Books, Bach, and Beethoven

I get some interesting ideas sometimes that refuse to let go. I did a program at my old school where students bounced basketballs for twenty minutes and collected pledges for their efforts. This money was donated to the Venango Chamber Orchestra, a wonderful group that provides free concerts to local communities. When I started my new job as the Children’s Librarian, I wondered how I could continue the project…and then it hit me…Books, Bach, and Beethoven.

Books, Bach, and Beethoven asks each participant to to promise to read 10 books by March 15th. Book titles and dates are recorded on the forms that may be picked up at the library or copied from the sample below. Students record and collect pledges for their efforts using the other form found below or at the library. Classical music and books about composers are available at the library. Wonderful clips of classical music can be heard on Pandora (a free music website) and seen on YouTube.

Nancy Simpson, the Venango Chamber Orchestra concertmistress, will present a fascinating program at St. Patrick School for those students and all other participants in March. She will discuss the VCO, string instruments, and playing in an orchestra. She will also demonstrate her violins. 

Participants will also be invited to attend the spring concert with their families on Sunday, April 10th at 3PM. The concert lasts about 90 minutes including intermission. The money collected will be donated to the Venango Chamber Orchestra at the concert after intermission. We will also provide them with a final count of all the books read.

If we can raise $150, we can provide the orchestra with a set of sheet music!

I would love for you to join me in this project!

FORMS:

Books, Bach, and Beethoven: Books I Have Read to Help Support the Venango Chamber Orchestra

Name _________________________________________________ Grade _________________

Date	Title

 

Books, Bach, and Beethoven: Pledge

I promise to read a minimum of ten books by March 15th. I may read these to myself, to someone else, or have them read to me. I will record the title of each book and the date I read it. I am asking you to pledge a flat donation in honor of my accomplishment. This money will be donated to the Venango Chamber Orchestra, a group dedicated to bringing classical music to the Venango area through free concerts, at their spring concert.

Thank you for supporting my efforts!

Name	Pledge Amount	Paid
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

*Please know that any pledge amount is greatly appreciated

Six More Weeks of Winter…Say It Isn’t So!

I know it is two days until Groundhog Day, but I am pretty certain that furry little creature is going to see his shadow and scurry back into the warmth of his cozy burrow for another six weeks. It’s okay. I am resigned to it. The library story room is warm and comfy and filled with fun. We will continue sharing stories and songs, fingerplays and giggles. So, don’t even check to see what the groundhog sees. It doesn’t matter. We will enjoy the next six weeks regardless.

 

Groundhog Day by Margaret McNamara  Wake Up, Groundhog! By Susan Korman Gregory’s Shadow by Don Freeman It’s Groundhog Day by Steven Kroll

Go To Sleep, Groundhog! By Judy Cox Substitute Groundhog by Pat Miller Geoffrey Groundhog Predicts the Weather  by Bruce Koscielniak Gretchen Groundhog, It’s Your Day! by Abby Levine

 

A LITTLE GROUNDHOG "I'm A Little Teapot" Here's a little groundhog, furry and brown, He's popping up to look around. If he sees his shadow, down he'll go. Then six more weeks of winter - oh, no! I'M A LITTLE GROUNDHOG I'm a little groundhog, Furry and Brown. When winter comes I sleep underground. I'm curled up As cozy as can be. When it's spring, Please wake me!

CAN YOU PLAY? "Frere Jacques" Little groundhog, little groundhog, Can you play, can you play? Popping up your head, Popping up your head, Can you play? Don't run away. Little Groundhog, Little groundhog, Can you play, can you play? Running all around, On the cold hard ground Can you play? Please, please stay! Little groundhog, little groundhog, Can you play, can you play? You can't see your shadow, You can't see your shadow, Here comes spring, hip hurray!

On Groundhog's Day "Mary Had a Little Lamb" Do you see your shadow, shadow, shadow? Do you see your shadow? On Groundhog's Day. Yes, I see my shadow, shadow, shadow, Yes, I see my shadow On Groundhog's Day. I don't see my shadow, shadow, shadow, I don't see my shadow On Groundhog's Day. I'm A Little Groundhog I'm a little groundhog, it's my day. Wake and stretch; go out and play. Down in my burrow, down so deep, Time to wake up, from my long winter's sleep. Grumble, grumble, scratch, scratch, Grunt, grunt, yawn. I'll eat my breakfast in your front lawn. I'm a little groundhog, it's my day. Wake and stretch; go out and play.

