Pre-School Story/Craft: Moon Struck!

Perfect for PJ Time (or anytime), a storytime celebrating the moon, mistaken ideas & friendship along with some numeracy and science ideas (reflection/echo).

Entering Music: various tracks from This Pretty Planet by Tom Chapin

Singable Book:  Knick, Knack, Paddywhack – Marissa Moss (enumerating 1-10, numerals/fingers, guessing what the man might be making…”reveal” at countdown)

Action: Do You Want to Go With Me To the Moon? (Source Unknown)
Do You Want to Go With Me To the Moon?
Let’s get in our rocket ship & blast off soon.
Faster and faster we reach to the sky.
Isn’t it fun to be able to fly?
We’re on the moon, now all take a look
And gently sit down, and I’ll show you a book!

Book: Kitten’s First Full Moon – Kevin Henkes (Caldecott winner-explain) (act out kitten’s motions, chorus “Poor Kitten,” discuss science concept: reflection)

Speaking of food…
Song/Flannel: “Aikendrum” http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/r/raffi/aikendrum.html (quickly cut “cream cheese” circle, “brown bread,” “ice cream cones,” “carrots,” “cookies,” “swiss cheese,” “pizza,” “bananas” out of felt, used a bit of tan yarn for “spaghetti” hair – suggested to families that this song makes a good lunchtime inspiration or backseat while driving song…can make up own lyrics!)

 

Aikendrum (based on a song by Raffi) -- makes a fun lunch or snacktime idea, substitute other items...

There was a man lived in the moon, in the moon, in the moon
There was a man lived in the moon and his name was Aikendrum

And he played upon a ladle, a ladle, a ladle
He played upon a ladle and his name was Aikendrum

And his face was made of cream cheese, cream cheese, cream cheese
His face was made of cream cheese and his name was Aikendrum

·         And his body was made of brown bread...

·         And his legs were made of ice cream cones...

·         And his arms were made of carrots...

·         And his eyes were made of cookies...

·         And his nose was made of swiss cheese...

·         And his mouth was made of pizza...

·         And his ears were made of bananas...

·         And his hair was made of spaghetti ...

And he played upon a ladle, a ladle, a ladle
He played upon a ladle and his name was Aikendrum

Book: Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me – Eric Carle  (directional concept words, fun fold-out pages)

Action Song: Mr. Moon (my variation on Mr. Sun by Raffi)
O, Mr. Moon, Moon, Mr. Silver Moon
Won’t you please come play with me.
O, Mr. Moon, Moon, Mr. Silver Moon
Hiding behind that tree.
These little children are asking you
To please come out so they can play with you.
O, Mr. Moon, Moon, Mr. Silver Moon
Please come play with, please come play with,
Please come play with me!
Monkey wants to play with the moon…


Flannel: Moonkey (based on the book by Mike Thaler)  I love the beginning“Once upon a palm tree…”, the fantasy and figurative language "It looked like many green moons." and the beautiful friendship theme. (long out of print -- text below)

 

Once upon a palm tree, there was a monkey who fell in love with the Moon. He loved it because it was so bright and friendly.

 

He loved it when it was FULL like a pie,

Or Half like a slice of watermelon,

Or Small like a banana.

 

And when it wasn’t there at all (remove moon), he just stared up into the sky… until it came back. (replace small moon).

 

His friends worried about him.

“Hey, do you want to play?” asked HIPPO.

Monkey didn’t answer.

“I bet you want a banana.” Said GORILLA.

Monkey didn’t answer.

“Would you like to come to a party?” asked LION.

Monkey didn’t answer.  Remove monkey

 

“Where’s monkey?” asked GIRAFFE, when they all arrived at the party.

“I asked him to come,” said LION.

“I offered him a banana,” said GORILLA.

“I asked him to play,” said HIPPO.  

“But he didn’t answer,” said all his friends.

“We’d better go talk to him,” said GIRAFFE, who was very wise.

 

“What’s the matter, MONKEY? Asked GIRAFFE.

“I’m in love with the moon!? Said Monkey.

 

So all the animals went back to the party.

But the party was no fun without monkey.

 

“How can we help him?” asked LION.

“I have an idea,” said GIRAFFE. “Follow me.”

 

So all the animals followed GIRAFFE up to Monkey’s TREE.

