PreSchool Storytime: Fall–Leaves & 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

 

Book: Leaf Man – Lois Ehlert (suggested kids collect leaves on the way home and make their own leaf creatures…)

 

Cut and Tell Story: Autumn Leaf (instructions: http://meusenotes.blogspot.com/2014/09/autumn-leaf.html)

Autumn Leaf: Cut and Tell

(Two sheets of construction paper glued together 1 green: 1 red or yellow)

By Linda Meuse

Notes from the Story Room

I start out green,

Often fragile and small.

 

I grow through two seasons

On something tall.

 

But there are changes

When the nights turn cool,

 

That happen to me

When children return to school.

 

I am a ....... (leaf)

On a growing tree.

(Open to show a green leaf)

 

Watch me turn color

One, two, three!

(Turn it to the other side to show the autumn leaf)

 

Book/Song: The Leaves on the Trees by Thom Wiley

 

Action Song (with puppet): Grey Squirrel

Grey squirrel, Grey squirrel! (bounce up and down on the words)
Swish your bushy tail! (shake it)
Grey squirrel, Grey squirrel!
Swish your bushy tail!

Wrinkle up your little nose!(poke your nose)
Put an nut between your toes( touch your toes)

Grey squirrel, Grey squirrel!
Swish your bushy tail!

 

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)

 

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

 

Book: One Red Apple – Harriet Ziefert (younger – actually though simple, works well for all ages – simple beautiful celebration of the cycles of an apple tree)

 

Action: Apple Pie chant (suit actions to words)

Chorus:  Apple, apple  (slap legs twice, then clap hands twice)  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)

Book: Fall is Not Easy – Marty Kelley (a tree’s amusing variations on fall color changes)

 

Action song: This is the way we rake the leaves (Mulberry Bush)

 

DVD: Reading Rainbow: How to make an apple pie & see the world -- Marjorie Priceman

 

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

Additional book possibilities:  10 Apples Up on Top -- Dr. Seuss,   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.) The Terrible Plop -- Ursula Dubosarsky

The Apple Pie Tree -- Zoe Hall (non-fiction elements, life cycle of an apple tree – very similar to her pumpkin book which I will use next week) or Fall Apples: Crisp & Juicy 634.11 Rustad

Additional songs:
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.

 

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.

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

10/16 BWL

Pre-School Storytime: Button Up for Winter Weather!

 

Bundle up with this program for warming up on a cold winter’s day
(and we’ve had a lot of them this year!)

Fun interactive program of stories and songs for ages 3-6

incorporating early literacy and numeracy skills, sequencing, vocabulary (unusual animals),

following directions, learning left & right,

plus an indoor snowball fight to use up some cooped-up energy!

 

Entrance Music: “Belly Button” by Joe Scruggs on his album: Late Last Night

Book: Froggy Gets Dressed – Jonathon London (kids act out motions and shout out “FROGGY...Have you forgotten something?”) (Alt. for young kids: Bear Gets Dressed: A Guessing Game Story – Harriet Ziefert, Other great underwear-themed titles: Bear in Long Underwear -- Todd H. Doodler, Naked by Michael Ian Black (kids LOVED, ended with this book in 2015- use again in 2018))

Action/Sign Language Song: When It’s Cold Outside from “Pick Me Up: Fun Songs for Learning Signs”) or  Action Song: This is the Way… (sequencing: getting dressed) (Tune: “Mulberry Bush”)
This is the way we put on our coat,
Put on our coat, put on our coat,
This is the way we put on our coat,
To play outside in the snow.
Continue with other articles of clothing…

Froggy clearly had trouble wearing clothes – so do these animals…Flannel: Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing – Judi Barrett (Cut out from a book whose spine had broken -- made it easy for us to as a Q&A: animal identification, reasoning—why wearing clothing would be a problem for the animal, vocabulary development – animal names, “suspenders”)

Action Song: We Dress Like That (mention concept of "piggy-back songs" Source Unknown, Tune: “Head & Shoulders, Knees & Toes”—repeated several times)
Boots, jacket, scarf and hat, scarf and hat.
Boots, jacket, scarf and hat, scarf and hat.
In wintertime we dress like that,
Boots, jacket, scarf and hat, scarf and hat.

Here’s another animal looking for something warm to wear…but she makes some mistakes...
Book: A Hat for Minerva Louse – Janet Morgan Stoeke  (Other mitten possibilities: The Mitten by Jan Brett (http://carolsimonlevin.blogspot.com/2014/12/winter-storytimetheatercraft-jan-bretts.html, One Mitten by Kristine O'Connell George)

Glove Puppet/Numeral Cards: Five Little Snowmen all in a Row (numeracy)
Five little snowmen all in a row,
Each with a hat and a big red bow.
Out came the sun and it stayed all day.
And one of those snowmen melted away. 4,3,2,1…

Action Song: I’m a Little Snowman (Sung to: “I’m a Little Teapot”)
I’m a little snowman, short and fat
Here is my broomstick, here is my hat
When the sun comes out, I’ll melt away
Drip, drip, drip, I’m a puddle today!

