School Age Storytime: Pizza & Pasta & Pie

 

A fun and silly Kindergarten- 2nd grade storytime incorporating favorite foods, fun songs, poetry, numeracy, social skills and active play. (I asked what the 3 title foods had in common – most kids answered “p”, but one responded “dough!”)

Book (older kids):  Spaghetti Eddie – Ryan SanAngelo (Eddie finds many clever ways to use his noodles to help his neighbors in this fun silly book) – paused after first page to teach them the silly song “Ravioli” (lyrics for this and other songs below)

Poem: "Spaghetti, Spaghetti" by Jack Prelutsky (from the collection Sunflakes – poems selected by Lillian Moore) also encouraged kids to seek out more poems by this delightful and inventive poet – our nation’s first Children’s Poet Laureate

Flannel/Song: “On Top of Spaghetti” http://www.scoutsongs.com/lyrics/ontopofspaghetti.html(This is an easy flannel to make -- I used yellow yarn hot-glued on a flannel plate, and added googly eyes on my "meatball")

Book: Hi, Pizza Man – Virginia Walter (Mother and young child bored with waiting for the Pizza Man play a fun game imagining which animals might deliver the pie.) or Pizza Pat  – Pat Gelman (cumulative tale of a pizza maker with a surprise ending)

Book:  Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza – Philemon Sturges (kids chanted the dog, cat, and duck’s lines – text to text connection: had kids discuss how it differed from traditional folk tale: hen shares the pizza with the unhelpful trio, but they then clean up afterwards)

Flannel/Song:  P-I-Z-Z-A! (flannel pizza with 5 slices, P-I-Z-Z-A flannel letters --lyrics below) – I removed one slice and letter at a time and we clapped for the missing letter(s)--letter identification, subtraction/numeracy

Book: Pigs Aplenty, Pigs Galore – David McPhail (frustrated guy has a porcine problem and a pizza delivery)

Flannel/Song: “I Am a Pizza” from Linda Arnold’s Peppermint Wings (also on 10 Carrot Diamond.) (lyrics below)

Book: Enemy Pie by Derek Munson (Jeremy’s father has a surefire recipe for taking care of his son’s nemesis, but first Jeremy must spend the day with his enemy.)

Poem/Song: “Alligator Pie” from Dinosaur Dinner (With a Slice of Alligator Pie) – Favorite Poems by Dennis Lee. (lyrics & tune here: http://barney.wikia.com/wiki/Alligator_Pie)  Shared the three verses, then challenged the kids to make up additional verses of their own starting with other one-syllable (we defined this) foods.

Storyplay (interactive storytelling with kids acting out):  Pete’s A Pizza – William Steig

No time for Action song: “This is the way we…to make our pizza pie” (lyrics below)

Song lyrics:

"Ravioli"  (tune:  Alouette)--great movement song
Ravioli, ravioli, ravioli--
Ravioli, that's the stuff for me.
Do you have it on your pants?
Yes I have it on my pants.
On your pants?  On my pants.  Oh, oh, oh, oh.
Ravioli, ravioli, ravioli--
Ravioli, that's the stuff for me.
Ravioli, ravioli, ravioli--
Ravioli, that's the stuff for me.
Do you have it on your sleeve?
Yes I have it on my sleeve.
On your sleeve?  On my sleeve.
On your pants?  On my pants.  Oh, oh, oh, oh.
Ravioli, ravioli, ravioli--
Ravioli, that's the stuff for me.
Do you have it on your shoe?…     (chin, hair, nose, ear, etc. -- continue on
a round the body tour...)

"On Top Of Spaghetti" (Tune:  "On Top of Old Smokey")
(Another great flannelboard)
On top of spaghetti, all covered with cheese,
I lost my poor meatball, when somebody sneezed.
It rolled off the table, and onto the floor,
and then my poor meatball rolled out the door.
It rolled in the garden, and under a bush,
and then my poor meatball, was nothing but mush.
The mush was as tasty, as tasty could be,
and early next  summer, it grew into a tree.
The tree was all covered, with beautiful moss,
It grew lovely meatball, and tomato sauce.
So if you eat spaghetti, all covered with cheese,
hold on to your meatballs, and don't ever sneeze!

