Session 6: Do You See What I See? Talking/Science
SAMPLE STORYTIME:
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.
*TIP: If you can’t get a copy of the book you want to use for your program before you start to plan your session, you can often find a read-aloud of a popular children’s book on YouTube, or view some of the pages on amazon.com.
Introductions:Introduce yourself and the program. If it is a small group, have everyone introduce themselves, including parents and caregivers. Let the children know we are going to be reading stories about the senses and exploration.
To the adults:Today we are going to look the important early literacy practiceof TALKING.Encouraging children to talk helps children develop the ability to describe things, and make predictions. Talking and observing is what scientists do, so your child is already a little scientist! Today we’ll read some books that help children to describe what they see, hear and feel!
"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 fee, today!
Hello everyone, touch your nose. (Touch nose).
Touch your nose. Touch your nose.
Hello everyone, touch your nose.
Touch your nose, today.
Alternative 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.)
Picture Book:Worm Weather, by Jean Taft
AlternateBook: We Dig Worms, by Kevin McKloskey
To the adults:Go on a nature hunt. Searching for sticks, leaves, acorns and more is a great way to get children talking about the world around them.
Action Song: Can you move with me?
Sung to: "Do Your Ears Hang Low"
Can you wiggle like a worm?
Can you squiggle? Can you squirm?
Can you flutter? Can you fly like a gentle butterfly?
Can you crawl upon the ground
Like a beetle that is round?
Can you move with me?
Can you flip? Can you flop?
Can you give a little hop?
Can you slither like a snake?
Can you give a little shake?
Can you dance like bee
Who is buzzing round a tree?
Can you move with me?
Picture Book:Watersong, by Tim McCanna
Alternate Book: Raindrops Roll, by April Pulley Sayre
To the adults:Walk and Talk! There are so many scientific observations that can be made in everyday places like the park, or by just looking out the window. The daily change of weather is a wonderful way to encourage observations about changes in our world.
What's the Weather
Sung to: "Frere Jacques"
What's the weather, what's the weather?
Can you tell, Can you tell?
Is the sun shinning, is the rain falling?
Can you tell, Can you tell?
*TIP: For shorter songs and rhymes, repeat! Kids learn through repetition and it’s a great way for parents to learn the songs.
Picture Book:Plant the Tiny Seed, by Christie Matheson
Alternate book: Dig In, by Cynthia Jensen Eliott
*TIP: For interactive books, you can have the children participate by putting their hands in the air rather than touching the actual book. This will work better for a larger book.
To the adults:Picture books can teach children new concepts and vocabulary! This book is all about what goes into planning and growing seeds.
Plants
Sung to:"The Farmer In The Dell"
The farmer plants the seeds
The farmer plants the seeds
Hi, Ho and Cherry O
The farmer plants the seeds
The rain begins to fall
The sun begins to shine
The plants begin to grow
The buds all open up
The flowers smile at me
Picture Book:Water is Water, by Miranda Paul (better for an older crowd)
Alternate Book: Rain Fish, by Lois Ehlert
To the adults:Take the time to talk.Talk to your children about what they see…in books, in the sky, on the street, at the grocery store. Children love to know how things work!
Picture Book:When the Wind Blows, by Linda Booth Sweeney
Alternate Book: I Face the Wind, by Vicki Cobb
Whistling Wind
Sung to:"If you're happy and you know it"
If you hear the whistling wind,
Cup your ears.
If you hear the whistling wind,
Cup your ears.
If you hear it in the trees
Making music with the leaves,
If you hear the whistling wind,
Cup your ears.
If you feel the Blustery wind,
Whirl around
If you feel the blustery wind,
Whirl around.
If you feel it lift your hair
Like a kite up in the air,
If you feel the blustery wind,
Whirl around.
To the adults:If, then... Talk to your child like a scientist! Proposing “If, then..” questions helps them make observations and guesses about the world around them.
*You may switch out any of the suggested book for the giveaway book for this session: How Do Dinosaurs Stay Safe, by Jane Yolen. If you read this book, you can give every family a copy beforehand and do a Shared Reading. Shared Readingis an interactivereadingexperience that occurs when children and parents join in or share thereadingof a book or other text while guided and supported by the teacher/librarian. The teacher explicitly models the skills of proficientreaders, includingreadingwith fluency and expression.
