February 27: Preschool Storytime: Black History Month

(Reminder note: When it is time to read a story, I read the titles of three books and then display them. The children pick which one we read. The three fictional ones listed below are the ones they picked. The other recommended picture books are listed at the bottom.)

Opening song:                                                    
(Tune: "The Farmer in the Dell")

                        

We tap hola like this

We tap hola like this

Hi-ho cherry

We tap hola like this

Continue with other verses:

We drop hola like this...

We circle hola like this...

We spin hola like this...

We toss hola like this...

We roll hola like this...


INTRODUCTION:  I explained that, in addition to focusing on the 100 Acts of Kindness and Valentine's Day, February is also Black History Month. I pointed to the pictures from my Black History Month display that is on the wall behind me.  All of these people are remembered for doing something to make the world a better place.

Today we are doing the letter Hh for history.

Held up H and h
Talked about sound of Hh
Talked about things that start with Hh
Make a lowercase h in the air
Put the alphabet chart on the floor. Let each child take the pointer and point to the letter Hh.



BOOK: "Amazing Grace" by Mary Hoffman

I gave each parent a copy of the words to the songs that have to do with the theme. I told the children to find a letter Hh in the words and point to out to their parent. 

ACTION AND SHAKER SONG: (We first sing all the words in English and then change a few words to Spanish.)

“I am Special”
(Tune: "Are You Sleeping")

I am special,
Very, very special.
Yes, I am/Sí, soy yo.
Yes, I am, Sí, soy yo .

You are special!
Very, very special!
Yes, you are/Sí lo eres.
Yes, you are/Sí lo eres.

We all are special.
Very, very special.
Yes, we are/Sí, somos.
Yes, we are/ Sí, somos.

BOOK #2: "Fancy Party Gowns: The Story of Fashion Designer Ann Cole Loew" by Deborah Blumenthal

MOVEMENT SONG: (We first sing all the words in English and then change a few words to Spanish. We sang the song while standing and moving in a circle.)

“Friend of Mine”
(Tune: “Mary Had a Little Lamb”)

Will you be a friend of mine, a friend of mine, a friend of mine?
Will you be a friend of mine and hop around with me? Hop, hop

Will you be a friend of mine, a friend of mine, a friend of mine?
Will you be a friend of mine and dance around with me? Dance, dance

Will you be a friend of mine, a friend of mine, a friend of mine?
Will you be a friend of mine and clap along with me? Clap, clap

Will you be a friend of mine, a friend of mine, a friend of mine?
Will you be a friend of mine and wiggle with me? Wiggle, wiggle

Will you be a friend of mine, a friend of mine, a friend of mine?
Will you be a friend of mine and shake hands with me? Shake, shake


“Friend of Mine”
(Tune: “Mary Had a Little Lamb”)

Will you be a friend of mine, a friend of mine, a friend of mine?
Will you be a friend of mine and salta with me? Salta, salta

Will you be a friend of mine, a friend of mine, a friend of mine?
Will you be a friend of mine and baila with me? Baila, baila

Will you be a friend of mine, a friend of mine, a friend of mine?
Will you be a friend of mine and aplauda with me? Aplauda, aplauda

Will you be a friend of mine, a friend of mine, a friend of mine?
Will you be a friend of mine and muevela with me? Muevela, muevela

Will you be a friend of mine, a friend of mine, a friend of mine?
Will you be a friend of mine and dame la mano? Dame la mano, dame la mano




BOOK #3: "Brave Ballerina: The Story of Janet Collins" by Michelle Meadows 

Goodbye song:                                                  

(Tune: "The Farmer in the Dell") 

                         

We tap adios like this

We tap adios like this

Hi-ho cherry

We tap adios like this

Continue with other verses:

We drop adios like this...

We circle adios like this...

We spin adios like this...

We toss adios like this...

 We roll adios like this...

