Our Waldorf Homeschool Journey

I sat down a while back with the grade 5 curriculum and started to plan the study of Atlantis. Step 1 - find as much info as possible, from everywhere, differing opinions etc. Now this is where planning really takes off and there is usually such a glut of info that one needs to sift and you can pick and choose!

Well not this time. The info available was minimal and kept referring to the same sources, one of which was Plato. But again there were such differing opinions and heated argument that I ended up reading all the information myself and putting into a short book that is easily digestable! Not what I had planned at all but such is life. It was great fun and I think slightly addictive! I can’t get enough of Atlantis and what happened to the Atlanteans after the flood…

Let’s go back to the beginning.  The earliest mention of Atlantis appears to be in Platos’ writings back in about 345-3600BC. So I found an english translation of Timaeus and Critias and proceeded to read it. It was a wealth of information!

Next I read Atlantis by Rudolf Steiner. This book is a compilation of various lectures he gave about Atlantis. You can find out more about it by scrolling down the right side of this blog and clicking on the book. Now if you have no interest in anthroposophy you’ll find it as befuddling as a lot of Steiners’ other work.But if you have even a basic understanding of anthroposophy you’ll love it. It is a powerful book, which as you read it you feel truth. I found many questions I had from a spiritual perspective were answered. Our very origins are there… I can’t explain it any other way. Just get it!Buy it!Borrow it!Whatever just read it!

From these 2 sources and a few others such as Graham Hancock, Rand Flem-Ath etc, I put together the story of Atlantis. From creation to destruction, as we see it from the writings of Plato and Steiner predominantly. I’ll be doing the lessons from 01 September to about 08 September, then I can let you know how it went and have some pictures. But as it stands at the moment it’s broken down as follows:

Creation

Involves Greek Mythology mainly, the main characters and the layout of Atlantis.

Plants

Information about the fertile plains, and various plants that grew there.

Animals

Information about the animals of Atlantis both wild and domestic.

Architecture

Again the layout of Atlantis, but also the building materials and temple.

Technology

How did the Atlanteans get around both on Atlantis and across the seas?What minerals did they find deep within the earth.

The End of the World

The final days, the sending of wise people throughout earth to bring knowledge to various civilisations.

Included in all of this for the week is mixed media work, painting, form drawing, animal studies, botany and the gift of a quartz crystal each.

Putting together this small lesson block took weeks of reading, but it was worth it. Once I’ve given the lessons to my daughter, and any adjustments made, and the illustrations have been done for the little book, we’ll have it available on the blog. I look forward to sharing it with you.

Next on my agenda is Ancient India…That should go quite quickly as there is piles of info around, and we have a great little indian bazaar-type shop close by to us, so there is plenty to see. I’ve already got most of the books, and fun readers for Jules so I think I’ve past the biggest hurdle which was Atlantis! I certainly won’t by writing a book on Ancient India!

 

Filed under: Ancient Civilisations, Anthroposophy, Waldorf Homeschooling, Rudolf Steiner on August 23rd, 2009