Book: AdoraBULL by Alison Donald
Nonfiction Book Bites: read/showed snippets from World’s Cutest Animals by Lonely Planet Kids, Animal Antics by David Harvey, How to Draw a Unicorn and Other Cute Animals by Lulu Mayo, and This Book is Cute! by Sarah Wassner Flynn
Book: Rot by Ben Clanton
Tag: animals
Cute Second Grade Visits
Book: Rot by Ben Clanton
Nonfiction Book Bites: read/showed snippets from 125 Cute Animals by National Geographic Kids, Cute as an Axolotl by Jess Keating*, and How to Draw Cute Animals by Angela Nguyen
Storytell: “Chickens!” (I learned this “boo baby” story from storyteller Priscilla Howe)
*Jess Keating has a fun “draw your cutest critter” handout on her website that I gave to the teachers to distribute to the kids
When I repeated this visit in 2020, I replaced the Nonfiction Book Bites with World’s Cutest Animals by Lonely Planet Kids, How to Draw a Unicorn and Other Cute Animals by Lulu Mayo, and This Book is Cute! by Sarah Wassner Flynn
February 2018 “Animal Friends” Second Grade Visits
My third round of second grade visits started last week!
Poetry Book Bite: “I Made My Dog a Valentine” from It’s Valentine’s Day by Jack Prelutsky OR “My Dog Has Got No Manners” from If Pigs Could Fly… by Bruce Lansky
Nonfiction Book Bite: read a 5-minute story from Animal BFFs by Aubre Andrus (and book-talked other animal nonfiction books)
Book: Big Mean Mike by Michelle Knudsen OR Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown
Storytell: Monkey and Frog (West African tale as told by Laura Simms on her Four Legged Tales cd)
Schools visited: Heritage, Laurel Hill
Sloths Hang Out in the Rainforest
It’s World Rainforest Week… and October 19 is Sloth International Day… so I found it appropriate to do a Sloth/Rainforest Storytime. Plus I had sloth socks and a sloth puppet that I wanted to show off! 😉
As the kids gathered for storytime, I showed them fun pictures of real sloths from A Little Book of Sloth by Lucy Cooke while my sloth puppet just hung around on my arm, snoozing. Later, I also showed them my cool rain stick!
OPENING:
Opening Song: If You Want to Hear a Story
PROGRAM:
Read-aloud #1 (Big Book): Step Inside the Rain Forest by Meish Goldish
Fingerplay: Rain Is Falling Down
Action Song: The Itsy Bitsy Spider
Read-aloud #2 (Nonfiction): The Sloth: World’s Slowest Mammal by Joy Paige
Song/Fingerplay: Hands Up High
Song/Fingerplay: Blackbirds (Only I changed it to “Two little parrots…” for our rainforest theme)
Read-aloud #3: “Slowly, Slowly, Slowly,” said the Sloth by Eric Carle
Flannel: 5 Little Sloths (Thank you, Storytiming blog for an awesome idea!)
Action Song: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star (We sang the sloths a lullaby)
Read-aloud #3: The Very Sleepy Sloth by Andrew Murray
Flannel: Head to Toe by Eric Carle
Dancing Song: “B-Banana/Monkey See, Monkey Do” from Carole Peterson’s Stinky Cake
CLOSING:
Closing Song: We Wave Good-bye Like This
ADDITIONAL BOOKS: Had my group been slightly older, I would have liked to have shared Sparky! by Jenny Offhill. Another fun “general” rainforest book is Way Up High in a Tall Green Tree by Jan Peck.
*Rain Is Falling Down
Rain is falling down,
(Raise hands up high and flutter fingers down)
Splash!
(Slap floor with gusto)
Rain is falling down,
(Raise hands up high and flutter fingers down)
Splash!
(Slap the floor)
Pitter patter, pitter patter,
(Quietly. Flutter fingers delicately.)
Rain is falling down,
(Flutter fingers down.)
Splash!
(Slap floor with gusto)
A Zoo to You!
In celebration of me going to the zoo last Saturday and of our upcoming A Zoo to You! program at the Dundee Library (Real live animals! At the library!), our last summer storytime (sniff sniff) was all about Zoo Animals 🙂
Our fall storytime schedule starts back up on Monday, September 8! Have a great rest of the summer!
