Fairytale Engineering “Falling for Rapunzel”–Egg Drop

Preschool Fairytale Engineering Series (Ages 3-6) 10 a.m.
Kids Fairytale Engineering Challenge Series (Entering Grades K-4) 11:30 a.m.

Families with children of different ages are welcome to come all together to one program. We'll hear the fractured fairy tale by Leah Wilcox about a hard-of-hearing princess then try to build contraptions that can safely convey an egg or object to the ground!

Music: Fairytale Songs (Disney) playing when kids enter and while engineering

Kids browse Rapunzel & Humpty Dumpty books (& fractured versions) as they enter

Book: Rapunzel by Rachel Isadora (multicultural, simple, not too gruesome version of the classic story -- Erica told gist of story to pre-schoolers, I read to K-4 group)

Book: Falling for Rapunzel by Leah Wilcox (Rapunzel mis-hears Prince's requests with hilarious results)

Flannel/Song "Throw it Out the Window" Song on Judy Freeman’s “Hi Ho Librario” (Make up your own additional verses.)
Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard
To fetch her poor dog a bone.
But when she got there, the cupboard was bare,
So she threw it out the window…
The window, the window, (trace window in the hair with hands)
The second story window, (hold up two fingers for “second”, then make book with hands for “story”)
High, Low, Low, High (stretch hands up, down, down up)
And she threw it out the window (motion “throw it out the window”)

2. Old King Cole was a merry old soul,
And a merry old soul was he,
He called for his pipe, and he called for his bowl,
And he threw them out the window…

3. Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep
And doesn't know where to find them.
But leave them alone-- when they come home
She'll throw them out the window...

4. Yankee Doodle went to town
A-riding on a pony
He stuck a feather in his cap
And threw it out the window…
(Continue with other familiar nursery rhymes…Jack and Jill, Jack Be Nimble, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Twinkle Twinkle…end with Humpty Dumpty.)

Preschoolers -- Book: Humpty Dumpty by Daniel Kirk (a very shy kid king finds he has the patience to put together the broken Humpty Dumpty -- and they both become friends)

 

K-4 -- Book: Eggbert, the Slightly Cracked Egg by Tom Ross (a slightly cracked egg discovers he doesn't have to blend in but can be successful as an individual...even cracked!)

Flannel: Humpty Dumpty (classic nursery rhyme, since it is a “downer” I like to conclude with a silly variation: Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, eating black bananas. Where do you think he put the skins? Down the king’s pajamas!” –speaking of scrambled eggs…)

Talked about the Engineering Design Process, then gave kids challenge of creating a way for Humpty Dumpty to safely drop off our tall ladder and not crack on the tiles below.

Materials available: bubble wrap (limited kids to one 10x10" piece each so this wouldn't be too easy), egg cartons, cereal box cardboard, plastic cups, straws, fast food drink carriers, plastic berry packages, paper towel rolls, newspapers, tape, string, plastic bags, rubber bands...placed uncooked eggs in ziplock sandwich bags to contain any breakage.

(Also had available Straws and Connectors & wooden blocks for towers for youngest kids)

Chanted all together: “Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great FALL!”

Next week: The Three Billy Goats Gruff –>Bridge Challenge!

ideas from: http://showmelibrarian.blogspot.com/p/all-things-steam.html 
https://radnorlibrarysmartkids.wordpress.com/

BWL 7/2017

Pre-School Storytime: Egg-citing Stories

Silly springtime storytime which teaches children about the many creatures who hatch from eggs, also reinforces names of body parts, and includes puppets, music and movement, and an interactive version of Dr. Seuss's Green Eggs & Ham.  Lots of rhyming fun as well.

A great program for emphasizing Every Child Ready to Read 2:

"playing, singing, reading, talking -->learning!"
(Note: this program also works well with kindergarten & first graders)

Music playing as kids arrive: Laurie Berkner’s album “Whaddaya Think of That”

Book: The Odd Egg – Emily Gravett (all ages --award winning, surprise ending -- make sure kids know what "odd" means)

Puppet(Alligator) Action Song: I’m being Swallowed by a Big Alligator…(Explained concept of “piggy-back” song, my variation of “I’m being Swallowed by a Boa Constrictor.” Phonemic awareness/have children supply rhyming body part…)

I’m being Swallowed by a Big Alligator, Big Alligator, Big Alligator
I’m being Swallowed by a Big Alligator and I don’t like it very very much!
Oh no, he’s swallowed my… (point & wait)… toe.
Oh rankle, he’s swallowed my… (point & wait)… ankle
Oh fee, he’s swallowed my… (point & wait)… knee.
Oh sigh, he’s up to my… (point & wait)… thigh.
Oh fiddle, he’s reached my… (point & wait)… middle.
Oh heck, he’s swallowed my… (point & wait)… neck.
Oh dread, he’s swallowed my… (cover face, gulp, silence)!

Book:  An Egg is Quiet – 591.468 Ashton (some groups – have to chose between this and the Eggbert set, or booktalk it after the Posada title)

Song/Puppets: “Cluck Cluck Red Hen” (lyrics below)

Interactive Book (Non-Fiction): Guess what is growing inside this egg – 591.468 Posada (With older groups, I just read the rhymes and have them guess before showing the pictures to help the kids work on their listening skills.)