 

“Hippo,” said GIRAFFE, “you get on top of me, and LION, you get on top of HIPPO, and GORILLA, you get on top of Lion.

Monkey, you climb up on top of us and see if you can reach the moon.

 

So Monkey climbed up Giraffe, and up Hippo and up Lion and up Gorilla… and he reached the moon.

 

Then all the animals got DOWN. They were tired so they went to bed.

 

“I’m here Moon,” Monkey whispered. But the moon didn’t answer.

Monkey hugged the moon. It was cold. Monkey was all alone.

 

He looked down.

Far below he said he palm tree.

It looked so friendly in the moonlight.

So safe.

So bright.

It looked like many green moons.

Monkey felt all alone.

He missed his friends.

He began to cry.

 

LION woke up. “Hey, it’s raining,” he said.

GORILLA woke up. “Hey, it’s raining.”

HIPPO woke up. “Hey, it’s raining.”

GIRAFFE woke up. “It’s not raining. Listen… Monkey is crying.”

 

So all his friends came and got him.

 

They made a big CAKE that said “MOONKEY” and had another party by the light of the moon.



Action Song: Sally Go Round the Sun (traditional)
Sally Go Round the Sun (Turn Right)
Sally Go Round the Moon (Turn Left)
Sally Go Round the Chimney Tops (Step Lively)
All on an Afternoon, BOOM! (Sit down!)

Video: Happy Birthday Moon -- Frank Asch (mention MoonBear series – displayed)


Action Song: Be My Echo from Sesame Street (reinforces science concept of echo from video)
http://www.metrolyrics.com/sing-after-me-lyrics-sesame-street.html

Hand-stamping Music: various tracks from This Pretty Planet by Tom Chapin

Craft (2016): Make your own Aikendrum. Materials 12x18 cardboards, scrap construction paper, glue sticks, scissors.

(Loved how a couple of kids spontaneously started creating pattern sequences!)

Supersized! November supermoon will be biggest in nearly 70 years

The November full moon - visible on Nov 13-14, 2016 is not only the closest full moon of 2016, NASA said, but also the closest full moon since 1948 (which is still the last time the Cleveland Indians won the World Series).

Other possibilities:
Flannel/Rhyme: Hey Diddle Diddle
Books: It’s Only Stanley – Jon Agee (no time to use this in above program)
The Moon is Going to Addy’s House – Ida Pearle
Moon Boy – Barbara Brenner
MoonGame – Frank Asch
Mrs. Mooley -- Jack Kent
What’s Next Baby Bear – Murphy (wkrm) or
Zoom Zoom Zoom! I’m off to the moon – Yacarino
I’ll Catch the Moon – Nina Crews
9.14 9.15  11.16

School Age Storytime: School Daze–Fun Stories Celebrating a New School Year (K-3)

Book:  The Wrong Side of the Bed – Wallace E. Keller* (talked about what that expression means, delightful story in which a child literally gets up on the wrong side of the bed and goes through the day upside down!) also available as a Top 10 Storybook App (Kirkus Reviews): http://www.seeherestudios.com/tickle-books/the-wrong-side-of-the-bed

Poem: "School Days Rap" from Lunch Money & Other Poems for School – Carol Diggory Shields

Book: Sarah's Story – Bill Harley (Sarah doesn’t think she knows any stories for school until she gets caught up in an adventure involving a Queen Ant in search of a honey sandwich!)

Book: Just Another Ordinary Day – Rod Clement (deadpan language about an ordinary day is very funny when paired with anything but ordinary illustrations)

Song: "By the Way" from Joe Scruggs album Deep in the Jungle lyrics below:
also available on Youtube; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5jWE6Cs_tA . Props: paper bag with “lemonade can”, “sardine can” (I used image from internet wrapped around a box), 6 cotton balls & 4 rubber bands.


Book: Minerva Louise at School – Janet Morgan Stoeke (younger) booktalked other Minerva Louise books; Toll Bridge Troll – Patricia Rae Wolff (older) --  text-to-text
connection to The Three Billy Goats Gruff.

Interactive Book: One – Kathryn Otoshi  -- All the other colors are intimidated by “Red’” until the “One” arrives and shows how everyone can count. This is a deceptively simple concept book that is also a brilliantly empowering story on how students can help one another stand up to bullies.  

