School Age Storytime: St. Patrick's Day and Finding Treasure in Unexpected Ways

 

Jamie O'Rourke and the Big Potato: An Irish Folktale by Tomie De Paola. (Discussed meaning of folktale, compared retelling to game of "telephone.") Ireland's laziest man happens upon a Leprechaun and is given a potato that grows to huge proportions and creates humorous problems. 

That's What Leprechauns Do by Eve Bunting (Delightful illustrations from Caldecott medalist Emily Arnold McCully accompany a playful text written in a lilting Irish style about three leprechauns' mischief-making on their way to place the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.)

Speaking of looking for gold...

The Book of Gold by Bob Staake (Single name = author & illustrator.  Young Isaac Gutenberg isn't a curious boy . . . that is, until he meets an old shopkeeper who tells him about The Book of Gold. This special book, hidden somewhere in the world, holds all the answers to every question and turns to solid gold when opened. Isaac is determined to find the book and spends his whole life searching for it...discovering many other things along the way.

Another book celebrating the magic of discovery:

The Pink Refrigerator by Tim Egan ("Try to do as little as possible.” This was Dodsworth’s motto, until, one morning, on his daily trip to the junkyard, he discovers a pink refrigerator...)

Last, a book with no words...but a special kind of magic!

Chalk by Bill Thomson  (A rainy day. Three kids in a park. A dinosaur spring rider. A bag of chalk. The kids begin to draw...and then...magic! The children draw the sun, butterflies, and a dinosaur that amazingly come to life. Children will never feel the same about the playground after they experience this astounding wordless picture book and the power of the imagination.)

No time for:

If… by Sarah Perry (Imagine if cats could fly, leaves were fish, mice were hair, caterpillars were toothpaste, toes were teeth, or frogs ate rainbows…then imagine what else you can imagine!)  

Imagine a Day/Night/Place/World books by Sarah Thompson  (mind-bending images & poems)

Other books celebrating books, reading, and libraries: 
http://carolsimonlevin.blogspot.com/search/label/Books%20%26%20Reading

Butterflies Storytime - Special Needs - Virtual

 A celebration of individual differences, life-cycle, nature and change. Combines fiction and non-fiction, a sensitive look at disability.  More ideas at https://carolsimonlevin.blogspot.com/search/label/Caterpillars%20%26%20Butterflies

Bubba & Trixie – Lisa Campbell Ernst Bubba & Trixie – Lisa Campbell Ernst – (An adventuresome ladybug with a damaged wing who cannot fly befriends an apprehensive caterpillar and helps him learn to enjoy life and be happy with what he is and what he becomes.)

Alternatively can use this shorter book with a similar theme (checked out 2022)  Bob and Otto – Nick Bruel (Otto the worm is saddened when his friend Bob the caterpillar becomes a butterfly until Bob reassures him that his role in digging through the earth is critical in this story which beautifully combines earth science and the power of friendship.)

Sign Language Song(s):  Let's Take a Little Walk and/or  Look up Look Down (alt: ) -from Pick Me Up: Fun Songs for Learning Signs (with CD) – Robert Berg, et. all 

Becoming Butterflies by Ann Rockwell J595.789 ROC (a schoolroom witnesses the metamorphosis of monarch butterflies in this clear concept book) and/or Traveling Butterflies by Susumu Shingu (simple, beautifully-illustrated picture book of the monarch life-cycle)

If at First You Do Not See - Ruth Brown (clever turn upside down book -- vegetation becomes faces...inspired by the works of the 16th c. Italian painter Guiseppe Arcimboldo

Could share related:  Hello Fruit Face 759.5 STR  -- kids will adore seeing his amazing paintings -- images online at: http://www.giuseppe-arcimboldo.org/  or go to  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giuseppe_Arcimboldo for more links and info.) more info on a related program: http://carolsimonlevin.blogspot.com/2013/12/art-science-flutterby-butterfly.html

Butterfly Boy – Steven Kroll (A boy and his disabled grandfather eagerly await the return of the butterflies in this gorgeous & moving story from Mexico) 

Other possibilities: (no time 2022)

