10/26, 10/27 Story Hour

Theme: Halloween

Targeted Early Literacy Skills: Print motivation (enjoying books and reading)

Book: The Halloweiner by Dav Pilkey
Fingerplay: Itsy Bitsy Spider
Fingerplay: Five Little Pumpkins
Song: Autumn Leaves (to “Ring Around the Rosie”)
All the leaves, come here
Summer’s gone ‘till next year
Autumn, autumn, we all fall down!
Activity: Practice trick-or-treating and show off your costumes
Craft (targets Fine Motor Skills): Decorate goodie bags that you can use on Halloween.
For Further Reading:
Boo! By Robert Munsch (E)
Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman (E)
The Halloween Cat by Christine Ricci (E)

Halloween Pie by Michael Tunnell (E)

Sheep Trick or Treat by Nancy Shaw (E)

10/19, 10/20 Story Hour

Theme: Witches

Targeted Early Literacy Skills: Phonological Awareness (understanding words are made up of smaller parts and can rhyme)
Book: Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson
Song: 5 Black Bats (to “Frere Jacques”)
Bats are sleeping, bats are sleeping
Upside down, upside down
Waiting for the night to come
Waiting for the night to come
Then they fly around!
Then they fly around!
Fingerplay: Five Little Pumpkins
Craft (targets Fine Motor Skills): Make a magical brew with blood drops (Red Hots), werewolf teeth (candy corn), owl’s eyes (M&Ms), bat bones (pretzel sticks), cat claws (sunflower seeds), dead flies (raisins), ghost noses (mini marshmallows), and spider eggs (popcorn).

Fingerplay: Itsy Bitsy Spider. Do this fingerplay in a whisper for the Itsy Bitsy spider, regular voice for Medium Mama spider, and yell for Great Big Daddy spider!
Activity: Play Musical Brooms! Whoever holds the broom when the music stops gets to fly around the circle!
For Further Reading:
10 Trick or Treaters by Janet Schulman (E)
By the Light of the Halloween Moon by Caroline Stutson (E)
Fright Night Flight by Laura Melmed (E)
The Great Pumpkin Strikes Again by Justine Fontes (E)

Halloween Rescue! by Cynthia Stierle (E)

10/13 Story Hour

Theme: Boo!

Targeted Early Literacy Skills: Narrative skills (sequencing events, telling stories)
Book: The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams
Flannelboard: Make a Jack-o-Lantern
Fingerplay: Five Little Pumpkins
Activity: Practice saying “Boo!” with pumpkin mask
Craft (targets Fine Motor Skills): Make a tissue paper pumpkin
For Further Reading:
Boo! By Robert Munsch (E)
Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman (E)

Sweet and Spooky Halloween by Melissa Lagonegro (E)
Two Little Witches by Harriet Ziefert (E)

Halloween or Bust by Jane O’Connor (E)
The Berenstain Bears Go On a Ghost Walk By Stan and Jan Berenstain (E)

10/7 Story Hour: Fall Reading Week

Theme: Pumpkins

Story: Mrs. McMurphy’s Pumpkin by Rick Walton
Flannelboard: Five Little Pumpkins

"Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate (one arm held horizontally with other hand sitting on it, fingers pointing up).

The first one said, 'Oh my, it's getting late!' (hands to cheeks)

The second one said, 'There's a chill in the air!' (arms crossed on chest, pretend to shiver)

The third one said, 'But we don't care!' (arms out at sides, shake head sideways)

The fourth one said, 'Let's run and run and run' (pump arms at sides like running)

The fifth one said, 'We're ready for some fun!' (dance in place)

Then oooooohhhhh went the wind (wiggle fingers through air)

and OUT (clap) went the lights

and five little pumpkins rolled out of sight! (roll arms over each other)"

Flannelboard: "Carve" a Jack-o-Lantern using felt pieces
Activity: Try eating pumpkin seeds
Craft: Decorate a mini pumpkin

10/5, 10/6 Story Hour

Theme: Trains
Targeted Early Literacy Skill: Narrative skills (sequencing events, telling stories)
Story: The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper
Song: I’ve Been Working on the Railroad
Kids helped by playing their train whistles when the song called for the train to blow it's horn.
Fingerplay: Here is the Choo-Choo Train
Here is the choo choo train rolling down the track (pump arms at sides like running).
Now it's going forward (arms stretch ahead)
Now it's going back (arms stretch behind).
Now the bell is ringing (ring pretend bell)
Now the whistle blows (make whistle noise)
What a lot of noise it makes (cover ears)
everywhere it goes (yell "All Aboard!")
Craft: Train stamp pictures

9/28, 9/29 Story Hour

Theme: Fire Trucks

Targeted Early Literacy Skill: Vocabulary
Book: Firebears, the Rescue Team by Rhonda Greene
Fingerplays: Fireman Number 8

"Fireman, fireman, number 8 (make 8 with hands).

Bumped his head upon the gate (tap head).

The gate swung in (prayer hands swing one way),

the gate swung out (prayer hands swing the opposite way).

And that's how they put the fire out (swing hands back and forth quickly).

Emergency, emergency, 911! (repeat 3 times while stomping feet to the beat)"
Song: I’m a Firefighter

"I'm a firefighter, here's my hose. (extend arm out)

I put out fires as everyone knows. (tap head with finger)

When I see a fire, I put it out. (arm out, wiggle fingers)

'Thank you! Thank you!' people shout." (clap to the beat)
Activity: Stop, Drop, and Roll
Craft: Fireman Dress Up using fire cheif badges and hats.

We loved our visit with the Meade County Fire Department! Kids tried on fireman clothes, learned about the equipment, and climbed aboard the fire engine!