The
Chennai
Waldorf School

Emphasizing the Concrete World

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In Grade 6 students are on the threshold of a new developmental phase. The children say goodbye to a younger stage of childhood and greet a new paradigm, a decisive moment in their development. They now take initial steps toward regulating the swings of emotion that accompany the approach of adolescence. Structure and form in Grade 6 curriculum provide much-needed balance for the students’ polarities of feeling, e.g. joy and sorrow, calm and frustration, etc. The order provided in Grade 6 addresses the students’ newly emerging sense of self as they turn from looking outward into the world to looking inward and becoming more conscious of the two. Students begin the journey of forging their own path in life. This requires an adept discerning capacity which will eventually, from the age of about fourteen onwards, yield a strengthened capacity for thinking. At this time, however, the students’ evolving capacity for critical thinking is in the initial stages — the dawning intellect can be noted in their insightful answers and ability to truly understand cause and effect. A sense of lawfulness permeates the Grade 6 curriculum. It is observed in such geometric constructions as the division of a circle. It is also recognized in the patterns of the night sky in astronomy. It is present when studying sound, light, warmth and cold, and magnetism and electricity as conclusions are drawn from observable phenomena in the study of physics. It is observed in the Twelve Tables or laws of the ancient Roman civilization. In addition, it is seen in the upholding of the chivalrous code by the knights of the Medieval Ages.

 

SUBJECTS:

 

1. LANGUAGE ARTS:

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•  Create a story by expressing main themes and sequencing the story ideas with the appropriate transitions

•  Vary the sentence structure (declarative, interrogative, exclamatory, and imperative)

•  Understand punctuation and capitalization

•  Edit work independently

•  Continue to work with the narrative style of writing and receive an introduction to the expository style

•  Enhance auditory skills through writing dictations

•  Read aloud fluently and with expression

•  Retain word meaning and spelling in subsequent compositions

•  Use a dictionary to aid in the spelling process

•  Understand the nine parts of speech along with the review of various grammar concepts such as active and passive voice, indirect and direct object, and direct and indirect speech. Other concepts introduced include perfect tenses and the subjunctive mood.

•  Speak and recite with proper articulation and expressiveness

•  Root words, prefixes, suffixes and word origins (especially Latin roots)

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• Literature (Roman History)

 

The traditional founding of Rome by the first king Romulus began in 747 BC. This survey of Roman history covers the first seven kings of Rome, followed by the development of the Roman Republic, finally leading into the time of the Caesars of the Roman Empire. Many aspects of Roman culture are studied including engineering, architecture, Roman law, the rise of Christianity, and the influence of the Latin language upon our modern-day English.

 

2. MATHAMETICS:

Relating to Mathematics, the form drawing and freehand geometric drawings done in the earlier grades are the predecessors to a geometry block in Grade 6. During this time, the focus is on the precise construction of geometric forms with the aid of a straightedge, ruler, and compass. The circle is the basis for many geometric forms. To freely engage in the form creation, the students initially learn the laws of geometric construction, including such fundamental constructions as copying a line segment; bisecting a line segment; dropping a perpendicular from a certain point to a line; erecting a perpendicular from a point on a line; bisecting an angle; and transferring an angle. With that foundation, the students segue to the six, twelve, and twenty-four divisions of a circle, along with other constructions such as nesting hexagons and stellar formations.

From barter to commerce, the value of money and the basic economics of buying and selling are explored during the study of business mathematics. Percentages are introduced. From that foundation, discount prices are calculated along with the commission earned from selling an item, the sales tax charged for a good, and the interest rate assessed on a loan granted for a car or home

 

3. SCIENCE: 

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(Astronomy, Physics, Mineralogy)

Physics studies begin in Grade 6 and continue through High School. The students observe physical phenomena relating to acoustics, light, warmth and cold, magnetism and electricity, and are asked to draw conclusions. Studying physics in this way helps the students to deepen their interest in the world around them and come to better understand the phenomena that exist in our world. Observing and then drawing conclusions based on those observations are important steps in developing the intellect. This growing objectivity is also an important skill in the social realm.
With the study of astronomy and mineralogy or geology, the resulting polarities reflect the developing Sixth Grader. The mineralogy block can commence by sharing the solidity of the earth, which is contrasted with the constant change (e.g. mountains building up, volcanoes erupting, earthquakes shuddering, etc.) that takes place within the Earth’s crust. The students can then segue to an introduction of mountains (fault, fold, and volcanic). They also study the various kinds of rocks and formative forces acting on each.

 

4. SOCIAL STUDIES:​

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History (Ancient Rome and the Medieval Ages)

 

Picking up from the decline of Rome, a block of study carries on with the evolving feudal system and the knight’s code of honor as the students learn about the Middle Ages in Europe. The life of Mohammed and the cultural history of Islam are also explored along with the Crusades. During the Middle Ages, humanity’s relationship to the spiritual world shifted. Instead of a direct experience, faith replaced the old clairvoyance as the church and its leaders guided humanity by expressing the importance of believing — this faith would be the experience as this time period is also known as the Age of Faith or the Dark Ages. During this period, the saints and monks were the keepers of the “light” as their connection to the spiritual world shone a way for others to move forward. Those images translate to the soulscape of a Grade 6 students: that connection to the spiritual world as experienced when they were younger has now been grounded in their growing connection with the earthly realm.

Geography (Europe and the cultural areas around the Mediterranean)

With the backdrop of ancient Rome and the Middle Ages, the children further penetrate the continent of Europe. By understanding the natural resources, the students learn how the land shaped the economic conditions of the people living there. Major rivers and mountain chains along with other dominant geographical features of the continent are explored with map drawing as an additional focus of the block. The study of geography  is significant as the students incarnate both into their physical bodies and as citizens of the world.

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5. LANGUAGES:

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Tamil – Grammar, Maduraikanji (Literature) and activities for LSRW
Sanskrit – Grammar, Rama Shabda table, Subhashitas, Bhagavadagita, Amarakosha and activities for LSRW
 

6. SPECIALITY SUBJECTS:

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Hindi, French, Classical dance, Classical vocal, Performing Arts, Violin, Recorder, Pottery, Painting, Handwork, Origami, Craft and Physical education are done simultaneously.

 

7. PHYSICAL EDUCATION:

 

•  ATB (Awareness Through The Body)

•  Cooperative games and sports

•  Gymnastics

•  Yoga

•  Pranayama

•  Tai-chi

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AKSHAR gives lots of importance to the traditional games of Tamil Nadu and KOLAM is also taught to the kids. Separate schedule is set aside for Health & Safety for it is obviously a very important subject.