Theme: Too Much Glue

Purpose: To use glue bottles instead of glue sticks

PR: Develop early literacy skills through crafting, singing and playing along with your little one.

Reason theme was chosen: We've witnessed older elementary students who had a lot of difficulty with glue bottles.

Suggested books:  
When Glitter Met Glue  by Kilpatrick, Karen
The Crayon Box That Talked  by DeRolf, Shane
I'm the Best Artist in the Ocean by Sherry, Kevin
Horse and Buggy Paint it Out  by Long, Ethan

Songs:
Hokey Pokey
Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes

Activity:
Supplies needed - glue, paper, glitter

Theme: Books!

Purpose/reason theme was chosen: It's back to school time

Suggested books:
The Book Hog by Pizzoli, Greg
I took My Frog to the Library by Kimmel, Eric A.
A book for Bear by Ramsey Ellen L.
The Book with No Pictures by Novak, B. J.

Rhyme:

Hi!  My name is ______________ and I work in a library.
One day, I decided to read all day,
and I turned the pages with my right hand.
 
my left hand.
my right foot.
my left foot.
my head.
 
I was exhausted!
 
THE END.

Song:
Hokey Pokey (since we were talking about left and right hands)

Activity:
We discussed what makes up a story, and I showed them the sample I made for our craft.  Each time I started the book over, it was different words, but the same pictures.

Bookmaking:
Supplies needed - extra stickers, glue, tape, pattern cut-outs to trace, pre-made booklets

Theme: Ants

Purpose: Insect identification, body parts, etc.

Suggested Stories:
The Ants Go Marching by Nicholas Ian
I Say OOH, You Say AHH by John Kane
Effie by Beverly Allinson (big book)

Flannel board:
The Elephant and the Ants (folklore)

Poem:

Craft:
Supplies needed - photos of picnic foods, small paper plates, glue, markers,crayons, paint or ink pads

Theme: Scarecrows

Purpose: To introduce fall sights and sounds

New words introduced:

Suggested Books:

Crow Made a Friend by Margaret Peot
The Mystery of the Haunted Scarecrow by Fran Manushkin
Harold Loves His Wolly Hat by Vern Kousky
The Little Scarecrow Boy by Margaret Wise Brown
There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves by Lucille Colandro
The Scarecrow’s Hat by Ken Brown
Scaredycrow by Christopher Hernandez
The Scarecrow’s Dance by Jane Yolen
Barn Dance! Bill Martin Jr.

Rhymes and finger plays:
 

Theme: Teeth

Purpose: To showcase body parts and demonstrate good habits/hygiene

PR:  "Brush up with stories and activities that are all about teeth in celebration of

National Children’s Dental Health Month."

New words: bristly

Suggested stories: 
People Don't Bite People by Molly Idle
The Tooth Book by Dr. Seuss
Molly at the Dentist by Angie Sage
I Just Ate My Friend by McKinnon, Heidi
We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Higgins, Ryan
My Toothbrush is Missing by Thomas, Jan
We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Higgins, Ryan
My Toothbrush is Missing by Thomas, Jan

Flannel Board:

Happy Tooth, Sad Tooth - I wanted to give credit for these, but I can not remember the source.

Songs and Rhymes:
Brush Your Teeth  by Raffi

When you wake up in the morning, it's a quarter to one
And you want to have a little fun
You brush your teeth, ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch
You brush your teeth, ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch

When you wake up in the morning, it's a quarter to two
And you want to find something to do
You brush your teeth, ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch
You brush your teeth, ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch

And when you wake up in the morning, it's a quarter to three
And your mind starts hummin', tweedle dee dee
You brush your teeth, ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch
You brush your teeth, ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch

When you wake up in the morning, it's a quarter to four
And you think you hear a knock on your door
You brush your teeth, ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch
You brush your teeth, ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch

When you wake up in the morning, it's a quarter to five
And you just can't wait to come alive
You brush your teeth, ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch
You brush your teeth, ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch

You brush your teeth, ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch

You brush your teeth, ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch

THEME: Feet

Purpose: To showcase body parts, left & right

Reason theme was chosen: Rhyming, movement and rhythm

Suggested stories:

I Like Shoes by Candice Ransom
The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss
Who Has These Feet? by Laura Hulbert

Flannel board:
Pete the Cat and His White Shoes by Eric Litwin

Rhymes:

2nd time, sing faster.  Third time, faster still.

Songs:
"Hokey Pokey"

You put your right foot in, you put your right foot out, you put your right foot in and you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey Pokey and you turn yourself around, that's what it's all about!
You put your left foot in, you put your left foot out, you put your left foot in and you shake it all about. You do the Hokey Pokey and you turn yourself around, that's what it's all about!
 
Right arm
Left arm
Head
Whole self

"Put One Foot in Front of the Other" 

Craft:
Supplies needed - crayons/markers, colored paper, scissors, glue

Trace foot with shoe on or off.