Hurray for Spring Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

• Book #1 – Hurray for Spring! by Patricia Hubbell, illustrated by Taia Morley

• Stand-up Activity – A Springtime Rhyme (action chant found in Preschool Mailbox magazine, February/March 2006, page 33)

• Bridge - Open, Shut Them (fingerplay)

Open, shut them
(open and close hands)
Open, shut them
Give a little clap (clap)
Open, shut them

Open, shut them
Put them in your lap
(put hands in lap)

Creep them, creep them
Under your chin
(creep fingers up chest)
Open your mouth, but don't put them in
(do as words say)

Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap
Open shut them
Open shut them
Put them in your lap 

• Flannelboard - Four Little Flowers (counting down rhyme I picked up on some website many years ago)

• Book #2 – In the Spring by Craig Brown

• Activity – Five Spring Flowers (fingerplay adapted by Carol Hopkins)

Flowers tall, flowers small

Flowers planted by the wall

Blowing in the springtime breezes

Not for little children sneezes

Let us count the flowers alive

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Five little flowers thrive in the springtime sun

• Closing - Scarves using the song "Flitter Flutter" from The Second Line by Johnette Downing 

 

  

• Art Experience – Glue crepe paper streamers to a short cardboard tube to make windsocks. 

Pandas In Action Preschool Storytime

Storytime for 3 to 5 year olds:

• Opening - "A Tooty Ta" from Dance Like This by Mr. Al

• Literacy activity flannelboard - P-A-N-D-A song (sing the traditional "Bingo" song but using the word Panda)

Directions: Create five two-sided flannelboard pieces. One side is a picture of a panda bear while the other side spells out the letters for the word "panda". Place the letter side out to start the song. Flip over to the panda bear side for the clapping. 

There is a special kind of bear and Panda is it's name-O,

P-A-N-D-A, P-A-N-D-A, P-A-N-D-A, 

and Panda is its name-O. 

(now turn over the P and clap on that spot while saying all the other letters, just like in the Bingo song)

_____-A-N-D-A

(for each consecutive verse turn over the next letter and clap, just like in the Bingo song)

• Book #1 - Panda & Polar Bear by Matthew J. Baek

• Stand-up activity - Panda Bear, Panda Bear (action rhyme adapted by Carol Hopkins from the traditional "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear Turn Around" rhyme)

Panda bear, panda bear turn around

Panda bear, panda bear touch the ground

Panda bear, panda bear dance on your toes

Panda bear, panda bear touch your nose

Panda bear, panda bear reach up high

Panda bear, panda bear jump to the sky

Panda bear, panda bear find your feet

Panda bear, panda bear find your seat

• Activity - The Big Panda Bear (action chant written by Carol Hopkins)

The big panda bear

(sign language for bear)

Gives a warning with a soft little growl

(growl)

Waves its paws in the air

(move hands like claws)

Shakes its great big head

(shake head)

Rubs its furry black ears

(rub ears)

Gives a great big roar

(loud roar)

Then goes to sleep among the green bamboo trees

(hands to side of face for sleep)

  

  

• Book #2 - If You Were a Panda Bear by Wendell and Florence Minor

• Book #3 - Baby Pandas by Bethany Olson

• Closing - Dance with scarves to the song "Silly Dance Contest" from Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song and Other Contagious Tunes by Jim Gill

  

 

• Art experience - Cut out a panda picture. Then cut and glue green strips of paper to make bamboo around the panda or the panda is eating bamboo. (Materials: black construction paper, panda picture, green paper, scissors, glue)

Peeps Science Adventure, a S.T.R.E.A.M. event

Being a scientist with Peeps candy.

I set out a bunch of stations where children can pretend to be scientists with Peeps sweet treats. Most of my ideas came from a lovely packet of science ideas found at the site Teachers Pay Teachers. It was totally worth the $3!  I only made a few adjustments and added only one additional science station. 

To start us off thinking like scientists I handed out one peep to every child. We talked about the smell of the Peep, its taste, and its feel. The children then recorded their words with a pencil in their personal "Peep Journal." Next, I handed each child a Ziploc bag with 3 Peeps and told them to explore the different stations using their journal.

MEASUREMENT STATION - At this station the children observed what type of Peeps they had (rabbit or duck). Then they chose one Peep to weigh on a kitchen scale (in grams, of course). They also used a ruler to measure the length and width of their marshmallow friend.

PEEPS IN A POND - The children had to hypothesis what would happen to a Peep in the following liquids: water, lemon-lime soda, baking soda and vinegar. I had some Peeps set aside just for this station. The children could then draw a picture or write what happened to each Peep. (Note: This was a great station but I don't think I would use the baking soda and vinegar again. It didn't seem to do anything but bubble when they were first combined. I would try to find another liquid to use here.)

FREEZING PEEPS - I am lucky that there is a small refrigerator in my library's meeting room. I froze some Peeps at home in small Ziploc bags. I brought them in that day and placed them in the tiny freezer compartment of the fridge. The children had to hypothesis what they thought would happen to a Peep when frozen, then explain in writing or a picture why or why not their hypothesis was correct. The parents were especially impressed with the state of a frozen Peep. 

HOW MANY DOMINOES? - How many dominoes will it take to make a Peep sink?  Children needed to hypothesize and then experiment with the dominoes in the water. (Note: Make sure your dominoes sink. I knew my dominoes had home would, but the ones at work did not. A learning opportunity for everyone!)

PEEP STRUCTURES - Build a tall structure using marshmallows and toothpicks. (Note: I used the less pricey mini marshmallows here for the building, so the children could go crazy with height. But that did not stop the children from adding a Peep or two to their finished products.)

Overall, this was a fun program to do with the children. Most of the parents were also having fun. It was easy to put together, although the Peeps can get expensive if you have a large group.