Library Programming -Preschool

    I've been intending to post program ideas and plans on a consistent basis, since I began blogging. I haven't figured out the format/lay out yet but this at least gets me started. I'll also be posting lyrics to songs and maybe even clips of the songs being sung by yours truly. -we'll see.
   Below you'll find a program for 3-5 year olds based on The Mitten by Jan Brett. I actually cover different aspects of the book over two programs-this is the first.

Summary from Goodreads

Set in a snowy forest, the fun begins when, one by one, animals crawl into Nicki's lost white

 mitten to get warm until the bear sneezes, sending the animals flying up and out of the mitten.

 On each turn of the page, Jan hints at what animal is coming next in

her signature borders, inspired by Ukrainian folk art.

I've been moving away from creating a "theme" and finding books to fill it to finding a wonderful book and pulling the "theme" from it.
Over the next few weeks I'll be working out the format for these posts. If you have any questions or need song lyrics or more details on the games/activities posted above-don't hesitate to email me.



Saturday Rhyme Time

A simple and fun way to introduce a literacy activity to any story time is to use a hand drum like this one; in the introduction and discover the names of the children in attendance.

Super Duper

Super Duper 1,2,3

Will you play your name for me?

My name is Olivia

(repeat -tapping the drum for each syllable)

O-liv-i-a

Offer the drum to each child and have them

tap their own names.

Anchor Text

I'm not sure where the term "anchor text" came from. I know that in computer terms it means optimizing your search engine rankings.

However, in terms of story time planning, it's become part of my daily vocabulary. An "anchor text" is the main book that you base your story time around. I've been trying to break away from the "theme" template. The idea that you pick a theme i.e. dogs and then find books/songs/activities that fit that theme. It has been and continues to be a challenge to abandon the comfort and ease of planning the traditional way with a template.

I have found that when I choose a book first, one that I love, that I feel the children will enjoy and then base the story time around it, the results are a program that is language/literacy rich, with wonderful complimentary activities that build on the ideas in the books. The added books and activities become an extension of the story instead of time fillers. Once my website it completed and up and running I hope to provide ideas on how to do this.

In the meantime the word/term of the day is "anchor text"

Companion books

Reading Buddies is one of my library programs that offers children in grades 1-4 the opportunity to practice reading with a volunteer. We play games, do literacy activities and I also begin each week by reading a book out loud to the group. In an early post I mentioned using the book titled "The Incredible Book Eating Boy" by Oliver Jeffers. I loved it so much, that I used an "unusual" food theme for the rest of the 6 week session. It was really well received by the kids and volunteers.

Reading Buddies

"Like many children, Henry loves books. But Henry doesn't like to read books, he likes to eat them. Big books, picture books, reference books . . . if it has pages, Henry chews them up and swallows (but red ones are his favorite). And the more he eats, the smarter he gets he's on his way to being the smartest boy in the world"

I'm in the middle of planning my spring Reading Buddies session. Reading Buddies is a program where children in grades 1-4 are given the opportunity to practice reading with a volunteer as well as do literacy games and activities together in a group. It's one of my favourite programs as it's such a wonderful gift to watch the children's progress.

I plan to use The Incredible Book Eating Boy as the anchor text for this session. I love the idea of Henry swallowing words to become smarter.

Using this idea, we're going to track any new words we learn this session by "feeding" them to a cardboard cutout of Henry, and then review them the last week. I'm really jazzed about this idea and hope the children will be as excited about it as I am.