Nocturnal Animals - A Family STEAM & Stories event

This program was intended to introduce STEAM concepts through stories and exploration activity stations to families with children ages 3-8 years old.    

Intro song:  Hello Friends (sign language action song for the words hello, friends, science, fun, and time)

Hello friends,
Hello friends,
Hello friends,
It's time to say hello.

Hello science,
Hello science,
Hello science,
It's time to have some fun.   

 

Demonstration and Storytime:

·         Show the word cards for nocturnal, diurnal, and crepuscular.  Talk about what these words mean. 

·         Hand out a picture of an animal to each child.  Invite them to place the picture on the whiteboard under the category (nocturnal or diurnal) they think it belongs under. 

 

 

·         Read: After the Moonrise by Rich Lo

·         Animals who survive well at night have special adaptations (word card) that help them.  List some adaptations: Vision, ears for better hearing (echolocation), smell (raccoons), bioluminescence (glow). 

·         Instruct on how to use the stations. 

 

Stations: 

 

Station #1- Listen like a bat (as seen at https://academy.animaljam.com/posts/discover-echolocation or https://www.abbythelibrarian.com/2014/10/preschool-lab-bats.html ) 

The children follow the directions to work with a partner.  One partner wears a blindfold while the other partner rattles a maraca around the room.  The first partner points to the rattle sound when they hear it.     

Station #2 – Opossum paper craft (adapted from what I saw at https://inthebagkidscrafts.com/possum-craft-for-kids/ )

Children cut out, color, and assemble a paper opossum.  They can even tape a pipe cleaner to its behind to then wrap around a craft stick or chopstick.  The paper opossum looks cute hanging from its “branch”.      

 

Station #3 – Hoot Owl Hoot board game

Invite the children to play this color recognition board game (similar to Candyland). 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Nocturnal Animals Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink, Sticky Sticky Bubblegum

  

 

• Book #1 – Night Owl by Toni Yuly

• Stand-up Activity – During the Night (action chant written by Carol Hopkins)

During the night I know that...

Stars twinkle in the sky

Bats fly and swoop through the air

Owls flap their wings before saying, "Who-Who"

Cats jump from place to place

Opossums climb up trees

Raccoons run across the grass

Wolves howl at the moon

And I lie in my bed to sleep

• 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 Bats On a Dark Night (counting rhyme I found at Esther Storytimes Wiki)

• Letter of the Day - "N" is for night

• 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 –  Hedgehogs by Julie Murray

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

  

• Art Experience – Chalk coloring on bat finger puppets

Nocturnal Animals

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink (from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck at Kimbo), Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – I Walk At Night by Lois Duncan, paintings by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher
• Stand-up Activity - During the Night (action chant written by Carol Hopkins)

During the night I know that...
Stars twinkle in the sky
Bats fly and swoop through the air
Owls flap their wings before saying, "Who-Who"
Cats jump from place to place
Opossums climb up trees
Raccoons run across the grass
Wolves howl at the moon
And I lie in my bed to sleep

• 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/Math Activity - Five Little Bats On a Dark Night (counting rhyme I found at EstherStorytimes Wiki)
• Sit-down Activity - Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star (traditional action song)

Twinkle, twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are
Up above the work so high
Like  a diamond in the sky
Twinkle, twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are

• Book #2 - Good-night, Owl! by Pat Hutchins
• Activity – The Owl (action chant I found in many places)

There's a wide eyed owl
With a pointed nose
Two pointed ears
And claws for toes
When he sits up in the tree
And he looks at you
He flaps his wings
And he says, "Who-Who!"

• Closing - rhythm sticks to the song "Going On  a Bear Hunt" by Gret & Steve from Kids In Action
• Craft – Decorate black construction paper bat finger-puppets with colored chalk

Nature Walk Storytime

Storytime for 1 to 3 year olds:

• Opening - Skinnamarink (from Car Songs: Songs to Sing Anywhere by Dennis Buck at Kimbo), Sticky Sticky Bubblegum
• Book #1 – Good-night Owl! by Pat Hutchins
• Stand-up Activity - The Owl (an action rhyme I found many years ago)

There's a wide eyed owl
With a pointed nose
Two pointed ears
And claws for toes
When he sits up in the tree
And he looks at you
He flaps his wings
And he says "Whoo-Whoo!"

• 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/Math Activity - One Little Raccoon (counting song to the tune of "Ten Little Indians")

1 little, 2 little, 3 little raccoons
4 little, 5 little, 6 little raccoons
7 little, 8 little, 9 little raccoons
10 little raccoons prowling in the dark

• Sit-down Activity - Two Little Blackbirds (traditional)

Two little blackbirds sitting on a fence
One named Jack, the other named Jill
Fly away Jack
Fly away Jill
Come back Jack
Come back Jill
Two little blackbirds sitting on a fence

• Book #2 - Maisy's Nature Walk by Lucy Cousins (pop-up)
• Activity – Baby Bumblebee (action song from Toddler Action Songs by Cedarmont Kids)
• Closing - Scarves to the song "Flitter, Flutter" from The Second Line by Johnette Downing
• Craft – Decorate a butterfly