Early Literacy Aside--Explain: Singing songs is one good way for children to become aware of the different sounds that make up words. We call this phonological awareness. Singng helps them get a feel for the rhythm of language and how words are divided into syllables because there is a different note for each syllable. This will help them sound out words when they learn to read.
Submitted by Cindy Christin, Bozeman (MT) Public Library
What Shall We Do With the Boo-Hoo Baby? by Cressida Cowell
Early Literacy Aside--Explain: I will be having the children hear and make animal sounds. This is one of the ways to develop phonological awareness, hearing the smaller sounds in words. This is the beginning step to later sounding out words when they learn to read.Book Introduction: Our next book is What Shall We Do with teh Boo-Hoo Baby? by Cressida Cowell. All join in together with the animal sounds and the crying baby! [If you want you can practice the animal sounds and the boo-hoo for crying before starting the book.]
Read the book.
Early Literacy Aside--Example: Good job everyone. Parents, letting the children hear and make the sounds helps them later hear the sounds in words.
Early Literacy Aside--Empower: Feel free to check out these books I have displayed which have animal and other sounds, which will help with phonological awareness.
Submitted by Cindy Thompson, Roanoke City (VA) Public Library
Mortimer by Robert Munsch
Mortimer's song is repeated:Clang, clang, rattle-bing-bang
Gonna make my noise all day.
Clang, clang, rattle-bing-bang
Gonna make my noise all day.
You pass out musical instruments and have them play to the rhythm of the song.
Early Literaacy Aside--Example: As the children are saying the words of the sounds, they are developing phonological awareness.
Having them play to the rhythm of the words also helps develop this skill which will later help them sound out words when they learn to read.
Submitted by Barbara Slough, Glasgow Library, Rockbridge Regional Library (VA)
Pig's Picnic by Keiko Kasza
Read book Pig's Picnic by Keiko Kasza. Retell the story using props. Have the children retell the story as you maneuver the props.Early Literacy Aside--Example: Using props is one way to help your child remember the story as they try to retell it. When they can retell a story, it helps their understanding.
At the end of storytime hold up the handout of Pig's Picnic (below) and demonstrate how you have cut out the pieces so that the children can retell the story. Early Literacy Aside--Empower: You can strength your children's narrative skills, the ability to tell stories, by taking home this storytime handout, having your children cut out the pictures and retell the story. As they retell the story they may add ideas of their own! pigs-picnic-hand-out.doc Submitted by Laura Mikowski, Hillsboro (OR) Public Libraries
Night in the Country by Cynthia Rylant
Early Literacy Aside--Explain: When we talk about a story after reading it, we are helping our children remember what we have read. Having your children retell the story takes it a step further to help them develop narrative skills, which will later help them understand what they read.Read the book Night in the Country by Cynthia Rylant. Point out the different sounds and animals out at night. Describe the pictures. Ask children questions about what they think about at nighttime. How do you feel? What do you hear?
Early Literacy Aside--Example: As I read the book you saw how I asked some questions to make the book more personal for the children and to help them relate it to their own experiences. This is one way to help children understand the book better.
Early Literacy Aside--Empower: Talking about experiences and what your child is thinking about can enhance the book. Books often expose our children to different ideas and to things they may not otherwise see. This interactive experience of discussing what your child thinks about nighttime is also a way to develop your child's narrative skills and their background knowledge, what they know abour the world. Both will help them understand what they read when they learn to read.
Submitted by Sharon Lindsay, Rockbridge Branch, Bath County (VA) Public Library
Whose House Is This? by Charles Reasoner
Early Literacy Aside--Explain: There are many ways we can help children enjoy books as we share books together. Children who have positive experiences around books and reading are more likely to stick with learning to read even when it is difficult. I'll be pointing out some ways to share books to make it enjoyable.
As you read the book have children repeat the phrase, "I do. I'm a . . . " with each animal.
Early Literacy Aside--Example: Having the children participate by guessing the animals and responding when the animal appears helps them enjoy the book. This helps support their print motivation.
