Fourth & Fifth Grade: December 8-12, 2025
Dear Fourth and Fifth Grade Families,
Thank you for attending the Winter Spiral. We hope you enjoyed the experience as we celebrate the change of the seasons!
This week our class, along with the Sixth Graders from Middle School, dove into learning about the history of the ancient Olympic Games and why they were important in ancient Greek society. First, came an introduction to the Greek Pantheon, starting with the twelve Olympic gods, many of whom were already familiar to students, such as Zeus, Poseidon, Athena, and Aphrodite. Then students learned a brief history of the gods, explored the godly family tree, and discovered their exclusive palace on Mount Olympus.
Next, was a focus on how the ancient Greeks celebrated and honored their gods, including through sporting festivals like the Olympic Games. Since most of the class saw some of the Paris Games last summer, we began by sharing the sports they watched and the athletes they recognized. When we read a passage about the ancient festival, the students learned that the Olympics were held to honor Zeus. From there, they made the connection between the Olympian gods and the significance of the Olympic Games. After this overview, we explored the pentathlon and how each event was contested in ancient times. This sparked many questions about what their own experience will be like when they participate in our recreation of the ancient Games in April at the Waldorf Southeastern Pentathlon!
About a month ago, the class wrote introduction letters to the Fourth and Fifth grade students of the Imhoff Waldorf School in Cape Town, South Africa. This week, we received their responses! Each student read their letter and shared any similarities they found with their pen pal. It was wonderful to see them discover commonalities with their South African peers, even some they didn’t expect. Although the world is large and full of diverse countries and cultures, we can still find meaningful connections. The class is very excited about continuing their international acquaintanceship.
Next week, the class will wrap up their overview of Ancient Greece. We will also begin drafting their odes to the Greek god or goddess of their choice. Lastly, we will work on our final preparations for the Winter Assembly performance as we close out the first semester!
Announcements & Reminders:
December 18: Pajama Day, Silly Sock exchange, and Hot Chocolate day!
December 19: Last Day of Fall Semester-Grades Assembly at 11:00 am, all families welcomed (Half Day)
December 22-January 2: Winter Break (No School)
January 5: Teacher-In-Service (No School)
January 6: First Day of Spring Semester
January 7th: Tour for current families interested in learning more about our Grades & Kindergarten Programs at 9:30 am
Warm Regards,
Ki Nicole
