Winter Wonderland Guest Reader for 1st Grade Class

The day before Winter Break started I was invited to be a guest reader for a first grade class.  It was part of their "Winter Wonderland" celebration.  I read these fun books:

   

A Big Bed for Little Snow by Grace Lin 

Cookie Count: A Tasty Pop-up by Robert Sabuda (pop-up)

Froggy Gets Dressed by Jonathan London, illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz

 

Rhinos Who Snowboard by Julie Mammano 

The Snowmen: Pop-up Book by Caralyn Buehner and Mark Buehner (pop-up) 

Minecraft Build Competition: Winter Break Edition

Theme: Ice Mansion

Hosted another successful (yet low attended) Minecraft Build Competition during the holiday break. (To read how I run my Minecraft program, please read my past post on the topic.) This program is still a lot of fun to offer. 

How the children interpreted this theme was very interesting.  I would not necessarily call the buildings they built as mansions.  But it was fun watching the children work out how to place snow and fire next to each other. Also, many of the children found creative ways to add blocks that looked like snow but wasn't ice blocks.  

  

Bugs Bugging You Preschool Storytime

Storytime for 3 to 5 year olds:

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

• Literacy activity - Crunching Caterpillar 

I handed every child one colored leaf.  When I said their color, each child brought up their leaf to place on the board.  We then counted the leaves at the end.  I adapted this idea from something I saw in a Preschool Mailbox magazine (April/May 2008, page 34).

(sung to the tune of "Did You Ever See a Lassie")

Did you ever see a caterpillar, a caterpillar, a caterpillar?

Did you ever see a caterpillar chew on a [PURPLE] leaf?

He'll go crunch, crunch, crunch,

And munch, munch, munch.

Did you ever see a caterpillar chew on a [PURPLE]?

        

  

  

• Book #1 - The Very Quiet Cricket by Eric Carle 

• Stand-up activity - "Baby Bumblebee" from Toddler Action Songs by Cedarmont Kids

• Sit down activity - Two Moths (fingerplay written by Carol Hopkins)

I see two moths flying toward the light
They fly around in circles
Sometimes they fly fast
Sometimes they fly slow
But never do they touch that light as they fly out of sight

• Book #2 - Snappy Little Bug by Claire Nielson and Dug Steer, illustrated by Derek Matthews (pop-up)  

• Book #3 - Who's Bugging You?: A Sliding Surprise Book by Charles Reasoner (board book) 

• Closing - Tambourines to the song "Bumblebee (Buzz Buzz)" from Buzz Buzz by Laurie Berkner 

 

• Art experience - Dot stickers and crayons on a "Lots of Spots" caterpillar worksheet I found in a Mailbox magazine 

Autumn Leaves Are Falling Toddler Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

 

• Book #1 – The Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tafuri 

• Stand-up Activity – "Little Squirrel" from Movin' and Groovin' Home 2 by Kindermusik

• 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 Leaves (counting down color rhyme I found in a Preschool Mailbox magazine, October/November 2005, page 33) 

• Letter of the Day - "L" is for leaves

• Transition - Tommy & Tammy Thumb (fingerplay)

Tommy Thumb up,

Tommy Thumb down,

Tommy Thumb dancing all around town.

Tammy Thumb out,

Tammy Thumb in,

Tammy Thumb dancing all in a spin.

Dancing, dancing, dancing,

Dance them on your knees,

Dance them on your head,

Dance them on your shoulders,

Then tuck them into bed.

• Book #2 –  Let's Look at Fall by Sarah L. Schuette (non-fiction)

• Closing - Tambourines to the song "Kookaburra" from Where Is Thumbkin? by Kimbo 

• Art Experience – Glue craft foam and silk fall leaves to a headband 

November Guest Reader

Recently, I was a guest reader in a first grade classroom.  It was fun to share these books.  This class always appreciates a good story. 

