Special Subjects

Movement class guides students from playful locomotion to confident, lifelong athletics. In the early grades, obstacle courses, rhymes, and imaginative circle games hone skipping, jumping, and partner throwing while nurturing cooperation and joy in effort. Combined fourth‑ and fifth‑grade lessons balance non‑competitive tag games with first tastes of soccer, baseball, and Pentathlon events, anchoring skills in sportsmanship and positive language. By middle school purposeful play takes center stage: sixth graders master structured games like half‑court basketball and large‑team capture‑the‑flag; seventh and eighth graders refine tactics in flag football, badminton, ultimate frisbee, and Bothmer balance work, learning teamwork, role responsibility, and the habits that make active movement a lifelong pleasure.

Handwork at River Valley grows organically with each stage of childhood. In Early Childhood, children finger‑knit and weave with soft wool, gaining rhythm and dexterity through playful imitation. Lower‑schoolers dive into true knitting: first graders craft their own needles, stitch bunny squares, rainbow balls, and flute cases; by third grade they master crochet, embroidery, and practical projects like produce bags. In the combined fourth–fifth class, cross‑stitch, felt needle books, and knitting in the round introduce color theory, symmetry, and three‑dimensional form. Middle‑schoolers tackle ever more sophisticated textile arts—sixth graders sculpt Waldorf dolls and wardrobes, seventh graders quilt, appliqué, and explore macramé and needle‑felting, and eighth graders move to sewing machines, drafting patterns for tote bags, pants, and aprons while mentoring younger knitters. Throughout, handwork builds fine‑motor skills, math sense, patience, creativity, and a proud awareness that their hands can bring useful, beautiful things into the world.

Fine Art at River Valley grows from joyful exploration to disciplined mastery. In Early Childhood, children wet‑on‑wet watercolor, mold beeswax, and draw freely, letting color and form flow from imagination. Lower‑school artists enter the studio twice a week: Grades 4–5 experiment with wax‑resist Yoruba textiles, layered animal‑eye collages, mandala printmaking, Greek scratch‑board vases, and Georgia O’Keeffe–inspired charcoal florals, all while sharpening observation and patience. Middle‑schoolers dive deeper each year—sixth graders paint Kahlo‑style still‑lifes, emboss geometric designs in metal, craft Roman glass mosaics, and practice tonal tunnel drawings; seventh graders master one‑point perspective skylines, create “squash books” of dream imagery, and blend two‑ and three‑dimensional anatomy in mixed‑media lungs‑and‑heart pieces; eighth graders render floating cities in two‑point perspective, sculpt classmates’ ears in clay, and complete gridded charcoal portraits of humanitarian figures. Throughout, extended double periods allow sustained concentration, while projects link to main‑lesson themes, history, and personal expression. Students emerge confident in technique, keenly observant of the world around them, and unafraid to translate complex ideas into beautifully crafted works.

Woodworking at River Valley unfolds as a journey from simple shaping to fine joinery. In the early grades children handle natural materials—sticks, bark, soft modeling wood—building respect for tools and the living tree. Formal woodworking begins in Grade 5, where students learn grain, rasping, and knife safety while carving human figures, owls, and a self‑chosen animal. Grade 6 moves to functional craft: cherry‑wood spoons and relief‑carved clock faces that marry geometric skill with perseverance. Seventh graders hollow poplar blocks into gracefully balanced bowls, matching inner and outer curves and strengthening willpower through sustained effort. By Grade 8, adolescents apply geometry and precision joinery to build three‑legged mortise‑and‑tenon stools, then experiment with soapstone carving. At every stage, students engage head, heart, and hands—gaining patience, spatial insight, and the lifelong confidence that they can turn raw materials into useful beauty.

