Bzzzzzz! A Busy Bee and Bugs Storytime for 2s and 3s!

This storytime focuses on bees and bugs! This is a nice theme for storytime for this age because children love to make bug noises! At the beginning of this storytime, I greeted the children at the door with a bee puppet and after the children got their name tags on, I went around saying hi to each child. This helps me get to know the child and allows them to get to know me. After a while, they begin to feel more comfortable in storytime because of this!

1. Intro Song: Hands are for Clapping by Jim Gill on the CD Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song and Other Contagious Tunes

1. Regular Opening Song (to tune of the Mulberry Bush)

This is the way our hands say hello,
With a clap, clap-clap, Clap, clap-clap
This the way our hands say hello,
With a clap, clap-clap, clap-clap

This is the way our knees say hello,
With a tap tap-tap,
Tap tap-tap
This is the way our knees say hello,
With a tap tap-tap, tap-tap

This is the way we wave hello,
Wave hello, wave hello
This is the way we wave hello,
So early in the morning

2. Book: In the Tall, Tall Grass by Denise Fleming

3. Flannelboard: Bugs in the Yard

The Bugs in the Garden
(to the tune of "The Wheels on the Bus")

The ladybugs on the plants have lots of spots
Lots of spots, lots of spots.
The ladybugs on the plants have lots of spots
Out in the yard.

The fireflies at night go blink, blink, blink
link, blink, blink, blink, blink, blink.
The fireflies at night go blink, blink, blink
Out in the garden.

The bees in the flowers go buzz, buzz, buzz
Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz.
The bees in the flowers go buzz, buzz, buzz
Out in the garden

The crickets in the fields go chirp, chirp, chirp
chirp, chirp, chirp.
The crickets in the fields go chirp, chirp, chirp
Out in the yard.

The ants in the grass go march, march, march
March, march, march, march, march, march.
The ants in the grass go march, march, march
Out in the yard

The caterpillars on the leaves go munch, munch, munch
Munch, munch, munch, munch, munch, munch
The caterpillars on the leaves go munch, munch, munch
Out in the yard.

The spiders in the bush, they spin their webs
spin their webs, spin their webs.
The spiders in the bush, they spin their webs
Out in the yard.

The butterflies in the sky go flit, flit, flit
Flit, flit, flit, flit, flit, flit.
The butterflies in the sky go flit, flit, flit
Out in the yard.

The worms in the ground, wiggle and squirm
Wiggle and squirm, wiggle and squirm.
The worms in the gruond, wiggle and squirm
Out in the yard.


4. Song: Bugs Bugs Bugs on the CD Go, Go Animals! by the Monkeydoos. This song is fun and is about how itchy bugs are. A snippet of the lyrics: Now I'm scratching my head, my nose, and my ears, and now I'm scratching my legs, ankles and toes, etc.


5. Book: Big Bugs! Giant Creepy Crawly Pop-Ups written by Keith Faulkner, Illustrated by Stephen Holmes, paper engineering by Jonathan Lambert

Kids were so wound up after hearing the Bugs Bugs Bugs song but the beautiful pop-ups in this book got their attention back, thankfully! Suddenly the room was quiet again as the children looked at the bugs in amazement. I love this book too because it has facts you can read about each bug so it also has a non-fiction component which is great!!

6. Flannelboard Story: Buzz Said the Bee by Wendy Cheyette Lewison

This is actually a level 1 reader but has been translated into a really cute flannelboard story! The kids love acting out the animal sounds.

Once there was a bee who sat on a DUCK.
"Quack," said the duck.
"There's a bee on me."
And the duck said, "Scat," but the bee just sat.
So the duck quacked again and sat on a HEN.

"CLUCK," said the hen.
"There's a duck on me."
And then hen said, "Scat," but the duck just sat.
So the hen danced a jig and sat on a PIG.

"Oink," said the pig.
"There's a hen on me."
And the pig said, "Scat," but then the hen just sat.
So the pig took a bow and sat on a COW.

"Moo," said the cow.
"There's a pig on me."
And the cow said, "Scat," but the pig just sat.
The cow began to weep and sat on a SHEEP who was fast asleep.