OPENING:
Opening Song: If You Want to Hear a Story
PROGRAM:
Read-aloud #1: Zoo Animals 123 by Rebecca Fjelland Davis
*Flannel: Elephants in the Ring
**Action Song: This is the Way We Clap Our Hands
Read-aloud #2 (Big Book): Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
Action Song: Silly Hat Song
Action Song: Fun with Hands
Read-aloud #3 Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing by Judi Barrett
Fingerplay: Open, Shut Them
Flannel: Sam Who Never Forgets by Eve Rice
Read-aloud #4 (Big Book): Head to Toe by Eric Carle
*Action Rhyme: Not Say a Single Word
Dancing Song: “Animal Action” from Greg and Steve’s Kids in Motion
CLOSING:
Closing song: We Wave Goodbye
*Elephants in the Ring (Source unknown.)
Little elephant in the ring
standing on a piece of string
My, my! What a stunt!
Let’s all clap for the elephant!
(Continue with all 5 elephants)
**This is the Way We Clap Our Hands
(Tune: “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush”)
This is the way we clap our hands,
Clap our hands, clap our hands.
This is the way we clap our hands,
So early in the morning.
This is the way we tap our toes…
This is the way we touch our nose…
This is the way we stomp our feet…
***Not Say a Single Word
(Suit actions to words.)
Can you hop, hop, hop like a bunny?
Can you run, run, run like a dog?
Can you walk, walk, walk like a elephant?
Can you jump, jump, jump like a frog?
Can you swim, swim, swim like a goldfish?
Can you fly, fly, fly like a bird?
Can you sit right down and fold your hands,
And not say a single word?
What Does the Fox Say?
Yes, I DID use that catchy song in storytime today! It was a packed house… Very fun 😀
OPENING:
Opening Song: If You Want to Hear a Story
PROGRAM:
Read-aloud #1: My Lucky Day by Keiko Kasza
Flannel: A-Hunting Socks (Thank you, Miss Tara!)
Action Song: If You’re Wearing Red Today
Read-aloud #2: Fox Makes Friends by Adam Relf
Action Song: Tony Chestnut
Action Song: Fun with Hands
Read-aloud #3 (Big Book): Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins
Fingerplay: Beehive
Action Song: The Itsy Bitsy Spider
Read-aloud #4: That is Not a Good Idea by Mo Willems
Flannel: What Does the Fox Say? (did first verse of the song as a flannel, had the kids call out the animal sounds… sort of like Miss Sarah did)
Dancing Song (with scarves): The Fox (by Ylvis, used the Kidz Bop: Party Pop! version)
CLOSING:
Closing song: We Wave Goodbye
Don’t Let the Goat Eat the Books!
Don’t you think that letting a goat into a library would be a baaaaad idea? READING about goats at storytime is a good idea, though! 🙂
OPENING:
Opening Song: If You Want to Hear a Story
PROGRAM:
Read-aloud #1: Let’s Count Goats by Mem Fox
Fingerplay: Ten Little Fingers
Flannel Story: No Sleep for the Sheep by Karen Beaumont
Song/Fingerplay: Tommy Thumb
Song (with flannel pieces): Down on Grandpa’s Farm
Read-aloud #2: There’s a Billy Goat in the Garden by Laurel Dee Gugler
*Fingerplay: Beehive
**Flannel: Here is a Spring Flower
Song: Let Everyone Clap Hands with Me (from Pete Seeger: American Folk, Game & Activity Songs for Children)
Read-aloud #3: The Three Billy Goats Gruff, pictures by Stephen Carpenter
Dancing Song: “Shake My Sillies Out” from Raffi’s More Singable Songs
CLOSING:
Closing song: We Wave Goodbye
ADDITIONAL BOOKS not used this time: Grumpy Goat by Brett Helquist, Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great by Bob Shea, Bill Grogan’s Goat by Mary Ann Hoberman
*The Beehive
Here is a beehive
(Make a fist)
Where are the bees?
Hidden away where nobody sees.
Watch as they come out of their hive—
One, two, three, four, five,
(Extend fingers one at a time)
They’re alive! Buzzzzzz!
(Wiggle your fingers)
**Here is a Spring Flower (using flannels of flowers with emotional faces)
Here is a spring flower who’s happy
Here is a spring flower who sighs
Here is a spring flower who’s sleepy
Here is a spring flower who cries
Here is a spring flower who’s angry
Here is a spring flower who’s sad
Here is a spring flower who’s noisy
And here is a spring flower who’s glad!
