The above is the package for Christopherus 2nd grade. For those who already own some of the components (or wish to purchase the books that are part of the 1st grade package) here are the separate components:

The Second Grade Syllabus

The Second Grade Syllabus includes:

• Practical Considerations: Rhythms and schedules, the Second Grade Child, how to teach, planning checklist, discussion of working with the temperaments, materials and book list. Also a full explanation of how we schedule all the main lessons and practice sessions through the year and how you can adapt this to meet your child's needs. Legal advice also included.
  

• Language Arts: Full step-by-step instructions, advice and overview so you can understand the progression of language arts skills, how to teach them and adjust to what your child needs. Sections include: telling & reading stories; handwriting; spelling and grammar. Instructions for two language arts main lessons, Trickster Tales and The King of Ireland's Son, are included here. There is also a collection of short stories suitable for 2nd graders; instructions for making your own readers and lists of recommended readers and read-aloud books.
  

• Music: Lessons and advice on singing, recorder or pentatonic flute; the lyre and listening to music.
  

• Movement: Ideas, games and strategies for ensuring that there are plenty of joyful, active times in your child's day.
  

• Nature Stories: Includes full lesson plans and activities as well as advice on adapting to the climate where you live. Advice on designing your own nature stories plus eleven full stories included. Ideas and advice for working with herbs.
  

• Art and Crafts: Advice and lessons so that you can be sure to educate via artistic work and don't merely tack a bit of "art" onto your lessons! Step-by-step instruction in drawing, painting, modeling (referencing Learning About the World Through Modeling), handwork and crafts.
  

• Main Lessons for this year: Math (4), Animal Legends, Nature Stories (4), Saints and Heroes, Trickster Tales and The King of Ireland's Son.
  

• We also include sections on form drawing, social studies, foreign language, cooking and health & safety. We help you translate what you do to meet the requirements of educational authorities where you live.

And much more! This is also the only Waldorf-inspired curriculum written by someone with lifelong experience of Waldorf education as a student, teacher, parent educator and homeschooler.

See below for a schema of the year - together with sample pages.

Additional Second Grade Components

The Second Grade Syllabus is written to integrate with our separately-published 2nd grade components: 2nd Grade Math and the two language-arts books Saints & Heroes and Animal Legends.

Form Drawing for Beginners, Joyful Movement and Learning About the World Through Modeling (available separately and as part of the First Grade Curriculum) are also essential components of 2nd grade.

Lastly, we would invite all people wishing to work with our First Grade Curriculum to consider purchasing either or both our Waldorf Overview for Homeschoolers and From Nature Stories to Natural Science. These books will considerably broaden and enrich the homeschool parent's way of bringing Waldorf to her homeschool.

Second Grade Schema

As in first grade, we base our weekly schedule on a 4 day week. The weeks add up to a 33 week year – this gives lots of time for holiday preparation, camping trips and other things which could be seen to destroy a too tight schedule.

Practical Considerations

A section full of teaching advice, schedules, ideas on planning and discussion of parenting and teaching a second grader, including a section on the temperaments. (sample page)

Main Lessons:

Language Arts (sample page)

• Saints and Heroes 4 weeks
• King of Ireland’s Son 3 weeks (sample page)
• Animal Legends 4 weeks
• Trickster Tales 3 weeks

Math

• Four main lessons of 2, 4, or 3 weeks’ duration

Science

• Four Nature Stories main lessons of 1, 3 or 4 weeks’ duration (sample page)

Form Drawing

• One 2 week block

Other Lessons

There are also specific lessons, instructions and ideas for lessons in

• Music (recorder, lyre and singing)
• Painting
• Drawing
• Movement
• Cooking
• Handwork and Crafts (see sample page)
• Games
• Health and Safety
• Social Studies
• Gardening
• Ongoing form drawing

Please note: Charter schools or teachers wishing to use the Christopherus Curriculum must contact us to discuss terms.

For additional books required or recommended to accompany our Second Grade Curriculum, see our Amazon store: http://astore.amazon.com/christopherus-20

Customer Testimonials

"The lessons are easy to use and flow really nicely - not just a block, switch gears, another block, it all makes sense, how it flows, love that. The daily plan is so well thought out - it makes a huge impact on how easy it is to implement, and let's face it, the more user-friendly it is, the more likely it is to happen, so well done there!

"I really think that the legal, etc. info is a nice touch - and one that will help people to ease their minds as to whether this is a "legit" curriculum. Nice for newbies, especially.

"I also like the temperament work - I'm "into" the temperaments at the moment, so I really enjoyed that personally. I (opinion here) think that temperament work is a huge key to making "school" either joyful or stressful. It's all about relationships and working together. So, so helpful, to learn about this subject. It was a great idea to include this and get the gears turning in people's minds.

"And, of course, I think the individual blocks are brilliant - Saints, Math and Animal Legends, all well chosen."

Penny in Vermont

"I wanted to write and let you know how grateful I am to have found the Christopherus 2nd grade syllabus.    

"I am new to home schooling, and have always been one of those parents who said I don't have what it takes to home school a child. Due to my recently adopted 8 year old son from India (who has been labeled ADHD and has PTSD from trauma at his orphanage) I have had to dive head first into the almost overwhelming world of home schooling...    

"For the first time in his life he loves school work, and he is learning that he is an intelligent human being capable of many successes. He's able to get up from his work and walk around if necessary, learn kinesthetically, and discuss lessons with me aloud (not often allowed in the public school setting). He's enormously creative, visual and is excited to embark on this journey of learning with me. It has done wonders for helping him feel more secure and safe in the world, and the ADHD-like symptoms have greatly reduced.    

"I received the Syllabus yesterday and spent several hours looking it over. Originally, I planned to create my own curriculum based upon Waldorf philosophy, but became overwhelmed. I feel so supported now with all that you have offered-- it is a Godsend, thank you!    

"Blessings & Smiles,"    

Christine (Kansas)

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