Picture This: Animal Valentine’s Day Craft.

 

Join us as we read the book My Heart is Like a Zoo,
then assemble paper hearts into animal cards for your family and friends.  (Ages 3-10)

 

· Entering Music – “Happy Feet” -- Fred Penner

· Read: Somebody Loves You Mr. Hatch – Eileen Spinelli (A lonely man’s life is transformed by a surprise box of chocolates -- long but works, we do discuss that kids should not go with strangers in real life!)
· Song: “If You’re Happy and You Know It…” (Alternative:  “This little heart of mine”)

· Read: Sister Anne’s Hands – MaryBeth Lorbiecki (Black History Month) – showed how  two hands together make hearts – suggested they could do it.
· Read:  My Heart is Like a Zoo – Michael Hall

· Animal Heart Valentine Crafts (paper, die cut  hearts, glue sticks, googly eyes, hole punches, construction paper & scraps, markers.)
2.13

Valentine's Day Story & Craft (Ages 2+)

Swing on into the library with your little special someone to share some Valentine’s day stories, crafts and some toe-tapping tunes!  

Opened with My Friend Rabbit – Eric Rohmann’s Caldecott-winning story about exasperating friendship

Flannel: This Valentine is shaped like… (shapes, rhymes = phonemic awareness)
This valentine is shaped like a square
This valentine is shaped like a bear
This valentine is shaped like a circle
This valentine colored purple
This valentine is shaped like a rectangle
This valentine is shaped like a triangle
This valentine is shaped like a dove
This valentine is shaped with love!

speaking of shapes, look how hearts make animals in this book:

Read My Heart is Like a Zoo by Michael Hall

Sang: “If You’re Happy & You Know It”  (Sad, Angry, Excited, Loving…)

If You’ll Be My Valentine – Cynthia Rylant (could omit), other possibilities: Runaway Valentine – Tina Casey (longish), Where’s Nicky’s Valentine – Harriet Ziefert (lift the flap), The Day it Rained Hearts – Felicia Bonda

Sang: “Make New Friends but Keep the Old”

Read Beautiful Hands by Kathryn Otoshi

Crafts: Animal Valentines (described above), also had squeeze bottles so kids could make blotto valentines http://thechocolatemuffintree.blogspot.com/2012/01/heart-blotto-valentines.html

Music while crafting – “Happy Feet” -- Fred Penner

Video (optional): One Zillion Valentines

2.16

Pre-School Storytime/Craft: Valentine’s Day & Celebrating Friendship

Ages 3-6: Stories and songs celebrating friendship.  Includes a non-fiction book showing how animals greet each other, concepts of shape and direction, numeracy and rhyme. 
Optional additions address loss and bullying prevention.

Music playing when enter: More Tickles and Tunes (Track #5 Razzama Tazzama)

Book: My Friend Rabbit – Eric Rohmann (Caldecott Winner, sometimes friends drive us crazy!)

Flannel: Snowman’s Valentine  (source unknown)
Fay made a snowman, fat and fine
And oh how his button eyes did shine
When little Fay
Gave him today
A big red heart for a valentine

follow with:
Flannel & Rabbit Puppet: A Chubby Little Snowman (source unknown)
A chubby little snowman had a carrot nose
Along came a bunny, what do you suppose?
That hungry little bunny, looking for his lunch
Ate the snowman’s carrot nose
Nibble, Nibble, Crunch!

Book: Mouse’s First Valentine – Lauren Thompson (guessing game – children figure out what is being used to make the valentine) – not that interesting, didn’t hold their interest 2017

Flannel: This Valentine is shaped like… (shapes, rhymes = phonemic awareness)
This valentine is shaped like a square
This valentine is shaped like a bear
This valentine is shaped like a circle
This valentine colored purple
This valentine is shaped like a rectangle
This valentine is shaped like a triangle
This valentine is shaped like a dove
This valentine is shaped with love!

Stretch: Head Shoulders Knees & Toes


“Animals use different body parts to say hello”
Hello, Hello! – Miriam Schlein (narrative non-fiction: ID animals, animal behavior)

Song: If You’re Happy & You Know It
 


“Some friends might not be human”
Book: Boy + Bot – Ame Dyckman  or  Clara and Asha -- Eric Rohmann (try Strictly No Elephants – Lisa Mantchev in 2017)

Flannel: May I Bring a Friend? based on the book by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers (1964 Caldecott Winner)

Song: Skinnamarink from Sharon, Lois, and Bram’s  One elephant, deux éléphants (also on other albums)

Skidamarink a dink a dink, Skidamarink a doo, I love you. (2x)
I love you in the morning, And in the afternoon, I love you in the evening
And underneath the moon;
Oh, Skidamarink a dink a dink, Skidamarink a doo,I love you!



