BEARS

BEARS Preschool Storytime 

During Preschool Storytime this week, we read stories, sang songs, and had fun with action rhymes that were all about Bears!

Saying Hello ---

We woke up our furry storytime-rat puppet, Nutmeg, with a loud and cheerful, "Good morning, Nutmeg!"  After Nutmeg said her good mornings to all, she settled back down in her Cat in the Hat bed to listen to our stories.

We opened storytime with our Good Morning song that incorporates sign language.  Check out Jbrary's video for the correct signs.  The words to the song go like this:

Hello, friends
Hello, friends
Hello, friends
It's time to say hello. 
[Credit: Dana and Lindsey, Jbrary.com]

Each word is said while integrating sign language.  The kids are getting really good at the hand signs in this song.  They asked to sing it again, which is a good sign.

Opening Song ---

"If You're Ready for a Story"  
[tune: If You're Happy and You Know it] 
[Credit (with minor adaptions) jbrary.com / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NC91yfzan3E&safe=active]

If you're ready for a story Clap Your Hands!
If you're ready for a story Clap Your Hands!
If you're ready for a story, then you're surly in your glory,
If you're ready for a story Clap Your Hands!
[Repeat with *Nod Your Head!, * Sit So Still, and * Do All Three!]

Books ---

Never Ask a Bear by Louise Bonnett-Rampersaud; illustrated by Doris Barnette ---

Bears in the Bath by Shirley Parenteau; illustrated by David Walker ---

How Do You Sleep? by Louise Bonnett-Rampersaud; illustrated by Kristin Kest --- 

 

Extension Activities ---

Props Used: Five flannel bears and a flannel bed

 Action Song:

Five Bears in the Bed
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv4Utm-OJK8&safe=active] 
We incorporated the colors of the bears into the song.

Five bears in the bed and the red one said, "Roll over!  Roll over!"
They all rolled over and purple fell out!
[Repeat: Four through two, then bring them all back again!]

Big Brown Bear
[Credit: Jbrary.com / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CM7purfhk3s]

Grrr! Grrr! went the big brown bear one day,
Grrr! Grrr! went the big brown bear.
Grrr! Grrr! went the big brown bear one day,
So they all went Grrr! Grrr! Grrr!

Buuut...

We all know bears go,Huggy – huggy – hug Huggy – huggy – hug Huggy – huggy – hug
We all know bears go,Huggy – huggy – hug They don't go Grrr! Grrr! Grrr!

Action Rhyme:

Brown Bear, Brown Bear 
[Credit: Various adaptions]
[Tune: Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around]

Brown bear, brown bear, turn around:
Brown bear, brown bear, touch the ground.
Stand up tall and blink your eyes;
Now raise your paws up to the sky.

Brown bear, brown bear, touch your toes;
Brown bear, brown bear, tap you rnose.
Clap your paws, now stomp your feet;
Turn around and take your seat.

We repeated this rhyme three times, each time with a different kind of bear. Between all three presentations, our kids chose Black (2x), Fluffy, Panda, and Polar (2x)

Little Mouse:

This game works on colors, counting and 'paying attention' (the other kids will let you know if a certain color has already been called.)  After our books are read, we play a round or two of Little Mouse.  See Nutmeg's Debut! for more information about our Little Mouse game.

Saying Goodbye ---

We closed storytime with our goodbye song which incorporates sign language.  The words and signs to the song are very similar to our Hello song:

Goodbye, friends
Goodbye, friends
Goodbye, friends
It's time to say goodbye.

Again, check out Jbrary's video for the correct signs.  

Feeding Nutmeg ---

When storytime came to an end, the kids lined up and fed Nutmeg imaginary food they brought in their pockets, gave her high-fives and hugs, or just pet her head.  Today she ate corn, a half dozen lollipops, chocolate chip cookies, two apples, a handful of grapes, and a banana.

AUTUMN LEAVES

AUTUMN LEAVES Preschool Storytime 

Saying Hello:

We woke up our furry storytime rat puppet, Nutmeg, with a loud and cheerful, "Good morning, Nutmeg!"  She said good morning to all the children and sat on her Cat in the Hat bed to watch the rest of storytime.

We opened storytime with our Good Morning song that incorporates sign language.  Check out Jbrary's video for the correct signs.  The words to the song go like this:

Hello, friends
Hello, friends
Hello, friends
It's time to say hello. 
[Credit: Dana and Lindsey, Jbrary.com]

Each word is said while integrating sign language.  The kids really loved this song, almost as much as the storytime parents and outreach teachers did.

