GIFT OF THE CODE

I love the variety of ways letters can be introduced. Many read books like ChickaChicka Boom boom, and sing the ABC song. In the Waldorf approach, letters are introduced through stories. In the first grade with Ryder we have introduced all of the Consonants with a story. It looks something like this:
MONDAY - Story (The Willow Wren and The Bear).
Introduce Letter B - through the day we uncover words with the sound B - whether it begins, ends or is throughout the word - we listen for the sound as a point of discovery. We "walk" the letter B. We run the letter B. We use our legs from our knee down to draw the letter B. There are many more possibilities here but you get the idea. Perhaps we'll make Blueberry cobbler (we actually did that today).
Form Drawing

TUESDAY: Retelling and living out the story - this is takes the form of a dramatic play, baking, or water color. (With water colors I am usually introducing color and integration and sometimes we even bring in the numbers). The letters are no longer something abstract but something fluid and full of potential, full of living energy.

Today is Wednesday and for us we've completed all of the consonants. We are doing riddles and Roman Numerals 1-10. And introducing the Math Processes. But the greatest adventure of today has been the discovery of the CODE! The VOWELS! Integrated very loosely, my son's love of the mummy and Egypt. We looked at the consonants and letters as hyrogliphics. We learned how the Egyptians of ancient times had codes and they didn't have vowels. We have vowels and it's how we break the code.