Something from Nothing by Phoebe Gilman

Early Literacy Aside--Empower: Earlier in our storytime we read the book Something from Nothing and then you helped tell the story with the flannelboard. Today I have a handout for you, so that you can color and cut out the pieces from the rectangular blanket and then retell the story at home. Adults, when you give your children little aids or props, it helps them remember the story and retell it. When children retell stories they are better understanding how stories work as well as the story itself. This will help them later understand what they read. Have fun together!Handout:  handsomnothpattskill Library Staff: You can enlarge the handout to make your own flannelboard.

Submitted by Saroj Ghoting, Early Childhood Literacy Consultant www.earlylit.net

Ready for Anything by Keiko Kasza

Read the book Ready for Anything by Keiko Kasza. As you read the book as a few open-ended questions (questions that cannot be answered with yes or no).Early Literacy Aside--Example: Parents, you might notice that I interrupted the story by asking some questions. Encouraging your children to talk will help them understand what they read later on! It's important when we ask children questions that we are patient enough to give them time to respond to us.

Submitted by Sophie Bruno, Sacramento (CA) Public Library

Big Chickens by Leslie Helakoski

Book Introduction: Our next book is one of my favorite books called Big Chickens by Leslie Helakoski. There are three chickens and each of the chickens here is holding one of the letters for the word "big". Here is a B and an Iand a G. Read the book. Early Literacy Aside--Example: From time to time it is fun to point out letters as I did with the word BIG. You don't need an alphabet book to talk about letters. Early Literacy Aside--Empower: Did you know that when your child plays with shapes or blocks and you talk about the shapes you are preparing them to learn to recognize letters!

Submitted by Diane Christensen, Sacramento (CA) Public Library

Shapes Around Us by Daniel Nunn

Early Literacy Aside--Explain: Children learn to recognize letters by their shapes. Today I'll be pointing out some ways you can support letter knowledge by talking about shapes. During the storytime read Shapes Around Us by Daniel Nunn. Early Literacy Aside--Example: This book helps us think of so many shapes we see in the world around us. What a great way to help children notice shapes which later helps them recognize letters! Early Litearcy Aside--Empower: Pointing out and playing with shapes helps children to recognize and draw letters. Be sure to include both the upper cas and lower case versions of letters.

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems

Read the book Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems. Then flip back to a page with big angry font and read it in an angry tone of voice while pointing to the words.Early Literacy Aside--Example:  Parents, here you can see how the text is reflecting the meaning of the words. From time to time, pointing to the words and having your voice reflect what is being said, or how it is said, helps children understand the meaning of what is going on. In this way you are supporting both print awareness and comprehension.

Laura, Sacramento (CA) Public Library

Songs

Sing songs in English and in at least one other language during storytime.Early Literacy Aside--Empower: Adults, you can sing anywhere about anything in any language! Singing helps children hear the smaller sounds in words to help them sound out words later. Also many songs have new words for them to learn which will help them know the meanings of words when they get to school.

Randi Kay Stephens, Sacramento (CA) Public Library

Magnet handout

Early Literacy Aside--Empower: I am gong to give you a pre-literacy skill magnet that says "Talking" to put on your frig. This will remind you to extend your conversations with your children. In this way you are building on what they know and they will be able to better understand what they read. The magnet also lets you know you are already your child's first teacher! Great job, parents!Workshop Participant, Sacramento (CA) Public Library

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Early Literacy Aside--Example: You can use unfamiliar words with your children and model what they mean. For example, you can whisper when reading "whispering" and have your child say a quiet, "hush." This is a simple way to expand the words your children know. Let's try it as we read Goodnight Moon.Read Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Prepositions

Early Literacy Aside--Empower: When you go to play in the park next time with your children, talk about some of the concepts we talked about today--over/under, top/bottom, left/right. The best way for children to learn these concepts is not by memorizing what they mean, but by learning them as they are playing.  By helping them learn these concepts, they will later better understand what they read.Natalie Beaver, Sacramento (CA) Public Library

Sing your own songs

Early Literacy Aside--Explain: Singing with your children helps them to hear words broken into smaller parts because there is a different note for each syllable. Hearing these smaller parts of words will help them later to sound out words.Early Literacy Aside--Empower: We sang some songs today in storytime. You can make up your own songs and sing about the things you do everyday. Singing helps children hear words broken down into part and you can do this throughout the day in fun ways. Heather Bratt

Baby's Bath with flannel board

This rhyme, I'll do with the flannel board. First I'll say the rhyme, and put up the figures. Then we'll all say the rhyme together.Baby's ready for a bath. Here's the baby's tub. Here's the baby's washcloth. Rub a dub a dub. Here's the baby's cake of soap, And here's the towel to dry, And here's the baby's cradle, Rock-a-baby-bye.

Early Literacy Aside--Example: As we say rhymes with our young children they hear both the rhythm of language and the rhymes. Being exposed to rhymes helps them hear the smaller sounds in words, a first step in later learning to read.

by Amy Alapati and Virginia Krute, Montgomery County (MD) Public Library, based on version in Ring a Ring o’ Roses, 9th ed. Flint Public Library, Permission granted Flint Public Library, Flint, MI

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