S.T.E.A.M. Storytime Surprise–Back to School—Defying Gravity

Join us as we share a story about a kid who really gets up on “the wrong side of the bed,” share some silly poems and songs about school days gone wrong, learn a bit about gravity and create a contraption that will slow the descent of our little Lego guy!  (Part of a new weekly after school series featuring Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, or Mathematics! (Pre-K-4th grade)

Back to School, gravity, and engineering books on display as kids entered (and for check out afterwards)

Book:  The Wrong Side of the Bed – Wallace E. Keller (talked about what that expression means, delightful story in which a child literally gets up on the wrong side of the bed and goes through the day upside down!) also available as a Top 10 Storybook App (Kirkus Reviews): http://www.seeherestudios.com/tickle-books/the-wrong-side-of-the-bed

Poems: “Eight-o-Three” & "School Days Rap" from Lunch Money & Other Poems for School – Carol Diggory Shields

Book: Just Another Ordinary Day – Rod Clement (deadpan language about an ordinary day is very funny when paired with anything but ordinary illustrations)

Song: "By the Way" from Joe Scruggs album Deep in the Jungle lyrics here: http://carolsimonlevin.blogspot.com/2014/09/school-age-storytime-school-dazefun.html
also available on Youtube; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5jWE6Cs_tA . Props: paper bag with “lemonade can”, “sardine can” (I used image from internet wrapped around a box), 6 cotton balls & 4 rubber bands.

Songs: “I am in the Lunchroom” and “Heavy Backpack” from the book Smelly Locker Silly Dilly School Songs by Alan Katz

Book: Gravity by Jason Chin (Stunning pictures and simple text whimsically introduce the concept of gravity.)

Poem: "Clock Watching"  from Lunch Money & Other Poems for School – Carol Diggory Shields (Asked who was the narrator!)

Talked about gravity – dropped a Lego guy to the ground – presented today’s engineering Challenge:  “Create a contraption that will slow the descent of our Lego guy” (based on the SciGirls project described here: http://carolsimonlevin.blogspot.com/2016/07/on-your-mark-get-setengineer.html

Materials

• Several items from this list: plastic wrap, tissues, paper towels, plastic bags, tissue paper, coffee filters, handkerchiefs, straws 
• 1 toy minifigure (Lego, for example)
• string or thread or yarn
• scissors
• tape
• paper and pencil
• optional: stopwatch

Directions

1. Your challenge is to make something that will slow the descent of a toy minifigure  (You can work in groups of up to 4 people). 
2. Take a few minutes to brainstorm designs before beginning.
3. Then we’ll test them and see how they work.  We’ll see which design helps our Lego guy/gal to fall the slowest (has the most drag).
4. We can make a prediction before testing. (Stand on a chair and use a stopwatch to time each descent and/or hold two at the same height and drop them at the same time – which has the most drag?)
5. Look at your results. Was your prediction correct? Why did one minifigure descend slower than another?

See More Tips in the PDF

 

No time for:

Interactive Book: One – Kathryn Otoshi  -- All the other colors are intimidated by “Red’” until the “One” arrives and shows how everyone can count. This is a deceptively simple concept book that is also a brilliantly empowering story on how students can help one another stand up to bullies. 

Book: Sarah's Story – Bill Harley (Sarah doesn’t think she knows any stories for school until she gets caught up in an adventure involving a Queen Ant in search of a honey sandwich!)

BWL 9/2017

Singalong–Back to School

 

Say “sayonara” to summer and prepare for a new school year with our frolicking tunes.

You’ll Sing A Song by Ella Jenkins    
Song on: Raffi’s “The Corner Grocery Store”

You’ll sing a song and I’ll sing a song

And we’ll sing  a song together.

You’ll sing a song and I’ll sing a song

In warm or wintry weather.

Continue with: clap your hands, stomp your feet, dance a jig, flap your arms, etc.  close with:  sit right down

Frère Jacques (Puppets)

Frère Jacques, Frère Jacques,
Dormez vous? Dormez vous?
Sonnez les matines, Sonnez les matines,
Din, din, don! Din, din, don!

