Lammas: First Harvest & The Creation of the Worlds
Fourth grade begins with the dramatic Norse creation story—fire and ice meeting in the void to create all that exists.
UU Principle Focus
7th Principle: Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part
🎯 Learning Goals
- • Understand the Norse creation story (Ginnungagap, Ymir, Odin and his brothers)
- • Identify the Nine Worlds and Yggdrasil, the World Tree
- • Connect harvest themes to the interdependent web of life
- • Begin local geography studies with maps of home and neighborhood
- • Introduce fractions through harvest division and sharing
- • Study grain-eating animals and their role in the ecosystem
Weekly Lessons
Week 1: Ginnungagap—The Void Before Creation
🕯️ Hearth Circle
How do you imagine the world before anything existed? What might 'nothing' look like?
📚 Language Arts
Read the Norse creation story: fire and ice, Muspelheim and Niflheim. Narrate and illustrate in main lesson book.
✖️ Math
Introduction to fractions: dividing the harvest into halves, thirds, quarters. Hands-on with bread and apples.
🗺️ Science & Geography
Draw a map of your home (bird's eye view). Learn cardinal directions.
✏️ Form Drawing
Introduction to Norse interlace—simple knotwork patterns
🧶 Handwork
Begin wheat weaving or corn dolly for Lammas
📖 Story
Norse Creation: Ginnungagap, the meeting of fire and ice
📺 "Just Can't" Day
Videos:
- Norse Mythology Explained
- Vikings History for Kids
Shows:
- Vikings documentary clips
Audio:
- Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology
Week 2: Ymir & Audhumla
🕯️ Hearth Circle
Ymir was the first giant, born from ice and fire. What do you think it means that creation came from opposites?
📚 Language Arts
Read about Ymir the Frost Giant and Audhumla the Cosmic Cow. Write a summary. Vocabulary: primordial, cosmos.
✖️ Math
Fraction strips—create visual manipulatives. Compare fractions: which is bigger, 1/2 or 1/4?
🗺️ Science & Geography
Expand map to yard or neighborhood. Identify local landmarks.
✏️ Form Drawing
Continue interlace patterns—flowing, interwoven lines
🧶 Handwork
Continue wheat weaving; begin knitting project
📖 Story
Ymir and Audhumla—the first beings
📺 "Just Can't" Day
Videos:
- How to Draw Norse Designs
- Map Skills for Kids
Shows:
- Planet Earth: Ice Worlds
Audio:
- D'Aulaires' Norse Gods
Week 3: Odin, Vili & Ve—The First Gods
🕯️ Hearth Circle
Odin and his brothers created the world from Ymir's body. What does it mean to transform something old into something new?
📚 Language Arts
Read how Odin, Vili, and Ve made the worlds from Ymir. Illustrate the creation. Write about transformation.
✖️ Math
Story problems with fractions: 'If Odin divided the world into 9 realms and 3 belong to gods, what fraction is that?'
🗺️ Science & Geography
Animal studies: grain-eating animals (mice, birds, cattle). Compare Audhumla to real cows.
✏️ Form Drawing
Create a border design for main lesson book pages
🧶 Handwork
Bread baking—Lammas bread (connect to fractions with measuring!)
📖 Story
The Making of the Worlds from Ymir
📺 "Just Can't" Day
Videos:
- Fractions for Kids
- Farm Animals Documentary
Shows:
- How Bread is Made
Audio:
- Odd and the Frost Giants
Week 4: Yggdrasil & The Nine Worlds
🕯️ Hearth Circle
Yggdrasil connects all the worlds. How are we connected to everything around us? (7th Principle)
📚 Language Arts
Learn about Yggdrasil and the Nine Worlds. Create a labeled diagram. Write about each realm.
✖️ Math
Measurement: measure ingredients for recipes. Cups, tablespoons, fractions of cups.
🗺️ Science & Geography
Complete neighborhood map with compass rose and legend. Nature walk to observe landmarks.
✏️ Form Drawing
Draw Yggdrasil with interlace roots and branches
🧶 Handwork
Paint or draw the World Tree with all Nine Worlds
📖 Story
Yggdrasil, the World Tree, and its inhabitants
📺 "Just Can't" Day
Videos:
- Google Earth: Scandinavia
- The Nine Worlds Explained
Shows:
- Trees: Nature's Giants
Audio:
- Norse Mythology audiobook
Week 5: Ask & Embla—The First Humans
🕯️ Hearth Circle
The gods gave the first humans breath, spirit, and warmth. What gifts do you have that make you human?
📚 Language Arts
Read about Ask and Embla. Write a creation story of your own. Share stories aloud.
✖️ Math
Review fractions. Harvest math: dividing bushels, dozens. Mental math games.
🗺️ Science & Geography
Nature journal: sketch and label a grain-eating animal. Observe local birds.
✏️ Form Drawing
Complete interlace border for Lammas celebration page
🧶 Handwork
Finish Lammas crafts. Prepare harvest altar.
📖 Story
Ask and Embla—The First Humans
📺 "Just Can't" Day
Videos:
- Creation Stories from Around the World
- Bird Watching for Kids
Shows:
- Human Origins
Audio:
- The Sea of Trolls (chapters)
🌾 Lammas Celebration
- 🟡 Bake and share Lammas bread with family or neighbors
- 🟡 Create a harvest altar with grains, fruits, and symbols of abundance
- 🟡 Hold a feast featuring foods made from grains
- 🟡 Tell the story of John Barleycorn or the Corn King
- 🟡 Make corn husk dolls or wheat weavings as offerings
- 🟡 Visit a local farm, farmers market, or grain field
📚 Recommended Resources
Read-Alouds
- • D'Aulaires' Norse Gods and Giants
- • Odd and the Frost Giants (Neil Gaiman)
- • The Sea of Trolls (Nancy Farmer)
Reference
- • Norse Mythology (Neil Gaiman)
- • Usborne Norse Myths
- • National Geographic Kids: Vikings