 

Songs: “Smelly Locker” and “Heavy Backpack” from the book Smelly Locker Silly Dilly School Songs by Alan Katz

 

Poem (if time): "Clock Watching"  from Lunch Money & Other Poems for School – Carol Diggory Shields

***

Lyrics to By the Way by Joe Scruggs

It’s Monday morning, I’m running late,
There’s not a minute to spare.
Mom calls out, “Come on, Let’s Go,”
As she finishes drying her hair.
Now I’m in my place,
With a smile on my face
Just thinking about my day.
Then I think of some things
I’m supposed to bring,
and that is when I say,
“Dear Mom,
oh, by the way (echo)
I need an orange juice can,
4 cotton balls, and 6 rubber bands
And by the way, (echo)
I’m an angel in the play.
I’m gonna sing & I need some wings” (echo)
Well I guess I’ve induced some stress.
Mom’s smile begins to fade.
As she runs to the kitchen
And digs through the trash
For the can from the lemonade.
Now I start to protest
But she’s doing her best
So then I try to make it right.
I say, “I need everything by eight-fifteen
But I don’t need the wings till tonight.
Oh, by the way (echo)
I need an orange juice can,
If its lemonade, will the teacher understand?
And by the way, (echo)
They’re having meatloaf today.
If you don’t mind a bunch (echo)
I’m going to need a lunch.” (echo)

Sometimes I just don’t believe
How resourceful moms can be.
She gets the cotton balls
And the rubber bands,
From her vanity.
I’ve got a lemonade can,
Not quite the right brand.
But mom says it will do!
Then we’re out of the door
At seven fifty-four,
I won’t be late for school.

Oh, by the way (echo)
Meatloaf is better than it seems.
For my lunch, (echo)
Mom packed a can of sardines.
And for the play, (echo)
It’s sister’s costume from ballet.
I’m gonna sing (echo)
In her butterfly wings (echo)

Bedm 9.14

Other possible books:

New Year at the Pier: A Rosh Hashanah Story – April Halprin Wayland (a wonderful book describing the tradition of tashlich --making apologies and tossing away the things that you did wrong the previous year so as to start the new year with a clean heart -- not a bad idea for all of us, no matter what time of year it is!)
Mouse Views – Bruce McMillan (close up views of classroom objects – great guessing game interactive book)
The Little School Bus – Carol Roth (rhyming -phonemes, action)
Late for School:
Frank! -- Connah Brecon (2014)
Sarah's Story -- Bill Harley
Planet Kindergarten -- Sue Ganz-Schmidt

Mrs. Spitzer's Garden -- Edith Pattou -- beautiful book emphasizing metaphor of young students/garden

 

Bedm 9.18:

Minerva Louise at School by Janet Morgan Stoeke  (Kdg classes)
The Wrong Side of the Bed by Wallace E. Keller (literal interpretation of that figure of speech)
Gravity by Jason Chin (discussion of the principle of gravity, note that the book appears in the book)

One Green Apple by Eve Bunting (a new immigrant girl joins her class for a field trip to pick apples and finds even though she is different and speaks no English, she will be able to make friends)
One by Kathryn Otashi
Just Another Ordinary Day by Rod Clement (great book for modeling interplay between words & pictures -- unusual illustrations show that this is anything but an ordinary day!)

Some classes:

Songs: ”Heavy Backpack” & “I am in the Lunchroom” from Smelly Locker silly dilly school songs by Alan Katz
Prop Story: Flannel: "School Stuff" on  p.206 of A Storytime Year -- Susan Dailey (silly guessing game – phonics & letter knowledge)
Prop Song: “Oh By the Way” (details above)
Poems “Eight-Oh-Three” “School Daze Rap” and “Clock Watching” from Lunch Money by Carol Diggory Sheilds.

Kdg only: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and Mary Had a Little Lamb (illustrated by Bruce McMillan)

New books: https://www.invent.org/blog/trends-stem/back-to-school-books : 

“The Magical Yet” by Angela DiTerlizzi This rhyming and inspiring book is beautifully illustrated and engaging for young readers. The story encourages children to practice persistence as they learn new skills alongside their new best friend – the Yet! We all experience failures or difficulties, but this book reminds us that anything is possible, we just haven’t learned everything yet.

 “The Name Jar” by Yangsook Choi How do you find the courage to be yourself? In this story, Unhei is concerned about fitting in at her new school when classmates struggle to pronounce her name correctly, so she contemplates choosing a different name from a jar of class suggestions. However, a new friend helps her to be proud of her name and the significance that it holds within her Korean culture. This book is a great reminder to embrace diversity and expand your friendships.

