A super quick post today…
There’s a really long wall at the library I am at right now. It is sort of plain and blank, so I wanted to fill it with something general but bright. I ended up doing some rainbow lettering that I thought was fun!
It’s a hard wall to get the full view of and it’s curved, so here is the up close images:
That’s all for now!
-M-
Finally, time for some new displays!
This one was very easy. Because the theme for summer reading is Tails & Tales, I wanted to do something jungle/animal-esq. I’d been wanting to do paper chain arms for an animal for a while and decided to embrace the paper chains all together.
My monkey and vines are made out of paper chains and brown paper bags:
Then I added my words, some butterflies and some grass. It was a little hard to get a picture on the windows but it looks great in person!
I’m so glad we are back in the library and I can get back into my display groove!
That’s all for now!
-M-
Today, henna is often used as a form of expression and can be found across the globe. As body art, henna may be worn in place of jewelry and some people even use it as hair dye. Henna decoration is often used for weddings and special occasions.
Henna is a small flowering shrub that grows in northern Africa, northern Australia, and southern Asia. Its leaves are dried and ground into a fine reddish-brown powder that is used for dying clothes, hair, and skin.
When mixed with water or another liquid, it turns into a paste that can be applied to the skin. The art of applying henna to hands and feet is called Mehndi.
Henna tattoos are different in different regions. In India fine lines and floral patterns are common, while Arabic henna designs are larger in scale, and African patterns are bolder and more geometric.
After the henna plant has been turned into paste, it is drawn in patterns on the skin and allowed to set. The henna should be allowed to set 6-12 hours for darker lines.
As it dries, the color seeps into the skin. In India, practiced artists apply the paste by squeezing it through their fingers, but it can also be applied with a foil or paper cornet, a plastic applicator bottle, a toothpick, or a knitting needle.
For this virtual library program, I am going to go over a little bit of the history of henna, how is it used and applied and then we are going to look as some designs to get some inspiration in creating our own henna art.
But NO ONE wants to apply something semi-permanent, so instead we are going to create handprint henna. On a piece of paper, we will trace our hands and then using q-tips and paint, we will create our own patterns.
I originally had someone who was going to demonstrate applying henna, but the timing didn’t workout.
But, I think this will still be a great way to learn about henna, while incorporating a fun craft element into the program.
How’d it go:
This was a small group but we had a nice discussion and everyone was able to take turns showing their handprint henna art. This is definitely something I would do again virtually or in-person.
That’s all for now!
-M-
This month, we are going to the circus and I am really challenging myself to incorporate some bilingual materials in my storytime.
First, I will introdcuce an early literacy tool. We have our five: Read/Write/Sing/Talk/Play. We will use all of these in our storytime but I am going to highlight WRITE. Writing helps children to understand that words have meaning. One thing you can do is to have the child draw a picture and write the words next to the images they draw.
Hello Friends! ¡Hola Amigos! – This is a call and repeat to the tune frere jacques
Hello friends! Hello friends!
How are you? How are you?
Very well, thank you. Very well, thank you.
How are you? How are you?
¡Hola Amigos! ¡Hola Amigos!
¿Cómo estás? ¿Cómo estás?
Muy bien, gracias. Muy bien, gracias.
¿Y usted? ¿Y usted?
Song – Wake Up Toes by Joanie Bartels
I am going to play a song and because we are virtual, I am going to use a bear or doll to show the toes/feet/etc.
Letter/ASL — “C” for Circus
We are going to write out the word Circus, signing each letter as we go. And then I am going to show the kids the ASL sign for the word. We will count and identify the colors of the letters.
Book – Extraordinary Jane by Hannah E. Harrison
Balloons – I think I am going to bring in a balloon to blow up too.
I’m going to blow up this balloon (make circle with hands)
And never, never stop. ( make circle bigger and bigger)
I’ll blow and blow and blow and blow and (pretend to blow)
POP! (clap loudly!)
Pete the Clown and his Three Bright Balloons (Chopstick Prop)
(Credit: Story Time Secrets) – For this one I am going to wear a clown nose and I have chopstick balloons to carry.
Pete the Clown bought three bright balloons at the circus.
He was so excited about them, he sang a song as he walked along.
“I’ve got three balloo-oons! I’ve got three balloo-oons!”
(The tune for Pete’s song is what you would sing if you were part of a conga line.)
But then… POP!
One balloon broke and started to drop.
Now how many balloons did Pete have?
Did Pete cry? No, never.
He knows balloons don’t last forever.
Pete was still so happy to have two balloons, that he kept walking along and singing his song.
“I’ve got two balloo-oons! I’ve got two balloo-oons!”
(Repeat the same sequence of events until Pete is out of balloons, then add the following ending.)
Pete was out of balloons! What could he do?
Well, he stopped where he was, turned around, and went back to the circus, where he got three more balloons.
As he walked along, he sang his song:
“I’ve got three balloo-oons! I’ve got three balloo-oons!”