P-I-Z-Z-A (from the book "Second Helpings": tune: BINGO) (flannelboard has a pizza divided into 5 pieces, I like to use numeral cards with this as well.)
I had a pizza all my own
And all of it was mine-O.
P-I-Z-Z-A,
P-I-Z-Z-A,
P-I-Z-Z-A,
And all of it was mine-O!

I had a pizza that I shared
One piece went to my brother.
P-I-Z-Z-(clap),
P-I-Z-Z-(clap),
P-I-Z-Z-(clap),
But all the rest was mine-O!
(continue with sister, mother, father...)

I had a pizza that I shared
One piece is all I'm left-O.
(clap, clap, clap, clap, clap),
(clap, clap, clap, clap, clap),
(clap, clap, clap, clap, clap),
And now that piece is gone-O!

"I Am A Pizza" (tune on Linda Arnold's  "Peppermint Wings"  (echo & response song -- you sing then audience repeats line)  If you don't have the album, feel free to give me a call and I'll sing it for you.) 
I am a pizza  … (audience) I am a pizza  (place flannel “tomato/cheese pizza” on board)
With extra cheese… with extra cheese   
From tomatoes… From tomatoes…
Sauce is squeezed… Sauce is squeezed…
Onions and Mushrooms… Onions and Mushrooms…  (add flannel onions/mushrooms)
Oregano…Oregano.
I am a pizza … I am a pizza
Ready to go!

I am a pizza… I am a pizza…
Pepperoni… Pepperoni…  (add flannel “pepperoni”)
No Anchovies… No Anchovies…
Or phony balogne… Or phony balogne…
I am a pizza… I am a pizza…
Order by phone… Order by phone…  (flannel phone receiver or just use hand motion)
I am a pizza… I am a pizza…
Please take me home.

I am a pizza… I am a pizza…
Peppers on the top… Peppers on the top… (add flannel “peppers”)
Out of the oven… Out of the oven…
And into a box… And into a box…      (cover with square flannel “pizza box” )
Into the car… Into the car…
Upside down… Upside down… (groan)
I am a pizza… I am a pizza…
Dropped on the ground.  
I was a pizza… I was a pizza…
I was the BEST… I was the BEST…
I was a pizza… I was a pizza…
NOW I’M A MESS!   (flip over “pizza box” to reveal a flannel “scrambled up pizza”!)

Alligator Pie by Dennis Lee (tune here: http://barney.wikia.com/wiki/Alligator_Pie)

Alligator pie, alligator pie.

If I don't get some, I think I'm gonna die!

Give away the green grass. Give away the sky.

But don't give away my alligator pie!

Alligator stew, alligator stew.

If I don't get some, I don't know what I'll do.

Give away my furry hat. Give away my shoe.

But don't give away my alligator stew.

Alligator soup, alligator soup

If I don't get some, I think I'm gonna droop.

Give away my hockey stick. Give away my hoop.

But don't give away my alligator soup!

“This is the Way…to Make Our Pizza Pie” (Tune: “Mulberry Bush”)
This is the way we mix the dough, mix the dough, mix the dough
This is the way we mix the dough to make our pizza pie.
…pound & knead…
…twirl the dough around…
…stretch the crust in the pan…
…spread the sauce…
…sprinkle the cheese…
…bake the pie…
…slice the pie…
…gobble it down…we’ve made a pizza pie!

Bedm 3.16

School Age Program: Play with Poetry

 
This was a program to encourage kids to play with poetry then write some of their own.  (K-5 at Bridgewater, K-2 at Bedminster School)

Poetry Program – You’re a Poet though You May Not Know It  “Today we’re going to write some poems of our own -- but first we’re going to hear some poems to get our own creative ideas flowing and get some tips about poetry-writing…”

.2017: Order varied in some groups

• Opened with Prelutsky’s “I Told the Wizard to His Face” from Monday’s Troll (skipped at Bedminster, book unavailable, instead opened with short poems “The Tickle Rhyme,” “Glowworm,” & “Bugs” (p.13-14) from Sunflakes)
• Talked about different kinds of poetry – asked what made a poem (sometimes rhyme & rhythm, form, imaginative language).
• Played “Yankee Doodle” rhyming game --  Newfangled Yankee Doodle Poems http://www.gigglepoetry.com/poetryfun/newfangledfib.html
• Shared these tips from Jack Prelutsky Pizza, Pigs, and Poetry – anyone know of him (show his books) –keeps writing notebook (used page numbers below)
  
