year-old is usually beginning to experience the onset of puberty. Growth happens at an increasingly rapid rate and the child often goes through a time of alarm, not recognizing who he or she is anymore. Just as a single example, somewhere during the time of puberty a girl’s larynx grows to three times its original size and a boy’s, seven times its original size. This growth rate will never be repeated in the life span of human development.

Along with this physical growth comes a wonderful burst of new capacities of judgement. Sixth graders can be very fine company, capable of interesting insight and discussion. However, it is important to keep in mind that they are still children. Rome is the literary/cultural focus of the curriculum in grade 6. Lawfulness becomes an important anchor for the sixth grader. Clear structure, consequences for law breaking, and contracts for increasing responsibility are the best for helping a child through the difficult range of feelings that burst forth at this age. Keeping the child energetically concentrated on the work of learning is therapeutic and teaches the child that work helps tangled feelings move forward and lighten. To listen sympathetically to the upsets inevitable at this time, and then to re-focus on work to be done constitutes good practice for these youngsters. They are relying on adults for this. “Contracts toward increasing responsibility,” is a good “slogan” for sixth graders: once work is completed, negotiations and privileges can begin!
Download a PDF of Grade 6 Book Recommendations

For Waldorf Teachers and Parents

A Handbook for Waldorf Class Teachers Kevin Avison
Awakening Intelligence Magda Lisseau
Evaluation, Homework, and Teacher’s Support David Mitchell, ed.
Finding Your Self Torin Finser
From Images to Thinking David Mitchell, ed.
Growing Up Healthy in a World of Digital Media Michaela Glöckler
Immersion Learning: A Travelogue Frans Lutters
Leaving Room for the Angels Reg Down
Rubicon Monica Ruef and Rudolf Steiner
Second Grade Development, Observation and Assessment Else Gottgens (Though titled, “second grade” it can be useful, in sections, for assessing at any age)
Solving the Riddle of the Child Christof Wiechert
Tapestry of a Waldorf Curriculum Tobias Richer
Tending the Spark Betty Staley
The Waldorf Main Lesson Eric G. Müller
The Temperaments and the Arts Magda Lissau
Working with Anxious, Nervous, and Depressed Children Henning Koehler and Joseph Baily

For Curriculum Development in Waldorf Grade 6:

Mathematics and Geometry in Waldorf Grade 6

Making Math Meaningful A 6th Grade Workbook Jaimie York
Mensuration Amos Franceschelli
The Waldorf Approach to Arithmetic
 Herman von Baravalle
Teaching Mathematics in Rudolf Steiner Schools  Ron Jarman
Triangle, Circle, and Soul  Harry Kretz
 

Language Arts in Waldorf Grade 6

An English Grammar Rudolf Schmid
An English Manual Dorothy Harrer
Fire the Imagination — Write On!  Dorit Winter
Red Tape Holds Up New Bridge Gloria Cooper
Spelling by Hand Jeremy Herrmann
Teaching Language Arts in a Waldorf School Roberto Trostli, ed.
The Power of Grammar Anne Greer
 
History in Waldorf Grade 6
Ancient Mythologies: India, Persia, Babylon, Egypt Charles Kovacs
Ancient Rome Charles Kovacs
On Teaching History Henry Barnes
Roman Lives Dorothy Harrer (a great resource, written as a reader for sixth grades)
Teaching History Christof Lindenberg
The Book of the Ancient Romans Dorothy Mills
The Revelations of Evolutionary Events Evelyn Debusschere
 
Science in Waldorf Grade 6
A Phenomena-Based Physics Manfred von Mackensen
Sensible Physics Teaching Stephen Edelglass and Michael D’Aleo
Sky Phenomena, A Guide to Naked Eye Observation of the Stars Norman Davidson
The Bee Book Jakob Streit
The Stars: A New Way to See Them H. A. Rey
 
Geography in Waldorf Grade 6
Earth Science Hans Ulrich Schmutz
Longitude Dava Sobel
Man in Nature Carl Sauer
 
Music and Recorder in Waldorf Grade 6
 
Drama and the Class Play in Waldorf Grade 6
25 Plays Inspired by Waldorf Teachers David Mitchell, ed.
Eureka! The Life and Times of Archimedes John Trevillion and Jeffrey Spade
Hawthorne Valley Harvest William Ward, ed.
Pedagogical Theater Arthur Pittis
Three Plays for Small Classes Vivian Jones-Schmidt
 
Art in Waldorf Grade 6
Creative Pathways Elizabeth Auer
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For Meeting Children’s Needs in the Grade 6 Waldorf Classroom

Developing the Observing Eye Cynthia Lange
Difficult Children: There Is No Such Thing Henning Koehler and Joseph Bailey
Educating the Will Michael Howard
Helping Children on Their Way Elizabeth Auer
Learning about the World through Modeling Arthur Auer
Observing the Class Observing the Children David Mitchell, ed.
Raphael: The Mysteries of Illness and Healing Michaela Glöckler, M.D.
The Four Temperaments Helmut Eller
Will-Developed Intelligence Patricia Livingston and David Mitchell
Working with Anxious, Nervous, and Depressed Children Henning Koehler and Joseph Baily

Readers for Waldorf Sixth Graders

A Light in the Forest Conrad Richter
Anything by the author Gary Paulson
Anything by the author Rosemary Sutcliff
Buzzy and the River Rats, volumes I, II, and III  John Hoffman
Geron and Virtus Jakob Streit
I Marched with Hannibal Hans Bauann
Little Bee Sunbeam Jakob Streit
Lost on a Mountain in Maine Donn Fendler
*Men of Iron Howard Pyle and anything by this author (Robin Hood, King Arthur
Old Yeller  Fred Gipson and Steven Polson
*Sir Nigel Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Bee Book Jakob Streit
The Bronze Bow Elizabeth George Speare (Helen Keller’s Teacher)
The Call of the Wild Jack London
The Invisible Boat Eric Müller
The Invisible Boat and the Molton Dragon Eric Müller
The Star Rider and Anna McLoon re-told by Jakob Streit
The Witch of Blackbird Pond Elizabeth George Speare
*Where the Red Fern Grows Wilson Rawls
*Especially good for reading aloud
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For Parents of Waldorf Sixth Graders

Adventures in Parenting Rachel Ross
Assessment for Learning in Waldorf Classrooms Sara Ciborski & Helen-Ann Ireland
Child Development at a Glance Christian Breme
Into the World: How Waldorf Graduates Fare after High School, Douglas Gerwin, Ilan Safit, ed
Parent Participation in the Life of a Waldorf School Manfred Liest
Partnerships of Hope Christopher Schaefer
Rubicon Rudolf Steiner/Monica
The Wisdom of Waldorf Education for the Future Rahima Baldwin
Trailing Clouds of Glory Douglas Gerwin
Waldorf Education: An Introduction Henry Barnes
Windows into Waldorf  David Mitchell