http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4Kci4CLL7k

To see more videos from our Spring Program, check out our SGWS YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/amyhecky

Congratulations also go out to SGWS alumni, Timothy Fries, who has received the Second Year Distinguished Scholar award from Muskingum University, where he ranks in the top 5 percent in academics for his graduating class. Fries was also inducted into the Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society this year.

Day of the Dead Alter

The 2012/2013 school year at Spring Garden Waldorf was a great success and many thanks go to the University of Akron’s Service Learning Program. The program sends college students out to work in local schools with younger students on innovative service projects. This school year, the University of Akron worked on five different projects with the community at Spring Garden Waldorf School of Copley, Ohio.

Prepping the Garden.

The year of collaboration began when five students from an UA English Composition II course decided to work with SGWS to beautify our facility. The goal being to help the outside of the building reflects what goes on inside the building. The UA students gave a presentation at the end of the semester for a chance to win a $500 grant for the project, and while SGWS did not win, a member in the audience who heard the presentation became a donor to the school.

Our next project was the creation of the beautiful Day of the Dead alter displayed at our school store this last fall. The altar was built by UA Spanish students and Spring Garden eighth grade students, in celebration of one of Mexico’s most renowned traditional celebrations. According to UA, “This service-learning project provided UA learners an opportunity to engage in meaningful research, collaborate with local Spanish students, and have first-hand experience with a Mexican tradition.”

Don Quixote Play.

This spring, advanced Spanish Composition students collaborated with the 7^th graders for a reenactment of the novel Don Quixote de la Mancha. The UA composition students served as playwrights and wrote the script for the young kids to perform as well as worked along side the students to paint scenery and create props for the performance in April.

UA students came to work outdoors on two occasions as well. Twelve UofA athletes came out for part of their Pay it Forward program. They helped remove hazard trees, moved gravel to create a pathway, painted a classroom, painted an exterior door and re-ribboned our Maypoles. A different group of U of A students came out in May to help SGWS fourth graders prepare their garden for spring planting. They brought, as all the U of A students do, a solid work ethic, a great sense of humor and an openness to complete the task at hand with energy and positivism.

Students in the UA Service Learning projects always set a wonderful example for our students.

Thank You University of Akron!

In this discussion of Class 5 curriculum, our source material is Eugene Swartz’s Millennial Child website, the grade description from Eugene Waldorf School of Eugene, Oregon, and Waldorf Education, A Family Guide – Fifth Grade written by East Bay Waldorf School in El Sobrante, CA.

Main Lesson subjects expand in Grade 5 to include, History, Geography, and Botany in addition to Mathematics and Language Arts.

History: Class 5 studies ancient history stretching from 3000 BC to 300 BC beginning with ancient India, moving to Persian culture the Chaldeans, Hebrews, Assyrians, Babylonians, Egyptians and ending with Greeks. The children will read poetry and myths, create maps, study hieroglyphics, and sample arts and crafts of the various ancient peoples and work to create similar creations.

Botany: After studying zoology in Grade 4, fifth graders are ready to discover the plant world. They start by experiencing what is in their own world using all their senses and the focus is on the metamorphosis the plants experience in roots, stems, leaves, flowers and fruit. After understanding plant life found in their own environment, the students learn about vegetation in other parts of the world.

Geography: American geography is studied both physically and culturally, meaning the physical understanding of landscapes and mapping and make-up of mountains, rivers and prairies is linked with the way human life has been lived in each region such as how humans used natural resources, developed industry, and produced crops. Swartz describes this approach saying, “Students study Native American tribes that lived in varied environments, as well as the biographies of individuals who seem to exemplify a particular geographical setting. To further enrich the subject, we will learn regional poetry, tall tales and songs. We will learn something about the way our nation in governed.”

Math: Mathematics becomes more conceptual in grade 5 as students continue work on fractions and decimals and expand into basic geometric concepts.

Language Arts: Students continue to study language arts through composition, reading, writing, recitation of poetry and oral review of lessons. Grammar is delved into during this grade.

Music: Students continue in choral singing and playing their C-recorder flute along with progressing into more intermediate stringed instrument skills.

Physical education: This year students come together with other area Waldorf school to compete in a Greek Pentathlon which includes javelin, wrestling, and other historical events.

Special Subjects: Woodworking involves carving, knitting now uses four needles, form drawings and painting will relate to the study of Ancient History, Geography, Botany and Geometry. The study of Eurhythmy and Foreign Languages also continues.

Watch this video to experience a taste of this upcoming festival.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u9KoSsz0aw

Bring a picnic lunch and a blanket or chairs. Spend the afternoon with us welcoming spring as our younger children dance and weave maypole ribbons while our older children play music. The schedule for the day is as follows:

12:00: Picnic lunch. Bring a blanket and picnic for your family
12:45: May Day Opening. Community circle with verse
Students perform Maypole Dances
Garden Blessing
1:50: Closing verse and dismissal

We would love to see you there! Please register if you plan to join us.
Register Now! 

Class Six children will study the rise and fall of Rome and the affect Greek and Roman culture had on European civilization up through the Middle Ages.

As the host of this year’s games, Cincinnati Waldorf says:”As students engage with these historic eras, they experience the shift from the Ancients’ poetic consciousness to the Medieval search for truth and development of modern scientific concepts, paralleling change in the sixth grade student. This study culminates in a two-day, Medieval Games beginning with a Medieval Feast featuring bards, musicians, food and live presentations by each sixth grade class.”

The competition includes sport such as jousting, archery, moat jumping, and tug-of-war.  Here are some pictures from this year’s games!

The Games Begin!

A zip line over the ravine.

The Dungeon Escape Competition.

Screen Free Week is organized by The Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood.

Here are some great resources for screen free week, including articles, books, links, reports and fact sheets about the influence of screen time on children.

And screen free week is not just for the kids. Stop checking that smart phone first thing in the morning and leave Facebook and Twitter alone in the evening and at lunchtime. You can do it. Turn Off  media and turn On Life!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KzUrZDsFBU

A picture is worth a thousand words! Enjoy our school through images. Follow us on Pinterest to see pictures of everyday life at Spring Garden.  http://pinterest.com/sgwaldorf/