Waiting for Wings  by Lois Ehlert  (short rhyming text, glowing illustrations and pages that literally expand as the caterpillar hatches into a butterfly ) 
DVD: Waiting for Wings (on Weston Woods PPR DVD "Spring Science” is a beautiful musical version of the story, great to act out with scarves

A Butterfly is Patient 595.789 AST (wonderful book in the An Egg is Quiet and A Seed is Sleepy series).great info. – this middle-aged librarian learned a lot (e.g. the difference between a chrysalis and a cocoon - the latter is spun of silk, the former is a kind of exoskeleton formed from the caterpillar's skin; also that butterflies can fly a mile in 3 minutes (faster than a human can run).some classes could research speed of animals and graph this.)  Related: Steve Jenkins'  book Just a Second; A Different Way to Look at Time  529 JEN. 

"Ultraviolet" (Butterfly Poem) from Butterfly Eyes & Other Secrets of the Meadow 811.54 SID (a "guess the answer" poem collection, also shared page on milkweed & butterflies - introduced vocabulary/science: toxin, predator, pollination, ultraviolet) omitted 2017, no time
Here's an article on why butterflies may have evolved UV vision: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100216140301.htm
and some UV pictures of flowers: https://natureodes.wordpress.com/2012/06/25/see-like-a-bee-ultraviolet-flower-photography-2/

Butterfly House – Eve Bunting  (A girl and her grandfather hatch butterflies, whose annual return continue to bring joy to her, even after her grandfather is gone.) 

The Very Hungry Caterpillar – Eric Carle (Pop Up with flannel chrysalis and puppet)

We’re all Wonders – R.J. Palacio (a young spinoff on the amazing chapter book Wonder) expresses the hope that maybe "people can change the way they see"

additional songs at http://carolsimonlevin.blogspot.com/2013/12/preschool-storytime-flutterby-butterfly.html

Marigolds with the Garden Club

 

The Bridgewater Garden Club's "Marigolds Around the Library" project is designed to introduce young children, between grades K-2, to seeding and how seeds become plants.  This project will have two sessions.  In this first session, young planters will gather at the library to listen to a short lesson on growing plants from seed, plant their cell packs, and receive instructions for caring for the seeds at home.  In the second session, to be held on May 31 at 4:30 pm, the young planters will bring their plants back to the library and plant them around the Bridgewater Library (mainly at the front entrance).

Music from Tom Chapin’s album This Pretty Planet playing as kids arrived. Early birds started work on Earth Day headbands and plant book – details below.

Read poem  “Spring Is” by Bobbi Katz from Sunflakes: Poems for Children.

Book: Flower Garden by Eve Bunting – A young girl in the city makes a windowbox garden for her mother.

Flannel: Fran’s Flower, based on the book by Lisa Bruce (text here: http://carolsimonlevin.blogspot.com/2016/05/preschool-storytimegardens-and-growing.html) – Fran tries to get her flower to grow by feeding it pizza and strawberry ice cream!

Book: Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring the Earth to Life by Molly Bang & Penny Chisholm (572.46 BANG) -- this creative and memorable explanation of photosynthesis will stick with kids for a long time.
Sign Language Song: “Walk the World Now Children” from Tom Chapin’s Album Some Assembly Required. Find signs here: http://www.signingsavvy.com/

Book: Beautiful Hands by Kathryn Otashi (gorgeous pictures made from handprints accompany great figurative ideas of what hands can do  (plant ideas, touch hearts, lift spirits, stretch imaginations, reach for love, peace, faith, truth, hope and dreams…)  (skipped, no time)

Closed with Louis Armstrong singing “What a Wonderful World” (track #1 on album The Best of Louis Armstrong, showing pages from book It’s a Wonderful World illustrated by Ashley Bryan – celebrating the wonderful world we live in and the plants, animals, and people of so many colors we share it with… (skipped book, no time, but played song as kids planted & did crafts)

Garden Club explained how plants grow…what needed (air, water, soil) and how to care for seedlings – (water from below gently so don’t disturb roots)

Planting table – making marigold six-packs, kids will plant at the library in 5 weeks

Craft tables: 

• Earth Day crown and other craft ideas: http://carolsimonlevin.blogspot.com/2013/04/earth-day-preschool-storytime.html
• Make your own plant book: http://www.woojr.com/plant-life

BWL 4.2017

Preschool Storytime–Everything Grows

 

Gardens & Growing: A seasonal storytime for ages 2-6 celebrating gardens and growing (plants and people)  Includes identifying some of the flowers and creatures who live in the garden habitat, colors, numbers, a touch of fantasy, and the value of patience in letting plants and people grow at their own pace.

