Lammas: Harvest Stories & Beginnings
We begin our fairy tale year with stories of work, harvest, and sharing. The Little Red Hen teaches us that effort brings reward, while we establish our learning rhythms.
UU Principle Focus
7th Principle: Respect for the interdependent web of all existence
The harvest teaches us how everything connects - sun, rain, soil, seeds, farmers, millers, bakers, and finally our table.
Learning Goals
Language Arts
- • Review all letter sounds
- • Learn letters A, B, C from story pictures
- • Write first simple sentences
- • Begin Main Lesson Book
Math
- • Review numbers 1-10
- • Introduction to addition through stories
- • Number writing in Main Lesson Book
Form Drawing
- • Straight lines (vertical, horizontal, diagonal)
- • Curved lines introduction
- • Combining lines into simple forms
Social-Emotional
- • Establish daily rhythms
- • Practice gratitude
- • Learn about work and reward
Weekly Lessons
Week 1: Welcome Back & The Little Red Hen
🕯️ Hearth Circle
Light our candle for the new year. What do we hope to learn? What seeds will we plant?
📖 Language Arts
Review alphabet. Introduce Main Lesson Book. Tell 'The Little Red Hen' - discuss work and reward
🔢 Math
Review counting 1-20. Introduction to Main Lesson Book for math drawings
🌿 Science & Nature
Wheat and grain - where does bread come from? Examine wheat stalks
✏️ Form Drawing
Straight lines - vertical and horizontal. 'Standing tall like wheat'
🧶 Handwork
Begin finger knitting project (will become something by Mabon)
📚 Story
The Little Red Hen (various versions)
📺 "Just Can't" Day Alternatives
Videos:
- Sesame Street: Letter review
- Storytime: Little Red Hen
Shows:
- How It's Made: Bread
Audiobooks:
- The Little Red Hen audiobook
Week 2: The Grain's Journey
🕯️ Hearth Circle
Pass around different grains. Which ones do we eat? Give thanks for farmers.
📖 Language Arts
Letter A from picture - Apple tree in story. Practice A in Main Lesson Book
🔢 Math
Numbers 1-5 as characters. 'One farmer planted five seeds...' Number stories
🌿 Science & Nature
From seed to bread - the journey of wheat. Plant wheat berries
✏️ Form Drawing
More straight lines - diagonal lines like wheat stalks bending
🧶 Handwork
Continue finger knitting. Bread baking day!
📚 Story
The Giant Turnip / The Enormous Turnip
📺 "Just Can't" Day Alternatives
Videos:
- Sesame Street: Letter A
- Farm to Table for Kids
Shows:
- Curious George: Farm episode
Audiobooks:
- The Enormous Turnip
Week 3: Harvest Helpers
🕯️ Hearth Circle
Who helps us? Thank the helpers in our lives - family, teachers, farmers, mail carriers...
📖 Language Arts
Letter B from picture - Barn in harvest story. Practice B, review A
🔢 Math
Numbers 6-10. Addition introduction: 'The farmer had 3 apples and picked 2 more...'
🌿 Science & Nature
Harvest vegetables - which part do we eat? Root, stem, leaf, fruit, seed?
✏️ Form Drawing
Curved lines introduction - like rolling hills, round vegetables
🧶 Handwork
Corn husk dolls or vegetable stamping
📚 Story
The Bee-Man of Orn or harvest folktale
📺 "Just Can't" Day Alternatives
Videos:
- Sesame Street: Letter B
- Blippi: Vegetable Farm
Shows:
- Wild Kratts: Bees
Audiobooks:
- Community helper stories
Week 4: Sharing the Harvest
🕯️ Hearth Circle
Lammas is about sharing abundance. What can we share with others?
📖 Language Arts
Letter C from picture - Corn in harvest scene. Practice C, review A-B
🔢 Math
Simple addition to 10. Fair sharing - if we have 6 apples and 2 friends...
🌿 Science & Nature
Food preservation - how did people save food before refrigerators?
✏️ Form Drawing
Combining straight and curved - like a basket shape
🧶 Handwork
Make bread to share with neighbors or food bank donation
📚 Story
Stone Soup
📺 "Just Can't" Day Alternatives
Videos:
- Sesame Street: Letter C
- Stone Soup animated
Shows:
- Mr. Rogers: Sharing
Audiobooks:
- Stone Soup audiobook
Week 5: Lammas Celebration
🕯️ Hearth Circle
Lammas ritual - break bread together, share gratitudes for summer's gifts
📖 Language Arts
Review A-C. First sentences: 'The hen made bread.' Copy into Main Lesson Book
🔢 Math
Review 1-10, addition practice. Count our blessings - make illustrated number book
🌿 Science & Nature
Signs summer is ending - what's changing? Nature walk observations
✏️ Form Drawing
Create a harvest border design using straight and curved lines
🧶 Handwork
Complete finger knitting project. Lammas crafts - wheat weaving, sun symbols
📚 Story
Student retells favorite harvest story
📺 "Just Can't" Day Alternatives
Videos:
- Harvest celebration videos
- Cosmic Kids: Gratitude
Shows:
- Nature: Late summer
Audiobooks:
- Favorite stories from the unit
🌾 Lammas Celebration Ideas
- • Bake bread from scratch - let children knead and shape
- • Create a harvest altar with grains, vegetables, and sunflowers
- • Visit a farm, farmer's market, or u-pick orchard
- • Make corn husk dolls or wheat weavings
- • Share bread with neighbors or donate to a food bank
- • Have a harvest feast with seasonal foods
- • Act out The Little Red Hen as a family play
📓 About Main Lesson Books
In Waldorf education, children create their own "textbooks" called Main Lesson Books. These large, unlined notebooks become beautiful records of learning.
- • Use large (11x14 or similar) unlined paper or sketchbooks
- • Children illustrate stories and concepts with crayon drawings
- • Teacher writes text for children to copy (or children write independently)
- • One book per subject block or per season
- • These become treasured keepsakes of the year's learning