Class 5 News

Class 5 is such a rich year of story, history, and curriculum. As such, we rarely will finish our Main Lesson within the allotted time so most lessons will spill over into practise sessions of the future weeks. We wrapped up Decimals this week, are nearly done with Botany, and have just begun our study of Ancient Egypt. In Steiner education, learning is offered in a way that reflects the child’s inner development. Around the age of ten and eleven, children begin to experience themselves as more separate from the world around them and start observing life with greater curiosity and objectivity. Botany meets the child beautifully at this stage, encouraging careful observation, wonder, and a growing relationship with the living world. We have been exploring plants through their environments, forms, and qualities, helping students experience nature as something alive and interconnected. The plant propagations we have been tending to are thriving in the classroom and we have just planted some seeds with the hopes they will germinate so we can study the cotyledon and experience the difference in true leaves of a plant.  Hopefully they will grow but even if they don't, it's still a lesson in tending to seeds and plants!

Ancient Egypt complements this developmental stage in a different but equally meaningful way. The Egyptian civilisation reflects humanity’s growing awareness of structure, order, earthly life, and individuality. Through stories, art, history, mythology, and practical activities, students encounter a culture deeply connected to the rhythms of nature, the stars, architecture, agriculture, and the great river Nile. And it's a truly fascinating topic! Together, Botany and Ancient Egypt help nurture both imaginative feeling and clear thinking, supporting students as they continue their journey toward a deeper understanding of both the world and themselves.  What a beautiful way to do school.

Brittany Diaz