Lammas: Fables & New Beginnings
Second grade begins with Aesop's fables - short stories with powerful morals. The Ant and the Grasshopper teaches us about hard work at harvest time, while we strengthen our math facts and begin cursive uppercase letters.
UU Principle Focus
2nd Principle: Justice, equity, and compassion in human relations
Fables teach us about fairness, honesty, and treating others with compassion - even those different from us.
Learning Goals
Language Arts
- Review cursive lowercase letters
- Learn cursive uppercase A-Z
- Understand fables and morals
- Write original short fable
Math
- Master addition facts to 20
- Master subtraction facts to 20
- Understand fact families
- Solve word problems
Form Drawing
- Running/continuous forms
- Spiral forms
- Size contrast
- Wave forms
Social-Emotional
- Understanding consequences
- Value of honesty
- Patience and persistence
- Helping others
Weekly Lessons
Week 1: Welcome Back & The Ant and the Grasshopper
🕯️ Hearth Circle
Light our candle for the new year. What did we learn last year? What do we hope to learn this year?
📚 Language Arts
Review cursive lowercase. Introduction to fables - what is a moral? Read 'The Ant and the Grasshopper'
➗ Math
Review addition/subtraction facts to 20. Introduction to fact families
🌱 Science & Nature
Insects - ants and grasshoppers. Observe ant colonies, insect body parts
✏️ Form Drawing
Review straight and curved lines. Running forms - continuous patterns
🧶 Handwork
Continue knitting from 1st grade - knit stitch review, begin simple project
📖 Story
The Ant and the Grasshopper (Aesop)
📺 "Just Can't" Day Alternatives
Videos:
- Aesop's Fables animated
- Wild Kratts: Insects
Shows:
- Ants: Nature's Secret Power
Audiobooks:
- Aesop's Fables for Children
Week 2: The Tortoise and the Hare
🕯️ Hearth Circle
Slow and steady wins the race. When has patience helped us succeed?
📚 Language Arts
Cursive uppercase A-F. Identify the moral of the story. Compare/contrast characters
➗ Math
Addition facts to 20 - speed and accuracy. Timed practice (gentle, not stressful)
🌱 Science & Nature
Reptiles vs mammals - tortoise and hare comparison. Shell structure, fur, movement
✏️ Form Drawing
Spiral forms - like a snail shell, slow and steady
🧶 Handwork
Continue knitting project. Discuss patience in handwork
📖 Story
The Tortoise and the Hare (Aesop)
📺 "Just Can't" Day Alternatives
Videos:
- Tortoise and Hare animated versions
- Wild Kratts: Reptiles
Shows:
- Nature: Tortoises
Audiobooks:
- Aesop's Fables
Week 3: The Lion and the Mouse
🕯️ Hearth Circle
Even small creatures can help the mighty. How can we help others, even if we feel small?
📚 Language Arts
Cursive uppercase G-L. Retell fable in own words. Write a sentence about the moral
➗ Math
Subtraction facts to 20. Fact families - how addition and subtraction relate
🌱 Science & Nature
Lions and mice - predator and prey. African savanna ecosystem
✏️ Form Drawing
Size contrast forms - large sweeping curves and tiny detailed forms
🧶 Handwork
Finger crochet introduction or continue knitting
📖 Story
The Lion and the Mouse (Aesop)
📺 "Just Can't" Day Alternatives
Videos:
- Lion and Mouse animated
- Wild Kratts: Lions
Shows:
- African Cats (Disney)
Audiobooks:
- Aesop's Fables
Week 4: The Boy Who Cried Wolf
🕯️ Hearth Circle
Why is honesty important? What happens when trust is broken?
📚 Language Arts
Cursive uppercase M-R. Discuss consequences in stories. Write about a time honesty mattered
➗ Math
Mixed addition and subtraction. Word problems with fable characters
🌱 Science & Nature
Wolves - pack behavior, communication, habitat. Sheep and shepherding
✏️ Form Drawing
Wave forms - like rolling hills where sheep graze
🧶 Handwork
Wool exploration - raw wool, carding, simple felting
📖 Story
The Boy Who Cried Wolf (Aesop)
📺 "Just Can't" Day Alternatives
Videos:
- Boy Who Cried Wolf animated
- Wild Kratts: Wolves
Shows:
- Living with Wolves
Audiobooks:
- Aesop's Fables
Week 5: Lammas Celebration & Harvest Fables
🕯️ Hearth Circle
Lammas ritual - break bread, share harvest gratitude, honor the first fruits
📚 Language Arts
Cursive uppercase S-Z. Review all fables. Write own short fable with a moral
➗ Math
Review all facts to 20. Math games and celebration
🌱 Science & Nature
Harvest time - grain crops, how bread is made, farm animals
✏️ Form Drawing
Create a harvest border combining forms learned
🧶 Handwork
Bread baking, wheat weaving, harvest crafts
📖 Story
Student shares their own fable
📺 "Just Can't" Day Alternatives
Videos:
- Harvest celebration videos
- How bread is made
Shows:
- Farm life documentaries
Audiobooks:
- More Aesop's Fables
🌾 Lammas Celebration Ideas
- 🟡 Bake bread and share with neighbors
- 🟡 Create a harvest altar with grains, vegetables, and sunflowers
- 🟡 Act out favorite fables as family plays
- 🟡 Visit a farm or farmer's market
- 🟡 Make corn husk dolls or wheat weavings
- 🟡 Write and illustrate your own fable book
- 🟡 Have a harvest feast with seasonal foods
📚 About Fables
In Waldorf education, second grade is the year of fables and legends. Fables are perfect for this age because:
- • Children are developing a sense of right and wrong
- • Animal characters make moral lessons accessible
- • Short stories are perfect for retelling and writing
- • Morals spark meaningful discussions
- • They connect to nature and animal studies