  Write about something that really happened (ok to exaggerate though!):
  Ø p.5 “I Wonder Why Dad is so Thoroughly Mad”
  Ø p.18 “My Mother’s Rules”
  Ø another poem about his mom’s rules: p.23 “Deep in Our Refrigerator”
  
  Brothers, Sisters, Pets, Friends and Toys make good subjects:
  Ø p.30 “My Baby Brother” (also “Brother” p. 65 in Sunflakes selected by Lilian Moore)
  Ø p.58 “Oh, Teddy Bear”
  Ø p.64 “My Brother Shaved His Teddy Bear”
  
  Poems don’t have to be long:
  Ø p.33 “Oysters”
  Ø (also “The Tickle Poem” p.14 in Sunflakes )
  
  Images can inspire poems:
  Ø p.65 “Spring Is” in Sunflakes selected by Lilian Moore)
  Ø p.43 “We’re Fearless Flying Hot Dogs”  (skipped some of these, no time)
  Ø p.39 “Forty Performing Bananas” (re-writing playing with language – read section),
  Ø p.53 “I’m Building a Bridge of Bananas”
  Ø p.74 “The Turkey Shot Out of the Oven”
• Poems can inspire images:
  Ø Show Shape/Concrete Poems from Doodle Dandies (First Burst of Spring, Giraffe, Butterfly) by J. Patrick Lewis & A Poke in the Eye (p.2,3,17,20,21,27), by Paul B. Janeczko
• Make up new verses to poem/song “Alligator Pie” from Dinosaur Dinner by Dennis Lee  (Judy Freeman put it to music -- feel free to give me a call if you want the tune), having kids select food, a rhyming consequence activity, a rhyming object and a non-rhyming related object, e.g.

Alligator CHEESE, Alligator CHEESE
If I don’t get some, I guess I’m gonna SNEEZE.
Take away my GARDEN, Take away my BEES,
But don’t take away my Alligator CHEESE!

• Shared two pet poems (p. 19 & 14)  from Who Swallowed Harold by Susan Pearson then read the mixed-up menagerie poems from Cock-a-Doodle Moooo! by Keith DuQuette and showed example of acrostic & blackout poems. 
• Kids then created poems of their choice – combo animal poems, shape poems, blackout poems, alligator pie new verses, rhyming poems or acrostic poems. 
• Surprise ending fun:
  from Lunch Money and Other Poems About School by Carol Diggory Shields
  p. 16 "School Daze Rap"
  p. 35 "Clock Watching"
  
  Hands on – Writing our Own Poems – Options:
  
  o Using what we just discussed, write a poem
  o If you need ideas, try: “I am” poem (handout below, more at: http://www.pinterest.com/teaching101/writing/)
  o Poetry Starter (source unknown): “Every day when I go out, I fill my shoes with sauerkraut…. (supply a page with these two lines as the starter )
  o Acrostic Poem (Handout below)
  o How to Write an "I Can't Write a Poem" Poem (Handout http://ettcweb.lr.k12.nj.us/forms/cantwrite.htm)
  o Write a Structured Poem – ideas from the book “A Kick in the Head”
  
  
  

 
 
o Write a Shape Poem|

This and many more here: https://www.pinterest.com/ginger9892/concrete-poetry/
o Write a Blackout Poem

from: http://learningparade.typepad.co.uk/learning_parade/2011/07/newspaper-blackout-poems.html

Handouts:

Acrostic Poem  (I wrote these instructions out for the kids)
An Acrostic Poem is a poem that uses a name or a word to begin each line in a poem. Write your name or a word vertically down the left side of this sheet of paper. Begin each line of the poem with each letter of your name and write about yourself. After you are finished, decorate the page with your favorite things. (If you would like to get your poem back, please write your name & phone number on the back.)