 “The School of Failure: A Story about Success” by Rosie J. Pova In this charming book, three not-so-familiar characters attend the School of Failure after being rejected from their classic fairytales. Through patience and perseverance, they learn that mistakes are what help us grow! With bright illustrations and a sweet message, this story reminds kids that happy endings are often found at the end of bumpy, messy roads.

 “The World Needs Who You Were Made to Be” by Joanna Gaines This New York Times bestseller celebrates the beauty of creativity, acceptance and uniqueness. As children build their own hot-air balloons, we discover how different ways of working and varying tastes come together to create something wonderful, teaching kids to value diversity by embracing the things that make us each different. The world benefits from each of us being true to who we were meant to be.

 “Be Kind” by Pat Zietlow Miller What does kindness mean to you? Explore this important question when you share this New York Times bestseller with your child. The story suggests many situations in which a child can choose to be a good friend, to be helpful or to make a classmate feel included. Throughout the book, we learn that even the smallest acts of kindness can make a big difference in someone’s life!

 “The Day You Begin” by Jacqueline Woodson Stepping into a new classroom when you feel like an outsider can be nerve-wracking. However, reaching out to others may show us that we are all more alike than we realize at a glance – and that our differences are what make each of us special. This heartwarming story of building connections between classmates shows us that new friendships can be made with just a little bit of courage!

Celebrate Madeline's 75th Anniversary

 

Travel with us to that old house in Paris to celebrate the 75^th anniversary of a young girl who never grows old!  Enjoy stories, crafts, a birthday cake, and even a parade in two straight lines. (Ages 4-10)

Madeline’s Birthday Party
Set-up: Room decorated for a birthday party with crepe paper streamers, banners & balloons. Miss Carol costumed as Miss Clavel (nun’s habit).  Two long tables draped in blue plastic tablecloths & laid out with crafts  – each place had a ceiling crack picture, toilet paper roll Madeline doll, Madeline hat & cape - kids do crafts, then eat cake here.   French accordion music CD (Café Paris, details below) playing as kids arrive.
As children entered, gave them a Madeline name tag and Madeline cloak (pre-made from blue plastic tablecloth & red curling ribbon).  Directed them to take a place at the tables to make a Madeline hat (Materials: yellow plastic bowl (or paper bowl & yellow marker), 8 holes pre-punched along the rim, red curling ribbon for kids to string through the holes then tie into a bow).  Note: a little rolled masking tape helped hats stay on heads. Other option: add ribbons to tie hats on heads.
After most children had their hats, invited all to come to story area.  Discussed that though the girl in the book is about their age (maybe 7?) the book was 75 years old.  Asked them about the sticker on the book: (Caldecott Silver)
Read: Madeline (original story)
Action: “Madeline, Madeline Turn Around” (based on “Teddy Bear Turn Around”)
Read: Madeline’s Rescue (Caldecott Gold)

Whole Group Games:

• “Miss Clavel Says” (like “Simon Says”) – did this for several minutes -- no winners or losers, just laughs, then played…
• Musical chairs (spots) to French music  -- we actually used some small round rubber mats (from a dinosaur game – but they looked like raindrops!) to put on the floor instead of the chairs but the idea was the same.  Alternate game possibility: “Hot Potato”  passing a Madeline hat or doll.  In either game, when music stops, the child eliminated was directed to “Pin the hat on Madeline” so there was no real sense of losers.  (Great CD: French Playground (Putumayo Kids) -- start on a different track after each stop.  
• Pin the hat on the Madeline (after each child finishes, s/he was directed to the craft tables.) 

Craft tables:  (Had French music playing while the kids made crafts, used CD:  Café Paris. Enrique Ugarte, accordion, bass ; with Dylan Vaughn, guitar ; Ron Vorpahl, drums. England : ARC, [2007])

• Make a Madeline toilet paper roll puppet (directions/templates: http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/cartoons/mmadeline.html)
• Ceiling Crack pictures – inspired by the line in the original book: “a crack in the ceiling had the habit of sometimes looking like a rabbit” (Supplies: 11x17 papers with squiggle drawn on each that kids could expand into anything they imagined, markers – similar to a craft I have done with “Harold & the Purple Crayon.”)

