Unit 8 (Optional)June – July (Summer)
Litha: Light & Achievement
The longest day of the year! This optional summer unit celebrates the sun at its peak and all we've achieved. Perfect for families who continue learning through summer.
UU Principle Focus
6th Principle: The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all
Summer connects us to the wider world - nature, community, and global awareness.
Summer Learning Goals
Keep Skills Sharp
- Daily reading for pleasure
- Math fact practice games
- Nature journaling
- Creative writing
Explore & Discover
- Summer nature studies
- Garden tending
- Art and craft projects
- Community service
Summer Activity Ideas
☀️ Litha Week (Summer Solstice)
- • Track the sunrise and sunset times
- • Make sun catchers or sun prints
- • Have a solstice bonfire or candle ceremony
- • Create sun-themed art
- • Read myths about the sun from different cultures
- • Stay up late to watch the sunset on the longest day
🌻 Nature Studies
- • Insect observations - catch, observe, release
- • Bird watching with a field guide
- • Pond or beach explorations
- • Garden journaling - draw and measure plants
- • Night sky watching - summer constellations
- • Weather tracking and cloud identification
📚 Summer Reading
- • Library summer reading program
- • More Aesop's fables and world folktales
- • Chapter books - Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little
- • Nature and animal non-fiction
- • Audiobooks for road trips
- • Read aloud together as a family
🎨 Creative Projects
- • Nature crafts with found materials
- • Tie-dye and fabric arts
- • Outdoor painting and sketching
- • Build fairy houses or gnome homes
- • Create a summer scrapbook
- • Write and illustrate original stories
➕ Math Fun
- • Cooking and measuring
- • Board games with math (Monopoly Jr, Yahtzee)
- • Math fact card games
- • Money practice at stores
- • Building and measuring projects
- • Khan Academy or other online practice
☀️ Litha Celebration Ideas
- 🟡 Watch the sunrise on the solstice
- 🟡 Have a bonfire or candle ceremony
- 🟡 Make flower garlands and sun wheels
- 🟡 Feast on summer fruits and vegetables
- 🟡 Dance and play outdoor games
- 🟡 Share gratitude for the light and warmth
🎉 Celebrate 2nd Grade!
Your child has completed a year of fables, legends, and heroes! They've mastered cursive, multiplication facts, and explored the natural world. Take time to celebrate their growth and prepare for the adventures of 3rd grade!