Hot Dog - A Poetry Break

INTRODUCTION

So, it's baseball season again! This poem isn't necessarily about the classic American sport, but what you can :: eat :: during a ball game.... hot dogs! Yum! This poetry break requires some delectable hot dogs to eat - complete with all the trimmings! This poem would also work for a picnic session too.

POEM

Hot Dog
by Mordicai Gerstein

Dear hot dog..........................with relish and a blanket
snug as a puppy.....................of crimson ketchup.
in your bready bun,.............. .You are so fragrant,
I love you.............................. .I could
mustard..................................eat
up and down........................ ..you
your ticklish tummy,............  ..up!
and cover you up

EXTENSION

• Have the children deck out a hot dog and eat it up (it's a must!)
• Encourage the children to share what they love about hot dogs.
• For the baseball season, have the children share what they like about the sport and what they eat at a game.

BIBLIOGRAPHYY

Gerstein, Mordicai. 2011. Dear Hot Dog. Illus. by Mordicai Gerstein. NY, NY: Abrams Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 9780810997325.

Arbor Day - A Storytime Outline

In celebration of Arbor Day (April 28 or any last Friday of April),  I focused on trees for my last spring storytime. I had a great group of toddlers and a school group visit in my preschool program. We definitely had a lot of fun. Despite being a good number of books about trees, there was not many for the toddler age group. Thus, I focused also on birds.

T = Toddler Storytime
P = Preschool Storytime

BOOKS

Little Robin Redbreast: A Mother Goose Rhyme illustrated by Shari Halpern (T)
I chose this book cause it was great and simple. One little boy was super excited to see a kitty cat in the pictures!

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom written by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault and illus. by Lois Ehlert (T)
How can you :: not :: go wrong with this classic! One girl would say that we had to save the letters after they fell out of the coconut tree. We then had to go straight into singing the Alphabet Song.

The Busy Tree written by Jennifer Ward and illus. by Lisa Falkenstern (P)
This is a nice book about what type of animals live in a tree. The illustrations are a little dark in color so it did make it a little difficult to see small details. 

Mighty Tree written and illus. by Fick Gackenback (P)
This is a good book for the preschoolers and school kids. Trees can be used for products like paper and can be used for a Christmas tree, but it has a far more important job as being a home.

Fall is Not Easy written and illus. by Marty Kelley (P)
The children thought that this was hilarious!

SONGS & RHYMES

Open, Shut Them (T, P)
follow actions
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Lay them in your lap
Creep them, creep them up to your chin
Open your mouth wide, but don't put your fingers in!
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a big clap
Open, shut them
Lay them in your lap.

Alphabet Song (T)
tune: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
A, B, C, D, E, F, G,
H, I, J, K,
L, M, N, O, P,
Q, R, S,
T, U, V,
W, X, Y, and Z.
Now I know my ABCs,
Next time won't you sing with me.

Way Up High in the Apple Tree
Way Up High in an Apple Tree
An apple smiled at me
I shook the tree as hard as I could
Down fell the apple
Mmmmm it was good

Additional verbs:
frowned, winked, laughed, blew a kiss, etc.
Inspiration source: King County Library System

Five Little Monkeys Swinging From a Tree (P)
Five little monkeys swinging from a tree (hold up five fingers and swing your arm)
Teasing Mr. Crocodile, "You can't catch me!" (but your hands to your ears like antlers!)
Along come Mr. Crocodile, (but your hands together and swim them around slowly)
As hungry as can be
And SNAP! (make your whole arms into a large crocodile mouth and snap your hands together like a big gulp!)

Four little monkeys swinging from a tree
Teasing Mr. Crocodile, "You can't catch me!"
Along comes Mr. Crocodile,
As hungry as can be
And SNAP!

Countdown to one monkey

One little monkey swinging from a tree
Teasing Mr. Crocodile, "You can't catch me!"
Along comes Mr. Crocodile,
As hunger as can be (still!)
And SNAP!
Along go Mr. Crocodile as fat as can be!

Touch Your Nose (T, P)
follow actions

Touch your nose

Touch your chin

That's the way this game begins

Touch your eyes

Touch your knees

Now pretend you're going to sneeze!

Aaachooooo!

Touch your hair

Touch one ear

Touch your two red lips right here

Touch your elbow where it ends

And that's the way this touch game ends.

FLANNEL BOARD

Way Up High in the Apple Tree (T)
I created a large tree to cover my flannel board by making a simple looking trunk and a fluffy tree canopy. For the rhyme I simply placed the number of needed apples to the tree top. While reading the rhyme I tried to promote the "one at a time / taking turns" side of fun by pointing at each toddler to get them to come up and pick and apple. It was mildly successful! The toddlers loved putting the apples back on the tree too at the end of the rhymes.