Opening Music: “Family Garden” track #2 from Family Garden by John McCutcheon and or “The Garden Song” sung by Maria Muldour track #2 on Pickin’ & Grinnin’ (and on various other albums.)

Book: Flower Garden by Eve Bunting – A young girl in the city makes a windowbox garden for her mother.

Flannel: Spring Flowers (text below) – counting and colors

Action: Rainstorm – instructions here: http://carolsimonlevin.blogspot.com/2013/12/pre-school-storytime-its-raining-its.html

Book: My Garden by Kevin Henkes – A young girl’s fantasies about what she would plant in her garden include seashells and jelly beans.

Flannel: Fran’s Flower, based on the book by Lisa Bruce (text below) – Fran tries to get her flower to grow by feeding it pizza and strawberry ice cream! 

Action song: “This is the way we dig the ground…to plant our flower garden” (tune: Mulberry Bush).  Plant our seeds..rain will fall…plants will grow…flowers will bloom…sun will shine…on our flower garden.)

Interactive book: Who is in the Garden? by Vera Rosenberg – helped children look closely to find the creatures who make their home in the garden

Singable book: Over in the Garden by Jennifer Ward. – we found and counted the creatures on each page and acted out their movements – including somersaults with the roly-poly bugs!

Flannel: Titch, based on the book by Pat Hutchins – Titch is smaller than his siblings and can’t do everything they do, but his seed grows big!

(If time) Book: If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson – beautifully-illustrated parable on selfishness vs.sharing.

DVD: “Leo the Late Bloomer” on Weston Woods Stories About Growing Up (PPR-wkrm) – Leo is slow to learn to talk, read, write or do other things but, in time, he “blooms”!

Hand-stamping to Raffi’s “Everything Grows” track #9 on his album Everything Grows

Optional craft: 5 stamp set of the stages of a seed to plant (stamps/stamp pad/paper/crayons)

Additional book possibilities:
Sidewalk Flowers by John Arno Larson – beautiful wordless story about taking time to pick the flowers but a bit small for group sharing
So Happy by Kevin Henkes – a boy, a rabbit, a magic seed, and a book make a great gift
Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert – beautifully illustrates the steps of growing a flower garden, similar to her Growing Vegetable Soup.
The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss – the classic story of growing and patience

Flannel texts:

SPRING FLOWERS (Source unknown) (5 flowers, cloud, lightning)
Place flowers on the board
5 spring flowers, all in a row. [Hold up 5 fingers]
The first one says [hold up 1 finger] “we need rain to grow” [Use fingers to show rain]
The second one says [hold up 2 fingers] “oh yes, we need water” [Nod head yes]
The third one says [hold up 3 fingers] “it’s getting hotter!” [Fan face with hand]
The fourth one says [hold up 4 fingers] “I see clouds in the sky!” [Point up]
The fifth one says [hold up 5 fingers] “I wonder why!” [Shrug shoulders and hold up hands questioningly]
Then…BOOM! went the thunder [add cloud to board] and
CRASH! went the lightning [add lightning bolt]
That springtime storm was very frightening [Hug self as if scared]
But the flowers weren’t worried, oh no, no, no! [Shake head]
Because the rain helped them to grow, grow, grow! [Raise arms as if growing]!
Count the flowers as they are placed on the board, and talk about the colors. For the two-colored flowers, ask about the color on the outside, and the color on the inside.

