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Monday, September 30, 2013

Picture This: "Dream Something Big: The Story of the Watts Towers"

 



Picture This: "Dream Something Big: The Story of the Watts Towers"  
K-5th Grade After-School Story/Craft introducing this self-taught folk artist.

Blurb: Can you imagine working on a art project for 34 years?  A man named Simon Rodia did just that, using cement, broken tiles, shells, and other found items to build towering spires, some almost a hundred feet tall, decorated with mosaic designs.  Come hear his story then create your own mosaic towers from pipe cleaners, magazine clippings, and found objects. 


  • World Music playing as kids enter & for craft: The Rough Guide to World Playtime (Simon Rodia lived in a multicultural neighborhood)
  • Show book – illustrator used cut paper collages to represent Simon Rodia’s mosaics (like collages but made of bits of broken glass, pottery, china etc.)
  • Book mentions “kaleidoscope” – show some if available so kids can look through
  • Read book aloud including afterward: height, quantity of materials, real pictures
  • Show additional photographs (from internet) of the towers
  • Craft: Kids make 3D towers out of pipe cleaners, odds and ends, found objects.  Group made paper mosaic towers on bulletin board paper to decorate column in the Youth Services area.
  • Additional note: similar public mosaics in Philadelphia: www.phillymagicgardens.org/
  • www.visualnews.com/2015/02/former-monk-building-giant-cathedral-junk-hes-working-52-years
  • Could also use the book: In Mary's Garden by TIna & Carson Kugler 709.2 KUG

Thursday, September 26, 2013

School Age Storytime: "To Fly" -- Stories about Female Aviatrices Who Soared


School Age Storytime (K-4th) : "To Fly"
Stories about Little-Known Female Aviatrices Who Soared
(Inspiring biographical storytime about women who took risks,
includes original newsreel footage (via Youtube) of one of the flights.)
 
The Daring Miss Quimby by Suzanne George Whitaker (Holiday House, 2009)   Lively pictures accompany an exciting text about this flamboyant flyer  or  Brave Harriet: The First Woman to Fly the English Channel by Marissa Moss (Harcourt, 2001)  tells the same story in a fictionalized first person narrative.
 
Original Newsreel footage of the English Channel flight:
 
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Harriet Quimby was the first American woman to fly across the English channel. Her achievement was overshadowed by the Titanic disaster.
Katherine Stinson Otero, High Flyer  by Neila Skinner Petrick (Pelican, 2006)  Lovely picture-book biography of this daring and adventurous individual or Soar, Elinor! by Tami Lewis Brown (Farrar, Straus, 2010.)  Inspiring biography of the sixteen-year-old girl who flew under NYC's bridges! or Ruth Law Thrills a Nation  by Don Brown (Houghton Mifflin, 1995)   Riveting details  enliven Brown's witty picture book  depicting  Ruth's record-breaking flight.

Nobody Owns the Sky: The Story of "Brave Bessie" Coleman by Reeve Lindbergh (Candlewick, 1998) . Superbly-written narrative verse of this inspiring black flyer who refused to take no for an answer.

Since it was the beginning of the school year, concluded with:
The Wrong Side of the Bed by Wallace Keller (Rizolli, 1992)  Hilarious tale of what happens when Mott literally gets up "on the wrong side of the bed."

Additional titles:
The Fabulous Flying Machines of Alberto Santos-Dumont by Victoria Griffith (Abrams, 2011) (Grade K+)  A  charming introduction to a quirky flyer who loved floating over Paris in his own personal flying machine and became the first man to lift off and land a completely self-propelled plane. 
Flying Solo: How Ruth Elder Soared into America's Heart by Julie Cummins (Roaring Brook, 2013) (Grade 1+) Lively picture book biography of Ruth Elder who planned to be the first woman to fly across the Atlantic. Though that failed, in 1929, she and 19 other women (including Amelia Earhart) flew solo across the country to prove women could pilot as well as men!
Sky High: The True Story of Maggie Gee by Marissa Moss (Tricycle, 2009) (Grade K+)  Taken from interviews with Maggie Gee herself, this is a wonderful picture book biography of one of the only Chinese-American women accepted into the World War II WASP (Women Airforce Pilots)
Flight by Robert Burleigh (Philomel, 1991) (Grade K+)  Breathless text and wonderful paintings convey the excitement of Charles Lindbergh's solo flight over the Atlantic.