Book (some groups): City Dog, Country Frog – Mo Willems (beautiful story of friendship, loss, and renewal)  and/or One --  Kathryn Otoshi – (anti-bullying parable where the number one stands up for the color blue against the red bully and all the colors discover that everyone counts.)

Flannel: Hi Harry (source unknown) – No one has time to play with Harry Tortoise until Sam Snail shows up…

Song: Make New Friends but Keep the Old (traditional)
Make new friends but keep the old,one is silver and the other gold
A circle’s round, it has no end – that’s how long I want to be your friend!
 

Optional: Book: If You’ll Be My Valentine – Cynthia Rylant (rhymes articulate the different valentines a boy makes for family members and pets)

Glove or Flannel: Five Little Valentines (source unknown, can use numeral cards to reinforce subtraction numeracy)
Five little valentines from the grocery store - I sent one to mother, now there are four
Four little valentines pretty ones to see - I gave one to my brother now there are three
Three little valentines, what´ll I do? - I gave one to my sister now there are two
Two little valentines , it´s so much fun - I gave one to Daddy, now there is one
One little valentine, I´m almost through
Who should I give it to?  I gave it to YOU!

Optional VHS: One Zillion Valentines (Weston Woods) Reading Rainbow: Best Friends

Other possible titles:

Ribbit! by Rodrigo Folgueira
Flora & the Flamingo by Milly Idle
Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great by Bob Shea
The Lamb-a-Roo by Diana Kimpton and The Day it Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond – Fran favorites

2.14

2.17: Emphasis on friendship and sticking up for each other in a difficult time.

Music playing as kids enter & during craft – Happy Feet album by Fred Penner
Book: Friendshape by Amy Krouse Rosethal
Flannel: This Valentine (shapes)

Book: One Good Deed by Terri Fields (Nice, a bit long, had to abridge for afternoon group)
Flannel: Snowman’s Valentine 
Action song: Happy Feet #8 from Fred Penner’s album
One by Kathryn Otoshi
Glove or Flannel: Five Little Valentines
Flannel: May I Bring a Friend? based on the book by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers (1964 Caldecott Winner) – skipped p.m.
Song: If You’re Happy & You Know It
If time: Book: Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev and/or Because of You by B.G. Hennessey or Whoever You Are by Mem Fox – no time for any, use next time?
Book: My Heart is Like a Zoo by Michael Hall  --> Valentine crafts (supplies: die cut hearts, foam hearts & letters, googly eyes, stickers, scrap paper, scissors, glue sticks, pipe cleaners, tape, 12x18 boards, white, pink, and red construction paper for cards, scrap construction paper.)

Pre-School Storytime: Valentine’s Day & Celebrating Friendship

Ages 3-6: Stories and songs celebrating friendship.  Includes a non-fiction book showing how animals greet each other, concepts of shape and direction, numeracy and rhyme. 
Optional additions address loss and bullying prevention.

Music playing when enter: More Tickles and Tunes (Track #5 Razzama Tazzama)

Book: My Friend Rabbit – Eric Rohmann (Caldecott Winner, sometimes friends drive us crazy!)

Flannel: Snowman’s Valentine  (source unknown)
Fay made a snowman, fat and fine
And oh how his button eyes did shine
When little Fay
Gave him today
A big red heart for a valentine

follow with:
Flannel & Rabbit Puppet: A Chubby Little Snowman (source unknown)
A chubby little snowman had a carrot nose
Along came a bunny, what do you suppose?
That hungry little bunny, looking for his lunch
Ate the snowman’s carrot nose
Nibble, Nibble, Crunch!

Book: Mouse’s First Valentine – Lauren Thompson (guessing game – children figure out what is being used to make the valentine) – not that interesting, didn’t hold their interest 2017

Flannel: This Valentine is shaped like… (shapes, rhymes = phonemic awareness)
This valentine is shaped like a square
This valentine is shaped like a bear
This valentine is shaped like a circle
This valentine colored purple
This valentine is shaped like a rectangle
This valentine is shaped like a triangle
This valentine is shaped like a dove
This valentine is shaped with love!

Stretch: Head Shoulders Knees & Toes


“Animals use different body parts to say hello”
Hello, Hello! – Miriam Schlein (narrative non-fiction: ID animals, animal behavior)

Song: If You’re Happy & You Know It
 


“Some friends might not be human”
Book: Boy + Bot – Ame Dyckman  or  Clara and Asha -- Eric Rohmann (try Strictly No Elephants – Lisa Mantchev in 2017)

Flannel: May I Bring a Friend? based on the book by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers (1964 Caldecott Winner)

Song: Skinnamarink from Sharon, Lois, and Bram’s  One elephant, deux éléphants (also on other albums)

Skidamarink a dink a dink, Skidamarink a doo, I love you. (2x)
I love you in the morning, And in the afternoon, I love you in the evening
And underneath the moon;
Oh, Skidamarink a dink a dink, Skidamarink a doo,I love you!



