Uprightness, Weight and Balance

Uprightness, Weight and Balance: Human Biology in Grade Eight
by Manfred von Mackensen, Claudia Allgöwer, and Andreas Bielfeld-Ackermann

This richly conceived curriculum guide invites eighth-grade teachers to explore the human form as a manifestation of physical forces shaped meaningfully by the world. Through an experiential and conceptual study of the human body—especially the foot, hip, spine, and skull—students come to see how weight, structure, and motion are woven into human uprightness. Designed in accordance with Rudolf Steiner’s indications, the book offers a detailed main lesson that moves from observation and activity to reflection and understanding. It fosters a reverent scientific inquiry rooted in the rhythms of Waldorf teaching: two-day learning cycles, embodied cognition, and living thinking. Teachers will find in these pages practical investigations, anatomical illustrations, developmental context, and guiding questions that deepen both student learning and pedagogical purpose. A valuable resource for any Waldorf educator preparing to bring the wonders of human biology to life in grade eight.

Waldorf Publications
ISBN 1-888365-53-6
92 pages
7 X 9 inches