A Lesson on Sharing–– Charlotte Mason Inspired Lesson Plan for “A Little Golden Hen”
Backyard chickens have a way of capturing our hearts with their amusing antics and quirky personalities. The Little Golden Hen imagines one such hen whose habit of saving every treat becomes the perfect opportunity to explore contentment, gratitude, and the joy of enjoying and sharing, the blessings God has already provided.
The heart of this story beautifully reflects:
“Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.-Romans 12:13”
This makes The Little Golden Hen a good fit for a Charlotte Mason–inspired lesson, where character formation and living ideas are central.
How to Use The Little Golden Hen for a Charlotte Mason–Inspired Lesson
If you’re not familiar with Charlotte Mason’s educational philosophy, the simplest explanation is she believed in exposing kids to good literature, getting kids out in nature and exploring learning through more hands-on experiences rather than dry text and pointless worksheets.
The focus on this lesson plan is to teach in a way that children will remember. A good book, natural and easy discussions, hands on activities, and time in nature. If your child struggles with an element, don’t push too hard, learning should develop positive memories.
1. Living Book Reading
Begin by reading the story aloud straight through.
Resist the urge to interrupt. Let the ideas do their quiet work.
On a second reading later in the week, gently pause to notice:
- Facial expressions
- Body language
- Moments of tension
- Moments of encouragement
Charlotte Mason trusted that children can receive living ideas without over-explaining.
2. Narration
After reading, ask your child to tell the story back in their own words.
You might ask:
- “What happened to the little hen?”
- “How do you think she felt during this story?”
- “How would you have felt if you where the little hen?”
For younger children:
- Draw a favorite scene.
- Use the paper bag puppets to aid in retelling the story.
- Act out a moment of sharing.
Narration strengthens attention, comprehension, and confidence.nd confidence.
3. Scripture Connection
Read Romans 12:13 together.
Write it on a small card or bookmark and place it in your Bible or use it as copywork.
Discuss:
- What does it mean to “share” with the saints?
- Who are “the saints” in our lives today?
- How can we practice this today?
This makes the story not just something we read — but something we live.
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4. Handicraft: Paper Plate Chicken Craft and Paperbag Puppets
Follow your lesson with a handicraft. You can find the instructions in my Free Resource Library. Or you can get more information on this blog post. Little Golden Hen Paper Plate Craft and Little Golden Hen Paper bag Craft
Creating the Paper Plate and Paper Bag Hen CraftsBackyard chickens are a great source for learning and teaching kids about the world.
The care and keeping of chickens is more than just food and water.
It is also caring for their safety, from putting them to bed at night…to saving them from their own silly behavior.
Like hoarding treats instead of enjoying them.
Hmm, maybe kids and chickens have more in common than I thought.
After all, who doesn’t love a good chicken story? helps children:
- Develop fine motor skills
- Build hand and eye coordination
- Practice attention to detail
- Take joy in completing good work
Handicrafts build up hand muscles and hand and eye coordination — while learning skills that will follow them into adulthood.
5. Nature Study
Observe real chickens if possible. Possible places a friend with backyard chickens, a local farm, reenactment villages.
Notice:
- How the interact with each other
- How do they spend their time
- How they communicate
- How they protect one another
Draw parallels to the book, do they spend alot of time hunting and pecking at the ground?
6. Extend the Learning Throughout the Week
To allow the lesson to linger, you can add:
Charlotte Mason lessons are short (between 15-30 min) — but the ideas are lasting.
Download the Charlotte Mason Lesson Plan
I’ve created a printable guide to make this easy to implement in your homeschool or use as a substitutes guide in a small classroom. You can get the printable version by signing up for my Newsletter below.
Already a member, you can find all the printables at my Free Resource Library, check your email for the password.
