Steiner Grade 2 Language Arts Block: A Lesson Plan on Fables and Noble Hearts

Discover a complete 4-week Steiner language arts lesson plan for Grade 2 (Class 2) focusing on 'Fables and Noble Hearts.' This Waldorf-inspired curriculum uses Aesop's Fables and stories of figures like St. Francis to teach writing, morals, and character. Includes detailed weekly outlines, daily activities (storytelling, drawing, painting), materials lists, and assessment guidance. Perfect for homeschoolers and educators seeking a rich, arts-integrated approach to teaching foundational literacy skills.

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Language Arts Main Lesson Block: Fables and Noble Hearts

Materials Needed

  • A3 Main Lesson Book (high-quality, heavy paper, blank)
  • Stockmar beeswax stick and block crayons
  • Graphite and coloured pencils
  • Stockmar watercolour paints (carmine, lemon yellow, ultramarine blue) and watercolour paper
  • Good quality paintbrush, water jar, and sponge
  • Modelling beeswax
  • A collection of Aesop's Fables
  • A child-appropriate biography or story collection about a noble figure (e.g., St. Francis of Assisi, Florence Nightingale)
  • Chalkboard or large whiteboard and chalk/markers
  • Beanbags or a soft ball for rhythmic activities
  • A small bell or chime for transitions

Learning Objectives

By the end of this four-week block, H will be able to:

  • Orally retell a fable and a story of a noble person, identifying the main characters and the moral or key message.
  • Write 2-4 simple, descriptive sentences related to a story, using correct capitalization and full stops.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of contrasting qualities (e.g., foolishness vs. wisdom, cunning vs. kindness).
  • Confidently form all lowercase letter families in cursive or print, focusing on flow and spacing.
  • Create beautiful, organized Main Lesson Book pages that combine his own drawings and written work to summarize the lessons.
  • Recite 2-3 short poems or verses from memory with expression.

Alignment with Australian Steiner Curriculum Framework (Class 2)

This lesson block directly addresses the Class 2 English curriculum by focusing on:

  • Imaginative and Narrative Content: Using fables and legends (stories of saints/noble figures) as the core content to explore human nature.
  • Writing from Speech: Moving from the spoken story to the written word, where writing is taught as a creative and meaningful activity.
  • Pictorial and Artistic Expression: Integrating drawing, painting, and modelling as essential ways to deepen understanding and express learning.
  • Grammar and Phonics in Context: Introducing punctuation (full stops, capitals) and reinforcing phonics through meaningful writing drawn from the stories.
  • Development of Form: Continuing with Form Drawing to develop motor control, a sense of symmetry, and readiness for cursive writing.

Overview of the 4-Week Block

This block is divided into two parts. The first two weeks focus on Aesop's Fables, exploring the clever, tricky, and sometimes foolish nature of animals that reflect human traits. The second two weeks shift to stories of a noble figure like St. Francis, exploring qualities of compassion, courage, and service. This contrast provides a rich picture of the breadth of human potential.

Week 1: The Fox and the Crow & The Lion and the Mouse (Fables of Cunning and Kindness)

  • Stories: Introduce "The Fox and the Crow" and "The Lion and the Mouse." Tell them orally with vivid imagery.
  • Language Arts Focus: Recalling key events. Identifying the "moral" of the story. Introducing vowel sounds (a, o, i) and consonant blends (cr, st, fr) found in key words like "crow," "strong," and "friend."
  • Main Lesson Book: Create pages for each fable. H will draw a central scene and then copy a summary sentence you have prepared, such as: "The clever fox tricks the proud crow."
  • Artistic Activity: Watercolour painting of a fox or a lion. Modelling the mouse and the lion from beeswax.

Week 2: The Tortoise and the Hare & The Ant and the Grasshopper (Fables of Diligence)

  • Stories: Introduce "The Tortoise and the Hare" and "The Ant and the Grasshopper." Act them out together!
  • Language Arts Focus: Writing an original sentence about the story. Practicing letter families that involve similar movements (e.g., 'c', 'o', 'a', 'd', 'g'). Introducing the concept of a "doing word" (verb).
  • Main Lesson Book: H will draw the race and the hardworking ant. He will try to write his own sentence with guidance, like: "The tortoise is slow but steady."
  • Artistic Activity: Form drawing of looping and straight lines, reflecting the tortoise's steady pace and the hare's zipping movement. Acting out the fables with simple props.