Book – Say Hola to Spanish at the Circus by Susan Middleton Elya, Illustrated by Loretta Lopez and published by Lee & Low Books
-I am going to try really hard not to completely mess this one up!
Popcorn Kernels
Popcorn Kernels (wave scarves overhead)
In the pot (make their scarves ‘disappear’ by bunching in your fists)
Shake them shake them shake them (shake fists)
’til they POP (Toss scarves up into the air)
Little Bunny in a Hat – you can do this one as a finger play or with a puppet.
Little bunny in a hat
Sitting so still
Will it come out?
Yes it will!
It looks to the left
It looks to the right
It looks straight ahead
And pops out of sight.
Book – Hat Tricks by Satoshi Kitamura
Five Big Elephants
Five big elephants – oh, what a sight,
Swinging their trunks from left to right!
Four are followers, and one is the king.
They all walk around in the circus ring.
Takeaway – Elephant Paper Plate (https://www.craftymorning.com/paper-plate-elephant-kids-craft/)
Our Hands Say Thank You…
Our hands say thank you with
A clap, clap, clap;
Our feet say thank you with a
Tap, tap, tap.
Clap, clap, clap!
Tap, tap, tap!
We roll our hands around, and say,
“Good-bye.”
Extra: If You’re Happy and You Know It
How’d it go:
Overall, this was a fun storytime! The bilingual aspects went a lot better than I thought they would. I just have to slow my speedy talking down 😛
That’s all for now!
-M-
Journey of the Pale Bear by Susan Fletcher is a juvenile fiction book best for 4-7th grade.
When a great white bear is to be a gift from the King of Norway to the King of England, she is called a royal bear. When Arthur, a twelve-year-old runaway, first comes in contact with this bear, he is terrified. Miraculously, the bear doesn’t harm him, instead she lets him near and when no one else but Arthur is able to calm the bear, he is recruited as her caretaker for the sea journey from Norway to London.
As he continues to care for the bear, Arthur realizes that there is some connection between them, an understanding he cannot name. But the journey is fraught with peril and when the bear has a chance at freedom, will she take it or choose to save this human boy she has come to care for.
Based on a true story of a great white bear who lived in the Tower of London, this book displays the bond between a boy and a bear.
Discussion Questions:
1. What is this book about? What are the main themes?
2. Why is this book considered historical fiction? Do you know of any other books the fit in this genre? What historical events do they cover?
3. What are some of the reasons why Arthur runs away from home? Do you think he should have put so much faith into a letter he couldn’t even read?
4. Arthur and the bear seem to share an instant connection. Think about the bear’s experience in a cage and away from his natural habitat. Why do you think Arthur relates to the bear’s situation?
5. Arthur’s father died, leaving a large hole in Arthur’s life; Arthur imagines that the bear may also have been separated from her cubs. Why is family, or the lack of family, such an important part of this novel? How does it drive the characters’ actions?
6. When Arthur finally tells someone that Hauk took his letter, he leaves Ottar out of it, saying, “I knew what it was to be the weak one.” After they are bullied, people often go on to be bullies themselves. Why do you think that Arthur wants to protect Ottar instead of getting revenge? How is Arthur’s kindness rewarded later in the book?
7. Did you already know about the King of England’s menagerie? What animals do you think the king might have?
8. Freedom is an important theme in this book. When the keeper explains that some animals “languish” in captivity, what is he saying? Can you name some of the different types of cages, real or figurative, portrayed in this book?
9. Are there potential downsides to being free, both for people and for bears? Explain?
10. What did you think of the ending? Were you surprised by how the story ended? Think back to the prologue.
DYI Paper Boat and Moving Horse
Origami is the Japanese art of folding paper into decorative shapes and figures. Paper was first invented in China around 105 A.D., and was brought to Japan by monks in the sixth century. It was original used for ceremonial purposes and has flourished since. Today origami can employee the use of mathematics and engineering and even computer science to create these intricate designs.
Supplies needed: Several sheets of paper, scissors, a ruler and a pencil. If you have origami paper that will work too.
First, I am going to show the kids how to make an easy origami boat. The reason we are going to do this one first is because I want us to truly be successful at one of our paper crafts. The walking paper horse can be a bit difficult to get right the first or second time and I think we’ll have time to do both. So the boat is going to be a warm up.
PS. check the sources, there’s a link for the origami bear, that I would have loved to use, but it was really hard!
This is the site I am going to go off of for the folding:
https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/origami-sail-boat-tutorial-2540983
Next, we will try the walking paper horse. This one takes some precise measurements and some trial an error with the surface and incline the horse walks on. But I think it’ll be a lot of fun if we can get it to work.
This is the site I am going to reference:
https://frugalfun4boys.com/paper-horse-that-walks/
Sources:
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Journey-of-the-Pale-Bear/Susan-Fletcher/9781534420786
https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/origami-patterns
How’d it go:
Oh man, I don’t know why but I could not recreate my paper boat! I gave the kids the link to try from home. But our paper horse worked out pretty well and I think the kids are going to keep trying to perfect it. They did walk at least a little bit by the end.
That’s all for now!
-M-
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