Animal Habitats – Kindergarten Grade Class Visit

Posted on October 27, 2017 by jeninthelibrary

Last we had a visit from 2 Kindergarten classes wanting a library visit to go along with what they were currently learning about — animal habitats. Here’s what I put together.

MOVEMENT: My Wiggles*

BOOK:

Welcome Home, Bear: A Book of Animal Habitats by Il Sung Na

MOVEMENT: Hi, My Name is Jo*

BOOK:

Looking Closely in the Rain Forest by Frank Serafinia

MOVEMENT: “Shake My Sillies Out” from More Singable Songs for the Very Young by Raffi

MOVEMENT: Grandma’s Spectacles*

BOOK:

Little Owl Lost by Chris Haughton

VIDEO:

“Over in the Meadow” from The Wheels on the Bus…and More Magical Stories. Based on the book by John Langstaff, with illustrations by Feodor Rojankovsky

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

Book: Listen to Our World by Bill Martin Jr & Michael Sampson, illustrated by Melissa Sweet
Book: Over in the Grasslands On an African Savanna by Marianne Berkes, illustrated by Jill Dubin
Book: Where To, Little Wombat? by Charles Fuge
Book: In the Small, Small Pond by Denise Fleming
DVD: “In the Small, Small Pond” from Antarctic Antics …and More Hilarious Animal Stories
Books: Looking Closely series by Frank Serafini

HOW IT WENT:

At first I was a little hesitant about the theme, but as I started looking around for books on the topic I warmed up to it. I used Welcome Home, Bear first, because it focused on a lot of different habitats, then for the rest of the storytime I focused in on single ones: the rainforest, the forest, and the meadow.

The kids LOVED Looking Closely in the Rainforest and had a lot of fun guessing what things were. I just read the large type on these, and not every detail about the animals/plants, etc. I would use these again.

The video wasn’t the best choice, I think the kids may have been a little bored with it.

ATTENDANCE: First Group: 32 Second Group: 34 (adults and children)

PRESENTED: Wednesday, October 18

*To see the words to these movements and activities I use frequently, please visit my
A-capella Movements Section on my Storytime Movements and Music Page

Soup – Class Visits (School M)

Posted on January 24, 2014 by jeninthelibrary

Because I am doing infant/toddler storytime this session, my class visit day has switched! You’ll see that reflected in the different grades here from my first Class Visits (School M) post.

I had so much fun with my preschool soup storytime, that I decided to continue the theme in these class visits. I know you all are probably getting tired of seeing soup posts, so this will be my last one. At least until next January.

Kindergarten
BOOK:

The Wolf’s Chicken Stew by Keiko Kasza

PROP STORY:

There were too many children in this class to pass out the veggies like I did for preschool storytime, so instead we sang this identifying song and I held up the plush toys one at a time.

Open the Fridge
(to the tune of “London Bridge”)
Open the fridge, what’s inside?
What’s inside?
What’s inside?
Open the fridge, what’s inside?
Here’s some _________.
(Have kids fill in the blank with the name of the veggie you are holding up.)

Cook them in a big soup pot,
Big soup pot,
Big soup pot.
Cook them in a big soup pot
Love that soup!

BOOK:

Carrot Soup by John Segal

FINGERPLAY:
Pea Soup
(hold hand up with all five fingers extended)
1 little pea jumped into the pot (fold one finger down)
And waited for the soup to get hot.
2 little peas jumped into the pot (fold one finger down)
And waited for the soup to get hot.
3 little peas jumped into the pot (fold one finger down)
And waited for the soup to get hot.
4 little peas jumped into the pot (fold one finger down)
And waited for the soup to get hot.
5 little peas jumped into the pot (fold one finger down)
And waited for the soup to get hot.
Finally the soup got so very hot
All the little peas jumped out of the pot. (quickly open hand and extend all fingers.)

ROUND THE ROOM: Asked all the kids to share their favorite soup

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over*

ATTENDANCE: 25 people

1st Grade
BOOK:

The Wolf’s Chicken Stew by Keiko Kasza

FLANNELBOARD:
Soup from a Nail

Template and Story from The Flannel Board Storytelling Book by Judy Sierra

BOOK:

Chicken Soup by Jean Van Leeuwen

ATTENDANCE: 24 people

2nd Grade
BOOK:

Martha Speaks by Susan Meddaugh

FLANNELBOARD:
Soup from a Nail

Template and Story from The Flannel Board Storytelling Book by Judy Sierra

BOOK:

The Wolf’s Chicken Stew by Keiko Kasza

ATTENDANCE: 25 people

3rd Grade
BOOK:

Martha Speaks by Susan Meddaugh

FLANNELBOARD:
Soup from a Nail

Template and Story from The Flannel Board Storytelling Book by Judy Sierra

ATTENDANCE: 31 people

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

BOOK: Stone Soup by Marcia Brown
BOOK: Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert
BOOK: Soup Day by Melissa Iwai
BOOK: Chicken Soup with Rice by Maurice Sendak (in the Big Book version)

HOW IT WENT:
Pretty well. The 1st and 3rd grades showed up a little late, which is why their list of activities is shorter than the other grades. I’ve gotta say, planning for all these different age groups in one visit can be a little difficult. I think I’m still learning how most effectively to do that. Anyone have any helpful tips?

