Pre-School Storytime: What’s In the Oven?

 

Includes the retelling of two traditional folktales and a variant,
the ECRR concepts of narrative skill/retelling and singing,
non-fiction elements of farming and bread-baking,
plus a dash of mathematics and multiculturalism!

(This is a long program – pick and choose depending on ages in group.)

Book (folktale): The Little Red Hen -- Byron Barton(Alt. version: Paul Galdone)

Song: “Mulberry Bush” variant : This is the way we plant the seeds... Cut the stalks… Thresh the wheat.. Grind the wheat… Mix the batter…Knead the bread… Bake the bread… Eat our toast (Every Child Ready to Read skill (ECRR1)- narrative -- remembering sequence in book, vocabulary “thresh” “knead”; ECRR2 “singing”)

Book: Bread, Bread, Bread – Ann Morris (a multicultural look at breads around the world)

Book/Action Song: Peanut Butter and Jelly – Nadine Bernard Westcott Silly action song depicting the sequence of sandwich making (with elephants!)

Book: Bunny Cakes – Rosemary Wells Funny story and great example of ECCR2 skill “writing”)
Max is a great lead in to…


Song/Flannel: Helping  by Shel Silverstein from Free to Be, You and Me. Lyrics & tune: http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2013/08/08/helping-an-illustrated-song-by-shel-silverstein/

Storytelling with Flannelboard/Masks/Puppets (depending on size of group): The Gingerbread Man –Karen Chace has quite a few suggestions on her blog, including a link to Jan Brett’s beautiful printable masks:http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-gingerbread-man-stories-songs-and.html

Book & Flannel or Props: The Doorbell Rang – Pat Hutchins (K-1^st): Used12 flannel (or real) children and 12 flanne/prop cookies to demonstrate the cookie “division” as I read this story – great numeracy exercise.

Action Song: Great Big Cookie (To the Tune of Linda Arnold’s “I am a Pizza”— these lyrics by Carol Simon Levin)
I am a cookie (circle hands over head)
Chocolately and round (extend hands out to sides)
Filled with lots of chocolate chips (point to chips)
The best that can be found (rub tummy)
I am a cookie (circle hands over head)
Take a bite of me (make chewing motions)
Tasty, sweet, delicious (extend hands out to sides)
I’m oh-so-yummy!  (rub tummy)
(gobble gobble gobble!)
(sing slowly, sadly)
I WAS a great big cookie (circle hands over head)
The very best around  (extend hands out to sides)
Now there’s nothing left of me (shake head)
Just crumbs upon the ground!  (sit down)

Optional Books (if time and if comfortable): In the Night Kitchen – Maurice Sendak or Little Mouse and the Big Cupcake – Thomas Taylor (cute book about sharing) Who Took the Cookies from the Cookie Jar? – Bonnie Lass & Philemon Sturges The Cookie Fiasco (Elephant & PIggie Like Reading Series) Dan Santat

Mother Goose Action Rhyme: Pat-a-cake, Pat-a-cake Baker’s Man
Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake Baker’s Man
Bake me a cake As fast as you can.
Roll it and pat it (Roll and clap hands)
And mark it with a B (Trace B on palm)
And put it in the oven (extend both hands)
For baby and me (point to Baby and Self)

or  Action: Make a Cake (source unknown)
Mix the batter, stir the batter (make a stirring motion with one arm/hand)
Shake some flour in (make a shaking motion with one arm/hand)
Mix the batter, stir the batter (make a stirring motion with one arm/hand)
Place it in a tin (pretend to pour)
Sprinkle in some raisins (pretend to sprinkle)
Pop it in to bake (open both hands, palms up, and slide them forward)
Open wide the oven door (pretend to open door)
And out comes the cake! (open both hands, palms up, and slide them forward)


Optional Book or Flannel (if time): The Cake that Mack Ate – from the book by Rose Robart – the cumulative tale of what happened to the cake baked by the farmer’s wife – with a surprise ending, this silly folktale variation is a version of The House that Jack Built.