 

4.2017 Bridgewater:

Additional Resources:
http://teacher.scholastic.com/poetry/index.htm  Jack Prelutsky and others
www.hmhbooks.com/poetrykit/  lots of poetry ideas based on HMH books
http://www.gigglepoetry.com Bruce Lansky’s poems, contests, ideas
www.poetry4kids.com poems, contests, ideas + a rhyming dictionary
www.poetryzone.ndirect.co.uk/index2.htm place for kids to publish their own
www.teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/poetry/jack_home.htm (jack prelutsky’s writer’s workshop)

Display books: Imagine a Day …Night… Place – Sarah Thomson & Rob Gonsalves,  A River of Words JB Williams, Sad Underwear Judith Viorst, lots of other poetry books… New  in 2016 Daniel Finds a Poem – Micha Archer

School Age Program: “You’re a Poet Though You Might Not Know It!” Grade K-6 National Poetry Month Program

“Every day when I go out, I fill my shoes with sauerkraut....”
Come read and create some wild, wacky,
and wonderful poems with us!   
(If you have a favorite poem, bring it along!)  
Special guest: local writer Randi Clarken.

This was a program to encourage kids to play with poetry then write some of their own.  We had a local poet join us, but that portion could be omitted.

Poetry Program – You’re a Poet though You May Not Know It  “Today we’re going to write some poems of our own -- but first we’re going to hear some poems to get our own creative ideas flowing and get some tips about poetry-writing…”

Poetry Warm-up:

• Mary Had Some Bubble Gum http://www.gigglepoetry.com/poem.aspx?PoemID=604&CategoryID=28
• Complete the Newfangled Yankee Doodle Poems http://www.gigglepoetry.com/poetryfun/newfangledfib.html
• Poetry Theater:
  • “Ish!” http://www.gigglepoetry.com/poetrytheaterdetail.aspx?TheaterID=17
  • “My Dog Has No Manners” http://www.gigglepoetry.com/poetrytheaterdetail.aspx?TheaterID=6
  • "I Can't Write a Poem" Poem http://www.gigglepoetry.com/poetryclassdetail.aspx?LessonPlanID=23

2011: Introduced a “Real Live Poet” Randi Clarken author of Mugging for the Camera (her poems indicated by RJC below)

Shared these tips from Jack Prelutsky Pizza, Pigs, and Poetry – anyone know of him (show his books) –keeps writing notebook (used page numbers below -- 2015 during spring break, kids a bit antsy so I only some of these))

1. Write about something that really happened (ok to exaggerate though!):
Ø p.5 “I Wonder Why Dad is so Thoroughly Mad”
Ø p.18 “My Mother’s Rules”
Ø another poem about his mom’s rules: p.23 “Deep in Our Refrigerator”
Ø RJC p. 17 “Under My Bed”

2. Brothers, Sisters, Pets, Friends and Toys make good subjects:
Ø p.30 “My Baby Brother” (also “Brother” p. 65 in Sunflakes selected by Lilian Moore)
Ø p.58 “Oh, Teddy Bear”
Ø p.64 “My Brother Shaved His Teddy Bear”
Ø RJC p. 32 “Rock Paper Scissors”

3. Poems don’t have to be long:
Ø p.33 “Oysters”
Ø (also “The Tickle Poem” p.14 in Sunflakes )
Ø RJC p. 115 “A Very Tiny Poem”
Ø RJC p. 123 “Little Willie Number 7”

4. But you may revisit a subject if you find you have more to say:
Ø P.35 “Do Oysters Sneeze”
Ø RJC p.27 “Closet Avoidance”

5. Images can inspire poems:
Ø p.43 “We’re Fearless Flying Hot Dogs”
Ø p.39 “Forty Performing Bananas” (re-writing playing with language – read section),
Ø p.53 “I’m Building a Bridge of Bananas”
Ø p.74 “The Turkey Shot Out of the Oven”
Ø RJC p. 69 “Were Rabbits”
Ø RJC p.72 “Speaking Of…How to Make a Dust Bunny Happy”

And poems can inspire images:
Ø Show Shape/Concrete Poems from Doodle Dandies by J. Patrick Lewis & A Poke in the Eye by Paul B. Janeczko

2011: RJC talked a little more about writing poems…
2015 added instead:
6. Surprise ending fun:
from Lunch Money and Other Poems About School by Carol Diggory Shields
p. 16 "School Daze Rap"
p. 35 "Clock Watching"