Props used:

Felt squirrel and five felt acorns - I used these for the Five Little Acorns fingerplay

Leaf sticks: Leaves are cut out of foam sheets and glued to paint sticks.  Each child had their own.  We used our leaf sticks for our Autumn Leaf song and the book, Fall Mixed Up by Bob Raczka.

Action Songs:
"If You're Ready for a Story"  
[tune: If You're Happy and You Know it] 

* Clap Your Hands!
* Nod Your Head!
* Sit so still  (The kids really love this part and usually end up giggling part way through.)
* Do All Three!

 "Scarecrow, Scarecrow, Turn Around"
[include lots of movement when acting out the verses] 

Scarecrow, scarecrow, turn around 
Scarecrow, scarecrow, touch the ground
Scarecrow, scarecrow, bend down low
Scarecrow, scarecrow, touch your toes
Scarecrow, scarecrow,reach up high
Scarecrow, scarecrow, touch the sky

* We repeated this three times going a little faster each time.
[credit: http://www.learningstationmusic.com/blog/2013/11/13/scarecrow-autumn-songs-children/] 


Action Rhyme:
"Autumn Leaves"

Little leaves fall gently down, (sway leaves slowly, back and forth)
Red and yellow,
Orange and brown;
Whirling, whirling, (gently spin in a circle with leaves)
Round and round, (spin in the other direction)
Quietly, without a sound; (Shhhh!)
Falling softly to the ground, (slowly sway leaves downward)
Down and down and down and down (continue to sway all the way to the ground - my kids actually stretched out on the ground with their leaves in hand) [Credit: Words: Unknown / Actions: Michelle Bullock, Bellevue Public Library]


Finger Play:

"Five Little Acorns"

Five little acorns, lying on the ground,
The first one said, "Oh my I'm getting round!"
The second one said, "I think I'm getting fat."
The third one said, "I have a nice hat."
The fourth one said, "There's a squirrel over there!"
The fifth one said, "Well I don't care."
Down came the squirrel and swept them all away, up to his nest for a cold winter day. 

Little Mouse:

This game works on colors, counting and 'paying attention' (the other kids will let you know if a certain color has already been called.)  After our books are read, we play a round or two of Little Mouse.  See Nutmeg's Debut! for more information about our Little Mouse game.

Books:

Leaves, written and illustrated by David Ezra Stein ---  

This is an adorable story about a young bear's first autumn.  When he notices the leaves falling, he sets out to find out what is happening.  The kids enjoyed talking about the special leaves they have discovered so far this fall.


Fall Mixed Up, by Bob Raczka; illustrated by Chad Cameron ---

This story starts with, "Bears gather nuts. Geese hibernate. Squirrels fly south in big figure eights."  This book held the kids attention as they listened for mixed up sentences.  When they heard something that wasn't right, they held up their leaf sticks and waved them in the air.

Saying Goodbye:
We closed storytime with our new goodbye song.  The words to the song are very similar to our Hello song:

Goodbye, friends
Goodbye, friends
Goodbye, friends
It's time to say goodbye.

Again, check out Jbrary's video for the correct signs.  

When storytime came to an end, the kids lined up and fed Nutmeg imaginary food they had in their pockets, gave her high-fives, or just pet her head. Today, she ate xxxx.

BARNYARD

BARNYARD Preschool Storytime

Saying Hello:

First, we woke up Nutmeg, our funny and feisty storytime-rat puppet, with a loud and cheerful, "Good morning, Nutmeg!"  

After Nutmeg said her good mornings and 'counted' all the children, we opened storytime with our Good Morning song that incorporates sign language.  Check out Jbrary's video for the correct signs.  The words to the song go like this:

Hello, friends
Hello, friends
Hello, friends
It's time to say hello. 
[Credit: Dana and Lindsey, Jbrary.com]

Each word is said while integrating sign language.  The more we do this (and our good-bye song), the more the kids enjoy it.

Songs:

"If you're Ready for a Story"  
[tune: If you're happy and you know it]

* Clap Your Hands!
* Nod Your Head!
* Sit so still!  (Expect some giggles when the kids try to 'sit so still'.)
* Do All Three!