Closing activity: parade in two straight lines around the library (make sure CD player has batteries and doesn’t skip when moving around – we learned this the hard way!)
Sing: “Happy Birthday”
Food: cake &  lemonade
 
Supplies:

• Hats –bowls (either paper bowl that kids color with yellow markers or yellow plastic bowls), pre-punch holes around the edge so kids can string with red curling ribbon to make bow.
• Capes - pre-cut from blue plastic tablecloths with red curling ribbon ties.
• Madeline books & DVDs to display
• French music CDs & CD-player
• Poster, Tape, & Blindfold for Pin the Hat game
• Puppet supplies: TP rolls, blue rectangles, half sheets with face/limbs, glue sticks, tape, scissors, markers.  Squiggle pictures: paper with squiggle, markers, pre-made sample puppet.
• Party decorations (balloons, banners, streamers, props), tablecloths for tables, birthday cake, lemonade, plates, napkins, forks, cups, knife to cut cake, candles/matches

Thanks to Mary Marshall http://ilayouthforum.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/madeline-2.pdf for some of these ideas.
Another idea(didn’t use because expected too many children): Madeline memory game.  Make cards of Eiffel tower, Madeline, Miss Clavel, etc.
 

The Bridgewater Library celebrated the 75 anniversary of the popular children's book "Madeline" on Saturday, Sept. 6.

(Photo: Jenna Intersimone)

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• The SCLS will be hosting another Madeline birthday event at the Peapack & Gladstone Library.
• The ten branches of the SCLS hold over 170 "Madeline"-themed materials.
• In the stories written entirely in rhyme, Madeline is the smallest of the girls, yet the bravest.

Madeline may have turned 75 this year, but she doesn't look a day over 7.
To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the publication of "Madeline," the timeless red-headed character of Austrian author Ludwig Bemelmans and star of children's books featuring a Catholic boarding school in Paris, the Somerset County Library System held a birthday party at the Bridgewater Library on Saturday involving 16 children and their families.
The tiny attendees crafted blue capes and yellow hats using bowls, ribbons and tablecloths to wear for a Madeline parade, listened in for story time by Miss Clavel, otherwise known as librarian Carol Levine, created handmade Madeline dolls, played Madeline-themed games and shared a birthday cake.
The 10 branches of the library system hold over 170 Madeline-themed materials including books, DVDs and audiobooks.
In the stories written entirely in rhyme, Madeline is the smallest of the girls, yet the bravest and most outgoing of the group. She is the only redhead.
"Madeline' is a cultural touchstone," Library Director Brian Auger said. "I have such fond memories of reading the 'Madeline' books to my daughter. I would give anything to do that again. I read them so many times I can recite the opening lines."
The library system will be hosting other Madeline birthday events this year, the next one being at the Peapack & Gladstone Library on Oct. 14.
Newspaper article http://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/somerset-county/2014/09/09/madeline-birthday-bridgewater/15334807/






9.2014 BWL

Wheel Away! - Story and Craft

 

Did you learn to ride a bike or tricycle this summer?  Or take a trip or travel by car or bus or train to a distant destination?  We'll celebrate all forms of transport, then design our very own vehicle.  (Ages 4-9)

Opening Music: “Riding My Bike” (#10 on John McCutcheon’s Summersongs) or “Skateboard” (#7 on Joe Scruggs Deep in the Jungle)

Read: Stella & Roy by Ashley Wolff -- “Who do you think would be faster big girl bike or baby brother on trike? – see if this reminds you of another story (The Tortoise and the Hare.)  (2016 p.m. used Mei Mei Loves the Morning by Margaret Tsubakiyama – beautiful multicultural tale of a girl and grandfather in China who spend the morning together on his bike)  Alternatives: Off We Go: A Bear & Mole Story by Will Hillenbrand --a short sweet book about removing training wheels. Blue Rabbit & the Runaway Wheel by Christopher Wormell

“Maybe S &R can cooperate to fix a little red wagon” –>
Action Song: Bumping up and down in my little red wagon
Bumping up and down in my little red wagon (3x) won’t you be my darling?
One wheel’s off and the axle’s broken…
Freddie’s gonna fix it with his hammer…
Bumping…
One wheel’s off…
Laura’s gonna fix it with her pliers…
Bumping…


Read: Mama Zooms by Jane Cowen-Fletcher -- child sharing all the things mom’s “zooming machine” (wheelchair) can do