So the cow said, "MOO,"
And the pig said, "OINK,"
And the hen said, "CLUCK,"
And the duck said, "QUACK,"
Then the bee said, "BUZZZZ-Z-Z-Z-Z!"
And that's all there was.

 

7. Closing Song (to tune of the Mulberry Bush)

This is the way our hands say goodbye,
With a clap clap-clap,Clap, clap-clap
This is the way our hands say goodbye,
With a clap clap-clap, clap-clap

This is the way our knees say goodbye,
With a tap, tap-tap,Tap tap-tap
This is the way our knees say goodbye,
With a tap tap-tap, tap-tap

This is the way we wave goodbye,
Wave goodbye, wave goodbye,
This is the way we wave goodbye,
Goodbye until next time

8. Give a bug stamp at the end! We had a ladybug and a bee one.

Other books to consider:

Snug As a Bug by Michael Elsohn Ross, Illustrated by Sylvia Long

Buzz, Buzz, Buzz, Went Bumblebee by Colin West

Bumblebee, Bumblebee, Do You Know Me? A Garden Guessing Game by Anne Rockwell

 

Other bug flannelboard stories:

 

 

Five Little Bees (author unknown)

One little bee blew and flew.
He met a friend, and that made two.
Two little bees, busy as could be—
Along came another and that made three.
Three little bees, wanted one more,
Found one soon and that made four.
Four little bees, going to the hive.
Spied their little brother, and that made five.
Five little bees working every hour—
Buzz away, bees, and find another flower.

Brilliant Butterflies by Susan M. Paprocki 

The first to come to the garden bed
Was a lovely butterfly of brilliant red.

Then in comes another and that makes two,
Fly right in, my friend of blue.

"The garden is fine, the best I’ve seen,"
Said the butterfly of springtime green.

Dressed so fine in a butterfly gown,
Flew in another, the color of brown.

The garden needs a sunshiny fellow,
So fly right in if your wings are yellow.

I love the colors, they’re a glorious sight,
But one thing for sure, we need some white.

And where is its opposite? Come join the pack,
For what a fine gift is the color black.

This is perfect I really do think,
If only you’d join, butterfly of pink.

Little friend of purple, take a place too,
This garden is a perfect spot for a color like you.

Orange, orange, you’ve waited so long.
Fly right in, where you belong.

Butterflies, butterflies, you’re such a sight.
Flying together in springtime delight.



It's Lunchtime! A Food Storytime for 2s and 3s

Hello everyone! I am going to try my best to update this blog on a weekly basis so *fingers crossed* that I can manage to stay on top of this with the addition of school and work :) At my job we have rotated storytimes and I am now leading Tales for 2s and 3s starting September 2! It should be a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to leading storytime with a smaller, younger crowd :) The first theme of the fall season is FOOD! Who doesn't love food? This storytime is for 2 and 3 year olds and can be presented at any time throughout the year.

1. Opening Song (to tune of the Mulberry Bush)

This is the way our hands say hello,
With a clap, clap-clap, Clap, clap-clap
This the way our hands say hello,
With a clap, clap-clap, clap-clap

This is the way our knees say hello,
With a tap tap-tap,
Tap tap-tap
This is the way our knees say hello,
With a tap tap-tap, tap-tap

This is the way we wave hello,
Wave hello, wave hello
This is the way we wave hello,
So early in the morning

2. Book: Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert

3. The Soup is Boiling Up - song from Addison Public Library and adapted in to an activity song

Things you need: Pot or pretend cauldron, soup spoon (I just grabbed one from my kitchen), printed out pictures of broth, carrots, tomato, and broccoli. I used Google image search to find my images. I made one set really big for my flannel board and then I made about 30 smaller sized versions of the pictures. The plan is to pass the images out to children to have them add the ingredients to the soup pot. We really only get about 15 children at the max for Tales for 2s and 3s  but I wanted to make 30 just in case we somehow randomly get a ton of children! It's always good to be prepared. See the pictures below for an example of what I did:

Soup pot!

Flannelboard pieces

These are the larger images I'll put on the flannel board for children to visualize what ingredients go into the pot.

Images of ingredients to pass out to children individually

Before you begin this activity, pass out the small images of the ingredients to each child. Tell children they will be adding the ingredients into the soup pot. Ok, here is the song!