Five Little Monkeys Swinging in a Tree (P)
The children had a lot of fun doing this fun, especially during the SNAP! portion of the rhyme! I used a flannel board monkeys for this rhyme.

ACTIVITIES

Puppet Petting (T)
My library owns the Baby Birds in Nest puppet from Folkmanis. I walked around the group of toddlers so that they had an up close encounter with the birdies. Each one got to put the little heads. One precocious little girl kept on asking where the mommy bird was. It was super cute!

Eggs Shakers (T)
I pulled out the egg shakers one of my little regulars shout and jumped up. He loves the shakers!

CRAFTS

Tree Coloring Page (T)
The toddlers got another coloring page. In addition, they also had strips of green tissue paper to glue to the tree canopy. There was also a birds nest, to which I had a lot of questions about where the mommy bird was. They had to draw her in.

Miniature Trees (P)
The preschoolers got to make their own miniature tree from a toilet paper roll and construction paper. To make the green canopy stay up right all you have to do is cut two slits on either "ends" of the tube, and you just slip the paper right in. The children also got to add in a birds nest and a squirrel so that we highlighted the roll as tree=home to animals.

PICTURES

Way Up High in the Apple Tree, flannel board,
created by Dorothy WP-CC, 2012

Tree coloring page, Toddler Storytime Craft,
created by Dorothy WP-CC, 2012

Miniature Tree, Preschool Storytime Craft,
created by Dorothy WP-CC, 2012

MORE BOOKS

Leo's Tree written by Debora Pearson and illus. by Nora Hilb (T, P)
If I Were a Tree written by Dar Hosta (T, P)
A Tree for Me written by Nancy Van Laan and illus. by Sheila White Samption (P)
A Tree is Nice written by Janice May Udry and illus. by Marc Simont (P)
A Tree for Emmy written by Mary Ann Rodman and illus. by Tatjana Mai-Wyss (P)
The Apple Pie Tree written by Zoe Hall and illus. by Shari Helpern
Our Tree Named Steve written by Alan Zweibel and illus. by David Catrow (P, SA)
The Alphabet Tree written and illus. by Leo Lionni (P, SA)
Tree Ring Circus written and illus. by Adam Rex (P, SA)

Earth Day and Arbor Day

Spring has sprung. The weather is getting nice (with the few exceptions of storms). It's time that we appreciate the world we live in. Granted, we should be doing this all year long, but April 22 (Earth Day) and April 27 (Arbor Day) are the signified days to focus on the Earth and its beautiful trees.

Here are some books to look over, whether at your library (hey, think how green a library is!) or to own in your own home-library:

EARTH DAY BOOKS

• I Had a Favorite Dress written by Boni Ashburn and illus. Julia Denos
• The Curious Garden written and illus. by Peter Brown
• Biscuit's Earth Day Celebration written by Alyssa Satin Capucilli and by Back Lane Studios
• We Are Extremely Very Good Recyclers written and illus. by Lauren Child  
• Love Your World: How to Take Care of the Plants, the Animals, and the Planet written by D. K. Pulishing
• The Lorax written and illus. by Dr. Seuss
• Recycle!: A Handbook for Kids written and illus. by Gail Gibbons
• It's Earth Day! written and illus. by Mercer Mayer
• Fancy Nancy: Every Day is Earth Day written by Jane O'Connor and illus. by Preiss Glasser
• The Earth Book written and illus. by Todd Parr
• The Green Mother Goose: Saving the World One Rhyme at a Time written by Jan Peck and David Davis and illus. by Carin Berger
• Curious George Plants a Tree written and illus. by Margaret & H. A. Rey
• Compost Stew: An A to Z Recipe for the Earth written by Mary McKenna Siddals and illus. by Ashley Wolff
• Gabby and Grandma Go Green written and illus. by Monica Wellington
• Try This At Home: Planet Friendly Projects for Kids by OWL Magazine

ARBOR DAY BOOKS

• Mighty Tree written and illus. by Dick Gackenback
• Fall is Not Easy written and illus. by Marty Kelley
• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom written by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault and illus. by Lois Ehlert
• The Busy Tree written by Jennifer Ward and illus. by Lisa Falkenstern
• Leo's Tree written by Debora Pearson and illus. by Nora Hilb 
• If I Were a Tree written by Dar Hosta
  
• A Tree for Me written by Nancy Van Laan and illus. by Sheila White Samption
• A Tree is Nice written by Janice May Udry and illus. by Marc Simon
• A Tree for Emmy written by Mary Ann Rodman and illus. by Tatjana Mai-Wyss
• The Apple Pie Tree written by Zoe Hall and illus. by Shari Helpern
• Our Tree Named Steve written by Alan Zweibel and illus. by David Catrow 
• The Alphabet Tree written and illus. by Leo Lionni 
• Tree Ring Circus written and illus. by Adam Rex 

Which books do you share with your kids?