Hands on – Writing our Own Poems – Options:

o Using what we just discussed, write a poem
o If you need ideas, try: “I am” poem (handout below, more at: http://www.pinterest.com/teaching101/writing/)
o Poetry Starter (source unknown): “Every day when I go out, I fill my shoes with sauerkraut…. (supply a page with these two lines as the starter )
o Acrostic Poem (Handout below)
o How to Write an "I Can't Write a Poem" Poem (Handout http://ettcweb.lr.k12.nj.us/forms/cantwrite.htm)
o Write a Structured Poem – ideas from the book “A Kick in the Head”

 
2017 added:

o Write a Shape Poem|

This and many more here: https://www.pinterest.com/ginger9892/concrete-poetry/
o Write a Blackout Poem

from: http://learningparade.typepad.co.uk/learning_parade/2011/07/newspaper-blackout-poems.html

Additional Resources:
http://teacher.scholastic.com/poetry/index.htm  Jack Prelutsky and others
www.hmhbooks.com/poetrykit/  lots of poetry ideas based on HMH books
http://www.gigglepoetry.com Bruce Lansky’s poems, contests, ideas
www.poetry4kids.com poems, contests, ideas + a rhyming dictionary
www.poetryzone.ndirect.co.uk/index2.htm place for kids to publish their own
www.teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/poetry/jack_home.htm (jack prelutsky’s writer’s workshop)

Display books: Imagine a Day …Night… Place – Sarah Thomson & Rob Gonsalves,  A River of Words JB Williams, Sad Underwear Judith Viorst, lots of other poetry books…You might also share some other fun poetry collections -- I love Lunch Money by Carol Diggory Shields (lots of funny poems about school -- they love the surprise ending to "Clock-Watching") , Dinosaur Dinner by Dennis Lee (try having them make up new verses to "Alligator Pie" (Judy Freeman put it to music -- feel free to give me a call if you want the tune)), and the collection Sunflakes (try the poem "Brother" for some sibling laughs!) 

Handouts:

Acrostic Poem  (I wrote these instructions out for the kids)
An Acrostic Poem is a poem that uses a name or a word to begin each line in a poem. Write your name or a word vertically down the left side of this sheet of paper. Begin each line of the poem with each letter of your name and write about yourself. After you are finished, decorate the page with your favorite things. (If you would like to get your poem back, please write your name & phone number on the back.)



4.2011
4.2015 -- did without special guest poet, deleted RJC poems above, added 2015: notes.

4.2017: opened with Prelutsky’s “I Told the Wizard to His Face,” did “Yankee Doodle” rhyming game, talked about different kinds of poetry. Read some family exageration poems from Pizza, Pigs & Poetry, and “Brother” and “Spring Is” from Sunflakes, expanded upon “Alligator Pie”, shared some shape poems from Doodle Dandies and A Poke in the I and showed some examples of blackout poems.  Kids then created poems of their choice – shape poems, black out poems, rhyming poems or acrostic poems.

new in 2016 Daniel Finds a Poem – Micha Archer

Pre-School Storytime: Everything Green

 

 

Everything Green (Ages 3-6)

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day and the beginning of spring with this storytime incorporating color identification, music and movement, participatory storytelling,

rhyming practice, and non-fiction elements.

(Note, this is a long program, need to pick and choose or if in a child-care setting,

use the elements over the course of a week.)

Opening Music: Hap Palmer's "Sally the Swinging Snake" (from album of the same name)

Book: Little Blue and Little Yellow by Leo Lionni (2016) or  Green by Laura Seeger

Action Song:  “If your clothes have any green” (tune “If You’re Happy & You Know It”)
If your clothes have any green, any green (3x)….stand up  so you’ll be seen…

                                             red…tap your hands upon your head, 

         blue…touch your shoe,

         yellow …jump up & down like a happy fellow,

         grey..sway, black..clap, pink…blink, brown…sit down!

 

Book (non-fiction) : Green: Seeing Green All Around Us by Sarah L. Schuette (2016) – read main text and ask kids what it is – good for listening skills since the last 2 are tricky.