The Cake That Mack Ate (suggested flannel pieces above -- egg is missing from scan)

• This is the CAKE that Mack Ate.
• This is the EGG that went into the CAKE that Mack Ate.
• This is the HEN that laid the EGG, that went into the CAKE that Mack Ate.
• This is the CORN that fed the HEN that laid the EGG, that went into the CAKE that Mack Ate.
• This is the SEED that grew into CORN, that fed the HEN that laid the EGG, that went into the CAKE that Mack Ate.
• This is the FARMER who planted the SEED that grew into CORN, that fed the HEN that laid the EGG, that went into the CAKE that Mack Ate.
• This the WOMAN who married the FARMER who planted the SEED that grew into CORN, that fed the HEN that laid the EGG, that went into the CAKE that Mack Ate.
• These are the CANDLES that lit up the CAKE, that was made by the WOMAN who married the FARMER who planted the SEED that grew into CORN, that fed the HEN that laid the EGG, that went into the CAKE that Mack Ate.
• This is MACK...
• He ate the CAKE!

DVD/Video: Reading Rainbow: Florence & Eric Take the Cake—Jocelyn Wild  (the book is narrated by Julia Child but a little long, sometimes I just show the amazing cake decorating segment (also available on Youtube) -- the kids adore guessing what the cake will be!) or Reading Rainbow: How to Bake an Apple Pie and See the World – Marjorie Priceman. 
 
Encourage bread baking at home with this handout : http://www.breadworld.com/fesp_archive/ChildrenGetStirringWhenBakingBread.pdf

11.12, 3.14, 12.14

12.15: Bread

The Little Red Hen - Barton

This is the Way...

Bread, Bread, Bread – Morris

Peanut Butter & Jelly – Westcott

?

 

12.15: Cookies & Cupcakes

The Doorbell Rang - Hutchins (w flannel)

song: Great Big Cookie -- I am a cookie...crumbs upon the ground

natural lead in to:

Gingerbread Man - storytelling with puppets

Bunny Cakes - Wells

Song/Flannel: Helping

In the Night Kitchen -- Sendak

Action song -- pair up: Paddy Cake

Flannel: The Cake the Mack Ate -

RR: Florence & Eric thru end of bakery segment

 

12.16 BWL: Holiday Baking – Cookie Fun

 

The Doorbell Rang - Hutchins (w flannel)
mention “natural divison” (Bedtimemath.com)

Action Song: Great Big Cookie (kids echo each line)
(To the Tune of Linda Arnold’s “I am a Pizza”— these lyrics by Carol Simon Levin)

I am a cookie (circle hands over head)

Chocolately and round (extend hands out to sides)

Filled with lots of chocolate chips (point to chips)

The best that can be found (rub tummy)

I am a cookie (circle hands over head)

Take a bite of me (make chewing motions)

Tasty, sweet, delicious (extend hands out to sides)

I’m oh-so-yummy!  (rub tummy)

(gobble gobble gobble!)

(sing slowly, sadly)

I WAS a great big cookie (circle hands over head)

The very best around  (extend hands out to sides)

Now there’s nothing left of me (shake head)

Just crumbs upon the ground!  (sit down)

Cookie Count by Robert Sabuda (wkrm) Great pop-up.

The Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson and/or The Duckling Gets a Cookie by Mo Willems

Action Rhyme: “Who Stole the Cookies?”
Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar?
Kitty stole the cookies from the cookie jar.
Who me? Yes, you!
Couldn’t be? Then who?

Participatory storytelling with puppets: Gingerbread Man

DVD: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff (RR DVD- WGL)

 

Baking https://storytimekatie.com/2012/11/26/cookies/

Craft: Make Gingerbread Man story puppets: http://resources.mysparklebox.co.uk/6000-7000/sb6672.pdf (or Ellison die cuts -- we didn’t have fox die), stiff B&T cardboard to mount, gluesticks, markers, popsicle sticks & tape, also had hole punch and ribbon for those who wanted to hang their puppets (or nametag) as a tree ornament.

 

Branchburg: 4/17 – young crowd, focused on cookies.

 

Brief story handout for Gingerbread Man:

 

The Gingerbread Man (Puppets or Flannel)

Once upon a time, there was a little old woman and a little old man who lived in a small house in the country.

Every year,  the little old woman baked a Gingerbread Man to share with the little old man. She turned on the oven and got out a very big bowl. She measured and mixed in some sugar and some flour and some molasses.

Then she cut out the Gingerbread Man shape. She added some raisins for eyes and red hot candies for buttons.

Then into the hot oven went the Gingerbread Man!