Pineapple - A Poetry Break

INTRODUCTION

It’s time for a funny “holiday” poetry break! April 20^th is National Upside Down Pineapple Cake Day! Yes, there is actually a day for this delectable dessert, and now I am able to pull a haiku poem from Pat Mora’s Yum! Mmmm! Que rico!: Americas’ Sproutings book! Share this poem and have a some fresh pineapples for tasting!

POEM

Pineapple

by Pat Mora

A stuff, spiky hat

on thick prickly skin, inside

hide syrupy rings.

EXTENSION

• Have the children help bake a upside down pineapple cake in the kitchen with plenty of adult supervision.
• If you have fresh pineapple for eating, have the children prep the tops for growing a new pineapple plant.
• Let the children share what they like and don’t like about the fruit.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Mora, Pat2007. Yum! Mmmm! Que rico!: Americas’ Sproutings. Illus. by Rafael Lopez. NY, NY: Lee & Low Books, Inc. ISBN: 9781584302711.

T. Rex Tag - A Poetry Break

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever thought what dinosaurs did for fun? What games did they play? Which other dinosaurs did they play with? If they ate their friends? Yes, ate them. This poem is a lot of fun to read. Before you share the poem ask the children if they have played tag and what do you do when you do play the game. Then ask if they think dinosaurs could play tag back in the day.

 POEM

T. Rex Tag
by Robert Weinstock

I didn't mean to eat my friends,
But...Yum...I munched them all.
They came to quite delicious ends-
So tasty, sweet, and small!

I gobbled Fern eight hours ago,
And chomped Earl yesterday.
I can't recall when I ate Flo.
Now no one's left to play.

I never knew a game of tag
Alone would stink this bad.
I'm always "It"! It's such a drag,
I snarfed the friends I had.

EXTENSION

• Ask the children what they thought of the poem. Was it silly and funny?
• Have the children imagine other outdoor games dinosaurs could've played and let them share their ideas.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Weinstock, Robert. 2010. Can You Dig It? And Other Poems. Illus. by Robert Weinstock. NY, NY: Disney-Hyperion Books. ISBN: 9781423122081.

Poetry & Rhyme - A Storytime Outline

April is National Poetry Month!

In celebration I chose to do a Poetry & Rhyme storytime theme. Even thought it probably would not have mattered much, but I had the big goal of using books that were actually poem picture books and not just nursery rhymes. This could have been a daunting task, and it was in the beginning, because you have hunt through your nonfiction 811 poetry collection and your picture book collection to find your treasure.

There are a good number of poetry picture books that can be used for storytime, and there are a good number of regular poetry books that you can share a poem or two from with the preschoolers. It all depends on your storytime group. My preschool group were on the younger side so I opted to not pull out the regular poetry books and decided to just stick with picture book format.

All in all, it was excellent!


T = Toddler Storytime
P = Preschool Storytime

BOOKS

Big is Big (and Little, Little): A Book of Contrasts written by J. Patrick Lewis and illus. by Bob Barner (T)
This book is brightly colored with big pictures of animals. The poem by known children poet J. Patrick Lewis is simple that can be read through it quickly before the toddlers move on. The toddlers do love the pictures and the animals!

Wynken, Blynken, and Nod written by Eugene W. Field and illus. by David McPhail (T)
I grew up with the poem and wanted to read it. David McPhail's illustration shows the fisherman three as sailor bunnies, and one little girl loved pointing them out!

What Does the Wind Say? written by Wendi Silvano and illus by Joan M. Delehanty (T)
This is another simple question and answer poem. The children loved the pictures and loved pretending to go peek-a-book like the moon or sway in the wind.

Sailor Moo: Cow at Sea written by Lisa Wheeler and illus. by Ponder Goembel (P)
How have you ever seen a cow on a boat at sea? This is a silly poem about a dairy cow who had aspirations of being a sailor and followed her dream. One child said cows live on a farm and in a barn and not on a boat!

Good Night Dinosaurs written by Judy Sierra and illus. by Victoria Chess (P)
This is similar to Jane Yolen's How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?. I wish the pictures were bigger though.

Rain Song written by Lezlie Evans and illus. by Cynthia Jabar (P)
This was the "abstract" poem picture book as it described the sounds of a rain storm coming and going, but the children liked nonetheless, especially when they pointed out umbrellas, rain boots, cat and dog.

