Math Handout for Parents/Caregivers

Here is a sample handout on math concepts for parents/caregivers.
It is available in Word so you can edit it. However, sometimes the text and graphics get scrambled in Word, so there is a pdf version here as well.
The idea is that you can copy them back-to-back and then cut in half, so you get two handouts per sheet. One side is the general information on math concepts. The other side (half the sheet) you would edit to reflect whatever concept and activities you are doing in a particular storytime and an idea to keep it going after storytime is over.

Here is also a general handout of science and math concepts.  Word    PDF

Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood by F.Isabel Campoy

Introduction: Our next book is about making a place better to live by making it more beautiful. It is called Maybe Something Beautiful and the illustrator, Rafael Lopez is the person who actually helped to make a neighborhood in San Diego, California, more beautiful by painting murals. Let's see what happened. This story is based on what really happened in San Diego. [After reading the book, or parts of it, describe what is said in "A Note from the Authors."]

Activity: Have some mural paper and paints. (if not paints, then crayons/markers) Talk about what the children might like to paint that might make a neighborhood beautiful. Then have them paint on the paper. Display it.

Early Literacy Aside (option 1): Adults, when we have children paint/draw, it is helping children develop the skills for later writing.

Early Literacy Aside (option 2): Adults, after your children have finished painting/drawing, ask them to tell you all about what they have made. Encourage them to tell you a story about it or how they got the idea. You can enrich the experience by expanding on what they say, descriptive words, words for feelings, encouraging their imagination, giving information about a topic. If they drew a butterfly, for example, you might add some information you know about butterflies. Your conversation can build their vocabulary and background knowledge, what they know about the world, which will make it easier for them later to understand what they read.

Over in the Arctic Where the Cold Winds Blow by Marianne Berkes

Introduction: Our next book is called Over in the Arctic Where the Cold Winds Blow by Marianne Berkes. We can make the actions and sounds of the animals as we go along.

Read or Sing the book. After completing the book, come back to the page with the owls.
There are some interesting words on this page. There is a mother snowy owl. What color is the owl? And her little owlets seven. A baby owl is called an owlet. Let's say that together. It says here that the owls glide. Let me see how the mother owl glides (Let them show you wide wings with their arms). And how does a baby owlet glide? (wings/arms not so wide). What does flying look like? What does gliding look like? (more smooth, soar) and what does swooping look like? (from high to low--plunging, lunging, diving).

Early Literacy Aside--Example: Songs can give us words we might not hear in regular conversation. In this book, having fun with the action words can help children distinguish between words of similar meanings. This helps children learn small differences in the meanings of words which builds their vocabulary and helps them later understand what they read.

Big Box for Ben by Deborah Bruss

Introduction: I have a big empty box here. What do you think we can do with this box? What could you do with it? [You may want to have more than one box if you want to give them time to explore and play with the boxes, or you may choose to do this after reading the book.]
Today we have a book called Big Box for Ben by Deborah Bruss. Let's see what this boy Ben likes to do with his box. [As you read the book, add interesting words describing the box, the position of the box and the flaps, what Ben is imagining--using the word imagination]

Early Literacy Aside: Playing is a great way to build children's language. By following your child's lead, giving them time to express their ideas and think imaginatively, asking open-ended questions, adding new words and description, you give them opportunities to build their vocabulary, to think of stories, and to understand the world around them. All these skills contribute to later helping them understand what they read.

