Family Storytime - Apples

Last week we read and did activities about apples in all my storytimes.  You can see last week's posts at the links below:

http://storytimewithmisstara.blogspot.com/2013/09/wiggle-worms-apples.html 

http://storytimewithmisstara.blogspot.com/2013/09/ouch-by-ragnhild-scamell.html


Here are some pictures from Family Storytime:

Some of the kiddos working on an apple worksheet I created:

 

I wanted to include these fun pictures of my co-worker, Miss Erica, who assists me in evening Family Storytime. She is so close to finishing her MLS (Master of Library Science degree)... the library world is about to get very lucky!!

Miss Erica coordinates all her outfits to match our weekly themes:

 

Wiggle Worms - Apples

I don't usually theme my Wiggle Worms program, but once the "ber"* months are here I can't help but to get seasonal!  We read about apples this week:

 

*In NY, we referred to the "ber" (or burrrr) months as September, October, November, December....

 

Letter of the Day:  Aa for apple

 

Animal / Puppet Song:  "If I Was a Bird" from the Wiggleworms Love You album

 

 

Discussion Flannel:

Apples aren't just red.  They can be yellow and green as well. 

What is left of an apple when you're done eating it?  A core.  This was a new vocabulary word for some of our younger Wiggle Worms.

 

Books: 

 

(Monday's group)

The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall.  I shorten this book quite a bit with toddlers.  It tells the story of an apple tree starting with its bare winter branches (pictured above)

 

(Tuesday's Group)

Ouch! by Ragnhild Scamell

 See my complete Ouch! blog post here.  C'mon, it's a fun book with puppet and props!

 

Flannel / Music / Movement:

 

"5 Green Apples" by Sharon, Lois, and Bram

 

I was thrilled that the parents and kids had so much fun with this song because I don't usually use it with this age group.  Each time we "picked" an apple, I pulled a felt apple off the tree and crumpled it into my hand while eating it so that it disappeared.

 

Listen to a sample here

 

Of course Farmer Brown wanted all the kids to have apples, so we ran around and handed these apple stickers to all the kids

 

 Look at this adorable toddler with her apple sticker:

 

Flannel Rhyme: 

 

(Idea originally from Storytime A,B,C's)

 

I found an apple on the ground

It looked delicious, red, and round

I picked it up and took a nibble

Oh my goodness!  There was a worm in the middle!

 

 

Ouch! by Ragnhild Scamell

I am reading this book with my Pre-K group this week for our apple theme.  I used it with the toddlers today (but really shortened the text) and they enjoyed it too!

 

Ouch!  by Ragnhild Scamell. 

 

Just as hedgehog is getting into her nest for a long nap, a falling apples gets stuck on her spiny back. 

 

Meet Hedgehog:

 

Every time a friend tries to help, something else gets stuck

(acorn, pear, leaf, paper, waterlilly, black berries):

 

Poor Hedgehog!:

Good thing Goat is hungry for some lunch!  Problem solved:

 

Finally Hedgehog can take her nap in her blanket of leaves:

 

Hedgehog's blanket:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Firefighters: Pre-K and Family Storytime

Firefighters:

 

Pre-K                    

43 kids

5 siblings

32 adults

 

  

The kids are always so good at guessing the theme!

 

Books:

 

Fire Fighter PiggyWiggy by Christyan Fox.  A young pig imagines what it would be like to be a fearless fire fighter who slides down a pole, drives a fire engine, and saves someone from danger.

 

Fire Truck by Ivan Ultz.  This is a "Sing and Read" book published by scholastic.  We watched a projected version of it.  I love that by the time we get about half way through all the kids are singing along.  YouTube link

 

 

"Flannel" (I used clip art today):

 

Who uses this?  Police officer or firefighter?  I held up different pictures and the kids called out which side of the board I should put them on:

 

 

Movement:

Five Brave Firefighters
I got this idea straight from Read, Rhyme and Sing's blog Check out her craft.  It's really fun!!!

5 brave firefighters waiting by the pole
Ring, ring, ring goes the bell (I rang the bells you see on the board)
And down one goes

The kids stood as we did the rhyme and "rang" scarves.  We slid down the pole the normal way - then really fast, really slow, and then while spinning around.

 

Music/Movement:

We sang "Drive the Fire Truck" with scarves (listen to sample here).  It's a short song so we sang it a few times.

Hurry! Hurry! Drive the fire truck X3
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
Hurry! Hurry! Put the latter up X3
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
Hurry! Hurry! Put the fire out X3
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
Hurry! Hurry! Drive the fire truck X3
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
Whew!