Fran’s Flower by Lisa Bruce (flannel pieces in bold below)

One day Fran found a flowerpot filled with soil. Poking out of the top was a tiny green tip. “I will grow this flower,” Fran said to Fred (dog).
She took it home. “Grow Flower,” she said. But the tip stayed tiny.
“I think this flower is hungry,” Fran said.
So Fran went to the fridge. Inside found her favorite food.
She gave the flower a slice of pizza.
The next day Fran gave it a piece of cheeseburger.
Then she gave it spaghetti, two chocolate chip cookies and a large spoonful of strawberry ice cream.
She even gave it one of Fred’s juicy bones.
But the flower didn’t grow. The tip stayed tiny. Fran got fed up.
“Silly flower!” Fran said, and she threw it out the back door.
The flowerpot fell onto the ground and rolled away. The rain fell on it.
The wind blew on it.
The sun shone on it.
Finally, the tiny green tip grew… and grew… and grew.
Until one day Fran and Fred went outside to play.
When they opened the door, a surprise was waiting…
A big beautiful flower—just for Fran.

Titch by Pat Hutchins

Titch was little.
His sister Mary was a bit bigger.
And his brother Pete was a lot bigger.
Pete had a great big bike.
Mary had a big bike.
And Titch had a little tricycle. (remove bicycles & tricycle)
Pete had a kite that flew high above the trees.
Mary had a kite that flew high above the houses.
And Titch had a pinwheel that he held in his hand. (remove kites and pinwheel)
Pete had a big drum.
Mary had a trumpet.
And Titch had a little wooden whistle. (remove instruments)
Pete had a big saw.
Mary had a hammer.
And Titch held the nails. (remove tools)
Pete had a big spade.
Mary had a fat flowerpot.
But Titch had the tiny seed.
And Titch’s seed grew and grew and grew! (place larger plant with each word “grew”)

BWL 5.16

Preschool Story/Craft -- Trees are Terrific

Trees are Terrific (All Ages)

Arbor Day is a special day to recognize the importance of trees and the difference they make in our lives. The Bridgewater Shade Tree Board will help us celebrate all that's terrific about trees with stories and activities.

Music playing as kids arrive: Family Garden by John McCutcheon

Read: Picture a Tree by Barbara Reid or We Planted a Tree by Diane Muldrow

Flannel/song: The Green Grass Grew All Around

Read/Action: Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson

Flannel/song: Wiggly Worm

Action: “This is the way we plant a seed”

Bridgewater Shade Tree Commission brought seedlings, coloring sheets, and different leaves for leaf rubbing.

Additional book possibilities: (some arrived after the program)
A Tree for Me by Nancy Van Laan
If You Hold a Seed by Elly MacKay
Call Me a Tree/Llamame Arbol by Maya Christina Gonzales (Bilingual)
Maple (& sequels) by Lori Nichols
Tree: A Peek Through Picture Book by Britta Teckentrup
A Tree is Nice by Janice May Udry

K+ Groups:
Fernando’s Gift/El Regalo de Fernando by Douglas Keister (Bilingual)
Someday a Tree by Eve Bunting
Tell Me, Tree by Gail Gibbons
A Tree is Growing by Arthur Dorros
Redwoods by Jason Chin

Additional craft possibility: glue tissue paper “blossoms” (scrunched 1” squares) onto a tree skeleton.

5/16

Pre-School Storytime “Mother’s Day” Also includes plans for storytime/craft (ages 2-10)

 

A fun and interactive storytime celebrating mothers and others that includes letter awareness, animal identification, singing, sign language and a touch of empathy.
Includes the five EECR2 practices of:

Entering music:  Music for Little People’s Celebration of Family J730 CELE (tracks #7-9 – track #9: A Song for Mama)

 

Singable Interactive Book: Where’s My Mom? by Julia Donaldson (older) Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino (younger) both are guessing games about an animal looking for his mother, the first is singable --tune “Hush Little Baby”; the second rhymes the answer (phonemic awareness)

 

Booktalk: Mommies Say Shhh! by Patricia Polacco (gorgeous illustrationsanimal sounds)

 

Flannel: Mother, Mother I want Another based on the book by Maria Polushkin Robbins (At bedtime, Baby Mouse says “I want another, Mother.” Mrs. Mouse engages Mrs. Frog, Mrs. Pig, and Mrs. Donkey – all sing Baby a lullaby before Baby Mouse clarifies that what he wants is another KISS!”)