Hooray for Hat by Brian Won with flannel board

Introduction: Our next book is called Hooray for Hat by Brian Won. In this book each of the animals is grumpy until they get a wonderful hat. Then when Elephant gives each animal a hat they all say "Hooray for hat." You can help me tell the story by saying "Hooray for hat."  Let's practice saying "Hooray for hat." Good!
[Read the book, pausing for them to say "Hooray for hat."]
Now I have a flannel board of this same book. You already said "Hooray for hat," and now you can help tell the whole story!
[Put up pieces on the flannel board, pausing for the children to tell you what comes next, and to say as much of the story as they can.
Early Literacy Aside--Example: Adults, we help children retell stories, they can remember it more easily, and they also are learning how stories work--what happens first, next, and last--and phrases that are repeated. Learning how stories work will make it easier for them to both understand stories when they read them and even to write stories when they are asked to do so in school.
Photos of pieces for flannel board of Hooray for Hat

Hooray for Hat by Brian Won

Introduction: Our next book is called Hooray for Hat by Brian Won. In this book each of the animals is grumpy until they get a wonderful hat. Each time an animal gets a hat, the animals say "Hooray for hat!" So, I would like you to say with me "hooray for hat." We are going to clap for each word. So, three claps--hooray--for--hat. Let's practice saying and clapping the words "Hooray for hat."  Very good. Ok, here comes the story.
[Read the book, pausing for them to say "Hooray for hat."]
Early Literacy Aside--Example: Adults, when we help children hear individual words, this is a starting point to later hear even smaller sounds within words which will help them later sound out words when they learn to read. (This skill is called phonological awareness.)

Hooray for Hat by Brian Won

Introduction: Our next book is called Hooray for Hat by Brian Won. In this book each of the animals is grumpy until they get a wonderful hat. This book has a lot of repetition so I would like you to help tell the story with me. In fact, you might notice there is a pattern to what is happening. First an animal is grumpy, then Elephant gives the grumpy animal a hat, and the animal smiles and they cheer "Hooray for hat!" So, I would like you to say with me "hooray for hat." You'll know when it is coming because it will be after the animal smiles and then they cheer. Let's practice saying "Hooray for hat."  Very good. Ok, here comes the story.
[Read the book, pausing for them to say "Hooray for hat."]
Early Learning Aside--Example: Adults, when I started this book, I pointed out that there is a pattern the children can follow to help them know what comes next, so they would know when to say Hooray for hat. When we point out patterns we notice, or help our children notice patterns, we are helping them develop one of the math skills--geometry and patterns--which will later make it easier for them to understand math concepts.

From Flower to Honey by Robin Nelson

Introduction: How many of you have ever tasted honey? What does it taste like? Do any of you know how honey is made? How? In our next book, called From Flower to Honey by Robin Nelson, we can find out in more detail about how honey is made. Let's see what it says.
Read the book, shortening if necessary. Share some of the Table of Contents and point out Glossary at the back.
Early Literacy Aside--Example: When we share factual books with children, we show them that books can be used for different purposes, stories as well as learning about the world. When we point out features like the table of contents and the glossary, it helps them learn how different kinds of books work.

Bus for Us by Suzanne Bloom

Introduction: In this book, The Bus For Us by Suzanne Bloom, you will be helping me tell the story by saying this sentence throughout the book, "Is this the bus for us, Gus?" [Point out Gus as the boy on the cover. Practice saying the phrase together.
Point to each word as you say the sentence together, each time.]
Early Literacy Aside--Example: Adults, when we point to words as the children say them, we develop their print awareness, helping them understand that the words we are saying is what is written in the text. This helps them understand how reading works and will help them later focus on the words as they learn to read.

Don't Wake Up the Tiger by Britta Teckentrup

Early Literacy Aside--Example: Adults, in our next book there are many words written in bold and large letters. I will be pointing to these words and saying them more loudly, and encouraging you all to say them along with me. By pointing out these words, we help children notice the text which will help them later focus on the text when they learn to read.
Read Don't Wake Up the Tiger and point out some of the words in bold, saying them more loudly, with emphasis. Point to the words as you have children repeat some of them. You can sing "Happy Birthday" to Tiger.
If you like, you can make or bring in a happy birthday banner, or use the flannel board to spell out happy birthday.