The Soup is Boiling Up (to the tune of The Farmer in the Dell)
The soup is boiling up, (flutter your fingers up above the pot)
The soup is boiling up.
Stir slow, around we go, (pretend to stir)
The soup is boiling up.

(say outloud: "first we cook the broth! Ok everyone, who has broth? Raise the broth high in the air and I'll come to you so you can put it into our pot!" then come around and let children drop their image of broth into the pot)

Now let's sing:

First we cook the broth,
First we cook the broth.
Stir slow, around we go,
First we cook the broth.

(Now we add some carrots! Come around to have children put carrots into the pot like we did with the broth)

Now let's sing:

Now we add some carrots,
Now we add some carrots.
Stir slow, around we go,
Now we add some carrots.

(Now we add some broccoli! Come around to have children put broccoli into the pot like we did with the other ingredients)

Now let's sing:

Now we add some broccoli
Now we add some broccoli
Stir slow, around we go,
Now we add some broccoli

(Now we add some tomato! Come around to have children put broccoli into the pot like we did with the other ingredients)

Now let's sing:

Now we add some tomato
Now we add some tomato
Stir slow, around we go,
Now we add some tomato

Now let's sing the soup is ready now!

The soup is ready now,
The soup is ready now.
Stir slow, around we go,
The soup is ready now.

YUMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!! (pretend to slurp the soup)

4. Fingerplay: I am Hungry from Jbrary!

Lyrics:
I am hungry (I am hungry)
What should I eat? (What should I eat?)
Think I'll have some pizza
(think I'll have some pizza)
Without any meat! (Without any meat).

I am hungry! (I am hungry)
What should I eat? (What should I eat?)
Think I'll have tomato soup
(think I'll have tomato soup)
With lots of heat! (With lots of heat).

I am hungry! (I am hungry)
What should I eat? (What should I eat?)
Think I'll have some ice cream
(think I'll have some ice cream)
Cold and sweet! (Cold and sweet).

This is a fun and simple fingerplay and could even make a nice flannelboard story so that children know what food is coming up next.

5. Song: Spaghetti Legs by Jim Gill on the CD Jim Gill Sings the Sneezing Song and Other Contagious Tunes

6. Book: Lunch by Denise Fleming (use with props)



7. Flannelboard: 5 Hungry Ants (adapted from sunflowerstorytime.com) 

5 Hungry Ants, marching in a line

They came upon a picnic, where they could dine,

They marched into the salad,

They marched into the cake,

They marched into the pepper,

Uh-Oh! That was a mistake!

AAAAACCCCCHHHHHHHOOOOOOOO!!

8. Worms for Lunch by Leonid Gore

I love this book!!  It has flaps you turn to discover what food the specified animal eats. It's pretty cute :)

8. Closing Song (to tune of the Mulberry Bush)

This is the way our hands say goodbye,
With a clap clap-clap,Clap, clap-clap
This is the way our hands say goodbye,
With a clap clap-clap, clap-clap

This is the way our knees say goodbye,
With a tap, tap-tap,Tap tap-tap
This is the way our knees say goodbye,
With a tap tap-tap, tap-tap

This is the way we wave goodbye,
Wave goodbye, wave goodbye,
This is the way we wave goodbye,
Goodbye until next time

Other books to consider:

Slop Goes the Soup by Pamea D. Edwards and Henry Cole

Too Pickly by Jean Reidy



Jazz Storytime for 3-5 year olds!

My intention with this storytime is to educate children on jazz music and to also introduce them to the colorful picture books on this subject. The stories read will increase print awareness as many of these stories have repeated phrases in them. In addition, the books I am choosing have a lot of new vocabulary that might be unfamiliar to children. When they leave, I hope they at least have gained some appreciation for jazz music and were exposed to picture books featuring talented African Americans! I enjoy introducing children to a wide variety of books that they have probably never heard of before. This may also pique children’s interest on jazz music to which I can show them the wide variety of jazz music CDs we have in the library. This storytime will also reinforce early literacy skills as I also connect the storytime to the letter of the week (the letter J).

Please visit http://sarahpicciuolo.wix.com/jazzpicturebooks for a more thorough list of jazz picture books!