Ten Rosy Roses written by Even Merriam and illus. by Julia Gorton (T, P)
I used this counting poem/rhyme for our flannel board activity for both programs.

SONGS & RHYMES

Opening Rhyme: Open, Shut Them (T, P)
follow actions
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Lay them in your lap
Creep them, creep them up to your chin
Open your mouth wide, but don't put your fingers in!
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a big clap
Open, shut them
Lay them in your lap.

Head and Shoulders (T)
follow actions
Head and shoulders, knees and toes
Knees and toes
Head and shoulders, knees and toes
knees and toes
Eyes and ears and mouth and knows
Head and shoulders, knees and toes
Knees and toes.

If You're Happy and You Know It (P)
follow actions
If you're happy and you know it
Clap your hands (clap your hands!)
If you're happy and you know it
Clap you hands (clap your hands)
If you're happy and you know it
Then your hands should surely show it
If you're happy and you know it
Clap your hands!

If you're happy and you know it
Stomp your feet (stomp you footsies!)
If you're happy and you know it
Stomp your feet (stomp!)
If you're happy and you know it
Then your feet should surely show it
If you're happy and you know it
Stomp your feet.

Continue with
"shout hooray!... then your voice should surely show it..."
"do all three (clap, stomp, hooray!)... then you should surely show it..."

Closing Rhyme: Touch Your Nose (T, P)
follow actions

Touch your nose

Touch your chin

That's the way this game begins

Touch your eyes

Touch your knees

Now pretend you're going to sneeze!

Aaachooooo!

Touch your hair

Touch one ear

Touch your two red lips right here

Touch your elbow where it ends

And that's the way this touch game ends.

FLANNEL BOARD

Ten Rosy Roses (T, P)
I created ten red roses to go with this poem. The children LOVED coming up to take a flower off the flannel board. The toddlers were super excited that more than one child took a flower at on point so we went through the poem a lot quicker!

CRAFTS

Wood Shoe Coloring Page (T)
I created a coloring page inspired by the poem Wynken, Blynken, and Nod using a wooden shoe clip art on the computer. I also drew the sail for the shoe. The toddlers got to glue on their moon and their two stars. It was just right for the age.

Sleeping D is for Dinosaur (P)
I did the classic D is for Dinosaur craft where you use an uppercase letter D as the dino body. I used the cut from the letter to make the feet (cut it in half), a circle die cut to make the head, cut out triangles for spikes and a wiggly strip for a tale. Super cute, and the kids loved him!

PICTURES

Ten Rosy Roses, flannel board,
created by Dorothy WP-CC, 2012

Wynken, Blynken, and Nod coloring page, Toddler craft
created by Dorothy WP-CC, 2012

Sleeping D is for Dinosaur, Preschool craft,
created by Dorothy WP-CC, 2012

BOOKS

Here are some more poetry books that could work for a program!
Potato Joe written and illus. by Keith Baker
The Camel's Lament written by Charles Edward Carryl and illus. by Charles Santore (T, P)
Book! written by Kristine O'Connell George and illus. by Maggie Smith (T, P)
Swirl by Swirl: Spirals of Nature written by Joyce Sidman and illus. by Beth Krommes (T, P)
All the World written by Liz Garton Scanlon and illus. by Maria Frazee (P)
The Owl and the Pussycat written by Edward Lear and illus. by Anne Wilson (P)
A City Is written by Norman Rosten and illus. by Melanie Hope Greenberg (P)
In the Sea written by David Elliot and illus. by Holly Meade (P)
Moon Bear written by Brenda Z. Guiberson and illus. by Ed Young (P)
Who Bop? written by Jonathan London and illus. by Henry Cole (P)

Bibliographies - aka - Reading Lists

Here is a running list of recommended Bibliographies (aka Reading Lists) for you to explore!

Just click on a link to find the list. Remember to check back often to see what's new!

E = Easy Picture Books
JF = Juvenile Fiction
JNF = Juvenile Nonfiction 
YAF = Young Adult Fiction
YANF = Young Adult Nonfiction

Fun Reads

• So You Like The Hunger Games? (Read Alikes) JF and YAF
• Can You Survive? (Books on Survival) - JF
• Lunar New Year Books - E
• Thankful Feasting (Thanksgiving) - E
• Cool Summer Reads - E, JF  
• Earth Day and Arbor Day - E with a little of JNF 
• New to Chapter Books - JF 
• Recommended Chapter Books for Girls - JF
• Recommended Chapter Books for Boys - JF

Award Reading Lists

• 2012 Youth Media Awards
• 2012 Texas 2x2
• 2012 Texas Bluebonnet Award
• 2010 Youth Media Awards