Are you sleeping, Are you sleeping?
Brother John? Brother John?
Morning bells are ringing, Morning bells are ringing,
Ding ding dong, Ding ding dong.

(can repeat with “Sister Kate”)

 

Brand New Day Sign language song from Pick Me Up: Fun Songs for Learning Signs

Brush Your Teeth (toothbrush prop)

Song on Raffi’s “Singable Songs for the Very Young”

When you wake up in the morning and it's quarter to one,

And you want to have a little fun,

You brush your teeth, ch ch ch ch ch ch ch ch (2x)

Continue with:

… two, and you want find something to do…

… three, and your mind starting humming twiddle dee dee…

… four, and you think you hear a knock upon your door…

… five, and you just can't wait to come alive…

Repeat final chorus twice.

Action/Book: Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush  -- Fatus/Penner version (Multicultural Illustrations…children around the world preparing to go to school)

This is the way we climb out of bed, Climb out of bed, climb out of bed,

This is the way we climb out of bed,

To get ready for school in the morning.

Additional verses:

…pull off our jammies

…put on our clothes

…brush our hair

…eat our breakfast

…drink our juice

…brush our teeth

…climb on the bus    etc.

 

Action/Book: The Wheels on the Bus (can use the Zelinsky pop-up)

The wheels on the bus go round and round,
Round and round, round and round.
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
All around the town.

Additional verses:
The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish…
The doors on the bus go open and shut…

The lights on the bus go blink, blink, blink…

The driver on the bus says "Move on back”…

The children on the bus go bumpety bump…

The windows on the bus go up and down…

The horn on the bus goes beep, beep, beep…

Book: Mary Had a Little Lamb (Bruce McMillan’s illustrations beautifully illustrate Sarah Joseph Hale’s song)

Song on “Storytime Favorites” and many others.

Mary had a little lamb,

Little lamb, little lamb,

Mary had a little lamb,

Whose fleece was white as snow.

2. And everywhere that Mary went…

…The lamb was sure to go. 
3. It followed her to school one day…  

…Which was against the rules.

4. It made the children laugh and play…

…To see a lamb at school.

5. And so the teacher turned it out…

…but still it lingered near.

6. And waited patiently about…

‘till Mary did appear.

7. "Why, does the lamb love Mary so? …

…The eager children cry.

8. "Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know! …

              …The teacher did reply.

ABC Song

ABCDEFG, HIJKLMNOP,

QRS, TUV, W,X,Y, and Z,

Now I know my ABCs,

Next time won’t you sing with me?

Apples and Bananas

Song on Raffi’s “One Light One Sun”

I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas

I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas.

Continue, changing the vowel sounds:

I like to Ate, Ate, Ate Aypples and BANAYNAYS (2x)I like to Ete, Ete, Ete Eepples and BENEENEES (2x)

I like to Ite, Ite, Ite Iiples and BININIS (2x)

I like to ote, ote, ote opples and BINOENOES (2x)

I like to ute, ute, ute uuples and BINUUNUUS (2x)

But I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas

I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas!

 

Action/Book: Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter, Jelly, Jelly  (Nadine Bernard Westcott’s book)

Clap hands-slap knees, clap hands-slap knees, clap, clap

Pea- nut - peanut butter, jelly, jelly

First you take the bread and you slice it, slice it

Pea- nut - peanut butter, jelly, jelly

Then you take the peanuts and crack them, crack them.

Pea- nut - peanut butter, jelly, jelly

Put them on the floor and mash them, mash them.

Pea- nut - peanut butter, jelly, jelly

Then you take a knife and spread it, spread it

Pea- nut - peanut butter, jelly, jelly

Next you take some grapes and squash them, squash them

Pea- nut - peanut butter, jelly, jelly

Glop it on the bread and smear it, smear it

Pea- nut - peanut butter, jelly, jelly

Then you take the sandwich and eat it, eat it

Pea- nut - peanut butter, jelly, jelly

Pea- nut - peanut butter, jelly, jelly!