Don't Spill the Beans by Ian Schoenherr

Early Literacy Aside--Example: Adults, in our next book, notice the many ways to say the same thing, so many different expressions. Talking about the different meanings of words helps to build your children's vocabulary which will later help them understand what they read.
To the children: Our next book is called Don't Spill the Beans by Ian Schoenherr. What do you think "don't spill the beans" means? What is one thing it might mean? . . . discuss
In this book it is meaning--don't tell a secret. Bear has a fun secret. Let's see what it is. [Read the book.]
Early Literacy Aside--Empower: Adults, this week you may like to think about some of the expressions you use, and talk about words with different meanings. I have a handout with some more idioms.
Idioms Can Be Funny

Busy Buzzy Bee by Karen Wallace

Introduction: Our next book is Busy Buzzy Bee by Karen Wallace. This is a true book about how amazing bees are. [You can read the whole book or pick out a few pages to share. This book is chock full of information!] 
Early Literacy Aside: When we share books about factual information, children learn about the world around them. This develops their background knowledge which makes it easier to understand what they read when they learn to read. You need not read the whole book at once.

Song: Sing Talk Read Write Play

This is a song based on one developed by Salt Lake County Public Library. It works well as an opening song, or in addition to the children's opening song to lead into an early literacy aside/parent tip:
Sing, talk, read, write, play,
Sing, talk, read, write, play,
Sing, talk, read, write, play,
Growing readers day by day.

 

Ah Ha! by Jeff Mack

Introduction: Our next book uses only two words to tell a whole story. As I turn the pages in the book, YOU can help me tell the story. The two words are Ah and Ha. Let's say Ah together Ah or AAHHH. There are several ways to say this word to mean different things. Now let's try it with Ha. HAAAA. Good! Now let's tell this story together. Read the book Ah Ha! together allowing time for the children to recount what they see happening in the pictures.
Early Literacy Aside--Narrative Skills--Example: When you have children tell stories from the pictures, you are developing their narrative skills, their expressive language. When they talk and give their own ideas, this helps them later understand what they read and also helps them understand how stories work.

What's the Time, Grandma Wolf? by Ken Brown

Early Learning Aside--Science Concepts--Explain: Encouraging children to observe and predict is one way to support your child's scientific thinking. Making thoughtful guesses is a process that scientists use and that can be encouraged even when children are young. I will show you some simple ways you can do this in today's storytime.
Introduction: This story may sound familiar but it has a little twist. Read the book What's the Time, Grandma Wolf? [There are many ways that you can ask the children to guess what comes next in this book. You may have them look at the picture and guess which animal will speak next, you may ask them what they think the wolf will do next, you may ask them what they think the next phrase will be just before the repeated words, and of course, what will happen when it is dinnertime. Asking one or two questions on predictions is plenty.]
Early Learning Aside--Science Concepts--Example: Adults, you could see that I asked a couple of questions asking children to guess or predict what would happen next. Books with repetition and a plot offer many opportunities to support this science concept.

Hickety Pickety Bumble Bee

"Hickety Pickety Bumble Bee" Hickety Pickety bumble bee Who can say their name for me? First child’s name. Clap it. (Clap out the syllables in the child’s name.) Whisper it. (Whisper the syllables.) No sound. (Mouth the syllables.) Hickety pickety bumblebee, Who can say their name for me?

Early Literacy Aside--Example--Phonological Awareness
By clapping out and singing children's names, they hear words slowed down and they hear the parts of words, the syllables. This will later help them as they try to sound out words when they learn to read. The kids love the song, and parents tell me that they are clapping out the syllables to other family members names too.

Submitted by Marie Rogers, Hardin County Public Library in KY

Elephant Buttons by Noriko Ueno

Storytelling and Props:[This story with props is based on a wordless picture book, now out of print. Elephant Buttons begins with a picture of an elephant, but the elephant has buttons on his belly; on the next page we realize that this is not actually an elephant, but a lion dressed up as an elephant. But wait! The lion has buttons too. Who is it in the lion costume? And so, each page reveals yet another animal in a costume with buttons in order after the lion there is a horse, then a duck, and then a mouse all with buttons. When we open the buttons of the mouse, there is an elephant with no buttons.]

