November 12: Preschool Storytime: Nocturnal Animals

(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 main exception to this is when I use an information text to teach about a concept such as a type of animal. Additional picture book ideas 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...

I reminded that last week we talked about spiders as an example of an animal that sleeps during the day and is awake at night. We call animals that do this nocturnal. I said that today we are going to talk about lots of other nocturnal animals.

Letter Nn and its sound
Found it on the Alphabet chart
Talked about things that start with Nn
Made lowercase n in the air

I used books including the two listed below to show the children pictures of some of the nocturnal animals that they might not be familiar with. I also showed pictures of a skunk, a badger, and a raccoon. 

                     

           

Book: "The Moon Man" by Isabel Harris

Song using shakers:

“Little Hoot Owl”

(Tune: "Six Little Ducks")
Who flies around in the dark of night/noche? 
Who glides on wings over silent night/noche? 
Who eats his dinner by late moonlight? 
It's a little hoot owl with his owl eyesight!

Who-who, who-who, little hoot owl/búho. 
Who-who, who-who, little owl/búho. 
Who-who, who-who, little owl/búho. 
It's a little hoot owl/ búho with his night vision.




Book: "The Bravest of the Brave" by Shutta Crum

Action song:

“Raccoon”
(Tune: "Kookaburra")

Raccoon sleeps in a hollow tree
While the sun shines on you and me.
Sleep, raccoon/mapache.
Sleep, raccoon/mapache.
Warm and cozily.

In the darkest part of night
Raccoon has the best eyesight.
Look, raccoon/mapache,
Look, raccoon/mapache.
My, your eyes are bright.

Raccoon hardly makes a sound
When he prowls all around.
Hunt, raccoon/mapache,
Hunt, raccoon/mapache
Find food on the ground.

Book: "Owl Babies" by Martin Waddell"

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 Nn dot page and the craft before the children starting working on them. I added in a new writing component called rainbow writing. 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 now optional.

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

Craft: Paper plate hedgehog

          Materials: paper plate
                          googly eyes
                          markers
                          scissors
                          glue
                          crayons

 I modified a craft found here.

These are my examples.

*All photos are shown 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. "Fox Explores the Night" by Martin Jenkins
2. "Prickly Hedgehogs" by Jane McGinness
3. "Stellaluna" by Janell Cannon

November 11: Toddler Storytime: Nocturnal Animals

(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.)

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...

I reminded them that last time we learned that there are animals that sleep during the day while we are awake. We learned that most spiders do this. Then I explained that today we are going to  learn about many of the other animals that are nocturnal.

I used books including the two listed below to show the children pictures of some of the nocturnal animals that they might not be familiar with.

                     

           

                                           





Story: "Night Animals" by Gianna Marino

Action song found on YouTube (we only did the chorus):

“Nocturnal Animals”

Well, I’m just noc-noc-nocturnal,
Snoozing through the day,
I stay up when it’s dark outside,
That’s when I like to play…
And while the whole world’s sleeping,
I’m flying, running, creeping,
I’m up all through the night,
It’s good for me!

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFG7etbxl5o

Shaker song:

“Nocturnal Animals”
(Tune: “Old Susanna”)

The sun has set,
The moon is up
Some animals sleep
And others wake up.
Nocturnal animals
Are out all night.
They go back to sleep
In the daylight.

Dance with me around the room (The children and parents stand up and line up behind me. I use an oatmeal container as a drum.):
1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, kick, kick
1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, spin, spin
1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, hop, hop
1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, fly, fly
1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, walk sideways, walk sideways
1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, walk backwards, walk backwards
Repeat first 2 all the way back to your spot

     

Story: "Little Owl's Night" by Divya Srinivasan

Action song using hand motions: 


“Bats are Sleeping”
(Tune: “Are You Sleeping”)

Bats are sleeping
Bats are sleeping


Upside down.
Upside down.

Sleeping in the morning sun.
Waiting for the night to come.

Then they’ll be
Hunting for food.

Movement song:
“I’m a Little Raccoon”
(Tune: “I’m a Little Teapot”)

I’m a little raccoon, prowling around
(use your hands like little paws)
I hunt for food without a sound
(look left then right and then make a shhhhhhh motion)
A mask on my face and a bushy tail,
(point to your eyes and swish one arm behind you like a taik)
Let’s see if you can spot my trail! (hand on forehead like you are searching)

Spanish song with shakers: "Diez en La Cama" ("Ten in the Bed")        
          We sang the song first in English. Then I gave all the parents copies of the words to  the song in Spanish.
         Here is a link to the YouTube video that we sing along with.

