Sunday, August 24, 2014

Chicken Storytime

A few weeks ago I did a "Noisy Farm" storytime.  I had so much fun with that subject I developed a storytime all about chickens!

Books
Chicken Soup by Jean Van Leeuwen; illustrated by David Gavril
  • Chicken Soup

    Wee Little Chick by Lauren Thompson; illustrated by John Butler

    Songs, Rhymes, Fingerplays

    Little Chick
    Little Chick, Little Chick
    Come out and play
    What color barn are you in today?


    Shake, Shake, Shake
    (Tune: Do your ears hang low?)

    Can you shake your egg up high?
    Can you shake your egg down low?
    Can you shake it side to side?
    Can you shake it by your toe?
    Can you shake it really fast?
    Can you shake it really slow?
    Can you shake your egg?

    1, 2 Buckle My Shoe
    1, 2 buckle my shoe
    3, 4 shut the door
    5, 6 pick up sticks
    7, 8 lay them straight
    9, 10 a big, fat hen!

    Play and Learn

    Little Chick

    Find the Chick (yellow pom-pom in egg)


    Playdough

    Pom-Pom numbers

    Life Cycle of a Chicken

    Picnic Storytime

    What better way to celebrate summer than with a picnic...unless it happens to be raining!  But we had a fun picnic storytime inside!!

    Books

    Ready for Anything by Keiko Kasza

    Picnic by Emily Arnold McCully

    Songs/Rhymes/Fingerplays

    Four Hungry Ants
    4 hungry ants, marching in a line
    They come upon a picnic, where they could dine
    They marched into the salad
    They marched into the cake
    They marched into the pepper
    Oh-uh!  That was a mistake!
    AAAAAAACCCCCCCHHHHHOOOOOO!


    Jump Up, Turn Around (Jim Gill)

    Jack Be Nimble
    Jack be nimble,
    Jack be quick,
    Jack jump over the candlestick!

    We're Going on a Picnic (chant)
    Going on picnic
    Gotta pack a lunch
    What should we bring to munch, munch, munch?


    Let's bring.... (x3) to munch, munch, munch!

    Play and Learn

    Giant Sandwich (Melissa & Doug)


    Pretend picnic with play dishes and food

    Pack a picnic "worksheet"


    Strawberries in a Basket Counting

    Sunday, August 10, 2014

    Baby Storytime

    My first ever Baby Storytime!!  (well, I've subbed before, but this one I planned and presented!)  Two things that helped me feel prepared for this new opportunity:  1.  Book Babies that I took my daughter to many years ago.  2.  A wonderful role model and mentor...Mrs. B!

    Here's what we did today:

    Bubbles

    Hands are Clapping
    (Tune: London Bridges)

    Hands are clapping
    Clap, clap, clap
    Clap, clap, clap
    Clap, clap, clap
    Hands are clapping
    Clap, clap, clap
    Hands are clapping.

    Additional verses:
    Toes are tapping
    Fingers are wiggling
    Eyes are hiding; peek-a-boo!

    Hello, Baby! (Thanks Mrs. B for this song!!)
    (Tune:  Goodnight Ladies)

    Hello, _______
    Hello, _______
    Hello, _______
    We're glad you're here today!

    Trot, Trot to Boston
    (bounce)
    Trot, trot to Boston.  Trot, trot to Lynn
    Watch out little baby or you might fall in!

    Trot, trot to Denver.  Trot, trot to Dover
    Watch out little baby or you might fall over!

    Hey Little Baby! by Heather Leigh; illustrated by Genevieve Cote
    Roly-Poly
    Roly-poly, roly-poly (roll arms)
    Out, out, out (move hands apart)
    Roly-poly, roly-poly
    In, in, in (move hands towards each other)
    Roly-poly, roly-poly
    Touch your nose.
    Roly-poly, roly-poly
    Touch your toes.
    Roly-poly, roly-poly
    Up to the sky.
    Roly-poly, roly-poly
    Fly, fly, fly!

    Jack be Nimble
    (sit crisscross on floor with baby on one knee)
    Jack be nimble
    Jack be quick
    Jack jump over the candlestick! (switch baby from one knee to the other on the word "over")

    Who's that...Playing? See How Animals Play by Kingfisher (didn't read the words...just named the animal and made its noise)
    WHO'S THAT...PLAYING? by Kingfisher


    Pat-a-Cake
    Traditional

    Popcorn! (with the parachute)
    You put the oil in the pot and you let it get hot.
    You put the popcorn in and start to grin
    You go sizzle, sizzle, sizzle, sizzle
    Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle, sizzle
    Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle, sizzle, POP!

    Play and Learn
    Puzzles
    Squishy Blocks
    Stacking cups
    Shape sorter
    Color boxes

    Noisy Farm Animals Storytime

    Our final theme for summer reading was "Noise".  Kids love to make animal noises, so I decided to focus this storytime on farm animals.

    Books

    Cock-a-Doodle Quack! Quack!  by Ivor Baddiel and Sophie Jubb; illustrated by Ailie Busby

    No Sleep for the Sheep!  by Karen Beaumont; illustrated by Jackie Urbanovic

    Songs/Rhymes/Fingerplays

    Here is the link for our weekly songs

    Over in the Barnyard
    Over in the barnyard
    Early in the morning
    See the little chickies
    All in a row
    See the busy farmer
    Giving them their breakfast
    "Cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep"
    Off they go.

    Repeat song using different farm animals and the sounds they make.  [Cows, sheep, ducks, horses, pigs]


    Clap our Hands When We Get Together (Jim Gill's Irrational Anthem CD)

    Baa, Baa Black Sheep
    Baa, baa black sheep
    Have you any wool?
    Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
    Three bags full.
    One for the master,
    One for the dame,
    One for the little boy who lives down the lane.

    Play and Learn

    Science Experiment:  Coat Hanger Sounds
    Farm animals vs. zoo animals magnets

    Farm animal matching baby to mother

    Using children's tweezers to pick up and sort objects

    Hopscotch

    Frankentoys!

    Another program that was totally planned before I started my new job...but that I got to execute at one of the ten branches!

    See this article in School Library Journal for more info.

    Take old toys and create new ones!  Made me feel like Sid from Toy Story!


    Here are the creations...from both kids and adults!!















     


    Sunday, August 3, 2014

    Squishy Circuits

    I was able to help with a tween program at one of the branches.  It was called "Squishy Circuits"  and was inspired from the University of St.Thomas.

    Although the program was already developed I had a fun time working with the kids...and learning too!  It's amazing stuff!

    Here are some pictures from the event!