 

Letter of the Day:

I randomly flipped to a page in the book Firefighters A - Z and landed on H:

 

Craft:  The kids made firefighters that I will cut out and glue onto a large piece of poster board.  Then I will paint a verrrry long hose connecting them all.  I will present this card from our kids at Perry to our community firefighters at the Gilbert Fire Station.

 

Some of our finished firefighters:

 

How the card will be assembled:

Family Storytime:

Miss Erica - always dressed for the theme and all ready to do Family Storytime with me tonight:

 

Letter Activity:  I left the crayons and markers out from this morning so the kids can work on this activity if they'd like F for firefighters

 

Wiggle Worms - We appreciate our community helpers!

This week is a week in American history where I like to emphasize my appreciation for our community helpers, especially firefighters and police officers! 

Thank you!

Mr. Bear, our weekly Wiggle Worms mascot, showed his appreciation too.

 

 

 

 Letter of the Day:  Ff  for fire truck

 We then used our bodies to make the letter "F"

 

 

Music Activity:

 

We sang "Drive the Fire Truck" (listen to sample here) with scarves.

 

Hurry!  Hurry! Drive the fire truck X3

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

Hurry! Hurry! Put the ladder up X3

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

Hurry! Hurry! Put the fire out X3

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

Hurry! Hurry! Drive the fire truck X3

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

Whew!

Dragons!

I had fun reading about dragons yesterday with my Pre-K and Family Storytime groups!

Theme: Dragons

Draw and Tell Story:  "The Emperor's Dragon" by Dianne De La Casas.  I had the joy of attending her workshop at an ALA conference in Anaheim a few years ago.  This story comes from Handmade Tales: Stories to Make and Take

Books:

If I Had a Dragon by Tom Ellery. Tired of playing with his little brother, a boy imagines what it would be like to have a dragon for a playmate instead.

Not  Your Typical Dragon by Dan Bar-el.  When Crispin turns seven, he's expected to breath fire like all other dragons, but despite all efforts, he can't.

Meet Crispin (from Not Your Typical Dragon):

On this birthday, he breathes whipped cream instead of fire while trying to light his own candles:

Crispin breathes band aids at the Dragon Doctor's office:

 

Even after pink medicine, all Crispin can muster out is marshmallows, teddy bears, beach balls...

...and bubbles!

 

 

At a friendly knight's suggestion, Crispin eats a whole can of spicy chilies.... but only breathes out red party ribbons:

 

 

Here's an extra spicy chilie for you, Crispin:

 

 When Crispin's father starts a fire that sets the whole town ablaze, Crispin is the only heroic dragon that can breathe water to save the day!  (Yes, the kids got spritzed) (And cheered!)

When everyone celebrated, who else would provide the music?  - Crispin, of course!

 

Music Movement:

 

 

"Dragon Hunt"

We marched along to a really fun song called "Dragon Hunt".  We encountered all sorts of obstacles before finding Crispin in the cave.

 

Movement Rhymes:

 

Little Dragon (from King County Library System)

 

Little dragon counts to three,

Little dragon bends one knee.

Little dragon touches his toes,

Little dragon touches his nose.

Little dragon makes a funny face,

Little dragon runs in place.

Little dragon lays on the floor,

Little dragon starts to snore.

 

Swing Your Dragon Tail (by Miss Rebekah at Jacksonville Public Library

 

Turn around once and swing your dragon tail.

Turn around twice and flap your wings like sails.

Turn around three times, stomp your feet and roar.

Jump up high and then sit down on the floor.

 

Letter of the Day:  Dd for dragon

We spelled out the word dragon with foam letters and then made the letter D with our bodies.

 

 

 

Ending Activity:

 

Pre-K Storytime:

 

Storytime ended with the kids doing a "Puff the Magic Dragon" parade around the library.  I only had 35 finger puppet dragons, so I pointed out the importance of ribbons and rhythm sticks in a parade too!  No issues.  As they paraded, "Puff the Magic Dragon" played loudly in the middle of the library and I lead them with my big dragon.

 

 

 

 

Evening Family Storytime:

 

This group has a lot of toddlers, so we ended (also in the middle of the library) with our very own bubble-breathing dragon.  Two of my co-workers jumped in so we had lots of bubbles going while "Bernie the Bubble Breathing Dragon" played.

 

 As always:

Parents:  You take lots of pictures in storytime!  Send them to me - I'd love to put them on my blog!
Email: tarabudka@gmail.com

Fellow programmers:  Any questions on resources or music?  Just contact me! Leave a comment and / email me at tarabudka@gmail.com