Grades Class, 1st - 5th Grade

Grades Class engages the head, heart, and hands to cultivate inner joy, reverence and wonder for the earth, and a deeper connection to our local community and the world.

Registration for school year 2025-26 begins February 3rd

Tree House Grades Class meets M - W from 9 am - 3 pm and includes:

Grade 1 ages 6 - 7 (must be 6 years old by June 1st)

Grade 2 ages 7 - 8 years

Grade 3 ages 8 - 9 years

Grade 4 ages 9 - 10 years (we must have enough interest to offer 4th grade, please ask if you are interested. We will make this decision year to year.)

Grade 5 ages 10 - 11 years (we must have enough interest to offer 4th grade, please ask if you are interested. We will make this decision year to year.)

Our curriculum is earth conscious, arts infused, and multicultural. Ojibwe language is spoken during morning circle and Indigenous values and culture are woven into the curriculum. Spanish is taught once a week.

Our class size for 1st - 5th is 14 - 20 students in 2 groups (younger grades and older grades). Each day children are engaged in outdoor exploration, games, and tasks making deep connections with nature and learning life skills. Children are taught grade specific academic content M - W in a 3 day rhythm. This “Main Lesson” covers certain “blocks” or studies each school year based on their grade. The arts are integrated into Main Lesson as well as being offered at other times. Specifics about the Grades Curriculum is found below and on our Curriculum page.

*We believe in multi-age learning!

*We highly recommend committing to 1st - 3rd grade as the curriculum grows and deepens over these 3 years and allows for a good transition to other schools at grade 4. We will also offer 4th and 5th grade if there is interest.

*Multi-Age Homeschool Enrichment Class on Thursdays for ages 6 - 12 years can be added to the M - W curriculum. Forest Day at Lake Bemidji State Park once a month plus local field trips and guest teachers happen on Thursdays to compliment our curriculum and bring our studies to life! Parents are welcome to share a talent or help chaperone a field trip. More info HERE

*If before or after care beyond our hours is needed, parents are encouraged to help each other with arrangements. We are a Microschool (Private school/Homeschool hybrid). Students can arrive 10 min before or stay 25 min after for an additional fee. After care programs beyond what we can offer may be offered at local childcare centers or home childcare programs, or the Boys and Girls Club.

We provide a daily morning snack modeled after the German “second breakfast”, incorporating seasonal foods that we harvest, foods native to Minnesota, and cultural foods according to our curriculum. Our curriculum includes harvest, preservation, and cooking. We eat organic when possible and we are able to accommodate gluten free and dairy free diets.

Options

Our school year runs in 2 Sessions, Fall Semester and Spring Semester but we recommend and give preference to enrollment for a full school year. If your child begins 1st grade with us, please plan to stay at least through third grade unless there are unforeseen circumstances that make moving schools necessary.

Seasonal Festivals are part of our Nature Curriculum, keeping awe and wonder alive for young children.

• We encourage family involvement. Children in the Grades classes often have a special role in creating or helping with parts of the festivals as part of their learning and community involvement. Please plan to participate in some way. These are beautiful traditions that your child will talk about for years to come!

• Harvest Festival - after school

• Enchanted Halloween Fundraiser

• Holiday Shop Fundraiser

• Winter Traditions and Indigenous Games

• March Animal Project Showcase - after school

• May Plant, Books, and Bake Sale Fundraiser and Yard Work Day

• Spring Celebration

We are a Micro-School (a private school/homeschool hybrid). Children must be registered as homeschoolers with their local school district the school year after they turn age 7. Academic curriculum is provided M - W at Apple Blossom using a Waldorf-inspired philosophy. Thursday Enrichment rounds out the week with hands on learning and community connections. Formal reading instruction begins in Grade 1. We offer parent/teacher conferences twice a year and although we provide academic curriculum we depend on parent support at home for reading and math. Homeschool families must test their student each summer after your child is registered as homeschool.*

Due to our unique set up with yurts as classrooms, a rustic fenced in play yard located across from the lakeshore, a multi-age class of 6 - 10 year olds, and no Special Education staff onsite (Our staff have a variety of educational backgrounds and experiences along with training in the Waldorf Philosophy), we can accommodate a variety of different learning styles, but we are not equipped to accommodate high behavior needs. Children must be able to be safe with their bodies, appropriate with their language, and listen to teacher directions in order to attend. *We have high expectations for safe and kind behavior and our teachers have attended training and participated in SEL classes through Peacemaker Resources.

Curriculum Page

Parent Involvement

A strong partnership between parents and teacher is cultivated through parent volunteering, parent/teacher conferences, and ongoing communication about their child’s development. As a Homeschool program, parents and teachers communicate consistently to make sure children are developing needed skills for future school options especially during the 3rd - 5th grade years.