Book (some groups): City Dog, Country Frog – Mo Willems (beautiful story of friendship, loss, and renewal)  and/or One --  Kathryn Otoshi – (anti-bullying parable where the number one stands up for the color blue against the red bully and all the colors discover that everyone counts.)

Flannel: Hi Harry (source unknown) – No one has time to play with Harry Tortoise until Sam Snail shows up…

Song: Make New Friends but Keep the Old (traditional)
Make new friends but keep the old,one is silver and the other gold
A circle’s round, it has no end – that’s how long I want to be your friend!
 

Optional: Book: If You’ll Be My Valentine – Cynthia Rylant (rhymes articulate the different valentines a boy makes for family members and pets)

Glove or Flannel: Five Little Valentines (source unknown, can use numeral cards to reinforce subtraction numeracy)
Five little valentines from the grocery store - I sent one to mother, now there are four
Four little valentines pretty ones to see - I gave one to my brother now there are three
Three little valentines, what´ll I do? - I gave one to my sister now there are two
Two little valentines , it´s so much fun - I gave one to Daddy, now there is one
One little valentine, I´m almost through
Who should I give it to?  I gave it to YOU!

Optional VHS: One Zillion Valentines (Weston Woods) Reading Rainbow: Best Friends

Other possible titles:

Ribbit! by Rodrigo Folgueira
Flora & the Flamingo by Milly Idle
Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great by Bob Shea
The Lamb-a-Roo by Diana Kimpton and The Day it Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond – Fran favorites

2.14

2.17: Emphasis on friendship and sticking up for each other in a difficult time.

Music playing as kids enter & during craft – Happy Feet album by Fred Penner
Book: Friendshape by Amy Krouse Rosethal
Flannel: This Valentine (shapes)

Book: One Good Deed by Terri Fields (Nice, a bit long, had to abridge for afternoon group)
Flannel: Snowman’s Valentine 
Action song: Happy Feet #8 from Fred Penner’s album
One by Kathryn Otoshi
Glove or Flannel: Five Little Valentines
Flannel: May I Bring a Friend? based on the book by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers (1964 Caldecott Winner) – skipped p.m.
Song: If You’re Happy & You Know It
If time: Book: Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev and/or Because of You by B.G. Hennessey or Whoever You Are by Mem Fox – no time for any, use next time?
Book: My Heart is Like a Zoo by Michael Hall  --> Valentine crafts (supplies: die cut hearts, foam hearts & letters, googly eyes, stickers, scrap paper, scissors, glue sticks, pipe cleaners, tape, 12x18 boards, white, pink, and red construction paper for cards, scrap construction paper.)

School Age Storytime – Earth Day & Celebrating Spring

Appreciating our Earth and the People Who Work to Save It (Also good for Arbor Day)
Stories, songs, and crafts encouraging understanding of and appreciation for nature and our planet.   (Includes creative non-fiction, an introduction to photosynthesis, inspiring biography, poetry, music and movement, sign language, and a song in multiple languages.  Ages K+)

Played “Someone’s Gonna Use It After You” and “Family Tree”  from Tom Chapin’s album “Family Tree” as kids arrived. (2016)
Read (Interactive Book): Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson (2014 – omitted 2016)
“Trees don’t grow by magic, does anyone know how they do grow? Anyone know the word “photosynthesis”?

Read (Creative Non-Fiction Book): Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring the Earth to Life by Molly Bang & Penny Chisholm (572.46 BANG) --a splendid example of what I call “Uncommon Core” (sunlight converted by plant through photosynthesis breaking up water -- H20 -- breathing out oxygen for us to breathe in -- breathing in CO2 and building sugars (leaves, stems, juices, seeds, fruit) for us to eat -- we are living sunlight!) this creative and memorable explanation of photosynthesis will stick with kids for a long time.

"Now let's turn into the earth -- everyone stand up and act this out with me..."


Act Out (Interactive Book): Earth Dance by Joanne Ryder (811.54 RYD) – we acted out this poetic celebration of the earth as we read it (splendid language, imagination, poetry, images, kinesthetic learning.)

