Pre-K Class Visit, 6/7/12

Opening Song: Hello, how are you? 

Song: If You'd Like To Read a Book

Book: Harry the Dirty Dog by Harry Zion, illustrated by Margaret Bloy Graham (1956)
Most of the kids didn't know this one, but they made great predictions based on visual cues in the illustrations. I think this is one of the best pre-K read-alouds I've discovered this year.

Book: From Head to Toe by Eric Carle (1997)
I asked the kids to say, "I can do it!" every time I said, "Can you do it?"  They also did a great job acting out the different movements.

Rhyme: Blue is the Lake 

Book: Tiger Can't Sleep by S.J. Fore, illustrated by R.W. Alley
This one is funny and full of onomatopoeia, two qualities this group loves. They giggled in all the right places and loved guessing whether the tiger would be quiet or make more noise.

Song: Moon Moon Moon  by the Laurie Berkner Band

Book: If You Had a Nose Like an Elephant's Trunk by Marion Dane Bauer (2001)
This book was a dud. It wasn't funny like I expected, and the kids didn't engage with it at all.

Song: Chickadee 

Goodbye Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This 

Encore Request: These Are My Glasses by the Laurie Berkner Band
The teacher mentioned this one and the kids immediately wanted to sing it, so we tacked it onto the end!

Pre-K Class Visit, 6/6/12

Opening Song: Hello, how are you?

Book: Stars by Mary Lyn Ray, illustrated by Marla Frazee (2011)
I took a chance starting with this quiet, poetic book about stars, and it really paid off. The kids got really into it, and they loved the two-page spread toward the end of the book showing a sky full of fireworks. To keep them interested when the story was done, I asked them a question related to stars and wishing.

Discussion: If you could wish upon a star, what would you wish for?
One girl said a dog, and one said a cat. Three girls said diamonds.  One said trampoline. One little boy said he wouldn't wish for anything. Then came the off-the-wall answers I loved most:
"A ninja!"
"A big red gem, and when you open it up, it has a medium gem, and a small gem, and a large gem!"
"Snowflakes that turn into throwing stars!"

I love the four-year-old mind.

Book: Please Try to Remember the First of Octember by Dr. Seuss, illustrated by Art Cumings (1977)
I segued from the discussion to this book by telling them they were about to hear about a silly day when all wishes come true. I asked them to tell me which silly author they thought wrote the book, and they all answered correctly in one voice. A couple of them seemed appalled that someone would make up a fake month, but the rest of the group had a good laugh.  

Song: Moon Moon Moon  by the Laurie Berkner Band

Book: Princess Hyacinth: The Surprising Tale of a Girl Who Floated by Florence Parry Heide, illustrated by Lane Smith (2009)
This is my favorite read-aloud of all time. I  never get tired of reading it, and the tone is pitch-perfect. It's also the only princess book I know that boys love as much as girls.

Song: These Are My Glasses by Laurie Berkner Band

Goodbye Song: We Wave Goodbye Like This