Craft Time:  

I modeled the rainbow writing page for letter Hh, the Hh dot page, and the craft before the children starting working on them. Before starting the craft, the children write the given letter using 3 different colors of crayons. I have attached a link to the free rainbow writing letters I used. Completing the dot page is optional.

You can find free rainbow writing letters here. Since they are free, they lack a dot for where to start. print one off, add the dots with a black marker, and then make copies of that one. You can find the dot pages here. 

Click here for a link for letter formation prompts for capital and lowercase letters. Children need to spend more time working on the lowercase letters than on the capital letters.


Craft: Imitating the art of Alma W. Thomas, African American abstract painter

First, I showed a picture of her to the children, and I told them a little bit about her. She was first an art teacher for 35 years, and at the age of 68, she began studying to become a professional artist. Next, I showed them some of her paintings using the book Alma W. Thomas: a retrospective of the paintings by the artist herself. I explained that her art is abstract art. It isn't meant to look like anything specific. She painted using small, separated tile-like marks or spots of bright colors. Spots of the same color were either grouped in vertical rows or in layers of circular shapes.

The Eclipse, 1970

                                                                                          My example

Materials:

1. Cardstock
2. Circle template
3. Pencil
4. Paint brushes
5. Q-tips
6. 6 inch paper plates
7. Paint in a variety of colors

Instructions:
Print off 3 inch circle template. Cut out circle template, and trace it onto the paper. Paint the circle any desired color. Then paint a circular, segmented line of bricks or tiles around the circle in another color. Next, paint a slightly larger circular, segmented line of bricks just outside of the previous line. Repeat until the page is filled with these segmented, circular lines.

*All photos are with parent permission.

I always let the children pick which three books I read from the ones I bring with me. These are the additional suggested books that the children didn't pick:

1. "Mae Among the Stars" by Roda Ahmed
2. "Chocolate Me!" by Taye Diggs
3. "Sulwe" by Lupita Nyong'o
4. "Something Beautiful" by Sharon Dennis Wyeth
5. "Colors of Us" by Karen Katz
6. "Skin Again" by Bell Hooks
7. Beautiful Blackbird" by Ashley Bryan
8.  "Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat"
9. "Princess Hair" by Sharee Miller
10. "I am Enough" by Grace Byers
11. "This is the Rope: A Story From the Great Migration" by Jacqueline Woodson

February 26: Toddler Storytime: Black History Month

(Reminder note: When it is time to read a story, I read the titles of three books and then display them. The children pick which one we read. The ones listed below are the ones they picked. Additional recommended titles for Black History Month for two to three year olds are at the bottom of this post.)

Opening song:                                                               

(Tune: The Farmer in the Dell")

We tap hola like this
We tap ho la like this
Hi-ho cherry

We tap hola like this

Continue with other verses:

We drop hola like this...

We circle hola like this...

We spin hola like this...

We toss hola like this..

We roll hola like this....

We stomp hola like this...

Introduction: I explained that, in addition to focusing on the 100 Acts of Kindness and Valentine's Day, February is also Black History Month. I pointed to the pictures from my Black History Month display that is on the wall behind me.  All of these people are remembered for doing something to make the world a better place. We all look the same on the inside. No matter the color of our skin, we all are special. 

Book: "I Like Myself" by Karen Beaumont

I gave each parent a copy of the words to the song that went with the theme. 

MOVEMENT AND SHAKER SONG:

“I Am Special”
(Tune: "Are You Sleeping?")


I am special, I am special,
Look at me, look at me.
A very special person, A very special person
That is me, that is me.

You are special, you are special
Everyone is special, everyone is special
Oh, you are special
Everyone is special
In his or her own way

MOVEMENT SONG: (We sang the song over ten times, once about each child attending storytime.)

“Everyone's Important”
(Tune: "Did You Ever See a Lassie")

(Child's name)'s important, important, important
(Child's name)'s important to me and you
In work and in play
(H/she) does (his/her) best each day
(Name)'s important to me and you.