 

If you are looking for some easy crafts or worksheets, check out the website: www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/groundhogday/

Exit Goldilocks…Enter the Pigs

 

  We finished the last of the Goldilocks stories this week. Dom DeLuise’s version was a big hit with Goldilocks skipping porridge and opting for pasta fagioli! The children also finished making their tube puppets so they can recreate the story at home.

Next week we will begin reading stories about three little pigs…or three little wolves…or three little javelina. It should be an eye-opening afternoon.

See you then!

Dr. Seuss is Having a Birthday!

Please join us on Wednesday, March 2^nd, 2011 to celebrate Dr. Seuss’ Birthday!

We will be gathering in the story room upstairs at 7PM for a 60-minute program.

You are invited to wear your pajamas (children and grown-ups) and bring a blanket, pillow, and your favorite lovey.

The program will include Dr. Seuss stories, a short Dr. Seuss movie, a birthday snack and a take-home treat bag.

This program is open to children of all ages but space is limited.

Please stop at the desk or phone the library (432-5062)to register by February 21^st so that we have enough snacks and treat bags prepared!

I hope you can join us for this fun celebration!

February Programming

Busy Bees will meet on the following dates for February programming:

Mondays (7, 14, 21, 28) from 1:00-1:30PM

Tuesdays (8, 15, 22, Mar 1) from 11:00-11:30AM

 

 

The after school program will continue to exploring fairy tales with a variety of stories, crafts, and short movies.

Mondays (7, 14, 21, 28) from 3:30-4:30PM

 

 

 

Please register for these programs by stopping at the front desk or calling the library. I am looking forward to seeing all of you there!

Ear and Whiskers, Paws and Tail…

Due to technical difficulties beyond my control (doesn’t that sound like an old tv announcement?), last week’s blog has disappeared into the blogosphere. Rather than rewrite the entire article, I will just include the stories from last week in this blog.

I don’t’ know about you, but I am tired of the cold. It seems to have seeped into my bones and refuses to be set loose by turtlenecks and sweaters and wool socks and boots. The only thing that keeps it at bay are winter pajamas and thick piles of blankets. It is all I can do to drag myself out from under them in the morning…I feel like the children in Little House on the Prairie! I fear I may be cold until July… at which time I will be the first to bemoan the heat. Yep. I will.

Although it does not make going outside pleasant, cold winter weather does lend itself to some fun stories and we have been reading them since the beginning of January. We have read a number of sleepytime stories and learned some wonderful fingerplays. Feel free to borrow these stories from the library and practice the songs and fingerplays at home.

Stories:

Birds by Kevin Henkes

Sheila Rae’s Peppermint Stick by Kevin Henkes

Down in the Woods at Sleepytime by Carol Schaefer

The Farmyard Jamboree by M. McDonald

Farmer Duck by Martin Waddell

Silly Sally by Audrey Wood

Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

Old Bear by Kevin Henkes

Where Do Bears Sleep? by Barbara Shook Hazen

Songs and Fingerplays:

Ears and Whiskers, Paws and Tail

Ears and whiskers, paws and tail, paws and tail

Ears and whiskers, paws and tail, paws and tail

Cheeks and nose and belly and toes

Ear and whiskers, paws and tail, paws and tail

Ten Little Pigs

Ten little pigs rolled in the mud -
Squishy, squashy, felt so good.
The farmer took one piggy out.
"Oink, Oink, oink," the pig did shout!

Continue with nine, eight, seven so forth, then...

No little pigs rolled in the mud.
They all looked so clean and good.
The farmer turned his back and then
Those pigs rolled in the mud again.

Raindrops

If all of the raindrops were lemon drops, and gum drops,
Oh what a world that would be.
Standing outside, with our mouths open wide,
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah.
If all of the raindrops were lemon drops, and gum drops,
Oh what a world that would be.

If all of the snowflakes, were candy bars, and milk shakes,
Oh what a world that would be.
Standing outside, with our mouths open wide,
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah.
If all of the snowflakes, were candy bars, and milk shakes,
Oh what a world that would be.

If all of the sunbeams were bubble gum, and ice cream.
Oh what a world that would be.
Standing outside, with our mouths open wide,
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah.
If all of the sunbeams were bubble gum, and ice cream,
Oh what a world that would be.