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...

                                  

Model the craft and then parents help their children complete it.

Craft: Porcupine

          Materials:  Spaghetti
                            Tooth picks
                            Googly eyes
                            Glue
                            Markers
                            Copies of a porcupine outline on white cardstock
                            (I looked at clip art of porcupines to draw a basic body)

              
                           

November 7: Preschool Storytime: Introduction to Nocturnal Animals: Spiders

(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 main exception to this is when I use an information text to teach about a concept such as a type of animal.)

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...

Letter Ss and its sound
Found it on the Alphabet chart
Talked about things that start with Ss
Made lowercase s in the air

I explained that some animals sleep during the day and are awake at night. We call animals that do this nocturnal. Most spiders are nocturnal.
I taught the kids a little bit about spiders using this great reader by Carolyn Otto.

Book: "Aaaarrgghh! Spider" by Lydia Monks

Shaker song using plastic spiders: We sing the whole song in English and then change a few words to Spanish.  (I gave each child and parent a plastic spider to act out the song with.)

“There’s A Spider on the Floor”
(Tune: If You’re Happy, and You Know it)

There’s a spider/araña on the floor, on the floorThere’s a spider/ araña on the floor, on the floor
Who could ask for anything more than a spider/araña on the floor,
There’s a spider/araña on the floor, on the floor

Now the spider’s/ araña’s on my leg, on my leg
Now the spider’s/ araña on my leg, on my leg
Oh, he’s really big, this old spider/araña
on my leg
There’s a spider araña on my leg, on my leg

Now the spider’s/araña’s on my stomach, on my stomach
Now the spider’s/araña’s on my stomach, on my stomach
This old spider’s/araña’s on my stomach, Oh, he’s just an old lummoxThis old spider/araña on my stomach, on my stomach

Now the spider’s/ araña’s on my neck on my neck
Now the spider’s/ araña’s on my neck on my neck
Oh, I’m gonna be a wreck; I’ve got a spider/araña on my neck.There’s a spider/araña on my neck, on my neck

Now the spider’s/araña on my face, on my faceNow the spider’s/araña’s on my face, on my face
Oh, what a big disgrace, I’ve got a spider/ araña on my face
There’s a spider/ araña on my face, on my face

Now the spider’s/ araña on my head, on my head
Now the spider’s/ araña on my head, on my headOh, the spider’s/ araña on my head; I want to hide up in my bed.

There’s a spider on my head, on my head
“Look, he jumped off.”

There’s a spider/ araña on the floor, on the floorThere’s a spider/ araña on the floor, on the floor(repeat first verse)





Book: "Sophie's Masterpiece" by Eileen Spinelli

Action song using shakers and pictures: 

We sing the whole song in English and then change a few words to Spanish. 

(I had children take turns holding up clip art of a drum, two shoes, a tree, and a door. I also printed off four copies of some clip art of a spider web.

“Busy Spider”
(Tune: "This Old Man")

Busy spider/ araña, he made one/uno
Great big web on a drum,
With a spin, spin, spin
'Round and 'round he goes.
He puts on, quite a show.

Busy spider/ araña, he made two/dos
Great big webs on some shoes.
With a spin, spin, spin
'Round and 'round he goes.
He puts on, quite a show.

Busy spider/ araña, he made three/tres
Great big webs on a tree.
With a spin, spin, spin,
'Round and 'round he goes.
He puts on quite a show.

Busy spider/araña, he made four/cuatro
Great big webs on the door.
With a spin, spin, spin,
'Round and 'round he goes.
When he sleeps, no one knows!

Book:  "Pete the Cat and the Itsy Bitsy Spider" by James Dean

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:  

Modeled both the Ss  page and the craft before the children starting working on them

The children each completed a dot page for letter Ss. You can find these dot pages here. 

Craft: Spider web with spider on it
          Materials: Yarn
                           Paper plate
                           Hole punch
                           Pom poms
                           Googly eyes
                           Glue
                           Pipe cleaners
                       
  

Modified from a craft found here.

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. "Diary of a Spider" by Doreen Cronin

2. "The Eensy Weensy Spider" by Mary Ann Hoberman
3. "The Eensy Weensy Spider Freaks Out!" by Troy Cummings