Waldorf Block: G5: Fifth Grade Ancient Egypt

• Focus on Mythology and Culture: Students delve into the rich mythology and culture of Ancient Egypt, including key stories like the myth of Osiris and Isis and the Egyptian pantheon.
• Exploring the Afterlife: A key element is understanding the Egyptians' deep belief in the afterlife and their focus on preserving earthly life for the journey beyond, as demonstrated by their elaborate tombs and pyramids.
• Practical Skills and Activities: Waldorf education emphasizes hands-on learning. The block typically includes:
  • Building projects: Replicating structures like pyramids.
  • Artistic activities: Watercolor painting and drawing related to Egyptian themes.
  • Research projects: Students conduct research on self-chosen topics and present their findings through posters, reports, and artistic components.
  • Writing and Language Arts: Students learn to structure and write complete paragraphs, sometimes focusing on hieroglyphic writing.
  • Storytelling and drama: Engaging with the myths and history through storytelling and dramatic reenactments.
• Integrating Subjects: The block integrates various subjects like history, language arts, art, and even music.
• Developmentally Appropriate Approach: The material is presented in a way that resonates with fifth graders, using storytelling and activities to inspire their learning.

Ancient history in the fifth grade starts with the childhood of civilized humanity in ancient India, where human beings still lived in a very dream-like state. The ancient Persians who came next transitioned from the dream-like state to connect with the earth and felt the need to transform the earth & domesticate animals. The great cultures of Mesopotamia (the Chaldeans, the Hebrews, the Assyrians, and the Babylonians) come even more into our being as humans by recording their history in the form of writing. The Egyptians built an entire complex civilization of pyramids, pharaohs, writing and reading. The Greeks came last in this saga of ancient history with a developed civilization that is much like ours in many ways. This block will cover the third of the four ancient civilizations – Ancient Egypt.

Living Lessons are video lessons where a teacher leads the class through the main lessons for this grade. You can use these lessons as examples to follow for your own teaching or can use them as supplements to your own teaching (we all need a break now and then. I would have loved to have these available on days I was ill or was taking care of my fussy baby). Scroll down to the class listings below to see the full syllabus and to view some free samples!

Do you want a FULL Waldorf Curriculum with Music, Handwork, Eurythmy, and extra Art Lessons?

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