Ready, Set, Kindergarten! Curriculum Guide
Curriculum Guide Key:
Red: said to the adults/caregivers
Purple: tips for the facilitators
Blue: songs, rhymes or movement
Orange: session title
Teal: craft and/or interactive activity
Weekly Sessions:
Week 1: Let’s Love Books (Reading)
Week 2: Write All About It (Writing)
Week 3: Ready, Set, Sing (Singing)
Week 4: Discover the World (Reading)
Week 5: Play with Math (Playing)
Week 6: Do You See What I See? (Talking)
Sample RSK Storytimes: Sessions 1-6
This is a suggested curriculum. You may choose different books if the suggested books are not available, or if you find a book you’d rather use as long as it is available in the BPL collection, and it stays true to the program/session goals. We recommend you take the content in this curriculum and make it your own, within the framework of the following structure:
1. Introduction to RSK and the Library
2. Welcome Song
3. Book 1
4. Song, Rhyme or Fingerplay
5. Book 2
6. Song/Rhyme or Fingerplay
7. Book 3
8. Song, Rhyme, or Fingerplay
9. Craft activity (surveys/handouts)
10. Closing Song
*We recommend using Program Planning Sheet to help you organize your sessions.
Setup and Book Display:
Take some time to arrange the room to your liking. Ask the branch staff for help if you need to find anything. When setting up, think through the whole program from arrival to giveaways. Each program room lends itself to a different setup, but thoughtful layout helps everything go more smoothly. It might help to lay out craft supplies ahead of time or prepare surveys and giveaway books (giveaways for last 3 sessions only). Don’t forget to make a book display of books related to the day’s themes, so that parents and children have ideas about what to check out (if the book display gets distracting, you can cover it up until the end of the program). Covering craft supplies or toys can also help minimize distractions.
*All library programs are inclusive of children and families with disabilities. Please consider this when setting up your room, and delivering your programs. For tips on how to make your program inclusive, see the RSK Inclusion Checklist.
*Encourage everyone to help with clean up! Cleaning up is an important Kindergarten skill. Check out our Transition Tips for ideas.
Introductions:
Introduce yourself and the program. If it is a small group, have everyone introduce themselves, including parents and caregivers. Let the children know that you love to read, and ask them questions about their reading—where do they like to read? When? What kind of books?
Library Outreach:
If a member of the library staff has time, introduce them to the group and ask them to speak briefly about how to get a library card and check out books. That way the parents will have someone at the desk that they feel comfortable approaching on their way out. If no one is available, arm yourself with some flyers and calendars from the information desk and introduce parents with further questions to the librarians on duty. Make sure to plug Beanstack, RSK on the Go! & the BPL Family Facebook page!
Take Home Resources (choose 1-3 per session):
· Song Sheet
· Take Home Sheet
· Beanstack Flyer
· Texting Flyer
· Giveaway Book (if applicable)
Weekly Welcome:
Parents and caregivers, welcome to Ready, Set, Kindergarten! This is a six-week program (remind them of the dates). Each week wewill read books, sing songs and do fun activities. We will talk about all of the fun things that parents and children can do together to help children get ready to read and to develop the skills that help with all kinds of learning, including science and math!
* You may want to give parents a SONG SHEET at the beginning of your session to engage them more in the song and rhyme portion. Fill in the template with the songs you choose.
Welcome song: "Hello Everyone"
Tune: "Mary Had a Little Lamb"
Hello everyone, how are you? (Wave to everyone)
How are you? How are you?
Hello everyone, how are you?
How are you today?
Hello everyone, clap your hands! (Clap hands.)
Clap your hands! Clap your hands!
Hello everyone, clap your hands!
Clap your hands, today!
Hello everyone, stomp your feet! (Stomp feet.)
Stomp your feet! Stomp your feet!
Hello everyone, stomp your feet!
Stomp your feet, today!
Hello everyone, touch your nose. (Touch nose).
Touch your nose. Touch your nose.
Hello everyone, touch your nose.
Touch your nose, today.
Alternate Welcome Song: “Clap and Sing Hello”
Tune:“Farmer in the Dell”
We clap and sing hello,
We clap and sing hello,
With our friends at storytime,
We clap and sing hello!
(Wave and sing hello; stomp and sing hello.)
Closing Song: The More We Get Together (*In the BPL Big Song Book)
The more we get together
Together, together
The more we get together
The happier we'll be
Cause your friends are my friends
And my friends are your friends
The more we get together
The happier we'll be
Closing Rhyme: "Tickle the Clouds"
Tickle the clouds
Tickle your toes
Turn around
Tickle your nose
Reach down low
Reach up high
The stories are over,
Wave bye-bye!
Session 1: Let’s Love Books
Practice: READING
Reading together is the single most important way to help children get ready to read. Children who enjoy being read to, will be more likely to want to learn to read themselves.
Program goals:
• Welcome the families to the program and if it’s their first time, the library!
• Discuss the early literacy practice of READING with the parents.
• Share some books that the children will really love.
• Model sharing songs and rhymes.
• Explain to the parents that we will be exploring ways to add literacy experiences to daily life.
Tips and Ideas:
Intro Tip: Reading withchildren is the single most important way to help them get ready to read themselves. Children who love books become stronger readers. We have chosen books, songs and rhymes that help foster children’s LOVE of reading. One way to make sure your kids love reading is to choose books they’ll love – books about their interests and books with funny characters are a good place to start!
Session Tips: (try to integrate 2-3 additional tips or ideas that relate to the books you choose)
Choose books about the world around you. Kids love reading about things they see in their neighborhood, park, or trips to the zoo.