MOVEMENT SONG: (We stood up and danced with scarves while singing the words.)

"Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"
           followed by

“Special Me”(Tune: "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star")

Special, special, special me
How I wonder what I'll be
In this big world I can be
Anything I want to be
Special, special, special me
How I wonder what I'll be

Book: "Honeysmoke" by Monique Fields

Movement song:  

“If You're Friendly”
(Tune: "If You're Happy, and You Know It")

If you're friendly and you know it, wave hello.
If you're friendly and you know it, wave hello.
If you're friendly and you know it, and you really want to show it,
If you're friendly and you know it, wave hello!

If you're friendly and you know it, shake hands.
If you're friendly and you know it, shake hands.
If you're friendly and you know it, and you really want to show it,
If you're friendly and you know it, shake hands!

If you're friendly and you know it, blow a kiss.
If you're friendly and you know it, blow a kiss. 
If you're friendly and you know it, and you really want to show it,
If you're friendly and you know it, blow a kiss!

Goodbye Song:
(Tune: "The Farmer in the Dell")

We tap adios like this

We tap adios like this

Hi-ho cherry

We tap adios like this

Continue with other verses:

We drop adios like this...

We circle adios like this...

We spin adios like this...

We toss adios like this...

We roll adios like this...

We stomp adios like this...

Craft Time: Imitating the art of Alma W. Thomas, African American abstract painter

First, I showed a picture of her to the children, and I told them a little bit about her. She was first an art teacher for 35 years, and at the age of 68, she began studying to become a professional artist. Next, I showed them some of her paintings using the book Alma W. Thomas: a retrospective of the paintings by the artist herself. I explained that her art is abstract art. It isn't meant to look like anything specific. She painted using small, separated tile-like marks or spots of bright colors. Spots of the same color were either grouped in  vertical rows or in layers of circular shapes.

 Materials:
1. Cardstock paper
2. Dot markers in a variety of colors
3. Picture of Alma Thomas
4. Examples of her work

My examples

*All photos are with parental permission.

I always let the children pick which three books I read from the ones I bring with me. These are some additional suggested books that the children didn't pick:

1. "Shades of People" by Shelly Rotner and Sheila M. Kelly
2. "Happy in Our Skin" by Fran Manushkin
3. "Happy to be Nappy" by Bell Hooks
4. "I Love My Haircut" by Natasha Tarpley
5. "I Love My Hair" by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley
6. "Hey Black Child" by USenia Eugene Perkns
7. "This Jazz Man" by Karen Ehrhardt

February 20: Preschool Storytime: Polar Bears

(Reminder note: When it is time to read a story, I read the titles of three books and then display them. The children pick which one we read. The three fictional ones listed below are the ones they picked. The other recommended picture books are listed at the bottom.)

Opening song:                                                    
(Tune: "The Farmer in the Dell")

                        

We tap hola like this

We tap hola like this

Hi-ho cherry

We tap hola like this

Continue with other verses:

We drop hola like this...

We circle hola like this...

We spin hola like this...

We toss hola like this...

We roll hola like this...


INTRODUCTION:  I asked what season we are in, and listed all four. I put out a stuffed polar bear, and I asked what it is. After the children guessed, I put my globe next to me on the floor. First, I showed where Texas is on the globe. Then I  showed where penguins live because we just talked about them, and then I showed where polar bears live.

Next, I explained that polar bears have black skin to help them trap the sun's heat to stay warm, and they have white fur to help them blend in.

Today we are doing the letter Bb for bear since we just did the letter Pp for penguin.

Held up B and b
Talked about sound of Bb
Talked about things that start with Bb
Make a lowercase b in the air
Put the alphabet chart on the floor. Let each child take the pointer and point to the letter Bb.



BOOK: "The Polar Bears Are Hungry" by Carol Carrick

I gave each parent a copy of the words to the songs that have to do with the theme. I told the children to find a letter Bb in the words and point to out to their parent. 