Read: Fast Food by Saxton Freymann and Joost Elders – fruit & veggies turned into all sorts of vehicles!  and/or Duck on the Bike – David Shannon (didn’t arrive in time for 2016 use)


Flannel: Mrs. Armitage on Wheels – based on the book by Quentin Blake --“Mrs. A likes a bike with a few extra gadgets”

Interactive Book/Song: The Wheels on the Bus – Paul Zelinsky
or use same flannel with this song: The Wheels on the Bike
The wheels on the bike go round and round…all around the town
Horns…beep, beep, beep…
Bucket…splash, splash, splash…
Toolbox…rattle, rattle, rattle
Food….tastes yum, yum, yum
Dog…pant, pant, pant…
Rain…splash, splash, splash…
Radio…sing, sing, sing…
Sail…whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…
That crazy bike in the town goes crash, crash, crash! All around the town!


“How many of you have been learning to ride a bike without training wheels?”

Read: The Magic Bicycle by Berlie Doherty or My Bike by Jonna Jakob (2016 not available short notice so shared: Along a Long Road by Frank Viva – short graphically arresting story of a bicycle journey)

Show ideas from: If I Built a Car by Chris Van Dusen (cute text but didn’t have time to read it)



Crafts:

• design your own vehicle (inspired by If I built a car, Fast Food, Mrs. Armitage and The Wheels on the Bus) (supplies: 12x18” light cardboard or card stock, scissors, markers, hole punches, construction paper (include pre-cut circles which made great spinning wheels), paper fasteners, pipe cleaners, glue sticks).  Kids were given free rein to design any vehicle they wished…and they did very creatively -- some just used markers, others cut things out and made 3-dimensional designs.
• bicycle handle streamers (supplies: straws, Scotch tape, curling ribbon scissors)
• design your own bicycle license plate (not waterproof!) (supplies: 3x5” cardboard, hole punches, markers, pipe cleaners)  http://www.crayola.com/crafts/bike-streamers--plates-craft/

Video: Remarkable Riderless Runaway Tricycle (Weston Woods, 11 min.) (played this for early finishers while kids doing crafts – since it is wordless, makes great background music for crafting too.  After they finished the crafts, other kids enjoyed using the lit screen to see their vehicles become shadow puppets.)

Optional: Hand-Stamping to “Ride My Bike” on Tom Paxton’s I’ve Got a Yo Yo

Alternative books:
Minerva Louise and the Red Truck – Janet Morgan Stoeke
Little Red Riding Hood – Lisa Campbell Ernst (a bit long for pre-school)
Bicycle Race – Donald Crews (numeracy – naming the numerals out of order)

Bus storytime sometime?
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus – Mo Willems
Last Stop on Market Street – Matt De La Pena
The Bus Ride – Marianne Dubuc

8/14 BWL


3.16 BWL Preschool Storytime (w/o craft portion)

Gizmos, Gadgets, and Goo – Wacky Fun with Science Week 5 : Squish! Polymers, Diapers, and Goo…Oh My!

Be prepared to get messy as we explore the powers of polymers  by dissecting diapers and mixing up  a batch of Oobleck  -- the original Non-Newtonian solid (it behaves as both a solid and a liquid at the same time!) 
For grades 1-5.

As kids arrive, played video on polymers: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRsS0rqoKeQ&feature=player_embedded (this and all other videos used today can be found on my playlist  http://tinyurl.com/fizzboomgoo)

Opened with: “I Tried to Do My Homework” from What a Day It Was at School! poems by Jack Prelutsky (had shared on some school visits)

Read:  The Secret Science Project that Almost Ate the School – Judy Sierra

Booktalked: Bartholomew & the Oobleck – Dr. Seuss  (too long to read in this program…)

Discussion: Whatever we call it “Slime, goo…Oobleck”…soft material called “polymer” …some polymers in nature: rubber, wool, silk, proteins in our hair & nails, cellulose in trees…some polymrs synthetic “man made” e.g. nylon (“on” indicates a polymer) or polyester or polystyrene “poly” is a clue that it is a polymer too.
The word polymer means “many parts.” The individual parts that actually combine to form a polymer chain are called monomers.  Sometimes a substance can actually help polymer chains link together and form a more solid substance. The youtube video we saw as you were coming in showed the basic formation of polymers and linked polymer chains.  Polymers can be found just about everywhere – Even the double-helix strand of DNA is a form of a polymer known as a “biopolymer.”