After a while, the little old woman opened the oven door and peeked in to see if the Gingerbread Man was finished baking. But as she opened the door of the oven, the Gingerbread Man hopped off of the baking sheet and onto her shoulder and onto the counter and onto the floor – and ran right out the door.

Stop! Yelled the old woman. But the Gingerbread Man called back, “Run Run Run as fast as you can -- you can’t catch me I’m the Gingerbread Man!” And off he ran.

The old man saw the Gingerbread Man and ran to catch him. But the Gingerbread Man called back, “I’ve run away from the old woman, and I can run away from you I can I can. Run Run Run as fast as you can -- you can’t catch me I’m the Gingerbread Man!” And off he ran.

Around the corner, the Gingerbread Man met a pig who said to him, “Wait Mr. Gingerbread Man, you look so good, I’d like to eat you!” But the Gingerbread Man just ran faster as he said, “I’ve run away from the old woman and the old man and I can run away from you I can I can. Run, run, run as fast as you can. You can’t catch me, I’m the Gingerbread Man!”

Next the Gingerbread Man met a horse who also said, “Wait Mr. Gingerbread Man, you look so good, I’d like to eat you!” But the Gingerbread Man just ran faster as he said, “I’ve run away from the old woman and the old man and the pig and I can run away from you I can I can. Run, run, run as fast as you can. You can’t catch me, I’m the Gingerbread Man!”

Soon the Gingerbread Man met a cow who said, “Wait Mr. Gingerbread Man, you look so good, I’d like to eat you!” The Gingerbread Man was getting tired, but he could still outrun a cow, so once again he said, “I’ve run away from the old woman and the old man and the pig and I can run away from you I can I can. Run, run, run as fast as you can. You can’t catch me, I’m the Gingerbread Man!”

Then the Gingerbread Man saw a river just ahead. Behind him were  the cow and the horse and the pig and the little old man and the little old woman still running after him! Just then a fox came out and said, “Hello Mr. Gingerbread Man, you look tired. Lucky for you that I don’t like gingerbread!”

The Gingerbread Man replied, “Yes, I’m running away from a cow and a dog and a horse and a pig and a little old man and a little old woman – because they all want to eat me! And I can’t cross this river because I will get wet!”

The fox said, “I’m a good swimmer, climb on my back and I will swim across the river and you won’t get wet.” “Thank you Mr. Fox,” said the Gingerbread Man. And he climbed on the back of the fox who slid into the cold water.

As they reached the very middle of the river, where the water is deepest, the fox said, “The water is getting deep, perhaps you had better climb onto my head so that you don’t get wet!” The Gingerbread Man was afraid to get so close to those big fox teeth, but he had no choice. So he hopped up onto the fox’s head.

Then the fox said, “You will be even safer from getting your feet wet if you sit on my nose.” The Gingerbread Man was really scared, but he believed what the fox said – especially since the fox didn’t like to eat gingerbread. So, he slowly climbed onto the fox’s nose.

And – just when he got settled there, the fox flipped his nose up which tossed the Gingerbread Man up in the air. And the fox caught him in his wide open mouth. “Yum!” said the fox. “That was worth a cold swim in the river!”

Adapted by Carol Simon Levin from:www.statelibraryofiowa.org/ld/t-z/youthservices/early-child-lit/ecl-docs/gingerbread-script

Optional (not used) The Gingerbread Man – Eric Kimmel, Live Oak Video (VHS)

https://storytimekatie.com/2012/11/26/cookies/

https://madelynslibraryprogramming.wordpress.com/2016/10/05/toddler-storytime-desserts/

https://librarianleah.wordpress.com/2015/11/18/cookies/

https://sunflowerstorytime.com/2014/09/12/milk-cookies/

Another fun title: Nanette’s Bagette by Mo Willems

Pre-School Storytime: “What’s in a Name?”

 

A preschool storytime program on names, alphabet games, and self-esteem -- incorporating Every Child Ready to Read 2 (ECRR2) concepts of READING, TALKING, SINGING, WRITING and PLAYING + numeracy, music and movement.