1.      Opening Song – Good Morning Song (Remix) by the Alphabet Rockers

Hear this song and purchase it on bandcamp!

2.    Discuss letter of the week : J , discuss words that begin with the letter J by giving clues and allowing children to guess. Next, explain what Jazz music is. Children are never too young to learn about Jazz music! 

3.       Book # 1 – When Louis Armstrong Taught me to Scat by Muriel Harris Weinstein

This book is a bit long and might be better suited for older children but I love it so much that I just wanted to include it! If your crowd is filled with more 3 year olds then I would probably not read this due to the length. You know your crowd best though so use your best judgement.

Here are a few snippets of some reviews I've read

"Children can both giggle at the bouncy non sequiturs (“Cricket’s throne/ puppy’s bone/ bug’s umbrella/ mozzarella???”) and absorb some musical history from endnotes on Armstrong and scat. Christie’s vibrant acrylics offer a pleasing, surreal fluidity. Floating purple trumpets, a winding musical staff and appearances by some hep-looking animals all jell with the anything-goes nature of the subject. Ages 5–9. (Feb.) " - Publisher's Weekly

If you're looking for a shorter book then I suggest Jazz Baby by Lisa Wheeler. This book is another rhythmic book that is GREAT to read aloud. You can read it like a rap, “Grandpa toot-toots. Granny sings scat. Bitty-boppin’ baby goes, Rat-Tat-Tat! Mama sings high. Daddy sings low. Snazzy, jazzy baby says, Go, Man, Go!” This whole family seems like so much fun and the illustrations are kind of retro which I also love! I would love to spend a night with this family, just jiving to the music!

4.       Flannelboard Story : 5 Jazz Musicians  (original flannelboard story from me, Miss Sarah! Please credit me and link to my blog if you use this)

5 jazz musicians playing music at night
one gets hungry and leaves to get a bite

4 jazz musicians playing music so sweet
1 gets a craving so he leaves for a treat

3 jazz musicians playing music in the city
1 leaves quickly to feed his pretty kitty

2 jazz musicians left performing on stage
until 1 leaves to clean his guinea pig's cage

One jazz musician left bopping his head
until he gets sleepy and goes home to bed

Now there are zero jazz musicians anywhere in sight!
They're all home sleeping for it's late at night! 

5.  Poem: When the Jazz Musician was Ten (original poem from me, Miss Sarah! Please credit me and link to my blog if you use this)

When the jazz musician was three he made music on his knee
When the jazz musician was four he thought it was a bore
When the jazz musician five he learned to jive
When the jazz musician was six he picked up drumsticks
When the jazz musician was seven he changed his name to Kevin
When the jazz musician was eight, his drumming was great
When the jazz musician was nine he was doing just fine
When the jazz musician was ten, he joined a jazz band full of men

6.       Book # 2 – Jazzmatazz by Muriel Harris Weinstein

7.       Song : Bouncin on the Bed from the Philly Joe Giraffe’s Jungle Jazz CD

8.   Book # 3 : Bring on that Beat by Rachel Isadora 

9.   Fingerplay :

Clap Your Hands! (To the tune of Row Row Row Your Boat)
Clap, clap, clap your hands, clap your hands together
Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap your hands together
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle your fingers, wiggle your fingers like spiders
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle your fingers like spiders
Shake, shake, shake your shoulders, shake your shoulders now
Shake, shake shake, shake, shake, shake, shake your shoulders now
Move, move, move your hips, move your hips around
Move, move, move, move, move your hips together
Bend, bend, bend your knees, bend your knees right now
Bend, bend, bend, bend, bend your knees right now
Slide, slide, slide your feet, slide your feet like James Brown
Slide your feet, slide your feet, slide your feet like James Brown
Dance, dance, dance around, dance around together
Dance around, dance around, dance around together

 11.   Song : Little Lamb Jam by Oran Etkin on the CD "Wake Up, Clarinet!". You can preview the song on amazon. 

12.   Book #4 – This Jazz Man by Karen Ehrhard

This book is awesome! Not only does it reinforce counting skills with preschoolers, the song is very fun to read out loud. The book is to be read to the tune of "This Old Man" and is a playful introduction to nine jazz giants.