*TIP: There are extra books in this session—remember to choose the amount of books that works for your group! Consider group size, ages, special needs and timing/crowd management.
Session 6: Paper Roll Windsocks
Materials:
- Craft tubes
- tissue streamers
- ribbon
- stickers
- paint dots
Practices: Playing, Talking, Writing
Process: After reading a book about weather, the wind, cause and effect, or nature during your program, talk about the wind—what it is, and if you can see it! Create the windsocks using the materials, and then share ideas about where to hang it so that it can catch the wind!
Explore at home: Make a birdfeeder with a craft/toilet roll, rolled in peanut butter and birdseed. Hang near a window and observe the birds!
Activity 2:Science Kits
Each branch has science kits, some focus on insects, some on magnets, some on color. Take out the science kits and encourage families to play with them. These kits are always available at the branch for their use.
*TIP: There are Science Take Home Sheets in the WIKI. Encourage families to play with the kits.
Additional Optional Activities:
Here are some ideas for stations that you can set up around the room for science exploration. Some of these materials may be at the branch or around your home. If there are supplies that you need, you can be reimbursed for up to $15.00. You do not need to do all of these, these are simply ideas. Choose ones that you think your group will love.
No Mess Fingerpaint
What you’ll need:
- Sturdy gallon-sized Ziploc bags
- Washable tempera paint (in squeeze bottles), in primary colors
Put a little bit of a couple of different colors in the bag and seal it up. Two primary colors (yellow, red, blue) or black or white work well. Tape the bags to a table on all four sides. Ask the kids what will happen when we mix the colors together? Let them mix them up and talk about what happens together. Try more colors if you like.
Ramp Rolling
- Triangular block, or ramp, with at least a 1.5” rolling surface
- Blocks in various shapes, round and square, small toys
- Surface coverings, such as wax paper, sandpaper
Build a small ramp out of some blocks or something similar. Then test various items to see whether they roll or do not roll down the ramp. Ask the children to make predictions, and to see if they are right! Use items of different weights and textures, and try them on different surfaces.
Paper Drop
This is a very simple activity that requires only two pieces of copy paper and a basic curiosity about air resistance. First, hold up two sheets of paper. Ask the kids to predict which one will fall faster. Drop both, discuss the results. Then, crumple up one of the sheets into a tight ball. Have a few other objects kids can test, like a feather, a scarf, a ball, etc. Which one do they think will hit the floor faster? Why?
Balloon Science
What you’ll need:
- Balloons
- Salt
- Paper
Questions to ask: What do you think will happen when you rub your balloon on your head? What if you put the balloon close to the salt after you rub it? Do you think the balloon will stick to anything else? Encourage the children to make a prediction and explore it!Tip: Don’t blow up all the balloons beforehand—just do a few for the activity station, and then you can send home extras if families want to try at home. Remind them not to throw balloons all over the library! This activity works best on a dry day.
Does it Sink or Float?
What you’ll need:
- A large pan, bin, or bowl filled with water
- Heavy things and light things: such as foam bugs, pennies, paper clips, feathers, plastic blocks
What you’ll do: Ask the children to pick an object they would like to experiment with. Do you think it will sink or float? Why?
Mystery Bottles
What you’ll need:
- Food coloring (optional)
- Water
- Oil (cooking or baby oil works well)
- Tape
What you do:Take an empty, clear, plastic bottle and fill it half way up with water. Put in a little food coloring in whatever color you like. Fill the rest of the bottle up with vegetable oil or baby oil. Close the lid tightly and tape it closed. Give it to your child to play with. The oil and the water won’t mix, so your child will see some interesting things.
What you or parents can say: “What is happening in the bottle? What colors do you see? Can you shake the bottle? What happens? What do you think is inside the bottle?
The Floating Cheese Puff!
What you need:
- Bendy straws
- Cheese puffs
What you do:A picture says it all:
This activity works best with older kids or adults and younger kids working together. Ask the kids: What’s going on? How is the cheese puff staying in the air? Could we try it with any other objects?
Is it Magnetic?
What you need:
- A strong magnet
- Various objects, some magnetic some not
- If you branch has a "Magnet Magic" Math and Science Kit this is a great time to pull it out!
