Rāapa - Wednesday September 1st SPRING

Ata mārie whānau! Lady Spring is here ⚘ spring flowers everywhere, birds are chirping, leaves are beginning to grow on trees, blossoms are blooming (and falling like snow in the wind). Yesterday I promised you would hear more of Lady Spring today. Below is a delightful story you may like to share with your children today.

It had been a long and cold winter.  Lady Spring was snuggled soundly in her warm bed.  One morning the rays of the sun shone in her window and tickled her on the nose, singing, “Wake up, Lady Spring! Wake up Lady Spring!“ 

Lady Spring arose from her bed and put on her cloak, which was woven with the colors of the flowers.  And she slipped on her shoes, which were woven with the colors of the earth.  Then she opened her door and stepped outside.  Tiny white snowdrop flowers sprung up in her footprints as she walked.  But it wasn’t long before a cold wind began to blow and Lady Spring became chilled.  She hurried back to her home and her warm bed. 

The next morning the rays of the sun shone in her window and tickled Lady Spring on her nose, singing, “Wake up, Lady Spring!  Wake up Lady Spring!”  Lady spring arose from her bed and put on her cloak, which was woven with the colors of the flowers.  Then she slipped on her shoes, which were woven with the colors of the earth.  Then she she opened her door and went outside.  Again, tiny snowdrops bloomed in her footprints.  But again, a cold wind began to blow before she had the chance to walk far.  She became chilled and hurried back to her home and her warm bed.  For many days it went like this. 

Then, one morning, the warm rays of the sun shone powerfully into her window and tickled her on the nose, and tickled her on the cheeks, and tickled her on the chin, singing, “Wake up, Lady Spring!  Wake up, Lady Spring!  Wake up, Lady Spring!”  Lady Spring arose from her bed and put on her cloak, which was woven with the colors of the flowers.  Then she slipped on her shoes, which were woven with the colors of the earth.  Then she opened her door and went outside into the warm spring day. 

Everywhere she walked flowers of all kinds and all colors sprung up in her footsteps: daffodils, tulips, dandelions and clovers.  All day long Lady Spring walked the earth, leaving beautiful flowers in her wake.  When the sun disappeared behind the distant hills, Lady Spring returned to her home to rest and begin again on the morrow. 

From https://www.mainecoastwaldorf.org/2014/03/10/a-story-for-lady-spring/ 

Photo of my Class 5 students daffodil paintings last year

I've got two new songs to teach you to celebrate the season change. The lyrics and videos of Dotty and me singing are below. 

Spring is coming

Spring is coming, spring is coming 

Birdies, build your nest; 

Weave together straw and feather 

Each one doing your best 

Spring is coming, spring is coming 

Flowers are coming too;

Pansies, lilies, daffodillies,

Now are coming through

Spring is coming, spring is coming

All around is fair;

Shimmer, quiver on the river

Joy is everywhere

My Lady Spring

My lady Spring is dressed in green,
She wears a primrose crown,
And little baby buds and twigs
Are clinging to her gown.
 
The sun shines if she laughs at all
And when she weeps, the raindrops fall.
My Lady Spring,
My Lady Spring,
My Lady Spring.

Literacy

Today for literacy you could write out the first verse of My Lady Spring and draw what you think she looks like. 

Another option is to find as many spring flowers you can in your garden or on a walk, what are their names? Could you try to spell them? Use your amazing letter sound knowledge to discover what the letters could be.

Maths

Farmer Plus noticed that his spring flower fields were in bloom, he went to check on the pickers. One picker had 10 daffodils in their basket, he went over to a second picker who had 8 daffodils in their basket. How many daffodils had the pickers collected so far?

Farmer Plus then went to the field of tulips. The first picker he found had 10 tulips in their basket. The next tulip picker he came across had 5 tulips in their basket. How many tulips had been picked so far?

More difficult question for those wanting extension: Farmer Plus put all of the flowers in a bucket ready to go to the market. He put in the 18 daffodils and 15 tulips, how many flowers were in the bucket ready to go to the market?

You could draw a picture of Farmer Plus and the spring flowers if you like.

I wish you all a very happy first day of spring and of course of Level 3, which is not too much different than level 4 for most of us. 

Talk soon

Arohanui

Stacey