McCarthy, Meghan. Daredevil: The Daring Life of Betty Skelton. 2013. Unpaged. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $16.99 (978-1-4424-2262-9). K-Gr.3. The First Lady of Firsts, Betty Skelton blazed the trail for women in aviation, auto racing, and aeronautics. She soloed when she was just 12 years old and set records throughout her life.

Burleigh, Robert. Night flight: Amelia Earhart crosses the Atlantic. Illus. by Wendell Minor. 2011. Unpaged. Simon & Schuster, $16.95 (978-1-4169-6733-0). K-Gr.3. This uplifting picture book recounts Amelia Earhart’s sky-breaking solo trip across the Atlantic in 1932.

And of course, there are many books on Amelia Earhart, the Wright Brothers, and other flyers.

Bedm. 9/2013

School Age Storytime: What's In A Name?

What's in a Name?
School Age Storytime (K-4th)
Concepts include world languages, vocabulary development,
immigration, aging, empathy, classic stories & imagination
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Book: Matthew A.B.C. -- Peter Catalanotto (class chock full of Matthews introduces interesting vocabulary e.g. "affectionate," "incognito," and "perpetually perplexed!")
 
B.I.N.G.O. (clapping song – letter identification and listening skills)
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Polled group "Who speaks another language at home?"
Book: My Name is Yoon -- Helen Recorvits (Korean girl moving to America adapting to new school & language)
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Guessing Game Book: Mr. Putney's Quacking Dog  -- Jon Agee (children guess the composite names formed by mixing an animal with an object e.g. "alarmadillo" -- used a few of these puzzles between each book read -- great for imagination and vocabulary development)
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Classic Folk Tale Book: Tikki Tikki Tembo -- Arlene Mosel (children loved chantable portion -- listening skills, music)- unavailable 2018 used Horace & Morris & Mostly Dolores - James Howe with first graders instead.
 
Song: John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt (classic folk song -- clapping rhythm reduction -- each time through clap an additional line in rhythm instead of saying the words -- building listening skills)
 
"someone else with 4 names:"
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Book: Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge - Mem Fox (A small boy discovers the meaning of memory to help an elderly friend who is losing hers -- gorgeous book on aging and empathy.)
 
(1st grade – 2018) My Name is Sangoel -- Karen Lynn Williams (Refugee boy from Sudan comes up with a clever way to help his classmates remember his unusual name) (Both books on the immigrant experience help build empathy in American-born children.)
 
Activity suggestion – have kids make their own picture puzzles from their names – as was done in Mr. Putney’s Quacking Dog & My Name is Sangoel – a great way to learn and remember each other’s names.
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Additional book possibilities:
Chrysanthemum - Kevin Henkes, , Cleversticks - Bernard Ashley,  story "Too Many Daves" from The Sneetches -- Dr. Seuss, Silly Sally - Wood, Neville -- Norton Juster, There Once Was a Man Named Michael Finnegan -- Mary Ann Hoberman (singable), Spork -- Kyo Maclear, A  Porcupine Named Fluffy -- Helen Lester, Waggle --Sarah McMenemy, A is for Musk Oxen -- Erin Cabatingan
 
Rumpelstiltskin - Paul Zelinsky (booktalk: Rumpelstiltskin's Daughter - Diane Stanley -- Common Core: comparing versions of a story) – 2018 – will save for another program,
 
Flannel song possibilities: BINGO, Aikendrum -- Raffi
Additional music: "The Name Game" from A Child's Celebration of Rock & Roll.

Bedm. 9/2013, 9/2018

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

PreSchool Storytime: Apples


PreSchool Storytime Ages 2-6 with a focus on numeracy, the life cycle of an apple tree, also incorporates  animal names & animal noises, sign language, and oral storytelling. 
Open with Sign Language Song: “Let’s Take a Little Walk” from “Pick Me Up: Fun Songs for Learning Signs” track 15

Storytelling:  Little Red House (oral storytelling – listening and repetition -- lots of versions, here’s one: http://www.missbsclassroom.com/thinking-story-the-little-red-house-with-no-doors-and-no-windows/
flannel pieces optional, need real apple and knife for the “star” reveal)

Song: Apple Song (Tune: Itsy Bitsy Spider, source unknown) 
                Once a little apple seed was planted in the ground.
                Down came the rain, falling all around.
                Out came the sun as bright as bright could be
                And the little seed grew up to be an apple tree.

