Storytime--Lions

What an absolutely fantastic storytime! The whole thing was wonderful beginning to end. The books were funny, the in-between activities went well, and the craft was fun. Wow! This was the first time I've incorporated video, and it went wonderfully. The action activity goes along with the book. We read the book first, then I asked the kids to remember the order from the book as we went on a lion hunt ourselves!


Books:

Lion vs Rabbit by Alex Latimer
Christian, the Hugging Lion by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
We're Going on a Lion Hunt by Margery Cuyler
How to Hide A Lion by Helen Stephens


Flannelboard:

The Lion and the Mouse (Aesop's Fable)



 A little mouse was passing by a great big lion. The lion caught him and was about to eat him when the little mouse spoke, “Sir, please let me go, and I will do you a good deed one day, for sparing my life.”
The lion thought that was a little silly, thinking, “What good can he do me. . . ” but he let him go anyway.
Two weeks later, the lion was walking around his home when he walked into trap! The lion was captured with a net. He struggled hard to set himself free but he soon realised he was trapped. He roared with anger.
The little mouse was looking for food, when he heard the lion’s roar. He ran to him. See­ing the lion caught in the net, he started gnawing at it. The mouse had sharp teeth and he soon freed the lion.
The lion was very grateful to the little mouse. From that day, they became the best of friends.


Video:

Instead of the fingerplay I had planned, I brought my tablet and showed them the video of Christian meeting his friends again after a year. At the end of the book, there is an author's note letting you know the story is real and the final meeting was caught on video. I thought it was so wonderful the kids had to see it, and they really enjoyed it. I think the adults were just as captivated! I only showed them the couple minutes where they see each other again and hug, so it didn't take up too much time.


Action Activity:

Alright everyone, we're going on a lion hunt, just like in the book
Everyone have their safari hat? (put on hat)
We're going on a lion hunt! What is the first thing the kids did?
 Mud!
Let's get through the mud! Anyone lose their shoes?
We're going on a lion hunt! What's next?
Sticks!
Move through the sticks! Everyone make it?
We're going on a lion hunt! What's next?
Trees!
Climb up the trees! Did anyone fall?
We're going on a lion hunt! What's next?
The river!
Swim swim swim! Everyone make it across?
We're going on a lion hunt! What's next?
The grass!
Lets move through the grass! Is anyone lost?
We're going on a lion hunt! What's next?
The Cave!
Close your eyes, it's dark! Does anyone feel a soft mane? A moist nose? Sharp teeth?
It's A LION!
Run through the long grass! Run through the river! Climb up the trees! Run though the sticks! Slog through the mud! RUN TO THE LIBRARY!
 Oh, we made it! Let's listen to one last story!

Craft:

Lion Masks