 

The Ants go Marching (shakey eggs/action)

The ants go marching one by one,

Hurrah, hurrah.

The ants go marching one by one,

Hurrah, hurrah.

The ants go marching one by one,

The little one stops to suck his thumb,

And they all go marching down,

Into the ground, to get out, of the rain,

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Two… tie his shoe…

Three…climb a tree…

Four…shut the door…

Five…take a dive…

Six…pick up sticks…

Seven…pray to heaven…

Eight…shut the gate…

Nine…check the time…

Ten…say “THE END!”

Variation:  (Condensed version)

The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching two by two, hurrah, hurrah

The ants go marching three by three, hurrah, hurrah

The little one stops to climb a tree

And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!  Etc

Shadow Song   Piggyback lyrics by Carol Simon  Levin,  (usually omit – no time)

Tune:  “Mary Had a Little Lamb”

It was a very sunny day, sunny day, sunny day.

It was a very sunny day, when my shadow came to play.

Everywhere that I did go, I did go, I did go,

Everywhere that I did go, my shadow followed too.

It followed me when I ran fast, I ran fast.

It followed me when I ran fast, for that's  what shadows do.

Additional Verses:

It followed me when I climbed high…

It followed me when I dug sand…

It followed me when I skipped rope…

It started out pretty short, pretty short, pretty short.

It started out pretty short, in the early afternoon.

Later it grew very long, very long, very long,

Later it grew very long --at the end of day.

When nighttime came, my shadow was gone,

shadow was gone, shadow was gone.

When nighttime came, my shadow was gone,

it had gone away.

R*E*A*D     Lyrics by Carol Levin, Tune:  “L*O*V*E”  from Linda Arnold’s album “Happiness Cake” ( can sign alphabet letters for R*E*A*D)  (usually omit – no time)

Chorus:  R*E*A*D

Reading a book is fun for you and me

R*E*A*D

You’ll find them at the library!

Reading is a skill

That will take you where you will

No matter where you go...

You can read just for fun

Or to make your model run

And see how much you grow!  Chorus

You can read about the sun

Or a battle lost or won

You can read about a bird who sings...

You can read about a car

Or a place that’s very far

Or a fairy’s magic ring!    Chorus

So no matter where you go

Or what you do and know

Don’t forget to read and read...

No matter where you look

You’ll find knowledge in a book

And kids who read succeed!  Chorus (2x)

SING by Joe Raposo,
Song on “Sesame St. Platinum,” “Sing: Songs of Joe Raposo” and others.

Books to Sing:
Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush – Fatus/Penner (multicultural getting ready for school around the world) or Hillenbrand (nervous – 1st day of school)

Mary Had a Little Lamb – Hale/McMillan

Little School Bus- Roth or Wheels on the Bus - Zelinsky

Peanut Butter and Jelly – Westcott

9/08     9/10  9/11 9/12, 8/13, 9/16– perfect 35-40 min singalong 

• You’ll sing a song (actions)
• Puppets: Frere Jacques (& sister Kate)
• “When You Wake up in the Morning” (sign language from CD “Pick Me Up”) great!
• Brush Your Teeth (toothbrush prop)
• Book/Action:  Here We Go Round – Fatus -- this is the Way (around the world, mentioned sequencing, piggyback songs) (do actions with Fatus book)
• Book: Wheels on the Bus --  Zelinski pop up (actions along) or  Little School Bus – Roth
• Book: Mary Had a Little Lamb – Hale/McMillan(had lamb on top of easel)
• ABC Song (ABC poster)
• Apples & Bananas (Raffi vowel silly song -- pointed out vowel letters on poster, phonemes)
• Book/action: Peanut Butter & Jelly – Westcott

• Shakey Eggs: Ants go Marching
• Sing  (circle, go in and out)
• Handstamp to “Sing” track #10 on Sesame St. Platinum

 

(If time/ Older groups can use: “not always that smoothly” Puppets/props: Oh By the Way – Joe Scruggs, “Recess”… Shadow Song (piggyback song- kids guess tune), Book: Here we go round – Hillenbrand (another piggyback, nervous 1st day of school)

 

READ – make body letters YMCA style)

note: Mary Had a Little Lamb – Trapani (is farm not school)

Peanut Butter Sandwich

Song on Raffi’s “Singable Songs for the Very Young”

A peanut butter sandwich made with jam

One for me and one for David Amran.

