Pre-School Story/Craft: Moon Struck!

Perfect for PJ Time (or anytime), a storytime celebrating the moon, mistaken ideas & friendship along with some numeracy and science ideas (reflection/echo).

Entering Music: various tracks from This Pretty Planet by Tom Chapin

Singable Book:  Knick, Knack, Paddywhack – Marissa Moss (enumerating 1-10, numerals/fingers, guessing what the man might be making…”reveal” at countdown)

Action: Do You Want to Go With Me To the Moon? (Source Unknown)
Do You Want to Go With Me To the Moon?
Let’s get in our rocket ship & blast off soon.
Faster and faster we reach to the sky.
Isn’t it fun to be able to fly?
We’re on the moon, now all take a look
And gently sit down, and I’ll show you a book!

Book: Kitten’s First Full Moon – Kevin Henkes (Caldecott winner-explain) (act out kitten’s motions, chorus “Poor Kitten,” discuss science concept: reflection)

Speaking of food…
Song/Flannel: “Aikendrum” http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/r/raffi/aikendrum.html (quickly cut “cream cheese” circle, “brown bread,” “ice cream cones,” “carrots,” “cookies,” “swiss cheese,” “pizza,” “bananas” out of felt, used a bit of tan yarn for “spaghetti” hair – suggested to families that this song makes a good lunchtime inspiration or backseat while driving song…can make up own lyrics!)

 

Aikendrum (based on a song by Raffi) -- makes a fun lunch or snacktime idea, substitute other items...

There was a man lived in the moon, in the moon, in the moon
There was a man lived in the moon and his name was Aikendrum

And he played upon a ladle, a ladle, a ladle
He played upon a ladle and his name was Aikendrum

And his face was made of cream cheese, cream cheese, cream cheese
His face was made of cream cheese and his name was Aikendrum

·         And his body was made of brown bread...

·         And his legs were made of ice cream cones...

·         And his arms were made of carrots...

·         And his eyes were made of cookies...

·         And his nose was made of swiss cheese...

·         And his mouth was made of pizza...

·         And his ears were made of bananas...

·         And his hair was made of spaghetti ...

And he played upon a ladle, a ladle, a ladle
He played upon a ladle and his name was Aikendrum

Book: Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me – Eric Carle  (directional concept words, fun fold-out pages)

Action Song: Mr. Moon (my variation on Mr. Sun by Raffi)
O, Mr. Moon, Moon, Mr. Silver Moon
Won’t you please come play with me.
O, Mr. Moon, Moon, Mr. Silver Moon
Hiding behind that tree.
These little children are asking you
To please come out so they can play with you.
O, Mr. Moon, Moon, Mr. Silver Moon
Please come play with, please come play with,
Please come play with me!
Monkey wants to play with the moon…


Flannel: Moonkey (based on the book by Mike Thaler)  I love the beginning“Once upon a palm tree…”, the fantasy and figurative language "It looked like many green moons." and the beautiful friendship theme. (long out of print -- text below)

 

Once upon a palm tree, there was a monkey who fell in love with the Moon. He loved it because it was so bright and friendly.

 

He loved it when it was FULL like a pie,

Or Half like a slice of watermelon,

Or Small like a banana.

 

And when it wasn’t there at all (remove moon), he just stared up into the sky… until it came back. (replace small moon).

 

His friends worried about him.

“Hey, do you want to play?” asked HIPPO.

Monkey didn’t answer.

“I bet you want a banana.” Said GORILLA.

Monkey didn’t answer.

“Would you like to come to a party?” asked LION.

Monkey didn’t answer.  Remove monkey

 

“Where’s monkey?” asked GIRAFFE, when they all arrived at the party.

“I asked him to come,” said LION.

“I offered him a banana,” said GORILLA.

“I asked him to play,” said HIPPO.  

“But he didn’t answer,” said all his friends.

“We’d better go talk to him,” said GIRAFFE, who was very wise.

 

“What’s the matter, MONKEY? Asked GIRAFFE.

“I’m in love with the moon!? Said Monkey.

 

So all the animals went back to the party.

But the party was no fun without monkey.

 

“How can we help him?” asked LION.

“I have an idea,” said GIRAFFE. “Follow me.”

 

So all the animals followed GIRAFFE up to Monkey’s TREE.

 

“Hippo,” said GIRAFFE, “you get on top of me, and LION, you get on top of HIPPO, and GORILLA, you get on top of Lion.

Monkey, you climb up on top of us and see if you can reach the moon.

 

So Monkey climbed up Giraffe, and up Hippo and up Lion and up Gorilla… and he reached the moon.

 

Then all the animals got DOWN. They were tired so they went to bed.

 

“I’m here Moon,” Monkey whispered. But the moon didn’t answer.

Monkey hugged the moon. It was cold. Monkey was all alone.

 

He looked down.

Far below he said he palm tree.

It looked so friendly in the moonlight.

So safe.

So bright.

It looked like many green moons.

Monkey felt all alone.

He missed his friends.

He began to cry.

 

LION woke up. “Hey, it’s raining,” he said.

GORILLA woke up. “Hey, it’s raining.”

HIPPO woke up. “Hey, it’s raining.”

GIRAFFE woke up. “It’s not raining. Listen… Monkey is crying.”

 

So all his friends came and got him.

 

They made a big CAKE that said “MOONKEY” and had another party by the light of the moon.



Action Song: Sally Go Round the Sun (traditional)
Sally Go Round the Sun (Turn Right)
Sally Go Round the Moon (Turn Left)
Sally Go Round the Chimney Tops (Step Lively)
All on an Afternoon, BOOM! (Sit down!)

Video: Happy Birthday Moon -- Frank Asch (mention MoonBear series – displayed)


Action Song: Be My Echo from Sesame Street (reinforces science concept of echo from video)
http://www.metrolyrics.com/sing-after-me-lyrics-sesame-street.html

Hand-stamping Music: various tracks from This Pretty Planet by Tom Chapin

Craft (2016): Make your own Aikendrum. Materials 12x18 cardboards, scrap construction paper, glue sticks, scissors.

(Loved how a couple of kids spontaneously started creating pattern sequences!)

Supersized! November supermoon will be biggest in nearly 70 years

The November full moon - visible on Nov 13-14, 2016 is not only the closest full moon of 2016, NASA said, but also the closest full moon since 1948 (which is still the last time the Cleveland Indians won the World Series).

Other possibilities:
Flannel/Rhyme: Hey Diddle Diddle
Books: It’s Only Stanley – Jon Agee (no time to use this in above program)
The Moon is Going to Addy’s House – Ida Pearle
Moon Boy – Barbara Brenner
MoonGame – Frank Asch
Mrs. Mooley -- Jack Kent
What’s Next Baby Bear – Murphy (wkrm) or
Zoom Zoom Zoom! I’m off to the moon – Yacarino
I’ll Catch the Moon – Nina Crews
9.14 9.15  11.16