Submitted by Tara Smith, Roanoke County (VA) Public Library
Children's names or any words
Early Literacy Aside:--Explain: Separating a word into sound parts is called segmentation. Playing with words this way with your children now will help your children later when they learn to break words into syllables to decode words. Clap childen's names or choose words with different numbers of syllables. Early Literacy Aside--Example: Clapping or tapping helps children hear parts of words which will make it easier for them to sound out words when they learn to read. [for 3 - 5's you can use rhythm sticks]
Submitted by Di Gagnier, Roanoke County (VA) Public Library
Piggy and Dad Go Fishing by David Martin
Read the book Piggy and Dad Go Fishing by David Martin. Retell the story using props.Early Literacy Aside--Empower: You encourage dramatic play when you give your children opporutnities to retell stories with your children using things around the house. Having your children retell stories helps them remember the story and also to understand how stories work, with a beginning, a middle and an end. This will help them later in school when they will write their own stories and to understand stories they will read.
Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle
Read the book The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle. Encourage adults and children to make the sounds of the animals.Early Literacy Aside--Example: Having your child hear and make the sounds of the animals in this story is one enjoyable way to help develop phonological awareness, to eventually be able to hear the smaller sounds in words. Submitted by Nancy Gattoni, Roanoke County (VA) Public Library
Harry and the Terrible Whatzit by Dick Gackenbach
Early Literacy Aside--Explain: Today we are going to focus on vocabulary, one of the early literacy skills. Vocabulary is knowing the meanings of words, of things, concepts, feelings and ideas.Book Introduction: Talk about the word cellar. What is a cellar? Explain the word.
Read the book Harry and the Terrible Whatzit by Dick Gackenbach.
Early Literacy Aside--Example: Go ahead and use words that are unfamiliar to your child. Don't replace words in books that they may not understand, but explain them. This will build their vocabulary.
Early Literacy Aside--Empower: Don't forget when reading to your children at home, don't replace words, but explain them. This helps build their vocabulary and will make it easier for your children to later understand what they read.
Submitted by Janet Boucher, Blue Ridge (VA) Regional Library
Pete's a Pizza by William Steig
Early Literacy Aside--Example: I am going to read one of my favorite children's books. I love reading this book; it is a lot of fun. When reading with your children, choose books YOU enjoy. Your child picks up on your feelings and understands the enjoyment of books and reading. This supports print motivation, a love of books.Read the book Pete's a Pizza by William Steig putting motions to the words.
Submitted by Linda White, Washington County (VA) Public Library
Pete's a Pizza by William Steig
Aside: Now I am going to read to you this wonderful book Pete's a Pizza by William Steig. I especially like this story because it introduces narrative skills, which is the ability to retell a story.Read the story. Aside: You can use things from all around the house to tell a story, just as they used things from around the house in this story. Having your child retell stories helps to develop your child's own narrative skills for later life while at the same time increaseing his memory and imagination and love for books. Submitted by Miss Yolanda, Washington County (VA) Public Library
Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester
As you read the book, ask the children to identify the animals in the book. Talk about the landscape in the pictures--where in the world might this take place? Use words the children may not know (arctic, icebergs, ice floes, glaciers, etc.). Also, talk about Tacky the Penguin's personality, his uniqueness and originality, explaining words children may not know. For an activity, have children and adults draw and color a penguin however they want.Early Literacy Aside--Empower: We used lots of interesting words today with Tacky the Penquin, some were not even in the book. This helps develop your child's vocabulary. On your way home, talk about being creative and ways your child is unique, using some of the interesting words we used today and adding your own. Through talking and talking about your children's drawings there are many opportunities to expand your child's vocabulary.
Submitted by David Banker, Radford (VA) Public Library
Old MacDonald Had a Farm Song
Early Literacy Aside--Explain: Songs are a great way to incorporate the early literacy skill, phonological awareness. Hearing and learning animal sounds helps your children hear the smaller sounds in words and singing emphasizes different syllables. This helps your children later to sound out words.