A peanut butter sandwich made with jam,

Stick, stick, stick, stick, stick.

I can think of witches good and bad.

But the best which that I ever had was

A peanut butter sandwich made with jam,

Yum, yum, yummy, yum, yum.

School Age Storytime: School Daze–Fun Stories Celebrating a New School Year (K-3)

Book:  The Wrong Side of the Bed – Wallace E. Keller* (talked about what that expression means, delightful story in which a child literally gets up on the wrong side of the bed and goes through the day upside down!) also available as a Top 10 Storybook App (Kirkus Reviews): http://www.seeherestudios.com/tickle-books/the-wrong-side-of-the-bed

Poem: "School Days Rap" from Lunch Money & Other Poems for School – Carol Diggory Shields

Book: Sarah's Story – Bill Harley (Sarah doesn’t think she knows any stories for school until she gets caught up in an adventure involving a Queen Ant in search of a honey sandwich!)

Book: Just Another Ordinary Day – Rod Clement (deadpan language about an ordinary day is very funny when paired with anything but ordinary illustrations)

Song: "By the Way" from Joe Scruggs album Deep in the Jungle lyrics below:
also available on Youtube; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5jWE6Cs_tA . Props: paper bag with “lemonade can”, “sardine can” (I used image from internet wrapped around a box), 6 cotton balls & 4 rubber bands.


Book: Minerva Louise at School – Janet Morgan Stoeke (younger) booktalked other Minerva Louise books; Toll Bridge Troll – Patricia Rae Wolff (older) --  text-to-text
connection to The Three Billy Goats Gruff.

Interactive Book: One – Kathryn Otoshi  -- All the other colors are intimidated by “Red’” until the “One” arrives and shows how everyone can count. This is a deceptively simple concept book that is also a brilliantly empowering story on how students can help one another stand up to bullies.  

 

Songs: “Smelly Locker” and “Heavy Backpack” from the book Smelly Locker Silly Dilly School Songs by Alan Katz

 

Poem (if time): "Clock Watching"  from Lunch Money & Other Poems for School – Carol Diggory Shields

***

Lyrics to By the Way by Joe Scruggs

It’s Monday morning, I’m running late,
There’s not a minute to spare.
Mom calls out, “Come on, Let’s Go,”
As she finishes drying her hair.
Now I’m in my place,
With a smile on my face
Just thinking about my day.
Then I think of some things
I’m supposed to bring,
and that is when I say,
“Dear Mom,
oh, by the way (echo)
I need an orange juice can,
4 cotton balls, and 6 rubber bands
And by the way, (echo)
I’m an angel in the play.
I’m gonna sing & I need some wings” (echo)
Well I guess I’ve induced some stress.
Mom’s smile begins to fade.
As she runs to the kitchen
And digs through the trash
For the can from the lemonade.
Now I start to protest
But she’s doing her best
So then I try to make it right.
I say, “I need everything by eight-fifteen
But I don’t need the wings till tonight.
Oh, by the way (echo)
I need an orange juice can,
If its lemonade, will the teacher understand?
And by the way, (echo)
They’re having meatloaf today.
If you don’t mind a bunch (echo)
I’m going to need a lunch.” (echo)

Sometimes I just don’t believe
How resourceful moms can be.
She gets the cotton balls
And the rubber bands,
From her vanity.
I’ve got a lemonade can,
Not quite the right brand.
But mom says it will do!
Then we’re out of the door
At seven fifty-four,
I won’t be late for school.

