Celebrate May: Exploring Mother’s Day and Memorial Day (Steiner USA)

Preschool / Pre-Primary / Nursery / Pre-Kindergarten Lesson Plan – Lesson Plan on May (Steiner USA), Steiner philosophy

Title: “Celebrate May: Exploring Mother’s Day and Memorial Day”

Age Group: Preschool / Pre-Primary / Nursery / Pre-Kindergarten (3-5 years old)

Learning Framework: Early Learning Outcomes Framework (ELOF) – USA

Educational Approach: Rudolf Steiner’s Waldorf Approach

Learning Outcomes (Based on ELOF):

1. Perceptual, Motor, and Physical Development: Children will engage in creative activities to enhance their fine motor skills.
2. Social and Emotional Development: Children will appreciate and learn the value of empathy and respect.
3. Language and Literacy: Children will expand their vocabulary and develop comprehension skills through storytelling.
4. Cognition: Children will learn about the passage of time and significant cultural events.
5. Approaches to Learning: Children will demonstrate creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.

Resources Needed:

• Craft materials: biodegradable clay, flower seeds, paint, paintbrushes, paper, crayons, etc.
• Storybooks or stories about Mother’s Day and Memorial Day.
• Musical instruments (optional).

Lesson Plan:

1. Introduction to May (10 minutes)

Start the lesson with a song or a rhythm about the month of May. Introduce the two significant events in May: Mother’s Day and Memorial Day.

2. Mother’s Day Storytelling (20 minutes)

Share a story or read a book about Mother’s Day. Discuss the value of showing love and gratitude to mothers or mother figures.

3. Mother’s Day Activity: Seed Balls (30 minutes)

Guide the children to create seed balls as gifts for Mother’s Day. Children will shape biodegradable clay into small balls and embed flower seeds within them. Explain how the seed balls can be given as a gift and then planted.

4. Memorial Day Storytelling (20 minutes)

Tell a simple, age-appropriate story about Memorial Day, focusing on the themes of bravery and remembrance. Ensure the story is respectful and does not glorify war.

5. Memorial Day Activity: Watercolor Flags (30 minutes)

Provide each child with a piece of paper and watercolor paints. Let them paint the American flag or a symbol that represents Memorial Day for them. This activity aligns with Steiner’s emphasis on imagination and creativity.

6. Review and Share (20 minutes)

Encourage children to share what they learned and created. Use a ‘sharing circle’ where children pass around an object, such as a stone, and only the person holding the object can speak.

Assessment:

Observation of students’ understanding during discussions, their involvement in activities, and their responses in the sharing circle will be used to evaluate learning outcomes.

Alignment with Rudolf Steiner’s Approach:

The emphasis on storytelling, art, music, and hands-on learning aligns with Rudolf Steiner’s Waldorf education philosophy. The lessons encourage imaginative thinking and nurture the child’s emotional, spiritual, and intellectual development.

Link to ELOF:

This lesson plan engages key domains of the ELOF, including perceptual, motor, and physical development; social and emotional development; language and literacy; cognition; and approaches to learning.