Music at River Valley starts in Early Childhood with joyful circle songs, simple pentatonic melodies, and movement games that awaken the ear and build group harmony. First graders keep that wonder alive through year‑long song cycles that center safety and shared delight while quietly introducing pitch and steady beat. In Grades  2–3 students match seasonal or main‑lesson themes, add note‑value and pitch names, and weave dances and body percussion into class; by spring they can hold their first rounds. Fourth and fifth graders tackle trickier canons, two‑part pieces, and sight‑read from scores, deepening solfège fluency and dynamic awareness in preparation for middle school chorus. Grades 6–8 unite as a 30‑voice ensemble, exploring three‑part harmony and repertoire that spans cultures and social‑justice themes, sharpening technique while enlarging empathy. Throughout, music evolves from instinctive song to disciplined artistry, fostering confidence, collaboration, and a lifelong love of making sound together.

Gardening at River Valley begins in early childhood as imaginative caretaking—children haul “sky water” from the rain barrel, greet garden snakes and bees as friends, and carve pumpkins grown by their eighth-grade buddies. In the lower grades, responsibility deepens: second graders harvest garlic and apples for soups and festivals; third graders follow the full grain cycle from sowing to cornbread; fourth graders map beds, rotate crops, and steward herbs and milkweed for monarchs; fifth graders mulch blueberries, plant onions, and prune native shrubs. By middle school, students plan crop rotations, manage compost collections for the whole campus, and study soil health and biodiversity as living science, supplying produce for community meals and modeling ecological stewardship. Across the years, hands, head, and heart unite in seasonal work that fosters cooperation, reverence for the land, and the joy of eating what one has grown.

World Language at River Valley begins playfully in the early grades with circle songs, rhymes, and lively games that root Spanish words for colors, numbers, animals, and foods in movement and imagination. By Grades 4–5 students hold simple conversations, illustrate folk tales such as Las Manchas del Sapo, and sing traditional pieces like “De Colores” and “Cielito Lindo,” weaving seasonal themes into class. Middle‑schoolers widen their repertoire—adding cultural history, three‑part harmonies, and popular songs like “Pachuco”—while tackling grammar, verb conjugations, and participles. Seventh graders craft storybooks retelling Las Manchas with animals of their choice; eighth graders refine these projects, pairing expressive writing with intricate illustration. Across the years, vivid imagery, storytelling, and music keep language learning joyful, while steadily building fluency, cultural empathy, and confident self‑expression.

Orchestra & Strings at River Valley begins long before a bow is held: in Early Childhood and the lower grades, children train their ears through singing, recorders, and rhythmic games that make pitch and pulse second nature. In Grade 4 every student chooses violin, viola, or cello and joins Beginner Orchestra, where custom-written pieces like “The Ghost of John” and a rousing Special Friends Day finale build confidence and stage presence. By Grades 6–8, weekly rehearsals grow into a full Middle-School Orchestra; three-part arrangements such as “Moon Tide” and student-favorite “February Thaw” demand teamwork, listening, and perseverance, while an auditioned Chamber Orchestra explores more intricate literature and sectional solos. Seasonal concerts, assemblies, and even secret surprise performances for the Rose Ceremony let players taste the thrill of contributing a small but vital part to a greater whole—skills they will carry far beyond the music room. Families are partners in success, supporting steady home practice that keeps fingers and spirits limber for each new school year.

Eurythmy is a unique and foundational part of the Waldorf curriculum, often described as “visible speech and visible music.” Developed by Rudolf Steiner, Eurythmy brings language, music, and meaning into movement, allowing students to experience the inner life of sound, rhythm, and gesture in a deeply embodied way. Beginning in the early grades and continuing through middle and high school, Eurythmy supports the healthy development of coordination, concentration, spatial awareness, and social harmony. In the younger years, movement is simple, playful, and imaginative, helping children connect with language and music through rhythm and form. As students grow, Eurythmy becomes more structured and expressive, involving increasingly complex geometric forms, group choreography, and the exploration of both poetic and musical elements. Through these exercises, students cultivate inner discipline, presence, and a sense of beauty that resonates beyond the classroom. Eurythmy also enhances academic learning by reinforcing phonemic awareness, musical understanding, and emotional intelligence. More than a performing art or movement class, Eurythmy is a living integration of body, soul, and spirit offering students a path to experience harmony, meaning, and connection through conscious movement. River Valley offers Eurythmy instruction in blocks of study as instructors are available.