Oh, by the way (echo)
Meatloaf is better than it seems.
For my lunch, (echo)
Mom packed a can of sardines.
And for the play, (echo)
It’s sister’s costume from ballet.
I’m gonna sing (echo)
In her butterfly wings (echo)

Bedm 9.14

Other possible books:

New Year at the Pier: A Rosh Hashanah Story – April Halprin Wayland (a wonderful book describing the tradition of tashlich --making apologies and tossing away the things that you did wrong the previous year so as to start the new year with a clean heart -- not a bad idea for all of us, no matter what time of year it is!)
Mouse Views – Bruce McMillan (close up views of classroom objects – great guessing game interactive book)
The Little School Bus – Carol Roth (rhyming -phonemes, action)
Late for School:
Frank! -- Connah Brecon (2014)
Sarah's Story -- Bill Harley
Planet Kindergarten -- Sue Ganz-Schmidt

Mrs. Spitzer's Garden -- Edith Pattou -- beautiful book emphasizing metaphor of young students/garden

 

Bedm 9.18:

Minerva Louise at School by Janet Morgan Stoeke  (Kdg classes)
The Wrong Side of the Bed by Wallace E. Keller (literal interpretation of that figure of speech)
Gravity by Jason Chin (discussion of the principle of gravity, note that the book appears in the book)

One Green Apple by Eve Bunting (a new immigrant girl joins her class for a field trip to pick apples and finds even though she is different and speaks no English, she will be able to make friends)
One by Kathryn Otashi
Just Another Ordinary Day by Rod Clement (great book for modeling interplay between words & pictures -- unusual illustrations show that this is anything but an ordinary day!)

Some classes:

Songs: ”Heavy Backpack” & “I am in the Lunchroom” from Smelly Locker silly dilly school songs by Alan Katz
Prop Story: Flannel: "School Stuff" on  p.206 of A Storytime Year -- Susan Dailey (silly guessing game – phonics & letter knowledge)
Prop Song: “Oh By the Way” (details above)
Poems “Eight-Oh-Three” “School Daze Rap” and “Clock Watching” from Lunch Money by Carol Diggory Sheilds.

Kdg only: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and Mary Had a Little Lamb (illustrated by Bruce McMillan)

New books: https://www.invent.org/blog/trends-stem/back-to-school-books : 

“The Magical Yet” by Angela DiTerlizzi This rhyming and inspiring book is beautifully illustrated and engaging for young readers. The story encourages children to practice persistence as they learn new skills alongside their new best friend – the Yet! We all experience failures or difficulties, but this book reminds us that anything is possible, we just haven’t learned everything yet.

 “The Name Jar” by Yangsook Choi How do you find the courage to be yourself? In this story, Unhei is concerned about fitting in at her new school when classmates struggle to pronounce her name correctly, so she contemplates choosing a different name from a jar of class suggestions. However, a new friend helps her to be proud of her name and the significance that it holds within her Korean culture. This book is a great reminder to embrace diversity and expand your friendships.

 “The School of Failure: A Story about Success” by Rosie J. Pova In this charming book, three not-so-familiar characters attend the School of Failure after being rejected from their classic fairytales. Through patience and perseverance, they learn that mistakes are what help us grow! With bright illustrations and a sweet message, this story reminds kids that happy endings are often found at the end of bumpy, messy roads.

 “The World Needs Who You Were Made to Be” by Joanna Gaines This New York Times bestseller celebrates the beauty of creativity, acceptance and uniqueness. As children build their own hot-air balloons, we discover how different ways of working and varying tastes come together to create something wonderful, teaching kids to value diversity by embracing the things that make us each different. The world benefits from each of us being true to who we were meant to be.

 “Be Kind” by Pat Zietlow Miller What does kindness mean to you? Explore this important question when you share this New York Times bestseller with your child. The story suggests many situations in which a child can choose to be a good friend, to be helpful or to make a classmate feel included. Throughout the book, we learn that even the smallest acts of kindness can make a big difference in someone’s life!

 “The Day You Begin” by Jacqueline Woodson Stepping into a new classroom when you feel like an outsider can be nerve-wracking. However, reaching out to others may show us that we are all more alike than we realize at a glance – and that our differences are what make each of us special. This heartwarming story of building connections between classmates shows us that new friendships can be made with just a little bit of courage!