March 5: Preschool Storytime: Dr. Seuss

(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 Dr. Seuss books for four to six year olds 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 on Monday, it was the birthday of an author we know that wrote many books for children. I held up a picture of Dr. Seuss, and I asked if anyone recognized him. None of the children did. I explained that even though Dr. Seuss has passed away, we still celebrate Dr. Seuss Day in March.

Today we are doing the letter Dd for doctor.

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



BOOK: "I Am Not Going to Get Up Today" by Dr. Seuss

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 Dd 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.)

“S-E-U-S-S”
(Tune: “B-I-N-G-O”)

There was a man/hombre who wrote silly stories/cuentos
And Seuss was his name-oh
S-E-U-S-S
S-E-U-S-S
S-E-U-S-S
Oh, his stories/cuentos are such fun to read.

There was a man/hombre who wrote silly stories/cuentos
And Seuss was his name-oh
(Clap)-E-U-S-S
(Clap)-E-U-S-S
(Clap)-E-U-S-S
Oh, his stories/cuentos are such fun to read.

There was a man/hombre who wrote silly stories/cuentos
And Seuss was his name-oh
(Clap)-(Clap)-U-S-S
(Clap)-(Clap)-U-S-S
(Clap)-(Clap)-U-S-S
Oh, his stories/cuentos are such fun to read.

There was a man/hombre who wrote silly stories/cuentos
And Seuss was his name-oh
(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-S-S
(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-S-S
(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-S-S
Oh, his stories/cuentos are such fun to read.

There was a man/hombre who wrote silly stories/cuentos
And Seuss was his name-oh
(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-S
(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-S
(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)`-S
Oh, his stories/cuentos are such fun to read.

There was a man/hombre who wrote silly stories/cuentos
And Seuss was his name-oh
(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)
(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)
(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)
Oh, his stories/cuentos are such fun to read.

BOOK #2: "Fox in Socks" by Dr. Seuss

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

“The Cat in the Hat”
(Tune: “The Addams Family”)

The cat/gato in the hat/sombrero (snap, snap or clap, clap)
The cat/gato in the hat/sombrero (snap, snap or clap, clap)
The cat/gato in the hat/sombrero, the cat in the hat (snap, snap or clap, clap)
The cat/gato in the hat (snap, snap or clap, clap)


He causes so much fun
But when the fun is done
You will be the one
To send that cat away!





BOOK #3: "What Pet Should I Get?" by Dr. Seuss

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 Dd, the Dd 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: Thing 1 and Thing 2 Blow Painting
Source of idea: https://iheartcraftythings.com/thing-1-2-dr-seuss-craft.html

My Example

                           

               

Materials:

1. White cardstock
2. Template
3. Water
4. Cups
5. Pipettes
6. Straws cut in half
7. Powder paint or liquid watercolors
8.Markers

Instructions:
See link above for full instructions. After downloading the template for free from teacherspayteachers.com, I printed one off on computer paper. I covered the number one with Wite Out to make a template for Thing 2.

*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. "Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!" by Dr. Seuss
2. "The Cat in the Hat" by Dr. Seuss
3. "Green Eggs and Ham" by Dr. Seuss
4. "The Cat in the Hat Comes Back" by Dr. Seuss
5. "Great Day for Up" by Dr. Seuss
6. "Dr. Seuss's Book of Animals" by Dr. Seuss
7. "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" by Dr. Seuss
8. "I Can Read with My Eyes Shut" by Dr. Seuss
9. "Marvin K. Mooney, Will You Please go Now" by Dr. Seuss

March 4, 2020: Toddler Storytime: Dr. Seuss

(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 by Dr. Seuss 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 on Monday, it was the birthday of an author we know that wrote many books for children. I held up a picture of Dr. Seuss, and I asked if anyone recognized him. None of the children did.

Book: "The Eye Book" by Dr. Seuss

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

MOVEMENT AND SHAKER SONG:

“There’s a Wocket in My Pocket, Dr. Seuss”
(Tune: “If You’re Happy, and You Know It”

There’s a Wocket in my pocket, Dr. Seuss.
Clap, clap
There’s a red fish and a blue fish in there too
Clap, clap
There’s the Cat in the Hat, the Grinch and Cindy Loo
There’s a Wocket in my pocket, Dr. Seuss

There’s a Wocket in my pocket, Dr. Seuss
Clap, clap
There are green eggs and ham in there too
Clap, clap
Fox in Sox, Hop on Pop, and Think 1 and Thing 2
There’s a Wocket in my Pocket, Dr. Seuss

SHAKER SONG: 

“Dr. Seuss is on the Loose”

(Tune: “Old McDonald”)

Dr. Seuss is on the loose
And this is how we know.
The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham
Fox in Socks, Hop on Pop
The Eye Book, The Foot Book
We love his fun books so

                    

MOVEMENT SONG: 

“Cat in the Hat”

I see the cat (hands to eyes-form whiskers)
The cat in the hat (hands to form hat)
He is very naughty (shake finger)
That cat in the hat (whiskers-form hat)
So I’ll keep my ears listening (hands to eyes)
I’m not going to let that cat come inside.

Book: "There's a Wocket in My Pocket" by Dr. Seuss

MOVEMENT CHANT:  

“Cat in the Hat”

I have a hat (hands to form hat)
It’s red and white (hold hands out)
I wear it up on my head (indicate top of head)
I have whiskers (make whiskers)
And fur that is black (pet arm like fur)
And people call me the Cat in the Hat (make whiskers and make hat)


MOVEMENT SONG:

“Read, Read, Read“
(Tune: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”)

Read, read, read a book
We read all the time
We all love books by Dr. Seuss
We love the way they rhyme.

Read, read, read a book
Read about the cat.
The naughty cat makes such a mess!
What do you think of that?

Read, read, read a book
We know just the one:
Green Eggs and Ham with Sam-I-am.
Reading is such fun!

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: Left foot, Right Foot Collage for The Foot Book"
Idea modified from https://theresjustonemommy.com/happy-birthday-to-the-foot-book-author/

(Since they didn't pick for us to read The Foot Book, I showed some of the illustrations from a few pages in the book.)

Materials:
1. Template
2. White cardstock
3. Various colors of construction paper
4. Sequins
5. Beads
6. Glitter glue
7. Alphabet stickers
8. Feathers
9. Pom poms
10. Glue

My example

*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. "The Foot Book" by Dr. Seuss
2. "Would You Rather Be a Bullfrog?" by Dr. Seuss
3. "The Shape of me and Other Stuff" by Dr. Seuss
4. "Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You?" by Dr. Seuss
5. "Hop On Pop" by Dr. Seuss