Book (younger groups): The Chick and the Duckling – Mirra Ginsburg (chick discovers she doesn't always have to do what duckling does)
Book (older groups): P. Zonka Lays an Egg -- Julie Paschkis (new 2015, a wonderful book about an unusual chicken who notices the world around her and finally lays an extraordinary egg), or Eggbert, The Slightly Cracked Egg – Tom Ross (Eggbert discovers it is ok to be different) or Hunwick's Egg – Mem Fox (Hunwick finds he still loves his mysterious egg even after discovering it isn't an egg at all) – skipped, no time

Action Song (younger groups) (Chick/Egg Puppet):  I’m a Little Chicken by Susan Peters (tune “I’m a Little Teapot”, children doing action with fist wrapped around finger that “pops out.”))
I’m a little chicken,
Ready to hatch,
Pecking at my shell,
Scratch Scratch Scratch.
When I crack it open, out I’ll leap,
Fluff up my feathers and cheep, cheep, cheep!

Flannel: Humpty Dumpty (classic nursery rhyme, since it is a “downer” I like to conclude with a silly variation: Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, eating black bananas. Where do you think he put the skins? Down the king’s pajamas!” –speaking of scrambled eggs…)

Poem: "Spring Is" by Bobbi Katz from Sunflakes: Poems for Children selected by Lilian Moore (wonderful image -- poet suggests that daffodils are scrambled eggs that have jumped off the plate)
(also shared poem "Sunflakes" by Frank Asch with some groups -- and talked about our forthcoming Poetry Treasure Hunt http://carolsimonlevin.blogspot.com/2014/03/national-poetry-monthpoetry-treasure.html)

Book: Eggs on Your Nose – Ann McGovern (silly book about a very messy eater)

Song: Eggs Upon Me by Carol Simon Levin (“piggy back” version of the classic camp tune “Ravioli”, great for learning body part names)
Chorus: Eggs upon me, eggs, oh, eggs upon me
Eggs upon me, what’s a kid to do?
Do you have them on your head?
Yes I have them on my head!
On your head, on my head…oh oh oh oh… Chorus
Continue with: Do you have them down your chin…on your shirt.. in your lap… on your shoes… in your hair, etc.

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!” (skipped in 2016)

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

2017: did this plus binoculars toilet paper roll craft (2 toilet paper rolls, paper, decorations, tape, gluesticks, hole punches, yarn)






Book (Non-Fiction):  Except If -- Jim Averbeck, booktalk: Chickens Aren’t the Only Ones – Ruth Heller (also available as Reading Rainbow DVD, but narrator is slow and I feel it works better as a book because reader can work interactively with children.)

Can reinforce concept of animals besides birds who lay eggs with Shakey Eggs Game: Who Lays Eggs?
1. Give each child a shaker egg
2. Hold up a stuffed animal– if the animal lays eggs, have the kids hold up their eggs; if it does not, have them hold eggs behind their backs.
3. Start with easy animals & then do less obvious (insects, reptiles, snakes, dinos)

Active Play with eggs: follow the directions in Laurie Berkner's song "I know a Chicken" on her "Whaddaya Think of That?" CD.

DVD: “Max’s Chocolate Chicken” from The Rosemary Wells Library (Weston Woods, PPR) or Reading Rainbow: Rechenka’s Eggs (older groups) 2016 or The Emperor’s Egg

Other lovely titles for school age groups:
Just Plain Fancy -- Patricia Polacco
Rachenka's Eggs -- Patricia Polacco
Horton Hatches the Egg -- Dr. Seuss
Eggs Mark the Spot – Auch

Humpty Dumpty Eggsplodes – O’Malley

 

for preschool-K (can also be used older):

Daisy and the Egg – Simmons  
Eggday – Dunbar

Yes --Goffin

An Extraordinary Egg -- Lionni
What's in the Egg Little Pip? -- Wilson
Humpty Dumpty – Kirk
When Blue Met Egg -- Ward
The Cow That Laid an Egg -- Cutbill
Hurry, Hurry -- Bunting
Hank Finds an Egg -- Dudley


Optional: 

Puppets/Song: Cluck Cluck Red Hen (Lyrics by Raffi, Tune: "Baa Baa Black Sheep" Song on Raffi's album "The Corner Grocery Store.")
Baa, Baa, Black Sheep, have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full.
One for your sweater and one for your rug,
And one for your blanket to keep you warm and snug. (repeat first two lines)

   Cluck, Cluck, Red Hen, have you any eggs?
   Yes sir, yes sir, as many as your legs.
   One for your breakfast and one for your lunch,
   Come back tomorrow, I'll have another bunch.(repeat first two lines)
Moo, Moo, Brown Cow, have you milk for me?
Yes sir, yes sir, as tasty as can be.
Churn it into butter, make it into cheese,
Freeze it into ice-cream or drink it if you please.(repeat first two lines)
   Buzz, Buzz, Busy Bee, is your honey sweet?
   Yes sir, yes sir, sweet enough to eat.
   Honey on your muffin, honey on your cake,
   Honey by the spoonful, as much as I can make.(repeat first two lines)

3.13, 3.14. 3.15 3.16, 3.17 (also PJ Time)
3.14 St.B
3.14 Bedm




Egg: Nature's Perfect Package --  by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page -- great discussion, further ideas, and interview with the author/illustrator: http://www.smartbooksforsmartkids.com/natures-perfect-package-egg/.  Good for school age.