*To see the words to these movements and activities I use frequently, please visit my A-capella Movements Section on my Storytime Movements and Music Page

Fables and Stories with a Lesson – Class Visits (School M)

Posted on January 4, 2014 by jeninthelibrary

At my site, we’ve recently begun doing outreach visits to some of the local elementary schools. The schools used to come in to the library to visit, but with bus funds cut, it now makes more sense for us to go out and visit the schools. Monday – Thursdays myself or one of my colleagues goes and visits a school. Each week is a different school. We visit a wide range of grades when we go out, so you’ll see that reflected in my class visit posts.

I usually try to pick a theme or idea to stick with for the visit to help me prep my materials. This time around, I thought it would be fun to tell some fables, or stories with a lesson.

Kindergarten
BOOK:

Rabbit’s Gift by George Shannon

FLANNELBOARD:

MOVEMENT: My Wiggles*

BOOK:

Too Many Pears! by Jackie French

ATTENDANCE: 25 people

1st Grade
BOOK:

Too Many Pears! by Jackie French

FLANNELBOARD:

The Giant Carrot

MOVEMENT: My Wiggles*

BOOK:

Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young

ATTENDANCE: 25 people

2/3 Grade
BOOK:

The Crocodile and the Scorpion by Rebecca Emberley and Ed Emberley

FLANNELBOARD:
Rattlesnake, Mouse and Coyote

Pattern and Story from: The Flannel Board Storytelling Book by Judy Sierra.

BOOK:

“The Elephant’s Son” from Fables by Arnold Lobel

BOOK:

“The North Wind and the Sun” from You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You: Very Short Fables to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman

ATTENDANCE: 20 people

3rd Grade
BOOK:

The Miller, the Boy and the Donkey by Brian Wildsmith

FLANNELBOARD:
Rattlesnake, Mouse and Coyote

Pattern and Story from: The Flannel Board Storytelling Book by Judy Sierra.

BOOK:

“The Peacock and the Crane” from You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You: Very Short Fables to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman

BOOK:

“The Fox and the Stork” and “The Fox and the Crow” from Three Aesop Fox Fables by Paul Galdone

ATTENDANCE: 30 people

4th Grade
BOOK:

Lousy Rotten Stinkin’ Grapes by Margie Palatini

FLANNELBOARD:
Rattlesnake, Mouse, and Coyote

Pattern and Story from: The Flannel Board Storytelling Book by Judy Sierra.

MOVEMENT: Aroostasha*

BOOK:

“Grasshopper Logic” from Squids Will Be Squids by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith

BOOK:

“The Peacock and the Crane” from You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You: Very Short Fables to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman

ATTENDANCE: 20 people

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

BOOK: “A Drink for Crow” from Stories to Solve: Folktales from Around the World by George Shannon
BOOK: The Wide-Mouthed Frog by Keith Faulkner
BOOK: The Tortoise and the Hare by Janet Stevens
BOOK: The North Wind and The Sun illustrated by Brian Wildsmith

HOW IT WENT:
Overall, I think most of these class visits went over well. Rattlesnake, Mouse, and Coyote is a fun flannelboard story to tell, and it is a good one to get the kids talking. It’s also fun, because the kids get really exasperated when the Coyote pretends to not know what is going on. I also really enjoyed doing the You Read to Me stories. Originally, I thought I was going to ask the teachers to read with me, as a way to help them be engaged. A lot of the classes on the day had substitutes – some who felt comfortable reading with me, and some who didn’t. I also read with one of the 4th graders for that group, which was really fun. “Elephant’s Son” and “Grasshopper Logic” didn’t seem to work as well — maybe I need to do a little more prep for those stories before I try them out again. And Lousy Rotten Stinkin’ Grapes may have been a touch too long, but I still think it was fun.

*To see the words to these movements and activities I use frequently, please visit my A-capella Movements Section on my Storytime Movements and Music Page

Jen in the Library

Storytimes, Programs and Library Thoughts

Tag Archives: class visits

Animal Habitats – Kindergarten Grade Class Visit

Soup – Class Visits (School M)

Fables and Stories with a Lesson – Class Visits (School M)