Book: A Mother for Choco by Keiko Kasza (A lonely little bird searching for its mother finds a loving adoptive mother bear.)

 

Flannel: The Runaway Bunny based on the book by Margaret Wise Brown – point out nod to her Goodnight Moon.

 

Flannel/Song: MOMMY (Flannel letters) (Tune: “BINGO”)
I have a very special friend
And Mommy is her name-o,
M-O-M-M-Y, M-O-M-M-Y, M-O-M-M-Y
And Mommy is her name-o.

 

Book: Mama, Do You Love Me? by Barbara M. Joosse  diversity! Alts:(shorter/younger) Mouse’s First Spring by Lauren Thompson (wkrm) or Mama’s Day by Linda Ashman or My Mommy is Magic by Carl Norac or My Mommy Hung the Moon by Jamie Lee Curtis (event kit www.jamieleecurtis.com)

 

Sign Language Song: Tom Chapin’s “Family Tree” (track #7) on Celebration of Family J730 CELE

 

DVD: Blueberries for Sal (classic, Marna’s favorite. PPR on The Snowy Day: Caldecott Classics & The Robert McCloskey Library) or Make Way for Ducklings Alts:  I Love You Like Crazy Cakes (Chinese adoption)

 

Hand Stamping: “Mother’s Day” track #2 on Tom Chapin’s Moonboat and/or Family Garden by John McCutcheon (730 McCu)

 

BWL 5/10, 5/16

 

Sat ST/Craft) ages 2-10 

 

Enter to tracks 7-9 from Celebration of Family J730 CELE

Mama, Do You Love Me? by Barbara Joosse

Flannel: Mother, Mother I want Another – Robbins

Interactive Book: Where’s My Mom? – Donaldson (singable)

     Booktalked: Is Your Mama a Llama? – Guarino

Game: Mother / Baby Match (flannel)

Flannel/Song: MOMMY

My Mommy is Magic by Carl Norac

Prop (Nested Boxes): The Surprise based on the book by George Shannon, script here: carolsimonlevin.blogspot.com/2013/12/pre-school-storytime-gifts-and-giving.html

Flower Garden by Eve Bunting (wkrm)

Flannel: Monkey Face (based on the book by Frank Asch) script here: carolsimonlevin.blogspot.com/2014/05/preschool-or-school-age-storytime.html

Music: “Family Tree” on Celebration of Family J730 CELE

Craft: Mother’s Day poems/Cards (die cut cards, die cuts, gluesticks, scissors, markers)  with poem below:

Music during craft: A Child’s Celebration of Family

 

Sometimes you get discouraged
Because I am so small
And always leave my fingerprints
On furniture and walls
But every day I'm growing --
I'll be grown some day
And all those tiny handprints
Will surely fade away
So here's a little handprint
Just so you can recall
Exactly how my fingers looked
When I was very small.

Happy Mother’s Day!   Date

 

BWL 5/09  5/11

 

 

no time for:

Book: Flower Garden by Eve Bunting (wkrm) or So Happy by Kevin Henkes

Flannel: Spring Flowers

Book: If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson
Fran’s Flower based on the book by Lisa Bruce

Additional book possibilities:

Big Hugs, Little Hugs – Bond

Stay Close to Mama – Buzzeo

Bearcub & Mama – Jennings

My Mommy Hung the Moon – Curtis

Mr. Rabbit & the Lovely Present – Zolotow  SMALL (M. Draghi favorite modern classics)

Mama, I’ll give you the world – Schotter

Hug Time --  McConnell

A Special Day for Mommy – Andreasen (Holiday) used 5/09 – skipped 5/11 –kids didn’t really get it.

Mama Zooms

 

Additional flannel possibilities:

“Parents are People” from Free to Be You and Me

Ask Mr. Bear based on the book by Marjorie Flack

 

Optional Game: Mother / Baby Match (flannel) skipped this (no time)

Participation flannel/ Movement (get up & move like the animals)

Mother/Baby match (animal match mom/baby pix)

– listening skills (I didn’t end up using the baby flannel animals)

This baby makes a mooing sound

When his mother’s not around.

Calf is the name of this baby.

Find his mother and show her to me.

