Animal Habitats – Kindergarten Grade Class Visit

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

Christmas – Kindergarten Storytime

Usually, I try to stay away from holiday themes, unless we have done specific publicity for a holiday program.  But, I figure visits from the local Catholic school are a good time to break out the Christmas stories.

BOOK:
What Santa Can't Do by Wood

FLANNELBOARD:
The Toy Shop

Toy Shop Flannelboard

Patterns and Rhyme from Preschool Favorites: 35 Storytimes Kids Will Love by Diana Briggs

Here is Santa’s toy shop,
and happy are we
for there are so many, many
toys here to see.

Wonderful toys,
all in a row
And bright-colored tops
That sing as they go.

And here in a box,
is a doll that can talk.
And here is a soft wooly dog
that can walk.

Just see this funny old
Jack in the box.
Watch him pop out.
Oh my, what a shock!

Here is the counter
Piled high with the toys,
For you little girls
And you little boys.

We hope, wonderful toys,
That some of you may
Come straight to us
On Christmas Day.

MOVEMENT: The Reindeer Pokey

(to the tune of The Hokey-Pokey)
You put your hooves in
You put your hooves out
You put your hooves in
And you shake them all about.
You do the Reindeer Pokey
and you turn yourself around.

That’s what it’s all about.

You put your antlers in…
You put your shaggy tail in…
You put your reindeer self in….

BOOK:

Dinosaur vs Santa by Shea

Dinosaur vs. Santa by Bob Shea

VIDEO:
Max and Ruby's Christmas DVD
“Max’s Christmas” from Max and Ruby’s Christmas

ATTENDANCE: 31 people

HOW IT WENT:
I thought this was a pretty good storytime.  The kids loved The Reindeer Pokey, so I would use that one again in a heartbeat.  I’m not sure about the flannelboard story I chose this time — I think it would have been more fun to do something a bit more interactive.  But, it worked in a pinch.

Sweet Treats – School-Age Storytime

This morning I had some Kindergarten classes visit.  I altered the Cookies storytime I did with Preschoolers last week a bit to fit this age group.

MOVEMENT: “Can’t Wait to Celebrate” from Jim Gill’s Irrational Anthem by Jim Gill

BOOK:

   

The Wolf’s Chicken Stew by Keiko Kasza

FLANNELBOARD:

The Gingerbread Man

“The Gingerbread Man” from The Flannel Board Storytelling Book by Judy Sierra

I took the pattern for this from Sierra’s patter for “The Johnny Cake”, since they are essentially the same story, and then did a Google Images search to find a picture of a gingerbread man I liked. 

MOVEMENT: “We Work With One Hammer”

BOOK:

The Duckling Gets a Cookie!? by Mo Willems

VIDEO:


“The Very Hungry Caterpillar” from Disney’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Stories

MOVEMENT: Storytime’s Over

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:

    

Book: Who Ate All the Cookie Dough? by Karen Beaumont
Book: The Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson
DVD: If You Give a Mouse A Cookie Reading Rainbow DVD

THOUGHTS ON THIS STORYTIME:

The kids this morning were very cute and liked participating!  It was fun all around

Attendance: 1st classes: 58 people      2nd classes: 26 people

Date Presented: Wednesday, October 17, 2012