Storytime--Earth Day!

This Storytime I had a special guest from the recycling center in town, and leading up to it I wasn't sure exactly how big of a role they wanted to take. We ended up only reading two of the four books I prepared, because she had a pretty long activity. So I read Stuff to start, and then did the action activity. After that she took over. I had her read Junkyard, then she went into her activity. That went long, so we ended with the craft. The kids enjoyed Stuff a lot more than I thought they would, and I'm glad I included it (it was a last-minute switch).

Books:

Stuff: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle by Steven Kroll
Junkyard by Mike Austin
We are Extremely Very Good Recyclers by Lauren Child
Maple by Lori Nichols


Fingerplay:

This is an acorn so smooth and so brown,
(Make small circle with fingers)
Which from a great oak tree came rattling down.
(tap fingers on desk or table)
Now it is hiding deep down in the grass,
(hide head into hands)
Waiting for ice-time and snow-time to pass.
Here are some baby oaks trying to grow,
(raise head up – point pointers up straight)
Here are young saplings all placed in a row,
(raise other fingers and arms up straight)
These are tall oak trees in red leaves and brown,
(stand up straight and extend arms like tree)
Hear how their acorns come rattling down.
(sit down and tap fingers briskly on desk or table)


Action Activity

Trees grow from seeds! Get little! (Form small ball with body)
Sunshine and rain feed the trees, yum yum yum!
Now we grow! (Pretend to grow)
And we get bigger! We have branches! (arms out as branches)
We sway in the wind! (sway) 
Good job everyone! We're big and strong! Time for the next book!


Craft:

Mosaic Earth

 

This is one of my standby crafts. I always save the scraps from previous stortytimes and tear them up for mosaic pieces. Easy and the kids enjoy it.