Teaching Grade 6 From Romans to Romance
with Lynn Thurrell
Science with Roberto Trostli
Standing at the threshold of adolescence, the twelve-year-old is acutely aware of facing the future alone. No longer adequate are the comforts of family and home. Now is the moment to step into the world with eyes wide open. The grace and confidence of the Greeks is replaced by gangly limbs and the determination to test limits and reputed truths.
Such a moment in one’s evolution requires the law and order mirrored in the rise of the Roman Empire. Divine beginnings give way to the rule of kings, caesars, and emperors. Immaculate legions march across a continent, conquering and incorporating diverse peoples, while the Roman senators hammer out the laws that will govern them all. In consequence, a fertile field is laid for the invasion of the barbarians. Chaos reigns, and out of the uncertainty emerge faith and chivalry. The sixth grader is led through this uncomfortable transition to emerge with a hint of grace.
Yet what of this world beneath one’s feet and above one’s head? Where are the laws that govern the light of day, heat, cold, the very sounds striking the human ear? Mineralogy, astronomy, and physics engage these wonderings, offering demonstrations that sharpen awareness of cause and effect in the universe. Observational skills must be honed and carefully recorded. Mathematics takes on the world of business, placing the sixth grader squarely in the material world. Geometrical drawing demands the correct use of tools, then offers the form up to artistic imagination. Geography draws the twelve-year-olds into a new landscape and openness for cultures beyond their own borders.
Materials fee: $25
Morning lectures with Christof Wiechert
Music with Meg Chittenden
Art with Elizabeth Auer