Interactive books are great for getting kids talking! Choose books that encourage conversation and participation. Children learn more vocabulary when they’re actively involved in books.
Choose books that rhyme! Rhyming helps children understand the rhythm of language, and teaches them word sounds. They are also fun and easy to read. You can set a book that rhymes to any tune!
Children love funny or engaging characters. Choose books that are silly! Children will want to hear books that make them laugh over and over again.
Books inspire us to create! Some books are great to inspire an art project using simple materials like a box, clay, sticks from outside, or just crayons and paper.
Keep singing and rhyming. After each program, we will be giving you copies of the rhymes and songs that we share to take home with you. Young children learn rhymes and songs the best when they repeat them, sometimes over and over and over.
Singing slows down language and teaches children the smaller sounds in words, and new vocabulary—which helps them later when learning to read!
Closing Tip: Today we focused on the early literacy practice of READING, which gets children excited about books. Remember to read with your child everyday, and to keep your reading time fun and interactive. You can share stories rhymes, and songs as a part of everyday activities. We have five more sessions, so please come back again!
Suggested Books: (choose 3-4)
Go Away, Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberly
Tickle Monster, by Edouard Manceau
Now, by Antoinette Portis
*Knuffle Bunny, A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems
Families, Families, Families! by Suzanne Lang
*I Like Me, by Nancy Carlson
Wolfie the Bunny, by Ame Dyckman¬¬
Say Hello! by Linda Davick¬¬
*on the Pre-K for All booklists
Songs and Rhymes (choose 2-4):
Classic Song/Rhyme: The Wheels on the Bus (*In the BPL Big Song Book)
The wheels on the bus go ‘round and ‘round
‘Round and ‘round,
‘round and ‘round.
The wheels on the bus go ‘round and ‘round
All through the town.
More verses:
The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish
The driver on the bus says, “Move on back!”
The people on the bus go up and down
The horn on the bus goes beep, beep, beep
The doors on the bus go open and shut
(make up your own or have the children help)
Fingerplay: These are my Glasses, Here is my Book
(see the hand movements here)
These are my glasses, this is my book
I put on my glasses and open up the book
Now I read, read, read
And I look, look, look
I put down my glasses and
Whoop! Close up the book!
(repeat)
Action Rhyme: Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
(Have children stand up)
Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn around; (Turn around)
Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the ground. (Touch the ground)
Teddy bear, teddy bear, show your shoe; (Hold out foot)
Teddy bear, teddy bear, I love you. (Give yourself a big hug)
Teddy bear, teddy bear, climb up stairs; (Climb up stairs)
Teddy bear, teddy bear, say your prayers. (Hands in prayer)
Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn out light; (Switch out the light)
Teddy bear, teddy bear, say, “good night!” (Head on hands folded together and close eyes)
Teddy bear, teddy bear, wake up now. (Open eyes and lift head)
Teddy bear, teddy bear, take a bow. (Take a bow)
Rhyme: If I Were a Monster!
If I were a happy monster, I'd go HA HA HA
If I were a sad monster, I'd go BOO HOO HOO
If I were an angry monster, I'd go STOMP STOMP STOMP
If I were a scared monster, I'd go AAAH! AAAH! AAAH!
But I'm just me so I'll READ READ READ
Craft: Model Monsters (see craft curriculum guide)
*If you are one of the 10 branches that must collect surveys, you may want to pass them out at the beginning of the craft, or exchange a giveaway book for a completed survey. This is also a good time to give parents any printed resources, or to sign them up for library cards.
Session 2: Write All About It
Practice: Writing
There are so many things that young children need to be able to do before they can write! In this session, we’ll explore fine motor development, drawing, painting, print awareness, and of course, the alphabet!
Program goals:
· Discuss WRITING and its connection to reading with the parents.
· Emphasize that writing, like speaking and reading, can begin with activitiesthat seem nonsensical, such as scribbling.
· Share fun alphabet books with the children that aren't too complicated.
· Share a book that models writing in some way.
· Inform the parents that parents letter recognition play, drawing/scribbling, and “captioning” are all part of learning to write and read.
· Do an activity that lets the children play with writing.
Tips and Ideas:
Intro Tip: Today we are going to focus on the practice of WRITING. Writing can be anything from drawing and scribbling to writing captions on made-up stories together. We will be also sharing alphabet books today, since every writer needs to know the alphabet!
Session Tips: (try to integrate 2-3 additional tips or ideas that relate to the books you choose)
Write at home. Children become interested in writing by watching you write and by playing with writing materials.
Look around you! The alphabet is everywhere! You can play the “A is for Apple” game around the house, in your neighborhood, on your way to school, or in the grocery store. Children love finding letters in their worlds and it helps them to get excited about reading and writing.
Keep a journal. You can encourage your children to write or draw by giving them their own notebook or journal. You can take it with you wherever you go and encourage your child to write and scribble in it. It’s their own special place to keep their thoughts and feelings, too.
You may notice, as I read this next book, I’ll point out some of the text that is big, bold or interesting. Some books have very expressive text and fonts that actually help tell the story, and help your children make the connection between the printed and spoken word!
Books inspire us to create! Some books are great to inspire an art project using simple materials like a box, clay, sticks from outside, or just crayons and paper.
Draw your story! Drawing is an important early writing skill, and is a way for children to communicate thoughts and ideas before they are able to write words. Let your children draw on paper, chalkboards, easels, or the sidewalk. You can ask them about their drawings, and even caption what they say below the drawing.