Ages 9 and 10

Children at these ages are beginning to leave the dreamy world of earlier childhood. They are learning many new skills as they engage more fully and actively in their thinking, feeling and willing.

The class works with the stories of the Old Testament and Norse mythology. These uncompromising stories lead the children to a new understanding of their place in the world, its laws and anomalies. The unmitigated truth in these tales helps gives them guidance and hope for the challenges in their lives.

A focus at this age is productive work. The children might learn about the lives and concerns of people such as farmers, blacksmiths, and tailors — giving them images of men and women who responsibly create a living out of the bounty of the earth.