DEMO: Oobleck, this version is a natural polymer made only from cornstarch & water.  In the 18^th c. Sir Isaac Newton discovered that most liquids flow quickly when heated and resist movement when cooled…but this slimy polymer acts “weird” it is called a non-Newtonian fluid – it looks and feels like both a solid and a liquid, depending on how you handle it.

Mix together 2 parts cornstarch, 1 part water …let kids feel it…see how it flows but then acts solid.

Showed videos:

Pool of Oobleck: http://www.swimmersdaily.com/2014/01/09/can-you-walk-on-water-fun-on-a-non-newtonian-fluid-pool-of-oobleck/


Creeping Oobleck:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yp1wUodQgqQ


http://thechocolatemuffintree.blogspot.com/2013/07/making-and-playing-with-slime.html – tennis racket with goo – cool!

 

Three experiment tables today:

Experiment #1:  Diaper Magic
Tiny polymers no larger than a grain of sand are mixed into the cotton lining the inside of a diaper. Modern diapers actually contain a super absorbent polymers no larger than grains of sand – they are called polyacrylic acid and are designed to attract water molecules.
Materials:
§ Diapers (we used Luvs size 2) – 1 per child
§ Scissors
§ Gallon-sized zip-top plastic bags
§ Clear plastic cups (1 for each child)
§ Popsicle sticks for stirring
Method:
§ Cut into the lining, pull apart the cotton, put the diaper in a zip-top bag and shake the bags.
§ Pour the polymers into a clear plastic cup, then add water..a little at a time, stirring if necessary – have kids guess how much water they can pour in and still be able to turn the cup upside down without spilling!
Result: The polymers absorb the water and congeal to form a squishy, gel-like substance. If the gel-like substance is powdery and loose, it can still absorb water; if the substance is moist, it has reached the capacity of the polymers. Each polymer can absorb about 30 times its weight in water!  If you leave the cup full of squishy polymers on a counter top for a few days (or longer) and allow the water to evaporate, the polymers should return to their original state…what do you think?

Experiment #2:  Goo! formula provided by Science Bob http://www.sciencebob.com/experiments/slime2.php

(I found using 1T. of each ingredient and 1 drop of food coloring was sufficient. We mixed the goo in 5 oz. plastic cups using popsicle sticks.  The resulting goo is lots of fun to handle -- solid enough to pick up in your hands, stretch, pull apart and squeeze back together.)
Another version: silly putty: http://video.about.com/chemistry/How-to-Make-Silly-Putty.htm


Experiment #3: Changing properties – 4 types of Oobleck using different amounts of water --from: Oobleck, Slime, & Dancing Spaghetti by Jennifer Williams -- each has different characteristics.  Data sheet on pg. 52 (didn’t have time to use).

Beforehand: Mix the Sodium Borate solution -- 1 cup 20 Mule Team Borax with 1 quart/liter of hot water in a bottle or pitcher.  Shake or stir well.  If possible, let it set overnight.  Shake well before using.
All of these mix  the same amount of glue (which contains hundreds of polymers) & sodium borate solution (which is a binding agent) to lock the polymer molecules together…adding different amounts of water will affect how tightly the chains of polymers can link together…the more water, the more the polymer can “stretch,” and the less it can bounce and hold its shape.

Red Oobleck:1 T. white glue
1  drop food coloring
2 t. sodium borate

Green Oobleck:1 T. white glue
1  drop food coloring
1 t. water
2 t. sodium borate

Yellow Oobleck:1 T. white glue
1  drop food coloring
1T.  water
2 t. sodium borate

Green Oobleck:1 T. white glue
1  drop food coloring
2T.  water
2 t. sodium borate

For each color of ooblick:
§ Mix glue and food coloring in a plastic cup.
§ Add  water (if applicable) and stir till well-blended
§ Slowly pour the sodium borate solution and stir for about a minute
§ Lift the spoon slowly out of the cup and observe the Oobleck. What does each look like?
§ Feel or knead the oobleck …how do they differ?  Can you roll it into a ball?
§ If you put it on the table, does it hold its shape or start to flatten out after a while?
§ If you can make it into a ball, how well does it bounce?