What you do:Let the kids make predictions and then test out which things are magnetic and which are not. You can make a chart or set up a station like this:
You can find other fun magnet experiment ideas here:
Diluted Bubble Solutions:
What you need:
Bubble solution
Water
Containers
What you do:
Make several versions of bubble solution, each one with a larger proportion of water to soap. Blow bubbles with each solution in turn, and invite the kids to observe the difference as the solution grows more dilute.
More ideas!
- FromPreschool Science:
- Tin can phone
- Autumn leaf sort
- Spider vs. Insect snack(you can do this with marshmallows)
- Marble Obstacle course
- Mirror Fun
- Healthy Food Hunt
- Shadow Puppets(These are a little complicated.You can make simple ones with just simple shapes.)
- Activities from Child Care Lounge
Clean-up:Encourage everyone to help with clean-up.
Give parents their take home book andTake Home Sheetor use the blanktakehome sheet templateto create your own.
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To the adults:Today we focused onTALKING, an important early literacy practice. Find fun ways to talk with your child or get your child talking during the day. Make any activity into a conversation, and encourage their observations.If English isn't your first language, make sure to talk to your child in the language you know best. Have fun!
Throughout the Ready, Set, Kindergarten! program, we have explored ways to read and learn with your child that will help get them ready for school. Even though the program is ending, you can continue these best practices at home with your child.* Read with them often, engage them in conversation and exploration, ask them questions and listen to the answers, and encourage them to scribble, sing, and investigate to their hearts’ content. Above all, have fun!
*Also, you can let the parents know that we have learning links and materials on our website—on the First Five Years page.
Closing song or rhyme: "The More We Get Together"
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
Alternate closing song:
Tickle the Clouds (source:Miss Meg’s Storytime)
Tickle the clouds
Tickle your toes
Turn around
Tickle your nose
Reach down low
Reach up high
The stories are over,
Wave bye-bye!
Summary:
Practice: TALKING
Theme: Science
Program goals:
Introduce parents to the benefits of TALKING, which can help children articulate thoughts and tell what they observe.Help parents realize that children are very observant naturally and they are already are doing science when they talk about how things look, sound like, feel like and taste like.
Suggested Books:
Picture Book:Worm Weather, by Jean Taft
Picture Book:Watersong, by Tim McCanna
Picture Book:Water is Water, by Miranda Paul (better for an older crowd)
Picture Book:Plant the Tiny Seed, by Christie Matheson
Picture Book:When the Wind Blows, by Linda Booth Sweeney
Alternate Titles:(see booklist for this session)
I Spy in the Sky by Edward Gibbs
Tuesdayby David Weisner
A Color of HisOwn by Leo Lionni
Leavesby David Ezra Stein
A Busy Year by Leo Lionni
Bones, Bones, Dinosaur Bonesby Byron Barton
Waiting for Wingsby Lois Ehlert
My Five Sensesby Aliki
My Carby Byron Barton
Dinosaurs, Dinosaursby Byron Barton
The Little Red Henby Byron Barton
The Curious Gardenby Peter Brown (be sure to mention it's inspired by the High Line!)
Red Eyed TreeFrogby Joy Cowley
Eating the Alpby Lois Ehlert
And Then It's Springby Julie Fogliano, illustrated by Erin E. Stead
Dogsby Emily Gravett
My Gardenby Kevin Henkes
Stuckby Oliver Jeffers
Moveby Steve Jenkins
The Carrot Seed,by Ruth Krauss
Animal Snackersby Betsy Lewin (read selections)
Brown, Brown Bear, What do You See?by Bill Martin Jr. ; illustrated by Eric Carle
Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?by Bill Martin Jr. ; illustrated by Eric Carle
Ten Little Caterpillarsby Bill Martin Jr. ; illustrated by Lois Ehlert
Bring on the Birdsby Susan Stockdale
Little Red Hen Makes a Pizzaby Philemon Sturges, illustrated by Amy Walrod
Seven Blind Miceby Ed Young
Rah Rah RadishesbyApril PulleySayre
Go Go Grapesby April PulleySayre
I Spy on the Farm by Edward Gibbs
I Spy Under the Sea by Edward Gibbs