13. Fingerplay :

Dance your Fingers
We’re going to dance our fingers up
And dance our fingers down
We’ll dance them to the side
Let’s dance them all around
And we’ll dance them on our shoulders
And we’ll dance them on our head
Let’s dance them on our tummy
And we’ll put them all to bed!

14.   Ending Song with Shakers : Old Mcdonald Had a Farm (any regular version will do) and then play Old Mcdonald Had a Farm by Ella Fitzgerald (the jazz version) to compare! I LOVE Ella Fitzgerald's version.

15. Lastly, have children line up for a music note stamp on the children’s hands!

You could also pass out a book list and a list of internet links to teach jazz music to children. PBS has an AMAZING website, for example. 

Bilingual Spanish Picture Books for Children, Grades K-3

The books listed below are perfect for children, grades K-3, whose heritage emanates from any of the Spanish-speaking cultures of the Western Hemisphere or for any youngster looking for a really fun and vibrant picture book. The list below includes several bilingual materials as well as materials in English that incorporate the Spanish language, while accurately representing these cultures. Hispanics are often underrepresented in libraries and I believe it is important that we serve this growing population in public libraries across America. In addition to the bilingual materials listed below, the Naperville Public Library also has a growing number of Spanish children's books within our World Language Collection located in the Children's Department at each branch! Many libraries across the the U.S. are growing their bilingual collections too and these titles are ones that should definitely be included!

 Easy Fiction

Gonzalez, Maya Christina. My Colors, My World / Mis colores, mi mundo. San Fransisco: Children's Book Press, 2011. Print.

This imaginative picture book features a playful Latina girl, with her cleft chin, beauty mark, and wide, brown, almond-shaped eyes, who tries to find color and beauty in her childhood world of the California Mojave Desert. This bilingual, multicultural, color-concept story is perfect for any young Spanish-speaking girl looking for a beautifully illustrated story with a touch of magical realism.

  Mora, Pat. Book Fiesta!: Celebrate Children's Day/Book Day / Celebremos El día de los niños/El día de los libros. New York, NY: Rayo, 2009. Print.
In this bilingual English and Spanish picture book, children read aloud in various settings to celebrate ¡El dîa de los niños!/¡El dîa de los libros! (Children’s Day/Book Day). This vibrant story written by award-winning author, Pat Mora, features a happy assortment of multicultural children, adults, and friendly critters with facts about Mexico's annual celebration that encourages literacy among children.

Pérez, Amada Irma. My Very Own Room / Mi propio cuartito. San Francisco: Children's Book Press, 2000. Print.
This colorful story, translated in English and Spanish, is of a young Mexican American girl that feels very crowded in her home with 5 brothers and with the help of her family, the resourceful girl realizes her dream of having a space of her own to read and to think. This story depicts the family life and culture of many Mexican American children with its delightful story that is bound to be very relatable to children living in small spaces.

 

Tafolla, Carmen. What Can You Do With a Paleta? / ¿Qué Puedes Pacer Con Una Paleta?. Bilingual Edition. Berkeley, California: Tricycle Press, 2009. Print.
This award-winning bilingual picture book features a young Mexican American girl that celebrates the paleta, an icy fruit popsicle, and the many roles it plays in her lively barrio. This simultaneous dual-language edition presents a parallel Spanish translation that accompanies the English text while offering an appealing introduction to a yummy aspect of Latino culture.

J Nonfiction

Brown, Monica, and Raúl Colón. My Name is Gabito: The Life of Gabriel García Márquez = Me llamo Gabito: la vida de Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Flagstaff, Ariz.: Luna Rising, 2007. Print.
This story is an introduction to the life and work of the Nobel prize-winning Colombian author, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and describes how the things that surrounded him inspired his imagination and his desire to become a storyteller. This bilingual biographical picture book is a very interesting description of what childhood was like for the imaginative young boy growing up in Aracataca, Colombia.

 Emert, Phyllis Raybin. Sonia Sotomayor: a judge grows in the Bronx = Sonia Sotomayor: la juez que crecio en el Bronx. Detroit, MI: Lucent Books, 2011. Print.
A biography of the first Puerto Rican Supreme Court justice emphasizes how she overcame a childhood of poverty in the South Bronx through her own and her mother's hard work and determination.  The Spanish translation of this story makes the book accessible to Latino families, where Sotomayor’s story can inspire children of all ethnic, racial, and economic backgrounds to work hard and pursue educational and professional success.