It’s a Jungle out there!!
Now that we are in the thick of Summer Reading, it really is a jungle out there in the children’s department! So much going on! It’s not too late to sign up! 🙂
Here’s our “jungle” themed storytime:
OPENING:
Opening Song: If You Want to Hear a Story
PROGRAM:
Read-aloud #1: I’m the Scariest Thing in the Jungle! by David G. Derrick, Jr.
Flannel: Teasing Mr. Crocodile (Words can be found here. Felt board set came from Artfelt.)
Fingerplay: Open, Shut Them
Read-aloud #2: Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow
Song/Fingerplay (with finger puppets): Ten in the Bed
Flannel: Five Elephants in the Bathtub
Read-aloud #3: Abigail by Catherine Raynor
Action Song: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
Flannel: Giraffe with Many Spots (had a blank giraffe, put on colored spots; children named colors and counted spots)
Action Song: If You’re Wearing Red Today
Read-aloud #4: If You’re Happy and You Know It (Jungle Edition) by James Warhola
Dancing Song: “Elephant Swing” from Animal Walks by Georgiana Stewart
CLOSING:
Closing Song: We Wave Good-bye Like This
–NOTE: Originally, I had wanted to do an all giraffe storytime… but decided to expand it to “jungle” to make planning easier. Besides Abigail by Catherine Raynor, there are a couple of other new and fun giraffe books: When Elephant Met Giraffe by Paul Gude AND The Short Giraffe by Neil Flory. I could have also done Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae. Maybe someday…
Doggy Paws to Read!
This year’s Summer Reading Program, “Paws to Read,” has begun at the Dundee Library and Randall Oaks Branch of the Fox River Valley Public Library District!!! We have SO MUCH going on (see our events calendar) including lots of STORYTIMES.
I started our six week session of drop-in summer storytimes at Randall Oaks with a dog theme. WOOF! More animal tales to follow…
P.S. I have a special Mo Willems Pigeon Storytime happening at the Dundee Library this Saturday at 2 p.m.! Come bring the family for some summer reading fun 🙂
OPENING:
Opening Song: If You Want to Hear a Story
PROGRAM:
Read-aloud #1: Bark, George by Jules Feiffer (Also: use swallowing “dog” puppet with various animal finger puppets inside)
Song (with finger puppets): Old MacDonald
Read-aloud #2: Oh No, George by Chris Haughton
*Fingerplay: 10 Little Doggies
Song/Fingerplay: Fun with Hands
Read-aloud #3: Digger Dog by William Bee
Song/Fingerplay: Hands Up High
Song/Fingerplay: Where is Thumbkin?
Flannel: Where’s Spot? by Eric Hill
Read-aloud #4: Pigeon Wants a Puppy! by Mo Willems
Dancing Song: “Silly Dance Contest” from Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song
CLOSING:
Closing Song: We Wave Good-bye Like This
*Ten Little Doggies
Ten little doggies went out one day
(hold 10 fingers up)
To dig in the dirt and play, play, play.
(Pretend to dig like a dog with both hands)
Five were spotted, and five were not,
(Hold up one hand at a time)
and at dinner time they ate a lot!
(Pretend to eat)
Let’s make a joyful noise for the New Year!
The year is still so young and full of possibilities (like a newborn child)… I think it’s time for another baby storytime!
Joyful Noise Bibs to Books Storytime with Jennifer: September 29, 2006
OPENING:
Opening rhyme: Brown Bear
Opening Rhyme/Song: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”
PROGRAM:
Use stacking boxes to hide bee finger puppet and to introduce following song and book.
Song (with finger puppet): “Bringing Home a Baby Bumble Bee”
Book: “Buzz, Buzz, Buzz,” Went Bumblebee by Colin West
Nursery Rhyme Flannel/ Song: Itsy Bitsy Spider
Book: Little White Duck by Walt Whippo
Flannel Song: “Barnyard Gate”
Song (with shakers): “Shake Your Sillies Out” from Raffi’s More Singable Songs
BOOK SHARE
Rhyme (song): I Love Books
TOY TIME
Rhyme: Tick Tock
Note: I sang “Clean Up” (Barney-style) while the babies helped clean up books and toys.
CLOSING:
Rhyme (song with finger puppet): Flutter, Flutter Butterfly
Closing rhyme: Tickle the Clouds