Action/Music:  dance with Hap Palmer's "Sally the Swinging Snake" (from album of the same name) and have the children "dance" swinging pieces of green yarn to the musical instructions (listening skills)

 

Book: Little Green by Keith Baker (2016 a.m. only  - might save for Spring next year)  or Little White Rabbit by Kevin Henkes

 

(omitted this 2016 – saved for spring storytime)

Song Flannel: “And the Green Grass Grew All Around” (echo song: children repeat each line) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/And_the_Green_Grass_Grew_All_Around

 

Book: Green Wilma by Tedd Arnold (2016) or  Moonbear’s Pet by Frank Asch (arrived too late 2016, sweet story of tadpole growth and friendship) or Scoot by Cathryn Falwell (6 turtles, beautiful torn paper illus) or Ribbit! – Bender (flip book –no longer in system, Folgiera, lovely but long) or Frog Song -- Brenda Z. Guiberson 597.89 GUI - non-fiction)

 

Song/Puppets/numeral cards: “5 Little Freckled Frogs” (sat on a speckled log)
http://www.nurseryrhymes.org/five-little-speckled-frogs.html

Book: Wide Mouthed Frog by Keith Faulkner (pop-up)

Interactive Song/Flannel or Puppets:  “Deep in the Jungle” from Joe Scrugg’s album by the same name. (clever variation on the 3 little monkeys teasing the crocodile rhyme, I have child volunteers handle the monkey puppets/flannels, I handle the croc.) http://www.hellojoe.com/lyrics-ditj.html 

 

City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems (beautiful story of friendship & loss, seasons of the year)

 

Song: “Make New Friends But Keep the Old”

 

Video: A Boy, A Dog, and a Frog (live action film by Weston Woods based on the book by Mercer Mayer)

 

Hand-stamping Music:  “Deep in the Jungle” from Joe Scrugg’s album by the same name.

 

Not used:

Video: There’s an Alligator Under My Bed – Mayer

   Alts: Green Eggs & Ham or “Deep in the Jungle” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0t7RUnF41g

 

Silly Song: Alligator Pie  http://barney.wikia.com/wiki/Alligator_Pie (only with older groups, sometimes make up additional verses e.g. “alligator cheese…I think I’m going to sneeze”)
Puppet/Action/Song: “I’m Being Swallowed by a Big Alligator” before goodbye song

Hand-stamping Music:  “Deep in the Jungle” from Joe Scrugg’s album by the same name.

 

Youtube “Yertle the Turtle” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqjEsttx-IU

Optional (2014 saving for "eggs" storytime later this session):

Interactive storytelling: Dr. Seuss’s Green Eggs & Ham I hand out picture/word cards to the kids for all the places the green eggs & ham are refused (here, there, house, mouse, box, fox, car, tree, train, dark (or use flashlight), rain (or use umbrella), goat, boat) and have extra laminated green eggs & ham pieces so everyone in the room can have a part. If you have another adult you can use laminated neck cards with pictures of Sam-I-Am and the friend (picky eater) --  Script here:  http://files.havefunteaching.com/fun-activities/readers-theater/green-eggs-and-ham.pdf or you can read the book aloud and have kids hold up the cards as the words are read.  The kids holding green eggs & hams are the enthusiastic chorus waving them about… and everyone chimes in on “I will not eat them anywhere!”

 

Take home rhyming practice activity –from http://www.obseussed.com/2012/03/green-eggs-and-ham-activities-and-free.html

 

Additional Material:

Songs:            There’s a Little White Duck (flannel)

Gary Rosen's  "Kelly the Caterpillar

Books:  One, Two, Three Jump – Lively

Spring Green – Selkote

Picasso the green tree frog

I'm green and I'm grumpy
Five green and speckled frogs by Priscilla Burris

Grandpa Green – Lane Smith
Green Queen – colors, ok for young groups
Finn McCool & the Great Fish 398.209415 Bunting (great Irish folktale beaut illus)

 

3/2017: Storytime/Craft:

 

 

Book: City Dog, Country Dog – Mo Willems (dialogic reading, act out actions, anticipate seasons, text to text frog on head in river and gingerbread man)

Sing: “Make New Friends but Keep the Old” (made a circle and circled round, then fell down at the end!")