Week 3: The Story of St. Francis - His Love for Animals

  • Stories: Begin the story of St. Francis, focusing on his childhood and his connection to nature and animals (e.g., the story of the birds, the wolf of Gubbio).
  • Language Arts Focus: Comparing the animals in the fables to the animals in St. Francis's life. Introducing "naming words" (nouns). Writing sentences that express feelings, such as: "Francis was kind to the birds."
  • Main Lesson Book: H will draw St. Francis surrounded by birds. He will write two sentences about the story.
  • Artistic Activity: Watercolour painting of a landscape with birds. Go on a nature walk to observe birds and animals, just as Francis would have.

Week 4: The Story of St. Francis - His Love for People

  • Stories: Conclude the story of St. Francis, focusing on his acts of service and compassion for people.
  • Language Arts Focus: Review and consolidation. H will choose his favourite story from the block (fable or St. Francis) and write a 3-4 sentence summary. Practice of all letter formations and basic punctuation.
  • Main Lesson Book: Create a final, beautiful summary page for the block. This could be a drawing of St. Francis helping someone, with H's best writing underneath.
  • Artistic Activity: Model a human figure from beeswax. Create a simple play or puppet show of one of the stories.

Detailed Example: A Main Lesson in Week 2 ("The Tortoise and the Hare")

1. Opening / Rhythmic Work (15-20 mins)

The goal is to warm up the body, mind, and spirit for learning.

  • Verse: Begin with a morning verse to set the tone.
  • Movement: Recite a poem about movement, like "The Grand Old Duke of York," with marching and actions.
  • Rhythm & Phonics: Toss a beanbag back and forth while practicing sound blends from the week's stories. For "The Tortoise and the Hare," you could clap out syllables ("Tor-toise," "rab-bit") or practice the 'h' sound ("hare," "hops," "hurries").

2. Review and Recall (10 mins)

Gently awaken yesterday's learning.

  • Ask H to retell the fable of "The Ant and the Grasshopper" from the previous day. What did he remember most? What did the ant do all summer?
  • Look at the Main Lesson Book page he created for it. Read the sentence he wrote together.

3. New Content: Storytelling (15 mins)

Bring the new story to life imaginatively.

  • Set the scene: "Yesterday, we heard about a busy ant. Today, I have a story about another creature who knew that slow and steady work is very important..."
  • Tell the story of "The Tortoise and the Hare" orally, without a book. Use expressive gestures, different voices for the characters, and vivid language. Emphasize the contrast between the hare's speed and pride and the tortoise's slow, persistent effort. Don't state the moral yet; let the story speak for itself.

4. Artistic & Written Work: Main Lesson Book (30-40 mins)

This is where H makes the learning his own.

  • Discussion: Talk about the story. "I wonder how the tortoise felt when the hare laughed at him?" "What do you think the hare was doing when he took a nap?" Let H lead the discussion and arrive at the story's meaning himself.
  • Drawing: Guide H to picture a scene in his mind. "Let's draw the moment the tortoise is about to cross the finish line, while the hare is still sleeping under the tree." On a fresh page in his Main Lesson Book, he will draw this scene with the beeswax crayons. Emphasize filling the page with colour and life.
  • Writing: On the chalkboard, work together to create a sentence. Ask H for his idea first. He might say, "The tortoise won." You can help him expand it: "Slow and steady wins the race." Model writing it on the board, pointing out the capital 'S' and the full stop. H then copies the sentence carefully into his book beneath his drawing.

5. Closing (5 mins)

End the lesson calmly and with intention.

  • Put all the materials away neatly.
  • Admire the beautiful new page in the Main Lesson Book together.
  • End with a short closing verse or by ringing a chime to signal the end of the main lesson.

Assessment and Evaluation (Steiner Approach)

Assessment is ongoing, observational, and focused on H's individual journey. There are no tests or quizzes.

  • Formative (Daily): I will assess H's learning by listening to his oral retelling of stories, observing his engagement, and noting his contributions to discussions. His daily written work in the MLB shows his developing grasp of letter formation, spacing, and sentence structure.
  • Summative (End of Block): The completed Main Lesson Book is the primary summative assessment tool. It provides a rich portfolio of his progress in comprehension (through drawings), writing skills, and artistic expression. His ability to recite the learned verses and his overall confidence with the material are also key indicators of success.

Differentiation and Inclusivity

As this plan is designed for H, it is inherently differentiated. The one-on-one setting allows for immediate adjustments.

  • For Support: If H struggles with writing, I can scribe his sentence for him to trace, or we can focus on just one or two key words. For drawing, I can lightly sketch a basic outline for him to fill in with colour. We can use larger movements and more repetition in the rhythmic portion to build motor skills.
  • For Extension: If H is confident, I can encourage him to write two or three original sentences. He could create a border for his MLB page, design a title, or even write his own short fable with a moral. He could also take on a larger role in acting out the stories.