Singable Book: Frosty the Snowman – Steve Nelson
Snowmen don’t need coats to go outside, but people do!

Flannel/Song: In the Freezer (Song on Joe Scrugg’s “Traffic Jams”) lyrics to this and additional winter songs here: http://carolsimonlevin.blogspot.com/2015/01/singalong-winters-day.html

Book: Joseph Had a Little Overcoat – Simms Tabeck (folk tale with great cut-out reveals; briefly mention Caldecott Award) (Optional, show another version of same tale: Something from Nothing – Phoebe Gilman)

Another Joe who has a problem with buttons...
Action: Hi, My Name is Joe & I work in a button Factory (traditional, left-right identification)
Hi my name is Joe & I work in a button factory.
One day, my boss said “Joe, are you busy?”
“I said “no”” – so he said “Turn this button with your right hand” (do this)
Repeat: left hand, right foot, left foot, head…finally
I said YES!!!!!!”

1/2015: Or flannel/prop song (to tune: “Mary Had Little Lamb”) (memory-sequencing)
Joseph had an overcoat, overcoat, over coat…it got old and worn.
So he made a little jacket etc. ..continue thru button…lost button…then he made this little song….

1/2015: A few more buttons...
Book: Press Here – Herve Tullet (kids press the dots and are thrilled with the changes, cause & effect, numeracy, left-right identification, patterns)

along with a cat... YouTube Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons – Eric Litwin  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7va0beuK58

1/2016 – no other “snow” storytime, so instead showed Snow by Uri Shulevitz on Live Oak PPR DVD Favorite Fables Collection.

Close with Activity: indoor snowball fight using plastic bag snowballs, to the music “Sleigh Ride”, track #5 on album 20th Century Masters: Season's Greetings- The Millennium Collection
Making snowballs for the program:
1) Gather a white plastic grocery bag into a long, skinny tube-like length with the handles on one end.
2) Fold the length in half, then in half again.
3) Wind a rubber band around the middle until it is tight.
4) Trim both ends to remove any folded areas.
5) Make 2 or 3 vertical cuts in both ends.
6) Then fluff out pieces
Idea courtesy of:  Susan Dailey, librarian, speaker and author of "A Storytime Year" 

Hand Stamping Music: “Belly Button” by Joe Scruggs on his album: Late Last Night

Another great title (longer): The Trouble With Trolls - Eve Bunting

See also carolsimonlevin.blogspot.com/2014/12/winter-storytimetheatercraft-jan-bretts.html &
carolsimonlevin.blogspot.com/2014/01/let-it-snow-winter-storytimecraft-ages.html

1/13
1/15  long, so didn't do everything above.
1/16  combined snow and bundle up so didn’t do Press Here or Youtube of Pete the Cat and his Groovy Buttons

1/17  Story/Craft:  (abridged version also done for PJ time)
Book:  Froggy Gets Dressed by Jack London
Action/Sign Language Song: When It’s Cold Outside from “Pick Me Up
Acting Out with Puppets – Jan Brett’s The Mitten carolsimonlevin.blogspot.com/2014/12/winter-storytimetheatercraft-jan-bretts.html
Book: A Hat for Minerva Louise by Janet Morgan Stoeke
Flannel: Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing
Action Song: Boots, Jacket, Scarft & Hat
Book: Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Tabeck (Caldecott—> Mock Caldecott tomorrow), mentioned folk tale, other versions including Something for Nothing by Phoebe Gilman (good for close read together, mice making things from scrap cloth)
Action: “Hi My Name is Joe & I Work in a Button Factory”
Book: Snowballs by Lois Ehlert
Flannel/Song: Joe Scrugg’s “In the Freezer”
carolsimonlevin.blogspot.com/2015/01/singalong-winters-day.html
Craft: Make creative snow creatures in the spirit of Ehlert’s book (flat cardboards, white paper & scissors to cut out, gluesticks, markers, stickers, shapes, and other stuff to decorate) Also had take home cut out puzzle of the pieces to make “Something from Nothing.” This is similar: storytiming.com/2011/07/15/flannel-friday-something-for-nothing-or-joseph-had-an-overcoat/

DVD: Raymond Brigg’s The Snowman playing while crafting.

The Good for Nothing Button
by Mo Willems
Yellow Bird shares an ordinary button that does nothing with Red Bird and Blue Bird, and they are delighted to find that pressing it makes them happy, which is something.

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