Have zip-top sandwich bags for them to use to take home their creations.
Another version of slime: http://chemistry.about.com/video/How-to-Make-Slime.htm

Much of this program was inspired by: http://cheshirelibraryscience.wordpress.com/2012/09/20/g3-program-13-magic-diapers-and-slimy-goo/

BWL 11/14

Gizmos, Gadgets, and Goo–Wacky Fun with Science Week 4: Boom! Energy Explorations -- Catapulting contest!

Boom!  Energy Explorations -- Bounce on over to the library and join us for a great big bang with a catapulting contest!
Grades 1-5

(Based on: http://cheshirelibraryscience.wordpress.com/category/catapults/, http://cheshirelibraryscience.wordpress.com/category/energy/  including some of the explanations below -- Thanks for the ideas!)

Before kids arrived, teen volunteers practiced making both types of catapult so they could help the kids make them later.

As kids  were arriving , played video of nature’s catapults:  (a complete playlist for this program is here.

Read Book: Big Bang: The Tongue-Tickling Tale of a Speck that Became Spectacular – Carolyn Cinami DeCristofano  (Alternatively, if wanted to emphasize the engineering aspect, could use:  Rosie Revere, Engineer  -- Andrea Beaty)

Discussion:  “Big Bang” – a lot of energy – What is energy?

Asked kids:  If you were asked to describe energy, what would you tell someone?
Energy is the ability or capacity to do work. 

And what is work? 
Work is done when something, regardless of size, moves. 
In other words, energy is needed to cause motion. 

Energy itself is generally divided into two categories:  Kinetic and Potential. 
Potential energy is stored energy that is waiting to work:

DEMO: Rubber Band --stretched a rubber band --this rubber band is holding potential energy -- Potential energy can be found in many forms – chemical, mechanical, nuclear, gravitational, and electrical. Gasoline, for example, is a chemical form of potential energy.
Let go of rubber band and watched it fly -- Kinetic energy is essentially the opposite of potential energy -- kinetic energy is energy in motion that is actually doing work. That rubber band flying is experiencing kinetic energy. So is a baseball being thrown or a person bicycling down the road. Where gasoline in a can is an example of potential energy, the fire that gasoline creates would be an example of kinetic energy.

Showed Youtube Song: Potential vs. Kinetic Energy

Anywhere you see motion there is energy. Even in classic cartoons!
Potential Energy: Wile E Coyote & Roadrunner
 

Demo:  The Slinky!  “Walked” slinky down a set of stairs made from boxes:
The Slinky, which has been around since the 1940′s, provides an excellent example of potential and kinetic energy. When a slinky is sitting at the top of a set of stairs at rest, it is holding potential energy; as soon as it starts to “walk” down the stairs, it is experiencing kinetic energy.
Slinky dropping down hanging mid-air: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKb2tCtpvNU
 


Demo:  the balancing egg.  Half-fill a paper cup with water and set it on the table. Center a pie pan on top of the cup, with a TP tube standing in the pan. Balance an egg atop the tube. Strike the rim of the pie pan from the side, causing it to fly out and take the tube with it. The egg will hover in mid-air for a split second because of inertia. Gravity will then cause it to fall straight down into the water, unharmed.
“But what if you WANT to hurl something through the air?” 

Different kinds of catapults - sling shots, trebuchets, and even aircraft catapults.

Mentioned opening video a sneaky grasshopper catapulted lots of bugs off of a leaf.

“the world’s largest slingshot,”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfJYGHOn3os
Catapults used in medieval warfare:  Making of Warwick Castle Trebuchet 
Giant trebuchet hurls a piano

Project time:  Now we are going make catapults.

Catapults are another example of potential energy. When we pull the lever (or spoon) back, stretching the rubber band, potential energy in the spoon is transformed into kinetic energy when we release the spoon and let the pompoms fly!
(We used pom-poms instead of marshmallows out of food allergy concerns…the kids loved choosing their favorite colors and it made it easy to identify which catapult shot had the greatest distance.) 

Children had the choice of making two different models:

Simple catapult design (we recommended this for our 1st & 2nd graders)

Target Practice from PBS’s program FETCH (more complicated, so we suggested that 3rd-5th graders might want to try it.)




Then kids practiced launching pom-poms into a literature display rack we set up.
After the kids made and tested their models, they were encouraged to modify them.  One father, watching the fun, created a great model of his own!



BWL 7/14