Book: One Red Apple – Harriet Ziefert (younger) or The Terrible Plop -- Ursula Dubosarsky (older)

Glove: Five Red Apples (younger, use numeral cards to reinforce number concepts)(source unknown)
                Five red apples hanging in a tree
                The juiciest apples you ever did see.
                The wind came by and gave an angry frown
                And one little apple came tumbling down…

Gloves: "1 little 2 little 3 little Apples" (from “Cindy” on Perpetual Preschool, to the tune: “1 little 2 little 3 little Indians”)  (older)
                1 little 2 little 3 little apples,
                4 little 5 little 6 little apples,
                7 little 8 little 9 little apples, 10 apples on my tree.
                                Munch little, munch little, munch little apples
                                Crunch little, crunch little, crunch little apples
                                Bunch of little, bunch of little, bunch of little apples,
                                Good for you and me!

Action: Apple Tree Apple Tree Turn Around (source unknown)
                Apple tree turn around; (turn)
                Apple tree touch the ground. (bend)
                See it swaying in the air; (stand swaying arms)
                Apples apples everywhere! (extend arms)
                Apple tree turn around
                Apple tree touch the ground.

Book: The Apple Pie Tree -- Zoe Hall (non-fiction elements, life cycle of an apple tree) or Fall Apples: Crisp & Juicy 634.11 Rustad

Action: Apple Pie chant (suit actions to words)

Chorus:  Apple, apple  (slap legs twice, then clap hands twice in rhythm)  Apple Pie!

First you need apples
So you pick them, pick them  chorus
    Put them in the sink
    And you wash them, wash them chorus
 Then you take the apples
 And you cut them, cut them chorus
   Next you roll the crust
   & you roll it, you roll it chorus
 Drape it in the pan
& you pinch it, you pinch it chorus
    Take some cinnamon sugar
    And sprinkle it, sprinkle it chorus
Put it in the oven
& you bake it, you bake it chorus
   Take it out of the oven
   & you smell it, you smell it chorus
Take out your knife
& you slice it, you slice it chorus
   Take some ice cream
   & you scoop it, you scoop it chorus
 Then you take the pie
 And eat it, eat it!! Chorus

Singable Book: Ten Red Apples – Pat Hutchins (numeracy: 1-10 numerals, one-to-one correspondence, subtraction, animal identification, animal sounds)

Flannel Song: A Wiggly Worm (Tune: Boom! Boom! Ain’t it Great to be Crazy!)

                Chorus: Yum! Yum! Don’t you know I love apples?
                                Yum! Yum! Don’t you know I love apples?
                                Red and Green and yellow, too…
                                Yum! Yum! Don’t you know I love apples?

                Way up high in an apple tree, I saw two eyes look at me.
                I reached for an apple, it started to squirm…oops! I found a wiggly worm!  Chorus

                That wiggly worm is a friend of mine.  We eat apples all the time.
                 I let him crawl back to that tree… hey!  That worm is looking at me!  Chorus

After hand stamping: Song: Apples & Bananas – Raffi (phonemic awareness)

Additional book possibilities:  10 Apples Up on Top -- Dr. Seuss,  How to make an apple pie & see the world -- Marjorie Priceman (age 5+),   10 Red Apples – Virginia Barthalamew (younger).  A wonderful book for Kindergarten and up: One Green Apple - Eve Bunting (age 5& up,  Beautiful story about a young newly-arrived immigrant named Fatah who gains self-confidence when the green apple she picks on a school field trip perfectly complements the other students' red apples.)

Miss Tara's blog has some other great ideas! http://storytimewithmisstara.blogspot.com/2012/10/wiggle-worms-10-2-12.html

9/2013

Monday, September 23, 2013

PreSchool Storytime: School Daze

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Back to School Preschool Storytime
(First library storytime, handout with Every Child Ready to Read 2* literacy skills
-- caregivers probably doing already, "intentional")
 
Open with children or caregiver writing names on board -- Sing "Hello to..., so nice to see you" (print awareness activity)
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Song: "Brand New Day" (sign language) from Pick Me Up: Fun Songs for Learning Signs 
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Action Song Book: Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush – Sophie Fatus & Fred Penner (multicultural getting ready for school)
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Book:  Cleversticks – Bernard Ashley or Chu Chu's First Day at School -- Neil Gaiman (Other children seem to be able to do things Chu can't --until his giant sneeze)  alternatives: Harry & the Dinosaurs Go to School – Ian Whybrow (print motivation – books that relate to your child’s interests), Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten -- Joseph Slate (ABC emphasis),