   

I'm Going to Eat You!: A Spooky Pop-up Flap Book by Matt Mitter, illustrated by Jimmy Pickering (one of the students requested a pop-up book)
Piranhas Don't Eat Bananas by Aaron Blabey
There's a Dragon In Your Book by Tom Fletcher, illustrated by Greg Abbott
This Book Just Ate My Dog! by Richard Byrne

Birds Everywhere Toddler Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

 

 

• Book #1 – Owl Babies by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Patrick Benson

• Stand-up Activity – "If I Was a Bird" action song from Wiggleworms Love You by Old Town School of Folk Music

• 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 - Five Little Chickadees

I found this rhyme in a Wild Animal Baby magazine (Dec/Jan 2009).  

• Letter of the Day - "B" is for bird

• Transition - Tommy & Tammy Thumb (fingerplay)

Tommy Thumb up,

Tommy Thumb down,

Tommy Thumb dancing all around town.

Tammy Thumb out,

Tammy Thumb in,

Tammy Thumb dancing all in a spin.

Dancing, dancing, dancing,

Dance them on your knees,

Dance them on your head,

Dance them on your shoulders,

Then tuck them into bed.

• Book #2 –  Penguins, Penguins, Everywhere! by Bob Barner 

• Closing - Tambourines to the song "Kookaburra" from Where Is Thumbkin? by Kimbo 

 

 

• Art Experience – Crayons on an owl coloring sheet

Fall Books to Share with Library Field Trips

I did a few preschool tours and field trips these last couple of months.  I am always looking for good books to share as a group readaloud.  Here the ones I used this fall season:

  

Count the Monkeys by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Kevin Cornell
Good Night Owl by Greg Pizzoli
Shake the Tree!: A Minibombo Book by Chiara Vignocchi, paolo Chiarinotti, Silvia Borando

Thankful Turkeys Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

 

 

• Book #1 – Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes, illustrated by Doris Barrette

• Stand-up Activity – "If You're Happy and You Know It" from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music 

• 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 - Turkey Feathers

Hand out one turkey feather to each child.  The children bring up their turkey feathers to place on the board when their color is called.  

• Letter of the Day - "T" is for turkeys and thanks

• Book #2 – Five Silly Turkeys by Salina Yoon (board book) 

• Activity – I'm a Little Turkey (action song to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot" found in The Mailbox Preschool magazine, Oct./Nov. 1999, page 37)

• Closing - Egg shakers to the song "I Know a Chicken" from The Best of the Laurie Berkner Band by Laurie Berkner 

 

• Art Experience – Glue feathers on a turkey drawing

Puppy Dogs Toddler Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

 

• Book #1 – If You Give a Dog a Donut by Laura Numeroff, illustrated by Felicia Bond

• Stand-up Activity – Some Dogs (action rhyme adapted by Carol Hopkins)

Some dogs run
Some dogs bark
Some dogs jump
Some dogs growl
Some dogs roll in the grass
Some dogs yip
Some dogs sniff
Some dogs howl
And some dogs just wag their tails all day.

• 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 - Playing Drums On the Mat (clapping rhyme found in the book Artsy Toddler Storytimes: A Year's Worth of Ready-To-Go Programming by Carol Garnett Hopkins) 

• Letter of the Day - "D" is for dog

• Transition - Tommy & Tammy Thumb (fingerplay)

Tommy Thumb up,

Tommy Thumb down,

Tommy Thumb dancing all around town.

Tammy Thumb out,

Tammy Thumb in,

Tammy Thumb dancing all in a spin.

Dancing, dancing, dancing,

Dance them on your knees,

Dance them on your head,

Dance them on your shoulders,

Then tuck them into bed.

• Book #2 –  Puppy Dogs! by Katie Kobble, illustrated by Danny Brooks Dalby (board book, pop-up, lift-the-flap) 

• Closing - Rhythm sticks using the song "Goin' On a Bear Hunt" from Kids In Action by Greg and Steve 

 

• Art Experience – Make stuffed animal collars by using coloring pens on strips of white felt.  Place a small piece of sticky velcro (hook end) on one end.  ***This velcro can be a choking hazard so please warn caregivers or make it optional.