STEM

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) classes at Maine Coast Waldorf School are rigorous and hands-on, cultivating curiosity, critical thinking, and wonder. Through a Goethean approach—immersing in phenomena, observing closely, and discerning patterns—students deepen their understanding of concepts and processes.

STEM Journey Across the Grades

Grade 9

Ninth-grade students begin with Geology, Plant Chemistry, and Thermal Physics—courses that explore the earth beneath our feet, the transformation of matter, and the nature of heat and energy. In Mathematics, students study Probability and Combinatorics, investigating patterns and permutations as they begin to understand how uncertainty and chance shape both mathematics and life. Drawing from real-world scenarios and imaginative problems, they explore how uncertainty can be modeled, measured, and even embraced.

Emphasis is placed on deep conceptual understanding and creative reasoning over rote calculation. Algebra I and II build on this foundation by emphasizing conceptual understanding and collaborative problem-solving.

Grade 10

In tenth grade, students explore systems and structures to answer the question of how? This unfolds in Anatomy and Physiology—how do our bodies work? In Acids, Bases, and Salts—how do substances interact?

In Environmental Science—how does the environment respond to human impact? And in Physics of Motion—how do particles and objects move through space? In tenth grade, Geometry supports these explorations with precision and structure.

Grade 11

Eleventh grade brings a shift inward, as students ask why? Courses in Electricity and Magnetism, Atomic Chemistry, Developmental Biology, Botany, and Projective Geometry deepen their inquiry.

Mathematics expands into Algebra II and Pre-Calculus, inviting students to recognize complex patterns and transformations, while fostering independent thinking and creative insight.

Grade 12

In their final year, students turn toward synthesis and reflection. Through studies in Optics, Biochemistry, Zoology, Statistics, and Calculus, they examine the minute details of the world around them—and within themselves.

Questions of identity, belonging, and purpose are present in twelfth-grade courses, as students consider who they are in the space that surrounds them, and where they fit into their own communities both locally and globally.

Concurrent Enrollment

Maine Coast Waldorf School also offers two concurrent enrollment courses—Calculus A and Introduction to Statistics—through a partnership with the University of Southern Maine. These college-level courses allow seniors to earn credit while experiencing the rigor and rhythm of post-secondary academics within the supportive context of our school.

College & Career Support

Field Science on Hermit Island

Our Zoology course offers an immersive, weeklong field study on Hermit Island, where students join peers from visiting Waldorf schools for collaborative inquiry. Exploring tide pools, mudflats, surf, dunes, and forests, students work alongside professionals to investigate diverse ecosystems.

Students sharpen skills in observation and ecological analysis, while also engaging in artistic study of the landscape through drawing and watercolor. And yes, a few spirited sea shanties make their way home with the data!

Empowering Student Scientists

Many of our students participate in the Maine State Science Fair each year – an opportunity for high school students to pursue their interests in science and engineering, and present results of their research to peers and expert STEM professionals. In just the past few years, Maine Coast Waldorf School students have secured more than half a million dollars in higher education scholarships through their Maine State Science Fair submissions.

Highlighted projects submitted by our students:

Porcine Proliferative Enteropathy in Soil Samples
The Effect of Agricultural Runoff on Water Quality in Agriculturally Proximate Waterbodies
Constructing a Jean Pain Compost Heating System to Heat a Backyard Hot Tub
Assessing the Prevalence of Retained Primitive Reflexes in Adolescents Compared to Adults Over 30 Years of Age
Using Pleurotus Ostreatus Fungi to Biodegrade Food-Based Oil and Fat Byproducts
How Altitude and Atmospheric Temperature Affect the Magnetic Flux Density of a Neodymium Magnet
The Effects of Regional Soil Types in Maine on the Growth of Fusobacterium, necrophorum sp. in Equine sp. Hooves

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Affordability

We provide $1 million annually in tuition adjustments for families seeking the lasting impact of experiential learning.

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