Continue with:    

2. barking, puppy, dog

3. meowing, kitten, cat

4. quacking, duckling, duck

5. oinking, piglet, pig (sow)

6. growling, cub, bear

7. roaring, cub, lion

8. hopping, joey, kangaroo

9. baaing, lamb, ewe

10.maaing, kid, nanny goat

 

Additional songs: “Be Kind to Your Parents”

Sign Language Song: Pick Me Up! Track 16 “Talking on the telephone”

BWL 5/07:

FST: Mama’s Day – Ashman

ST: Mama, Do You Love Me? – Joosse

Song (Flannel letters) M-O-M-M-Y

ST: A Special Day for Mommy – Andreasen (Holiday)

FST/ST: Mother, Mother I want Another – Robbins

Song (Actions): Magic Penny

Prop (Nested Boxes): The Surprise – Shannon

Interactive Book: Is Your Mama a Llama? – Guarino

Participation (Puppets) – Mother/Baby Match

Movement FST: Your Kind of Mommy -- Parker

ST: A Mother for Choco – Kasza

Song/Flannel: Parents are People

FST: Mothers are Like That –Carrick

Video – Are You My Mother?

Alt Books:       Kiss Kiss – Wild

                        Mommy’s Hands – Lasky

                        Flower Garden – Bunting

                        I Love You as Much -- Melmed

Alt Videos: 

                        Make Way for Ducklings

                        Is Your Mother a Llama?

DVD PPR  Magical stories [DVD] : the rainbabies  WGL too long – 20 min.

 

 

BWL 5/04:

 Song: M-O-M-M-Y

TT/FST/ST:  Mama, Do You Love Me – Joosse

Song:  Sometimes Mom Says…

Flannel: Monkey Face

TT/FST/ST: Is Your Mama a Llama – Guarino

Song: What Do They Say?

TT/FST: Mother’s Are Like That – Carrick

ST: A Mother for Choco – Kasza

Song/Flannel: Parents are People

ST: Harriet You’ll Drive Me Wild – Fox

Song: I Love Mother

TT/FST: Cat’s Colors – Cabrera (optional – depending on attn. Span)

Song: You Are My Mommy

Video: Are You My Mother?

 

Addl. titles:

Mommy in My Pocket – Senderak

Flower Garden -- Bunting

Just Like You and Me – Miller (my cart – discarded)
Just Like Me – Schlein 

From “A Storytime Year” p. 106:

No Time for Mother’s Day – Anderson

I Love You, Mom – Hiskey

I Love You, Stinky Face – McCourt

This is the Bird – Shannon

                               

Books: 

 

Ask Mr. Bear – Marjorie Flack

Koala Lou – Mem Fox

Where’s Our Mama? – Diane Goode

Hiding – Tudor Humphries

Five Minutes Peace – Jill Murphy

I Love You with All My Heart – Kern

My Mom –  Browne

 

http://www.geocities.com/mystorytime/mothers.htm

 

Additional Songs (source unknown):

I Love Mother  (Tune: “Frere Jacques”)
I love mother, I love mother,
Yes I do, yes I do.

And I want to say, “Happy Mother’s Day!”
I love you, I love you.

 

Sometimes Mom Says…

(Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”)

Sometimes Mom says, “don’t do this,”

Sometimes Mom says, “don’t do that.”

Still she loves me, that I know.

Why? Because she tells me so.

Sometimes Mom says, “let’s do this.”

Sometimes Mom says, “kiss, kiss, kiss.”

 

What do they Say?

What does a dog say?  Bow wow wow.
What does a cat say?   Meow, meow, meow.
What does a dove say? Coo, coo, coo. 
What does your mommy say?    I love you!

 

You Are My Mommy (Tune: “You are my Sunshine)

You are my Mommy, My special Mommy.

You are the best in every way.
And that is why

I want to wish you

A happy Mother’s Day!

 

My Mom

My mom is very special,

I think that you’ll agree.

She picks the greatest stories

To read aloud to me.

(Hold palms out, pretend to read)

Sometime we go fishing,

(Pretend to cast a line)

Or play a game of ball.

(Pretend to swing at a ball)

She always gives me great big hugs,

(Hug self)

She’s the best mom of them all!