 
Opening Music: “Name Game” from Child’s Celebration of Rock & Roll 738 CHIL
Help children write their names on white board as arrive (ECRR2 ”writing”)

Song: “Name Song” (Tune: Farmer in the Dell”)
Greg begins with ‘G’/Greg begins with ‘G’/One clap for ‘Greg’ (clap)/Greg begins with ‘G’
Circled initial letters on board as we sang, afterward counted how many K’s etc. (ECRR2 ”writing” + numeracy)


Book: Waggle – Sarah McMenemy (Younger groups: cute book about a girl playing with her new puppy as she decides what name she should give it) or A Porcupine Named Fluffy – Helen Lester (Older: porcupine named Fluffy feels better after meeting a rhino named Hippo -- self-acceptance)

Flannel/Song: BINGO (ECRR2 “singing/playing” + numeracy —game: each time through removed a letter and asked what letter it was, replaced the missing letter in the song with a clap—kids remembering/counting out how many claps needed each time through)


Book: Silly Sally -- Audrey Wood (wkrm) (Can act this out as it is being read) or for
Older groups: Tikki Tikki Tembo – Arlene Mosel (classic Japanese folk tale) or Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge – Mem Fox (beautiful book about how a young boy helps an older woman recover her past memories – one of those books once read, never forgotten) or Matthew A.B.C.-- Peter Catalanatto (class chock full of Matthews introduces interesting vocabulary e.g. "affectionate," "incognito," and "perpetually perplexed!") or In the Fiddle is a Song – Durga Bernhard (lift-the-flap book about hidden potential)


Song: John Jacob Jingleheimer Smith (ECRR2 “singing/playing – replace a line of the song with claps (humming it for rhythm on each iteration, great game for listening skills, rhythm play.)

http://www.scoutsongs.com/lyrics/johnjacob.html

John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt,
His name is my name too.
Whenever we go out,
The people always shout,
There goes John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt.
Dah dah dah dah, dah dah dah (repeat song 5 times)


Action Chant “Everyone has a name” (movement activity -- use whenever everyone needs to get up and move a little)

Everyone who has a name, stand up.
Everyone who has a name, sit down.
Everyone who has a name, stand up.
Everyone who has a name, turn around.
Everyone who has a name, stretch up high.
Everyone who has a name, stretch down low.
Everyone who has a name, roll your hands fast.
Everyone who has a name, roll your hands slow.
Everyone who has a name, turn around.
Everyone who has a name, sit back down.

Optional Book/Song: There Once Was a Man Named Michael Finnegan – Mary Ann Hoberman (kids chime out “begin-agin”at the end of each verse – listening skills.)

Elephant Puppet/Song: Willoughby Wallaby Woo (from Raffi’s Singable Songs collection, track 15) http://www.metrolyrics.com/willoughby-wallaby-woo-lyrics-raffi.html (rhyming game, substituting “w” for first letter of each child’s name before elephant puppet “sits” on child.)

Shakey Eggs/Movement song: “Name Game” and “Purple People Eater” (tracks 9 &10 from “A Child’s Celebration of Rock & Roll”)

Hand Stamping Song: “The Name Song” from Ralph’s World.

Optional DVDs: Chyrsanthemum on “Back to School Stories”(nice but LONG story of overcoming peer name-calling, bullying) or Tikki Tikki Tembo – (classic Japanese folk tale)only with a 4+ group, younger kids lose interest.

Other possibilities: Mary Wore a Red Dress – Peek (wkrm), Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarden; Flannel: Aikendrum
9.10, 9.12, 12.13

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.

Pre-School Storytime: It’s Raining, It’s Pouring!

A storytime incorporating interactive storytelling, non-fiction, poetry, kinesthetic learning, numeracy, imaginative play, music & motion.
(This is a long program, I use different elements depending
on ages in the group and other programs I've done recently. )

 

Entry music: “Laughter in the Rain” from Neil Sedaka’s Waking Up is Hard to Do, “Robin in the Rain” on Raffi’s Singable Songs, and/or “Eeensy Weensy Spider” from Joe Scrugg’s  Deep in the Jungle.

