Ostara: New Life Stories
Spring bursts forth with tales of growth and transformation! Tiny Thumbelina finds her place, magic beans grow to the sky, and we complete our alphabet journey while mastering cursive.
UU Principle Focus
4th Principle: A free and responsible search for truth and meaning
Like seeds pushing through soil toward light, we encourage curiosity and the search for understanding.
Learning Goals
Language Arts
- • Complete alphabet X, Y, Z
- • Cursive tall letters and connections
- • Size and ordinal vocabulary
- • Write complete stories
Math
- • Measurement (inches, feet)
- • Addition with three numbers
- • Ordinal numbers
- • Counting by 10s to 100
Form Drawing
- • Miniature detailed forms
- • Chain and connected forms
- • Vertical climbing forms
- • Wave and water patterns
Social-Emotional
- • Kindness to strangers
- • Gratitude and contentment
- • Courage to try new things
- • Finding balance
Weekly Lessons
Week 1: Thumbelina
🕯️ Hearth Circle
Spring equinox approaches - day and night balance. What new life do we see?
📖 Language Arts
Letter X from picture - eXtra tiny Thumbelina. Size words (tiny, small, large, huge)
🔢 Math
Measurement - inches, feet. How big is Thumbelina? Measure with rulers
🌿 Science & Nature
Tiny creatures - insects, seeds, buds. Magnifying glass exploration
✏️ Form Drawing
Miniature forms - tiny detailed drawings, flower shapes
🧶 Handwork
Walnut shell boats, tiny fairy furniture
📚 Story
Thumbelina by Hans Christian Andersen
📺 "Just Can't" Day Alternatives
Videos:
- Sesame Street: Letter X
- Thumbelina animated
Shows:
- Tiny creatures up close
Audiobooks:
- Thumbelina
Week 2: The Golden Goose
🕯️ Hearth Circle
Kindness to strangers brings unexpected rewards. Who might need our kindness?
📖 Language Arts
Letter Y from picture - Yellow golden goose. Silly words and humor in stories
🔢 Math
Addition with three numbers - 'First 2 people stuck, then 3 more, then 4 more...'
🌿 Science & Nature
Geese and migration - where do birds go? Spring arrivals
✏️ Form Drawing
Chain and connected forms - like people stuck together
🧶 Handwork
Paper chain people, feather crafts
📚 Story
The Golden Goose by Brothers Grimm
📺 "Just Can't" Day Alternatives
Videos:
- Sesame Street: Letter Y
- Golden Goose animated
Shows:
- Wild Kratts: Geese
Audiobooks:
- The Golden Goose
Week 3: Jack and the Beanstalk
🕯️ Hearth Circle
Seeds grow into amazing things! What seeds are we planting in our lives?
📖 Language Arts
Letter Z from picture - Zig-zag down the beanstalk. Complete alphabet! Celebration!
🔢 Math
Counting by 10s to 100. Tall numbers - how tall was the beanstalk?
🌿 Science & Nature
Plant growth - beans sprouting, measuring growth daily
✏️ Form Drawing
Vertical climbing forms - beanstalks, spiraling vines
🧶 Handwork
Plant beans in clear containers to watch roots
📚 Story
Jack and the Beanstalk
📺 "Just Can't" Day Alternatives
Videos:
- Sesame Street: Letter Z
- Jack and Beanstalk animated
Shows:
- How plants grow time-lapse
Audiobooks:
- Jack and the Beanstalk
Week 4: The Fisherman and His Wife
🕯️ Hearth Circle
When is enough enough? Gratitude for what we have.
📖 Language Arts
Cursive practice - tall letters (b, f, h, k, l, t). Story sequencing
🔢 Math
Ordinal numbers - first wish, second wish, third wish...
🌿 Science & Nature
Ocean life - fish, shells, tides. If possible, visit water
✏️ Form Drawing
Wave and water forms - flowing, repeating patterns
🧶 Handwork
Shell crafts, fish prints, ocean in a bottle
📚 Story
The Fisherman and His Wife by Brothers Grimm
📺 "Just Can't" Day Alternatives
Videos:
- Cursive tall letters
- Fisherman and Wife animated
Shows:
- Ocean life for kids
Audiobooks:
- The Fisherman and His Wife
Week 5: Spring Balance
🕯️ Hearth Circle
Equinox! Day and night are equal. Finding balance in our daily lives.
📖 Language Arts
Cursive practice - connecting letters. Write spring sentences in cursive
🔢 Math
Equal groups, halves, fair sharing. Balance equations
🌿 Science & Nature
Spring equinox - tracking daylight, planting outdoor garden
✏️ Form Drawing
Symmetrical spring designs - butterflies, flowers
🧶 Handwork
Egg decorating with natural dyes
📚 Story
Spring tales from around the world
📺 "Just Can't" Day Alternatives
Videos:
- Equinox explained for kids
- Spring celebration
Shows:
- Spring around the world
Audiobooks:
- Spring story collections
Week 6: Ostara Celebration
🕯️ Hearth Circle
Ostara ritual - egg hunt with wishes, welcome spring, celebrate new life
📖 Language Arts
Review X, Y, Z. Cursive practice. Write and illustrate spring story
🔢 Math
Review measurement, ordinals, counting by 10s. Spring math games
🌿 Science & Nature
Signs of spring everywhere - nature walk, bird watching, flower identification
✏️ Form Drawing
Create spring border with all forms learned
🧶 Handwork
Flower crowns, Ostara baskets, seed bombs
📚 Story
Student choice - favorite fairy tale from the year
📺 "Just Can't" Day Alternatives
Videos:
- Spring celebration videos
- Ostara traditions
Shows:
- Baby animals in spring
Audiobooks:
- Favorite fairy tales
🥚 Ostara Celebration Ideas
- • Dye eggs with natural materials - onion skins, turmeric, beets
- • Hold an egg hunt with intentions or wishes inside plastic eggs
- • Plant seeds outdoors - start your garden!
- • Make flower crowns from early spring flowers
- • Balance an egg on its end at the equinox
- • Visit a farm to see baby animals
- • Have a spring picnic outdoors
- • Act out Jack and the Beanstalk