Here is a Cave. (bend fingers to form cave)
Inside is a bear. (put thumb inside fingers)
Now he comes out. (thumb out)
To get some fresh air.
He stays out all summer
In sunshine and heat.
He hunts in the forest
For berries to eat. (move thumb in circle)
When snow starts to fall
He hurries inside.
His warm little cave (thumb in)
And there he will hide.
Snow covers the cave
Like a fluffy white rug. (cover with other hand)
Inside the bear sleeps
All cozy and snug.

Big Yellow Moon

Big yellow moon shines so bright, (Arms above head in circle shape.)
Glides across the starry night, (Arms move from left to right.)
Looks down at me (Hand shades eyes.)
Asleep in bed, (Hands together at side of face.)
Whispers, "Good night, sleepyhead." (Forefinger in front of mouth.)
Big yellow moon, your turn is done. (Arms above head move down in front of body.)
Here comes Mr. Morning Sun. (Arms move above head in circle shape.)
I wake up. (Arms stretch out.)
You go to bed. (Hands together at side of face.)
"Sleep well, Moon, you sleepyhead." (Forefinger in front of mouth.)

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Fairytales should be an integral part of every childhood. Ages ago, parents told stories to their children who then shared with their own children and so on and so on. Stories were also acted out, originally for both children and adults. What were once stories passed down from generation to generation became written text when recorded by the Brothers Grimm in Germany in the early 1800s. These stories are somewhat different from the tales we share today as the Grimm tales often had sad, violent endings. An interesting site with unvarnished Grimm’s stories can be found at www.nationalgeographic.com/grimm

There are many versions and variations of the original stories  available today. We started this after school session with Goldilocks and the Three Bears. We read a version close to the original followed by a silly adaptation and a version that twisted to story so that it was a bear intruding on a family and their belongings. After the stories, the children worked on puppets that we will finish next week and watched a Scholastics video of Goldilocks and the Three Bears based on the James Marshall version.

Next week we will finish our Goldilocks puppets (don’t forget to bring four empty toilet paper tubes or paper towel tubes) and stories. The versions next week are even sillier than the one we read today! See you on Monday…

STORIES:

The Three Bears

Deep in the Forest by Brinton Turkle

Goldie Locks Has Chicken Pox by Erin Dealy

Ten Little Pigs Rolled in the Mud…

This afternoon, ten children and their brave families bundled up in coats and boots and mittens and scarves and made the trek to the library. I cannot tell you how much fun we had!

I wish I could post video showing the expressions on the children’s faces. One little toddler today was so happy making the “oink, oink” sounds when they were in the story that the adults in the room couldn’t help but smile. A little boy grinned the entire time, his quiet participation guaranteed, while one of our youngest, complete with teeny-tiny pigtails, watched everyone and everything with a big smile of wonder on her face. Another  toddler happily chewed on Mr. Pinkfish and wandered about, not at all disruptive, just enjoying herself. A little boy, uncertain about all the noise and activity, soon met my smiles and winks with a grin of his own, and a group of the girls were ready to answer every question, make every animal noise, and sing every silly song with gusto.

That’s why I love what I do. Part of it is being a ham. I’ll admit it. I like being silly and singing and sharing the best stories I can find. But it’s more than that. I like encouraging the shy and nervous children to take part---even if it takes a long time to warm them to the idea of participation. I like watching the outgoing children take chances and blossom. I enjoy visiting with parents and grandparents. No matter how tired or cranky or out-of-sorts I feel before a story time starts, the minute the children start arriving, that all changes.  Story time is a magical time and I look forward to it each week.

The following are the stories and fingerplays from this week: 

The Pig Who Wished by Joyce Dunbar

 If You Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff

Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? by Dr. Seuss

 

Ten Little Pigs

Ten little pigs rolled in the mud

Squishy squashy, squishy squashy, felt so good!

The farmer pulled one piggy out.

Oink! Oink! Oink! That pig did shout!

(Continue through one little pig and then…)

No little pigs rolled in the mud

They all looked so clean and good.

The farmer turned his back and then…

those pigs rolled in the mud again!

Happy New Year!

  I hope you and your families had a lovely Christmas and will enjoy a happy and healthy New Year!

Please remember to call the library and sign up for story times for January:

The Bees Knees on Mondays (10,17, 24, 31) 1-1:30PM

The Bees Knees on Tuesdays (4, 11, 18, 25) 11-11:30AM

After-School on Mondays (10, 17, 24 31) 3:30-4:30PM