Submitted by Wendy B. Rancier, Roanoke County (VA) Public Library
Maybe a Bear Ate It by Robie Harris
This book is wonderful for how, why, when and where questions! There are several pictures in this book with no words. When you come to these pictures, ask the children what the character is doing, what is missing and how the character is feeling.Read the book Maybe a Bear Ate It by Robie Harris
Early Literacy Aside--Example: Asking questions using what and how, as I did when I read the story will help strengthen your children's narrative skills, which in turn helps to build comprehension ability as the child begins to read.
Submitted by Dawn Cheney, Glenvar Branch, Roanoke County (VA) Public Library
Old MacDonald Has a Farm Song
Early Literacy Aside--Explain: Researchers have found that one of the early literacy skills is phonological awareness. This is the ability to hear and play with the smaller sounds in words, like rhyming, playing with syllables or parts of words, and hearing beginning sounds of words. The beginning of this skills starts with children hearing and saying the sounds of animals.Sometime durng storytime sing "Old MacDonald" with the children, including several animals--cow, pig, sheep, chicken, duck, etc. Early Literacy Aside--Example: Making the sounds of animals contributes to phonological awareness and hearing sounds in words. Early Literacy Aside--Empower: Take advantage of opportunities to sing and say the sounds of animals with your children. It's fun and it also helps them hear the smaller sounds in words.
Submitted by Kimberly Burnette-Dean, Roanoke County (VA) Public Library
Snap! by Marcia Vaughan
Read the book Snap! by Marcia Vaughan.Early Literacy Aside--Example: This book lends itself to retelling events which helps your child understand the story. Encourage your child with questons that leave room for them to describe what they hear or see. I used questions like, "What did Joey do when his Mom fell asleep?" and "Who did he meet?"
Early Literacy Aside--Empower: The ability to retell a story is an important skill for children to have in order to understand what they are reading. Predicting what happens next and acting it out, or as it's usually called, pretend playing, is a fun way to retell a story and to gain background knowldge along the way.
Submitted by Donna Hackman, Bedford (VA) Public Library and Justin Azevedo, Sacramento (CA) Public Library
The Aminal by Lorna Balian
Early Literacy Aside--Explain: Narrative skills is helping your child tell a story. Researchers say this is an important skill towards your child learning to read, understanding what he will read. In this storytime we will have fun while using narrative skills.During the storytime:
Early Literacy Aside--Example: In this story we will be using narrative skills to tell our story and to talk about the events taking place. Narrative skills is one of the early literacy skills that help your children learn to read. This includes giving your children time to think about and answer questions about the story. Listen as I ask questions that cannot be answered with just yes or no.
Read the book.
Early Literacy Aside--Empower: Ask your child about storytime today when you get home and help them retell one of the stories. You'll be continuing to develop your child's narrative skills!
Submitted by Carolyn B. Morehead, Big Island Library, Bedford (VA) Public Library
Blue Goose by Nancy Tafuri
Early Literacy Aside--Explain: Researchers have found that 95% of children's attention goes to the pictures in the book. When you run your fingers under the title as you read it, this helps show them you are reading the text, not the pictures. This is part of print awareness and is one of the skills children need to learn to read.During the storytime--Read the book running your finger under the repeated phrases.
Early Literacy Aside--Example: You can run your finger under the repeated phrases to match the text to the words. Then your action doesn't get in the way of the story. Read the book running your finger under the repeated phrases.
Early Literacy Aside--Empower: When you read withyour children at home, hold the book upside down or backwards and see if your child notices. Be sure to turn the book if a page is in a different direction. Theis helps develop their print awareness.
Submitted by Melissa Davis, Bedford (VA) Public Library
Jazzmatazz! by Stephanie Calmenson
Early Literacy Aside--Example: What a fun and noisy book this is! Listen to the different kinds of sounds that music can make like plink, plink and bang-a-bang along with the jazz rhythm of Doo-dat, diddy-dat, diddy-dat, doo! As children learn to hear and make not only animal sounds but sounds of many different things, they are developing phonological awareness which will later help them sound out words as they learn to read.