Rainstorm Action (directions below) (listening to directions, kinesthetic learning)

Optional: Poem “Rhyme” p.18 from Sunflakes: Poems for Children selected by Lilian Moore (sometimes storms scary? Discuss feelings.) or  Listen to the Rain by Bill Martin (gorgeous writing and illustrations) or Raindrops Roll – April Pulley Sayre 551.48 SAY

Book: In the Rain with Baby Duck – Amy Hest (young duck doesn’t like the rain) (can booktalk: Lucky Ducklings: A True Rescue Story -- Eva Moore (reminscent of Make Way for Ducklings -- Robert McCloskey)

Song/Puppets+mama: 5 Little Ducks went out to play…Five little ducks went out to play, upon a wet and rainy day, mama duck called “quack quack quack,” but only 4 little ducks came back! (used number cards – numeracy, subtraction by one)….finish with mama duck called “quack quack quack, quack quack quack!!!” and 5 little ducks came swimming back! ("Sometimes moms have to shout a bit to get children's attention, mentioned song "Nick of Time" on Tom Chapin's album Family Tree.)

Book: Red Rubber Boot Day – Mary Lyn Ray (younger groups) or Blue on Blue --Dianne White or  I Love the Rain – Margaret Park Bridges (older) (skipped 2016, no time)or Are You Ready to Play Outside? -- Mo Willems.(used  2017)

Song/Action: This is the way…to play outside in the rain…put on our galoshes, ….raincoat,…umbrella…splash in puddles…walk in gutters…catch a raindrop (on tongue)…come inside.

Non-Fiction: All the Water in the World – George Ella Lyon (older groups, gorgeous introduction to the rain cycle)

“sometimes problem, not enough rain …here’s a story from desert Hopi Indians…” (Also could be used for Earthday/Environment programs.) Booktalked The Mud Family by Betsy James.
Participation story: Rainstick Story (script below -- rainstick, frog, owl, wolf puppets)

Book/Song: Itsy Bitsy Spider – Iza Trapani (expansion of classic song) and/or
Song/Puppet: The Big Fat Spider (itsy-bitsy in a big fat voice!)

Optional Video/DVD: Henry & Mudge Puddle Trouble or The Napping House or Reading Rainbow: The Piggy in the Puddle or Make Way for Ducklings 

Action Song: “Ants Go Marching” with shakey eggs

Closing Song: Raffi’s “Mr. Sun” http://www.songlyrics.com/raffi/mr-sun-lyrics/

Hand stamping, “Eeensy Weensy Spider” from Joe Scrugg’s  Deep in the Jungle.

****

Directions for Warm up: Rainstorm
The leader explains that a rain storm is coming but not to worry because it won't last long. If we listen, we can hear it come and go.  (full directions in Judy Freeman’s 2009 Winners Handbook )
Rules:

1. Sit at all times.
2. No talking
3. Use your mind’s eye to hear, see, smell, taste & feel the rainstorm
4. Look for my hand signals.

Louder: “come here” hand motion
Even louder: cup ear
Silence a group: hold out hand palm to floor & push it to one side
Divide the auditorium into 4 groups: left, left center, right center, right
Leader will start the action, then start the next group & so forth, while all the previous groups continue the action until instructed to begin the next one.
The leader does intones “Rainstorm” than does each of the following actions, and continues doing it until it has propagated across the room:

• Rub hands together
• Snap fingers (best if this is random rather than synchronized)
• Clap hands (varying the sound & rhythm) (get them to get louder & louder)
• Slap thighs
• Stomp feet

Now reverse

• Slap thighs
• Clap hands
• Snap fingers
• Rub hands
• Hands on lap

It sounds like a rain storm sweeping in and then passing by - pretty cool!
 

The Frog: A Rainstick Story (adapted from a Hopi Indian tale – source unknown.)

Many years ago, there was a drought. No rain had fallen for many weeks. The rivers were dry. The animals had no water to drink. A little frog sitting on the bank of the dry river bed thought to himself.
“I wonder if the rain clouds have fallen asleep and forgotten to make it rain. Perhaps if I make a lot of noise I could wake him up.” He began to croak: “Ribbit. Ribbit. Ribbit.”
The other frogs heard him. “Why are making so much noise?” The little frog answered, “I think the rain clouds have fallen asleep and forgotten to make it rain. I’m making a lot of noise so that they will wake up.”
“We would like to help,” said the other frogs. And they began to croak. {Children in audience} “Ribbit. Ribbit. Ribbit.”
An owl flew over the dry river bed and heard the frogs croaking. “Why are you making so much noise?” the owl called to them. After the frogs explained the owl said, “I would like to help.” He began to hoot “Hoot. Hoot. Hoot.”
Other owls said they would help too. They all began to hoot. {Children in audience} “Hoot. Hoot. Hoot.”
A wolf in the desert heard the noise and called to the owls, “Why are you making so much noise?” The owls explained the situation.
The wolf said, “I would like to help.” He began to howl, “Ow-oo, Ow-oo, Ow-oo.” Other wolves said they would like to help. {children in audience} “Ow-oo, Ow-oo, Ow-oo.”
Soon it began to rain. {Use rain stick} It rained, and rained and rained.
One little frog can make a big difference. “Ribbit. Ribbit. Ribbit.”

