Litha: Summer Sun & World Community
Optional summer enrichment celebrating the solstice and exploring world traditions.
Summer Learning: This unit is optional for families who want to continue learning through summer. Activities can be done in any order, at any pace. Focus on joy, exploration, and outdoor time!
UU Principle Focus
6th Principle: The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all
Summer Activities
Choose activities that interest your family. There's no set schedule - follow curiosity!
Summer Solstice Celebration
Celebrate the longest day of the year with outdoor activities and sun appreciation.
📚 Language Arts
Keep a summer nature journal. Write sun poems and solstice stories
✖️ Math
Track daylight hours. Graph sunrise and sunset times
🌱 Science
Summer solstice - why it's the longest day. Sun safety
🧶 Handwork
Sun wheels, sun catchers, outdoor crafts
📖 Story
Sun myths from around the world
🌍 Stories from Around the World
Pagan:
Litha celebrates the sun at its peak power - bonfires, sun wheels
Abrahamic:
St. John's Day (Midsummer) celebrates with bonfires and feasts
Connection:
Both traditions honor the sun's power with fire and celebration
📺 "Just Can't" Day
Videos:
- Summer Solstice Explained
- Sun Myths
Shows:
- Midsummer Around World
Audio:
- Summer Stories
World Religions Exploration
Learn about how different cultures around the world understand the sacred.
📚 Language Arts
Research a world religion. Create a presentation or poster
✖️ Math
World religion statistics - how many people practice each?
🌱 Science
Geography - where different religions originated
🧶 Handwork
Create symbols or art from different traditions
📖 Story
Stories from Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and more
🌍 Stories from Around the World
Pagan:
Paganism honors many gods and the sacred in nature
Abrahamic:
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam share common roots
Connection:
All traditions seek to understand the sacred and live good lives
📺 "Just Can't" Day
Videos:
- World Religions for Kids
- Sacred Places
Shows:
- Religions of the World
Audio:
- Stories from Many Faiths
Hebrew Stories Review
Review and retell favorite stories from the year's Hebrew literature study.
📚 Language Arts
Create a book of favorite Hebrew stories with illustrations
✖️ Math
Timeline - put stories in chronological order
🌱 Science
Geography of the ancient Near East
🧶 Handwork
Illustrate favorite stories, create a story quilt
📖 Story
Student choice - favorite stories from the year
🌍 Stories from Around the World
Pagan:
Summer is time for storytelling around fires
Abrahamic:
Oral tradition passes stories from generation to generation
Connection:
Both traditions value storytelling as a way to preserve wisdom
📺 "Just Can't" Day
Videos:
- Bible Stories Collection
- Ancient World
Shows:
- Storytelling Traditions
Audio:
- Hebrew Stories Collection
Nature Immersion
Spend time outdoors observing and connecting with the natural world.
📚 Language Arts
Nature journaling - draw and write about what you observe
✖️ Math
Measuring in nature - tree heights, distances, temperatures
🌱 Science
Summer ecology - what's growing, what animals are active?
🧶 Handwork
Nature crafts - leaf prints, flower pressing, rock painting
📖 Story
Nature spirits and fairy tales from many cultures
🌍 Stories from Around the World
Pagan:
Summer is time to commune with nature spirits and the land
Abrahamic:
Psalms praise the beauty of creation
Connection:
Both traditions find the sacred in the natural world
📺 "Just Can't" Day
Videos:
- Nature Documentaries
- Outdoor Adventures
Shows:
- Planet Earth
Audio:
- Nature Stories
Community Service
Give back to your community through service projects.
📚 Language Arts
Write about community needs. Create thank-you cards for helpers
✖️ Math
Track volunteer hours. Calculate impact
🌱 Science
How communities work - interdependence
🧶 Handwork
Service projects - food drives, clean-ups, helping neighbors
📖 Story
Stories of helpers and community builders
🌍 Stories from Around the World
Pagan:
The 6th Principle calls us to work for peace and justice
Abrahamic:
Tikkun olam - repairing the world through good deeds
Connection:
Both traditions call us to serve others and improve the world
📺 "Just Can't" Day
Videos:
- Community Helpers
- Kids Who Made a Difference
Shows:
- Changemakers
Audio:
- Service Stories
Creative Arts Festival
Celebrate creativity through art, music, drama, and storytelling.
📚 Language Arts
Write and perform plays based on year's stories
✖️ Math
Music math - rhythm, patterns, fractions in music
🌱 Science
How art materials work - pigments, instruments, sound
🧶 Handwork
Create art in various media - painting, sculpture, music
📖 Story
Share original stories and performances
🌍 Stories from Around the World
Pagan:
Bards and artists were honored in Celtic tradition
Abrahamic:
Psalms, poetry, and music praise the divine
Connection:
Both traditions use art to express the sacred
📺 "Just Can't" Day
Videos:
- Art for Kids
- Music Making
Shows:
- Young Artists
Audio:
- Creative Stories
☀️ Litha Celebration
- 🟡 Watch the sunrise on the longest day
- 🟡 Have a bonfire or candlelight celebration
- 🟡 Make sun tea and sun-dried crafts
- 🟡 Feast on summer fruits and vegetables
- 🟡 Reflect on the year's growth and learning
🎉 Year-End Reflection
As third grade ends, celebrate all you've learned:
- • Creation stories from many cultures
- • Hebrew literature as wisdom and myth
- • How different traditions share common themes
- • The Wheel of the Year and seasonal celebrations
- • Multiplication, division, fractions, and measurement
- • Reading, writing, and storytelling skills