"In the Barnyard"  
[tune: Down by the Station] 

Out in the barnyard early in the morning  

                    (stretch as if waking up)

See the little yellow chicks standing in a row

                    (stand up fingers)

See the busy farmer giving them their breakfast

                    (pretend to scatter seed)

Peep, peep, peep, peep, off they go!

                    (run fingers away)

Out in the barnyard early in the morning

                    (stretch as if waking up)

You can hear the piglets squealing up a storm

                    (cup ear with hand)

Here comes the mama pig, she will feed her babies

                    (sway back and forth like large pig walking)

Oink, oink, oink, oink, on the farm!

                    (spread hands)

[credit: http://www.perrypubliclibrary.org/webfm_send/53]  

Fingerplay:

"Ten Fluffy Chicks"

Five eggs and five eggs, that makes ten

                    (hold up ten fingers)

Sitting on top is warm Mother Hen

                    (place one hand on top of the other)

Cackle, cackle, cackle, what do I see?

                    (clap three times, hold out hands)

Ten fluffy chicks, as yellow as can be

                    (hold up ten fingers)

[credit: http://www.perrypubliclibrary.org/webfm_send/53] 

Books:

I Am Cow, Hear Me Moo! by Jill Esbaum; illustrated by Gus Gordon --- 
When Nadine the cow bragged about not be afraid of anything, the kids quick to tell her what she should be afraid of, but once Nadine entered the "Deep. Dark. Woods.", the kids all went silent.

  Down by the Barn, written and illustrated by Will Hillenbrand --- 

This is a great book for storytime with the lyrical text and fun beat.  The kids enjoyed singing, "Off we go!"

Little Mouse:

This game works on colors, counting and 'paying attention' (the other kids will let you know if a certain color has already been called.)  After our books are read, we play a round or two of Little Mouse.  See Nutmeg's Debut! for more information about our Little Mouse game.

Saying Goodbye:

We closed storytime with our new goodbye song.  The words to the song are very similar to our Hello song:

Goodbye, friends
Goodbye, friends
Goodbye, friends
It's time to say goodbye.

Again, check out Jbrary's video for the correct signs.  

When storytime came to an end, the kids lined up and fed Nutmeg imaginary food they had in their pockets, gave her high-fives, or just pet her head. Today, she ate birthday cake, apple pie, oatmeal cookies, M&M's, two carrots and a handful of corn.

SINGING

SINGING Preschool Storytime 


Saying Hello: 

We opened storytime by waking Nutmeg, our friendly storytime rat puppet, with a festive "Good morning, Nutmeg!"  Unfortunately, when Nutmeg woke up, she was clearly not feeling well.  We put Nutmeg in her Dr. Seuss basket bed so she could rest while she listed to us during storytime.
 

Songs:

"Good Morning to you" 
[tune: "Happy Birthday"] 
 
Good morning to you!
Good morning to you!
Good morning my friends!
Good morning to you! 


The kids noticed Nutmeg did not cover her mouth when she sneezed, so we sang her a song to help her remember what to do when she has to sneezes.  It goes like this:
 
"Sneeze in your Elbow" 
[tune: "Up on the Housetop"]

Sneeze in your elbow please, please, please
So you don't get germs on me!
Sneeze in your elbow quick, quick, quick
So nobody else gets sick, sick, sick! 
[Credit: Mrs. B - Stories Rhymes and Singalong Times]
 

Action Game:

"Little Mouse"

This game works on colors, counting and 'paying attention' (the other kids will let you know if a certain color has already been called.)  After our books are read, we play a round or two of Little Mouse.  See Nutmeg's Debut! for more information about our Little Mouse game. 

Books:

Baking Day at Grandma's by Anika Denise; illustrated by Christopher Denise --- This story was a lot of fun and the kids got to sing, "It's baking day, it's baking day, it's baking day at Grandma's house," everyone couple of pages.

Ninja Red Riding Hood by Corey Rosen Schwartz; illustrated by Dan Santat ---
The kids enjoyed jumping around, "karate-chopping" our imaginary Bad Wolf.

The Old Band by Tamera Will Wissinger; illustrated by Matt Loveridge ---
With its repetition, this book was great for allowing the kids to remember the lyrics to the song and feel comfortable singing them out loud.

Saying Goodbye:

When storytime came to an end, the kids lined up and fed Nutmeg imaginary food they had in their pockets, gave her high-fives, or just pet her head. Today, she ate two apple pies, two lollipops, a pumpkin, a ham sandwich, a cough drop and a few handfuls of corn.  By now Nutmeg was starting to feel better.