optional craft: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/music/rainstick/

Additional books to use (also could add “mud” to storytime:
Water is Water – Miranda Paul 551.48 PAU
Float – Daniel Miyares
Raindrops Roll – April Pulley Sayre 551.48 SAY
Mud – Mary Lyn Ray --  at the end of winter, earth warms, ground turns to mud and the earth starts to green…
stunning new book Raindrops Roll by April Pulley Sayre (551.48 SAY), another beautiful title Downpour by Emily Martin.

3.13
4.14 "April Showers"
4.15
4.17 with Rainstick craft (paper towel roll tubes, construction paper, markers, wide masking tape, scissors, aluminum foil, rice)

Using masking tape and a scrap of paper (so rice won’t stick), seal up one end of tube.
Form foil into a loose “snake” & insert inside tube.
Pour in 1/8 c. rice.
Seal other end.
Tape child-decorated 8.5x11 paper around for decoration.

Additional possibilities:

Wordless Book: Chalk -- Bill Thomson (splendid imaginative story of three children who find magical sidewalk chalk on a rainy day and conjure up sunshine, butterflies, and a T-Rex!  It is fun to ask the kids to think up possible solutions to having a T-Rex on the loose!) (2017 saved for imagination)

Flannel: It Looked Like Spilt Milk from the book by Charles Green Shaw (easy to make pieces cut from white felt)  (imagination) (saved for Imagination 2016)

“sometimes best thing on a rainy day is a nap!”
Storytelling/Prop: Napping House (based on story by Audrey Wood -- bed made from lap-sized box covered with felt and held on lap plus puppets:granny, child, dog, cat, mouse, flannel flea) <– 2016 storyplay, 2017 skipped so had time for craft

Song: “It’s Raining It’s Pouring” It’s raining, it’s pouring / The old man is snoring / He went to bed / And bumped his head / And couldn’t wake up till morning.

PreSchool Storytime: School Daze

Back to School Preschool Storytime

(First library storytime, handout with Every Child Ready to Read 2* literacy skills
-- caregivers probably doing already, "intentional")

 

Open with children or caregiver writing names on board -- Sing "Hello to..., so nice to see you" (print awareness activity)

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

Action Song Book: Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush – Sophie Fatus & Fred Penner (multicultural getting ready for school)

Book:  Cleversticks – Bernard Ashley or Chu Chu's First Day at School -- Neil Gaiman (Other children seem to be able to do things Chu can't --until his giant sneeze)  alternatives: Harry & the Dinosaurs Go to School – Ian Whybrow (print motivation – books that relate to your child’s interests), Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten -- Joseph Slate (ABC emphasis),

Flannel: "School Stuff" on  p.206 of A Storytime Year -- Susan Dailey (silly guessing game -- vocabulary & narrative skills-shared storytelling, letter knowledge)

Song/Poster: ABC song

Book: Minerva Louise at School – Minerva Stoeke (booktalked series)

Singable Book: Mary Had a Little Lamb – Sarah Joseph Hale photographs by Bruce McMillan (nice version -- features a black girl in the photos)

Guessing Game Book: Mouse Views – Bruce MacMillan

Singable Book: Here we Go Round the Mulberry Bush – Will Hillenbrand (overcoming 1^st day nerves)

DVD: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (letter knowledge) on PPR DVD “Sing-along Stories”

Song/Actions: The Wheels on the Bus (or can use Paul O. Zelinsky pop-up version)

 

Craft: Chicka inspired pictures:

 

Alternates: Song: (toothbrush): When You Wake up in the Morning

Books: If You Take a Mouse to School – Laura Numeroff, Cleversticks – Bernard Ashley

Singable Book : The Little School Bus -- Carol Roth, Monsters Love School -- Mike Austin (2014), The Tiger Tail by Mike Boldt – child wakes up with a tail on the first day of school – accepting differences, First Day at Zoo School -- Sarah Dillard Confident Amanda the Panda and Anxious Alligator turn out to have just what the other needs to be friends.