Flannel: "School Stuff" on  p.206 of A Storytime Year -- Susan Dailey (silly guessing game -- vocabulary & narrative skills-shared storytelling, letter knowledge)

Song/Poster: ABC song
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Book: Minerva Louise at School – Minerva Stoeke (booktalked series)

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Singable Book: Mary Had a Little Lamb – Sarah Joseph Hale photographs by Bruce McMillan (nice version -- features a black girl in the photos)

Guessing Game Book: Mouse Views – Bruce MacMillan

Singable Book: Here we Go Round the Mulberry Bush – Will Hillenbrand (overcoming 1st day nerves)

DVD: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (letter knowledge) on PPR DVD “Sing-along Stories”
Song/Actions: The Wheels on the Bus (or can use Paul O. Zelinsky pop-up version)
 
Craft: Chicka inspired pictures:
 
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Alternates: Song: (toothbrush): When You Wake up in the Morning
Books: If You Take a Mouse to School – Laura Numeroff, Cleversticks – Bernard Ashley
Singable Book : The Little School Bus -- Carol Roth, Monsters Love School -- Mike Austin (2014), The Tiger Tail by Mike Boldt – child wakes up with a tail on the first day of school – accepting differences, First Day at Zoo School -- Sarah Dillard Confident Amanda the Panda and Anxious Alligator turn out to have just what the other needs to be friends.

*I also still point out ECRRI skills -- print motivation, etc. as well as the fun-based ECRR2 ones.

 
9.13, 9.14, 9.17 with craft



PreSchool Storytime: ME From Head to Toe/I’m Okay/Individuality

ME-From Head to Toe/I’m Okay/Individuality
PreSchool Storytime (Ages 2-6)  Celebrating individuality and resilience.
Concepts include parts of the body, numbers, colors, animate/inanimate objects, rhyming phonemic awareness, physical movement, emotions, and bullying.

Opening Song:  "Tickle Toe"  from Jim Gill makes it Noisy. Track 11 (act out motions)
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Book: We’ve All Got Bellybuttons --  David Martin
 
Action Song: Head & Shoulders, Knees & Toes
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Guessing Game Book: Tail Toes Eyes Ears Nose – Marilee Robin Burton

Flannel: Monkey Face
(based on the book by Frank Asch)
Book: It’s Okay to Be Different – Todd Parr 

Song: Shake Your Sillies Out
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One – Kathryn Otosh(colors, numbers, standing up to bully)
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Book/Action:  Clap Your Hands --  Lorinda Bryan Cauley
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DVD: Mixed Up Chameleon by Eric Carle
 
Craft: “self portrait” collage inspired by Monkey Face & Mixed-Up Chameleon
(Materials: craft cardboards, scrap construction paper, goggly eyes, markers, scissors, gluesticks)
 
Craft music: “S’pose my toes were noses” from Goin’ to the Zoo – Tom Paxton track 11 and/or title song from Free to Be You and Me (also entering music).
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Alternate books: In the Fiddle Is A Song – Durga Bernhard, Harriet Dancing – Ruth Symes, Perfect Square - Michael Hall, Stretch (or Bounce or Wiggle) -- Doreen Cronin, Incredible Me – Kathi Appelt, Cleversticks – Bernard Ashley, Parts – Tedd Arnold, Ten Big Toes and a Prince’s Nose – Nancy Gow, Mixed Up Chameleon - Eric Carle, Always -- Emma Dodd (2014), Little Humans -- Brandon Stanton (2014), I Used to Be Afraid – Laura Vaccaro Seeger, The Tiger Tail by Mike Boldt
 
Alternate Music:  “Tickle my Toes” from Justin Roberts’ Yellow Bus track 2 (good with shakey eggs) (no longer SCLS)
 
BWL 9.13, 9.14, 9.17


Sign Language Song: Where is Baby’s Tummy? – sign language song from “Pick Me Up” track 7 (omitted 2017)
Guessing Game book : Do You Know Which One Will Grow? – Tom Slaughter (animate/inanimate objects, rhyming phonemic awareness)  (omitted 2017)
 
Song: If You’re Happy and You Know It .. angry..loving sad..
 
New book: Why Am I Blue? A Story About Being Yourself by Kalli Dakos