Sign Language Song: “Walk the World Now Children” from Tom Chapin’s Album Some Assembly Required. Find signs here: http://www.signingsavvy.com/

"Here's a story about a real person who made a big difference..."  (brief discussion of “non-fiction” Living Sunlight (572.46 in the library) and true books about people = biography section)

Read (Non-Fiction Biography): Wangari’s Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa by Jeannette Winter (Inspiring true story of Wangari Maathai, courageous environmentalist and winner of the Nobel Peace prize, whose passion & determination inspired hundreds of thousands of women across Africa to reforest their continent.)

(Some classes) Book/Song: There Was a Tree by Rachel Isadora

2016 Read: Bloom by Doreen Cronin. (A mud fairy shows an extraordinary ordinary girl how she can save her crumbling kingdom of glass by making solid mud brick structures.)   Booktalked: Sidewalk Flowers by (little girl in a black & white world, walks alongside oblivious dad with cellphone picking sidewalk flowers. As she gives them away, the neighborhood gradually goes full-color.)

2014 Read (Non Fiction Picture Book): Lucky Ducklings: A True Rescue Story by Eva Moore. (True story of people in a town on long island assisted in rescue of ducklings who had fallen into a grate – text to text connection: Robert McCloskey’s Make Way for Ducklings (trivia note; McCloskey kept ducks in his Boston apartment while illustrating this story!)

(When there was time) Read: I Love Our Earth by Bill Martin Jr. (525 MAR) (Gorgeously photo-illustrated multi-cultural appreciation of our planet) 
2014 Song: “Springtime Is Here” (multiple languages) original source unknown—contact me for tune or make one up:
Springtime is here!  (2x)
Birds are singing (2x)
Springtime is here! (2x)
(Spanish)   ¡Primavera aqui!  (2x)  Pajaritos cantan   (2x)   ¡Primavera aqui!  (2x)   
(German)  Frühling ist da! (2x)   Die Vögelein singen (2x)  Frühling ist da!     (2x)  
(Japanese)   Haru ga kita! (2x)   Kotori ga naiteru  (2x)    Haru ga kita   (2x)  
(Zulu)  Entwasahlobo! (2x) Inyoni ukucula  (2x)   Entwasahlobo  (2x)   
Sign Language:  http://lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-signs/s/spring.htm http://lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-signs/h/here.htm http://lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-signs/b/bird.htm
http://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/SING/766/1

2016 Book/Song: It’s a Wonderful World illustrated by Ashley Bryan – accompanied by CD of Louis Armstrong’s extraordinary vocals -- celebrating the wonderful world we live in and the plants, animals, and people of so many colors we share it with… 

“Happy Earth Day” – kids can do their part to make and keep this world wonderful

Exit music: This Pretty Planet from Tom Chapin’s album with the same name.

Great book for teachers! Mrs. Spitzer’s Garden by Edith Pattou. (Every September the principal at Mrs. Spitzer’s school gives her a new packet of “seeds.”  Mrs. Spitzer's "seeds" are duly planted and tenderly nurtured, and while some "grow quickly, pushing upward, eager, impatient," others "grow more slowly, unfolding themselves bit by bit." As the seasons progress, the little plants grow sturdier, until finally the school year comes to a close and Mrs. Spitzer's job is done in this tender metaphorical story.)

Bedm 4.14, 4.16

afterschool Adamsville w/craft 4.14 Craft:  Recycle scraps of construction paper/magazine pages into cut or torn paper collage art celebrating the earth (materials: assorted scrap papers, scissors, glue sticks)
Music: play album This Pretty Planet (730 CHAP) while children working on crafts.

Bedminster K-2  2017:

Tidy by Emily Gravett (Pete the badger tries to tidy up the forest but finds concrete doesn’t make a good place for anyone to live)  Mind-boggling math about how many leaves  on a typical big tree: http://bedtimemath.org/fun-math-leaf-explosion/)
Earthday by Joanne Ryder (acted out this figurative poem about the earth)
Sing: “We’ve Got the Whole World in Our Hands”
Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring the Earth to Life by Molly Bang & Penny Chisholm
Song (sign language): “Walk the World Now Children” (track #8 from Tom Chapin’s album Some Assembly Required)
Wangari’s Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa by Jeannette Winter (one woman’s campaign to bring back trees to Kenya despite government opposition)
I Love Our Earth by Bill Martin Jr. (beautiful photo-essay)
Sidewalk Flowers by Jon Arno Lawson (wordless)
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…) great art project idea.
Closed with Louis Armstrong singing “What a Wonderful World” (track #1 on album The Best of Louis Armstrong, showing pages from book illustrated by Ashley Bryan)

Links to Earth Day crown and other craft ideas: http://carolsimonlevin.blogspot.com/2013/04/earth-day-preschool-storytime.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