*I also still point out ECRRI skills -- print motivation, etc. as well as the fun-based ECRR2 ones.

 

9.13, 9.14, 9.17 with craft

PreSchool Storytime: Earth Day

 

 

Earth Day: incorporates story and song, sign-language, non-fiction, sequences and kinesthetic learning in a storytime designed to build empathy and environmental awareness

Ages 2-6

 

Music when entering: Tom Chapin’s This Pretty Planet (start with track 1 –“Come Blow Your Horn”)  (or can use CD accompanying Joe Raposo’s book Sing)

Read: The Earth and I by Frank Asch (beautiful pictures, child’s eye view thanking the earth and making a difference)

Sing (with signs): “Walk the World Now Children” –  (track 8 of Some Assembly Required by Tom Chapin)  Used signs: walk, world, children, now, me, love(ingly), forever, day, drink, water, breathe, air, work, soil/land) (scanned, in sign language folder)

 

Read: I Love our Earth by Billl Martin Jr. (525 MAR -- non-fiction, multicultural, great pix, seasons)

Flannel: The Seed Story  (cumulative story, sequencing –storytelling pre-reading skill): “This is our garden, this is the seed that grew in our garden, …roots from seed, …rain that will fall, …sun that will shine, …stem that will grow, …bud that will form, …flower that will bloom

Action Song: “Digging Digging this is how we dig the soil, in our garden” (Raffi)

 

Interactive Book: Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson

Interactive Book (older groups): Earth dance ( 811.54 RYD Ryder) (acted this out as we read it -- kinesthetic) or Singable Book: What a Wonderful World – George David Weiss & Bob Thiele (several good illustrated versions of this song made famous by Louis Armstrong). Alt: Earthsong by Sally Rogers  (musical book -- can act out the motions)

Song/Puppets: “We’ve Got the Whole World in Our hands”… (passed around Earth ball and animal puppets as we sang -- suit verses to puppets e.g. “We’ve got the lions in the plains,  …the kangaroos and their joeys,… the birds in the air,…the monkeys in the trees,  the whales in the seas, …the squirrels in our gardens, etc.)

Video:  Reading Rainbow: On the Day You Were Born (beginning with baby in hospital nursery through story sequence) – consider starting with this as kids arrive if doing as craft program.

Music/Action/ Parachute (or scarves or colored ribbons):  “This Pretty Planet” track  15 on Tom Chapin’s This Pretty Planet

Hand stamping to "What a Wonderful World" (Louis Armstrong recording – The Fabulous Louis Armstrong 625 ARMS is a good version) and/or “This Pretty Planet”

Alts: no time: All the World – Scanlon, Earthsong – Rogers  (can act out the motions), Mother Earth – Luenn (figurative language), Wangari’s Trees of Peace -JBiog Maathai, The Mangrove Tree: Planting Trees to Feed Families ( J577.698 ROTH),  Picture a Tree – Reid, Inch by Inch: The Garden Song -- Mallet

More earth day songs here: http://carolsimonlevin.blogspot.com/2015/04/sing-springhappy-earthday.html, more earth day ideas here: http://carolsimonlevin.blogspot.com/search/label/Earth%20Day%20%26%20Environment
For an "outer space" element and some other ideas, check out:  <!--[endif]-->http://storytimewithmisstara.blogspot.com/search?q=earth+day

Tidy – Emily Gravett (2017) good for K+

If You Plant a Seed – Kadir Nelson
Sidewalk Flowers – JonArno Larson
Mrs. Spitzer's Garden -- Edith Pattou -- beautiful book emphasizing metaphor of young students/garden

 

BWL 4.16 – didn’t do a separate Spring themed program.

http://phpearth.com/easy-earth-day-crafts-for-kids.html
(didn’t do this in 2017, consider for 2018)

http://krazee4kindergarten.blogspot.ca/2013/04/earth-day-freebie-includes-headband.html
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/FreeDownload/Earth-Day-Freebie-Includes-Writing-Printables-Headband  (made headbands, “hands” (printed on blue) and double-strip (printed on green), along with B&T cardboards cut in 3” strips, markers, gluesticks, scissors, stickers)

4/18/17 BWL with craft above