The attached document give the pattern and instructions.  elebuttons

Our next story Elephant Buttons by Noriko Ueno is quite an interesting one. I am going to tell it to you using some props. Let's see what you think is happening as I tell this story.

Begin by holding up the elephant piece that has buttons on his tummy. What’s this? An elephant? Right! But what’s this on his tummy? Buttons? Do elephants have buttons on their tummies? No? What do you think will happen if we unbutton the buttons?

Unbutton the buttons and reach inside and pull out a lion, with buttons on his tummy. And the questions continue. Proceed with a horse, a duck, and a mouse, all with buttons on their tummies. Unbuttoning the mouse reveals a big elephant with no buttons on his tummy! If the elephant is too big to actually fold into the mouse, then hold it hidden in the palm of your hand and pull it out at the appropriate time. Discuss why an elephant would dress up in a mouse costume inside a duck costume inside a horse costume, and so on.

Early Literacy Aside--Example: Using stories that can be interpreted in different ways offers your children an opportunity to think and offer their opinions. It allows them to look at what is happening from different perspectives. By asking open-ended questions and encouraging children to talk, asking what they are thinking, we give them a chance to problem-solve and to express what they are thinking, both are skills that will help them later understand what they read.

Amy Alapati, Montgomery County (MD) Public Libraries

Black Rabbit by Philippa Leathers

Our next story is about a rabbit who notices a black rabbit following him around in the light of day. Let's see if you can figure out what that black rabbit is.
Activity: Use a flashlight to demonstrate making a shadow. If you want you can do this after the book as an explanation.
Read The Black Rabbit by Philippa Leathers.
Activity: Hand out flashlights for children to make hand shadows. Ask questions about how to make a shadow larger or smaller. Have children and adults experiment together.

Early Learning Aside--Empower: As you walk around outside during the day, talk about shadows and how they are made. Do you see your shadow on a cloudy day? at night? When you talk with children about shadows, you are helping them learn about earth sciences, their world and how it works. Children are curious and interested in the world around them. Your explanations will later help them understand what they read.

Sing by Joe Raposo

Early Literacy Aside--Explain: Some of us can sing well, others not so well. Some of us like to sing whether we can or not and others would rather not sing. Did you know that singing is one way to help children learn the sounds in language which will then help them hear sounds as they learn to sound out words? Songs have a distinct note for each syllable so children hear the rhythm of language and hear words broken down into parts.
Early Literacy Aside--Example: Our next book is a songbook. It uses the words to the song as the book itself. It's called Sing by Joe Raposo. I often feel like the third bird! I hope you do too. Let's see what happens when one of the three birds can't sing. We can all sing the words together and notice how songs help with hearing sounds in words.

Read/sing the book first describing what is happening in the wordless pictures.

Solomon Crocodile by Catherine Rayner

Introduction: Our next book is about a crocodile who is trying to have some fun and in the process is stirring up a big ruckus!Early Literacy Aside--Example: Adults, listen to the many interesting words that children may not hear in everyday conversation. You'll see that I will actually talk about a couple of the words. This is a good way to build your children's vocabulary in a gentle way.

Read the book. [You can see there are many synonyms such as a pest, a nuisance, a pain and several interesting verbs such as stalk, splat, croak, squawk, spies, charges. Choose one or two to talk about.]

Early Literacy Aside--Empower: Children learn through repetition. So, reading a story such as Solomon Crocodile over several days or weeks will help them understand the story better. They may become so familiar with it that they join in with the words in the book. And you may find that they use some of those interesting words in other situations. You can too. The best way to learn new words is not from lists of words with definitions, but from using the words in different situations when appropriate.