Chick-chick hooray!  Chickens was the theme of our last storytime of the Summer session.

MOVEMENT: Welcome Song*

MOVEMENT: “Clap Your Hands, Clap Your Hands” from Tickles and Tunes by Kathy Reid-Naiman

MOVEMENT: Open Shut Them*

BOOK:

This Little Chick by John Lawrence

MOVEMENT: “Reach for the Ceiling” from Toddlers on Parade by Carol Hammett and Elaine Bueffel

COUNTING SONG:*

10 Chickens

FLANNELBOARD:
5 Little Chickens
 
(Patterns and poem taken from The Flannel Board Storytelling Book by Judy Sierra.  I think.  It’s not cited, so I have to double-check.  )

Said the first little chicken, with a queer little squirm,
“I wish I could find a fat little worm.”

Said the second little chicken, with an odd little shrug,
“I wish I could find a fat little bug.”

Said the third little chicken, with a sharp little squeal,
“I wish I could find some nice yellow meal.”

Said the fourth little chicken, with a sigh of grief,
“I wish I could find a little green leaf.”

Said the fifth little chicken, with a faint little moan,
“I wish I could find a wee gravel stone.”

“Now see here,” said the mother, from the green garden patch,
“If you want any breakfast, just come here and SCRATCH!”

Start with mother hen on one side of the flannelboard, near the garden. (My garden patch is brown instead of green.  Note to self: read entire story before making flannel pieces.  Must remake.) Make slits in the garden where you can put the things the chicks are looking for.  Add each chick when you get to it.  Then after you’ve read the poem, see if the children can remember which chick wanted which treat, and match them up accordingly.

MOVEMENT: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” from Songs for Wiggleworms by the Old Town School of Folk Music

MOVEMENT: Grandma’s Spectacles*

BOOK:

Is Everyone Ready for Fun? by Jan Thomas

MOVEMENT: “Two Little Blackbirds” from Fingerplays and Footplays by Rosemary Hallum and Henry “Buzz” Glass

VIDEO:

“Diva Hen” from Little Bear’s Band

MOVEMENT:  Storytime’s Over*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

Book: Five Little Chicks by Nancy Tafuri
Book: Here a Chick, Where a Chick? by Suse MacDonald
Book: Wee Little Chick by Lauren Thompson, illustrated by John Butler
Book: The Red Hen by Rebecca Emberley and Ed Emberley
Book: Little Chicken’s Big Day by Katie Davis and Jerry Davis
DVD: “Rosie’s Walk” from Chicka Chick Boom Boom …and lots more learning fun

HOW IT WENT:
This was a fun storytime.  Since it was the last one of the session, and kids can usually settle down for the movie, I decided to do Everyone Ready for fun? which is a fun interactive book that gets the kids jumping up and down.  It worked really well.  Jan Thomas books are great.

As noted above, I really do need to remake my hill for the Five Little Chickens flannelboard so that it is green — not just because that is what is mentioned in the poem, but also because it will stand out better on our black flannelboard.

ATTENDANCE:  10 am:  37 people      11 am: 34 people

* For these songs, please see my Storytime Movements & Music page