Morales, Yuyi. Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2003. Print.
Skeleton Senor Calavera arrives at Grandma Beetle's door, ready to take her to the next life, but after helping her count in English and Spanish as she makes her birthday preparations, he changes his mind. This story is the perfect introduction to counting in both English and in Spanish and is a spirited tribute to the rich traditions of Mexican culture, including the Mexican holiday, Day of the Dead.

Picture Books for the Young Budding Artist

Is there a young budding artist in your life? Consider surprising them with one of these beautifully illustrated picture books for children in preschool through grade 3! They're all available at the Naperville Public Library!

 Art by Patrick McDonnell. Rhyming text describes how little Art makes passionate zigzags, "scribbles that squiggle," lots of dots and "the curliest cue." His creations, rendered in watercolor and crayon, become a neighborhood scene and the location of Art's dream. He awakens to find his artwork proudly displayed on the family refrigerator, "put there by Mother 'cause mother loves Art."

Danny's Drawing Book by Sue Heap. A snowy trip to the zoo with his friend Ettie prompts Danny to write an illustrated story with pencil sketches in his drawing book. Danny draws himself and Ettie into the story and suddenly the friends are on an exciting adventure with an elephant and an aardvark. This imaginative story is sure to inspire many children to write their own illustrated stories this winter!

Jeremy Draws a Monster by Peter McCarty. This adorable picture book features Jeremy and his unique illustration of a monster that comes to life! Suddenly, the blue, squiggly, horned monster demands that Jeremy draw him a whole assortment of objects. "Draw me a sandwich. I’m hungry!" "Draw me a telephone. Somebody might call," the monster exclaims. How will Jeremy ever get rid of this annoying monster?

Lily Brown's Paintings by Angela Johnson, Illustrated by E. B. Lewis. Lilly Brown loves spending time with her family, but when she begins painting, the stars visit sidewalk cafes, the trees wear hats and drink tea, the fruit at the market stand laughs out loud, and the wind carries stories across the ocean. Vivid watercolor illustrations celebrate children’s imaginations and depict the magic that the young girl finds in art.

A Day With No Crayons by Elizabeth Rusch. A Day With No Crayons is a delightful children's picture book celebrating creativity. When young Liza draws on the white wall with crayons, her mother takes them away. With the crayons gone, all the color drains from Liza's world. What does the budding artist do? She squirts her toothpaste angrily and stomps through mud puddles. Through these acts, Liza inadvertently creates art—and eventually discovers color in the world around her.

When Pigasso Met Mootisse by Nina Laden. In this charming tales of modern artists, a cleverly named pig, Pigasso, and a colorful bull, Mootisse and Pigasso start out as neighbors but end up fueding when they start criticizing one another’s work. The painters end up with a colorful mess by ultimately building a fence between the two. Based loosely on the real-life relationship between Picasso and Matisse, this tale is a wonderful tribute to these exceptional talents and to the concept of accepting the ideas of others. This title is sure to be perfect for any young artist’s personal library.

Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg. This riveting children’s picture book encourages children to view mistakes not as failures but opportunities. As the book states, "A torn piece of paper" (the cardboard is actually torn)… is just the beginning (of an alligator’s smile). Throughout this book, various spills and paint blobs are transformed into animals, a folded sheet of paper becomes a penguin’s head, and most notably, a panel with a hole in the center telescopes outward, accordion-style, to reveal a tiny creature way at the bottom. This inspirational book is sure to inspire children to take creative risks and not condemn their mistakes.

Recent research demonstrates a correlation between the arts and higher academic performance. In the report, "Learning, Arts and the Brain", seven universities presented several studies discussing how visual arts, music, and dance training and skill positively impact learning (The Dana Foundation, 2008). To encourage artistic expression among children, rouse their creative spirit by checking out one of the above illustrated picture books!

You'll Never Believe What Things You Find in the Library!

Patty and Me as "Thing 2"! We both accidentally ordered the same iron-on transfer. Oh well :) We are twins and I think we look awesome! I'm on the right, by the way.