ACTION SONG:  (I had five children stand up in the middle of the circle and pretend to be the polar bears. Each held one of the numbers one through five in order.  We sing the song first in all English and then change a few words to Spanish.)

“Five Little Polar Bears”

Five little polar bears/cinco osos polares, playing near the shore.

One tumbled in, and then there were four.

Four little polar bears/cuatro osos polares swimming in the sea.

One chased a seal, and then there were three.

Three little polar bears/tres osos polares, what shall we do?

One went swimming and then there were two.

Two little polar bears/dos osos polares playing in the sun.

One took a nap and then there was one.

One little polar bear/un oso polar soon to be gone.

Ran to his mommy, and then there were none.

BOOK #2: "Pup and Bear" by Kate Banks

MOVEMENT AND SHAKER SONG: (We first sing all the words in English and then change a few words to Spanish.)


“Polar Bear”
(Tune: “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean”)

The polar bear lives in Alaska,
He never gets cold in a storm,
He swims in cold, icy water,
His heavy coat keeps him warm.

Warm, warm, warm, warm,
His heavy coats keeps him warm.
Warm, warm, warm, warm,
His heavy coats keeps him warm



“Polar Bear”
(Tune: “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean”)

The polar bear lives in Alaska,
He never gets frío a storm,
He swims in water that’s frío
His heavy coat keeps him caliente.

Caliente, caliente, caliente, caliente
His heavy coats keeps him caliente.
Caliente, caliente, caliente, caliente
His heavy coats keeps him caliente.



BOOK #3:  "Poles Apart" by Jeanne Willis

Goodbye song:                                                  

(Tune: "The Farmer in the Dell") 

                         

We tap adios like this

We tap adios like this

Hi-ho cherry

We tap adios like this

Continue with other verses:

We drop adios like this...

We circle adios like this...

We spin adios like this...

We toss adios like this...

 We roll adios like this...

Craft Time:  

I modeled the rainbow writing page for letter Bb, the Bb dot page, and the craft before the children starting working on them. Before starting the craft, the children write the given letter using 3 different colors of crayons. I have attached a link to the free rainbow writing letters I used. Completing the dot page is optional.

You can find free rainbow writing letters here. Since they are free, they lack a dot for where to start. print one off, add the dots with a black marker, and then make copies of that one. You can find the dot pages here. 

Click here for a link for letter formation prompts for capital and lowercase letters. Children need to spend more time working on the lowercase letters than on the capital letters.


Craft: Polar Bears on the Ice Picture

Modified an idea from http://tippytoecrafts.blogspot.com/2015/01/polar-animal-crafts.html

                  

   My example

First paint the entire page with shades of blue to represent the sky and the sea.

Materials:

1. White cardstock
2. Watercolor paints
3. Water
4. Cups for water
5. Bear template document
6. Wax paper
7. Scissors 
8. Glue bottle
9. Glue stick

Instructions:
1. First use watercolor paints to cover the paper in shades of blue to represent the sky and the sea.
2. Tear of large pieces of wax paper. Crinkle them up, and then spread glue on one side. Glue them onto the bottom half of the paper to look like hills and slopes of ice.
3. To make the ice look more white and less clear, put more layers of wax paper over the top.
4. Cut out two to three polar bears, and use a glue stick to attach them to the wax paper.

*All photos are with parent permission.

I always let the children pick which three books I read from the ones I bring with me. These are the additional suggested books that the children didn't pick:

1. "Polar Bear's Story" by Harriet blackford and Manja Stojic
2. "Bear Report" by Thyra Jeder
3. "Polar Bear Island" by Lindsay Bonilla
4. "Polar Opposites" by Erik Brooks
5. "Adrift; An Odd Couple of Polar Bears" by Jessica Olien
6. "A Dot in the Snow" by Corrinne Averiss
7. "The Three Snow Bears" by Jan Brett
8. "Mama, Why?" by Karma Wilson
9. "The Snow Bear" by Liliana Stafford