Lesson Plans for September: Grade 2 and (modified) Kindy

My Current Chalkboard Drawing

Jumping right in, I wanted to list what we'll be working on in September. I am pulling from several different resources, including online and purchased curriculum. There is no copywrite infringement intended, as I will not be giving the verbatim wording of any "for sale" curriculum here. It should also be noted that many Waldorf resources (both for free and for purchase) follow the same or similar basic track (ie. saint and hero stories in grade 2, starting off with a saints block and then moving into a math block).  

Everything I am about to list is freely offered online by many, many sources. 

I am simply compiling this in one place for educational purposes.

The reason I'm pulling from many sources is because I am finding that no one curriculum is an exact perfect fit for our family. Having said that, what this also means is that I may be including things into our curriculum that you may not want to include in yours. The reason I'm posting this at all is because I have gotten requests to be more specific about what we plan to do each month to give others some ideas.

So, without further ado....

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Grade 2 for September

Saints:  St Francis

1. Stories:  http://www.americancatholic.org/features/francis/stories.asp

2.  video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2ze6nw1s4E

3.  Audiobook (FREE!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R4EtT6l0uw

4. Activities for Celebrating St. Francis:  http://www.reallifeathome.com/10-ideas-for-celebrating-st-francis-of-assisi-with-young-ones/

5.  St. Francis Prayer for Birds:  http://totustuusfamily.blogspot.com/2014/08/st-francis-prayer-to-birds-little.html

St. Jerome

1. Story: http://holyspiritinteractive.net/kids/saints/0930_jerome.asp

2. Story: St. Jerome and the Lion:  http://catholicnotebook.blogspot.com/2009/05/st-jerome-and-lion.html

St. George

1. St George and The Dragon:  The Baldwin Project:  http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=bailey&book=hour&story=george

2.  St George and The Dragon:  http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/stgeorge2.html

3. Video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEwNd_yInKA

St. Michael

1. Facts:  http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=308

2. video of a Michaelmas ceremony:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB-lBb1JrBY

3. A neat discussion about the differences between St. George and St. Michael:

 http://www.paradoxplace.com/Perspectives/Genl%20Images/Single%20Frames/Saint%20George.htm

4.  Put on a play about slaying the dragon, then have a feast with the dragon bread

Math:

Worksheets and computer games as needed until the official math block later in the year

Opening and Closing Verse for Grade 2

I stand erect between Earth and sky

My head rests on my shoulders high

The circling air blows in on me

My feet are firm, my hands are free

My heart will feel what is good and true

My head will plan what my hands will do

From the book When The Moon is Full: http://www.amazon.com/When-Moon-Full-Lunar-Year/dp/0316713171/ref=pd_sim_sbs_b_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=16Q7JF1KVSE4AADTNK7S

Also, we will continue to use the verses from last year, the titles of which are below under kindy.

Form Drawing and Writing

(choose one form to introduce and work on per day or per week, your choice!)

This above pic is offered freely at: http://jmjpublishing.com/JMJpdfs4all/2012FormDrawing.pdf

1.  More grade 2 form drawing samples:  http://ancienthearth2.blogspot.com/2010/09/grade-2-two-week-form-drawing-review.html

2.  A few more: http://leapof.blogspot.com/2007/10/2nd-grade-form-drawing-part-1.html

3.  WE grade 2 form drawing samples from the WE website: http://waldorfessentials.com/wegr2forms/

4.  Copy work:  Adapted (by me) from the Canticle of Brother Sun and Sister Moon (http://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=183) to reflect a more nature-oriented approach.  

This will be split into four parts, so that one part per day for 4 consecutive days can be copied into my son's main lesson book as part of his handwriting practice.

1. Praised be all of earth's creatures,

especially our Brother Sun,

Who shines by day and gives us light.

And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendour,

Of all Most High, he bears the likeness of light.

2. Praised be our Sister Moon and the stars,

In the heavens have they been made bright, precious and fair.

(2 cont.) Praised be our Brothers Wind and Air,

And fair and stormy, all weather's moods,

by which we cherish all that has been made.

3.  Praised be our Sister Water,

So useful, humble, precious and pure.

(3 cont.)  Praised be our Brother Fire,

through whom the night is lit and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.

4. Praised be our Sister, Mother Earth

who sustains and governs us,

producing varied fruits with coloured flowers and herbs.

Praise be all things of beauty, joy and health around us.

Blessed be!

Handwork:

1. More finger-knitting:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsZsUBYU0qU

2. Beeswax modeling

3.   Crayon depictions of the stories read during the month to be done in main lesson book

4. Make a cape, sword and shield for Michaelmas

5. Watercolor painting as we have time

Music:

1. Recorder: Learn and practice a few times each week of the month:  Mary Had A Little Lamb

Baking:

1. Rolls made into birds for St. Francis

2. Lion made out of a muffin for St. Jerome

3. + 4. Large dragon for St. George and St. Michael out of bread dough to celebrate Michaelmas

Nature/Physical Activity:

1.  Daily outside play

2. Apple picking this month!!!

3. Gym class 1x/week

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Kindy for September

Stories:

1.   Listen to saints stories (see above) 

2. Listen to animal stories (Old Mother West Wind)

Art:

1.  Watercolor painting (3 colors)

2. Crayon art (block and stick crayons)

3. Beeswax and modeling clay

Verses:

1. The Sun With Loving Light

2. Good Morning Dear Earth

3. The Moon on one hand, The Sun in the other

4.  Left foot, Right foot

5.  Wind the Bobbin

6. Where are our fingers?

Main Lesson Book:

1.  Introduce letters

2.  Introduce form drawing

Weekly Rotation Rhythm:

Mon: baking, Tues: painting, Wed: clay, Thurs: cleaning, Fri:  nature walk

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Well, there you have it for September. I love looking at other blogs to see what they are doing each month, so I was happy to oblige when I was asked to keep track of our curriculum. As you can see, there are pieces picked from various sources....a bit eclectic but hung on a basic Waldorf framework with some modifications and additions.

I have to revise my original review of the Waldorf Essentials curriculum. While I am enjoying it, it definitely is lacking. There is not enough for each day and it is not consistent. Some days there is a very short story, and other days the story is so long I will need to break it up over a couple of days. Luckily, I know how to search for things to fill in the gaps.  In terms of value, I think the curriculum should have only cost around $10 (especially since it was digital).  I'll be looking around for something more comprehensive for next year, and for this year will just supplement with other resources.