Book: Green – Sarah Schuette (guessing game book)

Flannel/Song: “And the Green Grass Grew All Around” (echo and response)

 

Green Wilma – Tedd Arnold (asked if they thought it was a girl dreaming she was a frog or a frog dreaming she was a girl!)

Glove w/ Frogs: “5 Little Freckled Frogs”  (number cards)

Puppets/Song: “Deep in the Jungle” (child volunteers)

Action/Music:  dance with Hap Palmer's "Sally the Swinging Snake" (from album of the same name) and have the children "dance" swinging pieces of green yarn to the musical instructions (listening skills)

DVD: Mercer Mayer’s wordless live action “A Boy, A Dog, and a Frog”

 

Craft – talked about all the different colors of green we see around us. We had snow last week but some spring green returning – make spring green pictures – B&T cardboards, scrap colored papers of various tones of green, glue sticks, scissors, markers, tissue paper squares of various colors for squishing into flowers… 

 

Storytime Shake Up -- Jazzing Up Storytime Programs

Storytime Shake Up -- Jazzing Up Storytime Programs
Extended Version of the Youth Services Forum Program

Presented by Carol Simon Levin, Youth Services Librarian, Somerset County Library.

I have been doing storytimes for 20+ years and love to "jazz them up." Most of the plans for programs I've done in the last couple of years are posted here on my blog: CarolSimonLevin.blogspot.com. You can also search the blog for any of the items listed below to find their use in context.  Email me if you want me to share any patterns.

Today, will be:

*sharing favorite flannelboards,

* participatory story-sharing/theater (e.g. showing how we act out Halloween stories, The Three Little Pigs in my Houses & Homes storytime, Green Eggs & Ham for Dr. Seuss Day, a Hopi Rainstick story for our Rain storytime),

* piggyback songs to reinforce activity sequencing (e.g."This is the way" for the steps in baking after we read The Little Red Hen),

*using sign language songs (we call it "dancing with our hands" - Pick Me Up: Fun Songs for Learning Signs is a great resource),

*action songs and surprises (e.g. indoor "snowball fight"),

*and a variety of other things I do regularly to jazz up the traditional book- flannel-song/fingerplay rhythm of storytime.

Fall favorites -- interactive Halloween stories & songs, a turkey towel-folding story for Thanksgiving...

· "Brand New Day" (sign language song) from Pick Me Up: Fun Songs for Learning Signs 

· One by Kathryn Otashi bullying/concept book

· Monkey Face by Frank Asch -- flannel

· "Look There Daddy Do You See?" -- flannel song, make up verses

· "School Stuff" from A Storytime Year by Susan Dailey-- flannel

· Moonkey by Mike Thayer -- flannel

· "Aikendrum" by Raffi -- flannel song

· Little Red House with No Doors...-- flannel/hanging signs

· Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman = Great Big Enormous Turnip -- flannel/participatory story-acting

· Rotten Pumpkin by David M. Schwartz -- non-fiction potential reader's theater!

· The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams -- flannel/participatory story-acting

· One Dark Night by Edna Mitchell Preston - flannel/participatory story-acting

· "Old McDonald Had a Haunted House" -- piggyback song clip art flannel

· Leonardo the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems

· It's Monster Day by Linda Arnold -- pinking sheers flannel

· I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie by Alison Jackson -- prop

· "Ten Friends - Diez Amigos" -- glove puppets

· Towel folding story: The Case of the Missing Thanksgiving Turkey -- Rhonda Turley  

· "The Turkey Shot Out of the Oven" words: Jack Prelutsky, chorus: Cathy Darby – song

Winter favorites -- snowball fights, stone soup, counting cookies…

· Froggy Gets Dressed by Jonathon London -- participatory story-acting

· The Mitten by Jan Brett -- participatory story-acting, prop

· Frosty the Snowman by Steve Nelson

· "In the Freezer" by Joe Scruggs -- flannel/song

· Snowball Fight -- plastic bag snowballs Leroy Anderson's Sleigh Ride

· Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Tabeck

· "Hi, My Name is Joe and I Work in a Button Factory" -- action (Also good to pair with Herve Tullet's Press Here)

