Here is the original plan, with notes on where I made alterations.
Part I: Story Time
Opening Song: Hello, how are you?
Song: The Colors on the Irish Flag
We sang the refrain, then I put various items on the flannel board under their correct color. The audience was intended to include ages 2 to 5, but included mainly babies and toddlers, so there was a lot of adult participation, but I still think it worked well. I'd use this concept again, but maybe with one of my larger groups where there is more willingness to participate.
I couldn't find a single preschool-friendly Irish picture book. This wasn't one, either, but it was the best I could do. I only read the rhyming sections. In retrospect, I probably could have read just the letter and what it stood for.
Song: If You're Lucky and You Know It
Just like If You're Happy and You Know It, but with a luck of the Irish spin.
Rhyme: This Little Leprechaun
This take-off on This Little Piggie was well-received. I'll save it for St. Patrick's Day.
Rhyme: Little Leprechaun
I skipped this one because I felt that any up and down movement would make me cough.
Flannel Board Story: Leprechaun Treasure
This was supposed to be a telling of the flannel board story available here.I skipped it, mainly because I didn't get a chance to practice and didn't feel confident enough to do it.
Song: I'm a Little Leprechaun
I only found this one yesterday, and I've already forgotten where it came from. But it was a success.
Song: Flap, Flap, Flap
Here's what I was supposed to sing, to the tune of Ten Little Indians:
Flap, flap, flap little fairies
Flap, flap, flap little fairies
Flap, flap, flap little fairies
Flap your tiny wings.
Here's what came out, in a chant style:
Flap, flap, flap your wings
Flap, flap, flap your wings
Flap, flap, flap your wings
Tiny little fairy.
We also clapped hands, stomped feet, and nodded our heads. The kids seemed to like it, but I was so mad at myself for forgetting the tune. Still, I want to return to fairies in the Spring, so I will probably use one or both of these again.
Rhyme: Two Sparkly Fairies
This is just like Two Little Blackbirds, but with fairies instead. I skipped it because I worried it was lame.
Flannel Board Song: Five Little Fairies
The library doesn't have this CD, so I am not supposed to use it in story time. Therefore, I sang it myself. The group seemed to like it, but I had the sense they were wondering where I was going with all of this.
Goodbye Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This
I got a lot of strange looks when I said we were finished and would do a craft, but that's life. I'm sick, and I couldn't continue any further. I feel really bad, because this was in the works for a long time, and it's part of a larger, overarching, city-wide program, but I'll just have to hang onto the materials and plan on using them for St. Patrick's Day, when hopefully I won't be sick.
Part II: Shamrock Craft
I printed out these two simple shamrock crafts from DLTK:
My audience was mostly too young for cutting and pasting, but I had to give them something to do when I was finished after 20 minutes.
One last quick note about my preschool story times. I can't plan them as quickly as my baby and toddler ones. The preschool audience is not as interested in repetition, and they want longer, more complicated stories. They also want to learn. I failed at teaching anything about Irish culture today, mostly because I was sick and had to rush to prepare for this, but also because I'm trying to mass produce story times that need more time and attention. This Winter, I'm planning to move from a preschool story time to a preschool/school-age after school program instead, and I'm hoping that I'll get better at actually putting together a strong, comprehensible program. I'd hate to lose the audience because I'm not bringing my A game.
Now it's time to cover the desk!
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