· The Little Red Hen -- various versions

· "This is the Way" -- piggyback songs

· The Cake That Mack Ate by Rose Robart-- flannel

· The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins -- flannel math concepts

· The Gingerbread Man -- flannel/masks

· "Helping" from Free to Be You and Me -- flannel

· The Little Red Hen (Makes a Pizza) by Philemon Sturges

· "I Am a Pizza" by Linda Arnold -- flannel

· "On Top of Spaghetti" -- flannel

· Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert,

· "This is the Way We Make the Soup" -- piggyback song "Mulberry Bush"

· Mean Soup by Betsy Everitt

· "If You're Happy and You Know it...sad, angry, loving"... piggyback song

· Doing the Chocolate Shake -- action

· Stone Soup -- puppets & props, participatory storytelling

· Alphabet Soup by Tom Chapin -- flannel

· Monkey Soup by Louis Sachar

· Chicken Soup with Rice by Maurice Sendak, tune from Really Rosie -- enlarged pages

· "Popcorn" by Linda Arnold -- action song

Spring Favorites-- interactive Earth Dance, Three Little Pigs, Napping House, Hopi Rainstick…

· Green Eggs & Ham by Dr. Seuss -- participatory story-acting

· "On My Head I Wear a Hat" -- Cat in the Hat hat, song Seussapalooza

· "Deep in the Jungle" by Joe Scruggs -- puppet/flannel song

· "Alligator Pie" by Dennis Lee -- make up your own verses

· "I'm Being Swallowed by a Big Alligator" -- action song

· "There's a Dinosaur Knocking at My Door" by Linda Arnold -- puppet song

· "Down by the Bay" by Raffi -- flannel song

· "And the Green Grass Grew All Around" -- flannel song

· Earth Dance by Joanne Ryder -- participatory story-acting

· Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson -- participatory story-acting

· All the Water in the World by George Ella Lyon -- simple but very profound

· Rainstorm – interactive action chant

· The Frog: Hopi Rainstick Story -- rainstick, puppets

· "Walk the World Now Children" by Tom Chapin -- sign language song

· A Squash and a Squeeze by Julia Donaldson -- great to act out this story with a large box or card table

· Mouse House -- flannel shapes

· The Three Little Pigs -- participatory storytelling

· "Cluck Cluck Red Hen" by Raffi -- flannel/puppet song

· The Napping House by Audrey Wood -- prop story

These and many more ideas are posted on my blog: CarolSimonLevin.blogspot.com.
Historical impersonation programs for adults & children are at: tellingherstories.com.

Questions?  Patterns? Please feel free to contact me at:
cslevin59 (at) gmail (dot) com
or call 908 526-4016 x126.

 

Carol Simon Levin presents Interactive Stories & Songs for all Reasons & Seasons!

Halloween Hootenanny * Dinosaur Roar * Bundle Up * Houses & Homes * Holiday Happenings * Seussapalooza * Earth Day * Animal Antics * Summer Fun * Folk Tale Frolics

A Sampling of S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) Programs:

A library is a feast to which we are all invited. -- Katherine Paterson

A library is a place full of mouth-watering food for thought. -- Diana Wynne-Jones

If you don't like to read, there are books out there that you will love...and this is why librarians were invented. -- Linda Sue Park

presented to Union County Children's Librarians, 2/20/15

Holiday Fun: Celebrate Mardi Gras

Holiday Fun: Celebrate Mardi Gras   Ages 5-10

·         Play Buckwheat Zydeco as children arrive (and when doing crafts)

·         Discuss the holiday -- show where Louisiana is on a map, show pictures from a non-fiction book such as Mardi Gras by Ann Heinrichs

·         Read Cajun Cornbread Boy by Diane De Las Casas

·         Sing “Alligator Pie”  by Dennis Lee – show the rhyming scheme have kids suggest rhymes for additional verses (original  poem  (on page 2)  dreadful Barney video demonstrates the tune. 

·         Show My Aunt Came Back from Louisiane – youtube video

·         Crafts:  Crowns (die-cut, décor – feathers, pompoms, little square tiles -- suggested doing patterns – a preschool mathematics skill), Masks (die-cut, ribbons, décor),  Necklaces (pipe cleaners and beads) --- gluesticks & regular glue.

2.13