These simple biographies are a great way to teach kids about serious subjects. In this case the subject is Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. The text is interspersed with speech bubbles. The graphic novel approach might help hook reluctant readers. If you use this for a story time I would suggest school age kids and probably just the one book with some activities.
This might be the most intense children’s book I’ve ever read. The text is super easy but the content is not. This is about a family escaping from the South on the Underground Railroad. Each page has a simple one word sentence. Between the sparse text and the nearly scribbled illustrations this is poetry. It’s also simple enough to read to young children, but the conversation won’t be.
Mae Among the Stars by #OwnVoices Roda Ahmed is a simple picture book about Mae Jemison (the first African American woman to reach the stars) as a child. The text is simple and the story is true, making this a perfect book for Black History Month
Books:
Be A Star Wonder Woman by Michael Dahl and #OwnVoices Omar Lozano
Ten Rules of Being a Superhero by Deb Pilutti
The Day I Lost My Superpower by Michael Escoffier and Kris Di Giacomo
Inclusion:
In Be A Star Wonder Woman by Michael Dahl and #OwnVoices Omar Lozano the protagonist is of an unidentified ethnicity. There are other children of color in the background including a young girl in a a hijab.
Flannel Board
This little girl is a superhero,
But you would never know.
She needs a few accessories.
Let’s help her get ready to go.
What is missing? What should she
wear?
She needs a cape! Let’s put it right there.
What is missing? What should she
wear?
She needs a mask! Let’s put it right there.
What is missing? What should she
wear?
She needs some gloves! Let’s put them right there.
What is missing? What should she wear?
She needs a badge! Let’s put it right there.
Flannel Rhyme:
One little, two little, three little heroes
Four little, five little, six little heroes
Seven little, eight little, nine little heroes
Ten heroes ready to fly!
(count down)
Credit: Story Time Katie
Action Rhyme: “Superman”
Put your hands way up high (raise arms up in air)
Like Superman flying across the sky (assume flying position)
Fly to the left, now fly to the right (lean to your right, then left)
Now show me your muscles with all your might,(make arm muscles)
Now Superman’s putting his suit away (bring arms down slowly)
So he can go flying another day (rest hands in lap)
Credit: Story Time Katie
Action Song with Applesauce!: “Did You Ever See a Hero?”
Did you ever see a hero, a hero, a hero,
Did you ever see a hero, flying in the sky?
Fly this way and that way and this way and that way
Did you ever see a hero, flying in the sky?
(putting on their cape, saving the day, going home)
Credit: Modified from Childhood
Credit: Story Time Katie
February 2020 Repeating Songs and Rhymes:
Shake Your Shaker (to the tune of London Bridge)
Shake your shaker in the air,Shake it here, shake it there.Shake your shaker in the air,Shake your shaker.
Shake it high and shake it low,Shake it yes, shake it no.Shake it high and shake it low,Shake your shaker.
Shake it up and shake it down,Rub your shaker on the ground.Shake it up and shake it down,Shake your shaker.
Shake it near and shake it far,Drive your shaker like a car.Shake it near and shake it far,Shake your shaker.
Shake it fast and shake it slow,Shake it stop, shake it go.Shake it fast and shake it slow,Shake your shaker.
Credit: Jbrary
Scarf Song:
Wave Your Scarf
Wave your scarf up and down,
up and down, up and down.
Wave your scarf up and down, wave your scarf.
Verses: left and rigft…
fast and slow…
high and low…
around and around wave it goodbye
Credit: Jbrary
Craft: Super Hero Printable
Kashmira Sheth based this book upon her experience watching her children with their grandmother. The kids are fascinated with her sari and pepper her with questions and end up trying them on.
AR Book Level: 3.5
AR Pts: 0.5
This simple picture book is filled with the bright colors of Holi. Perfect for a story time about colors or a cultural story time about India.
“Holi is the Indian festival of colors, celebrated during spring, when new colors appear in nature. It symbolizes inclusiveness, new beginning, and the triumph of good over evil. The festivities begin with an evening bonfire. The next morning, family, friends, and neighbors throw dry and wet colored powders on each other.”
Excerpted from the afterword.
Holi is in March
Soup Day by #OwnVoices Melissa Iwai is about a young girl of Asian descent making soup on a cold winter’s day with her mother.
Books:
One Mitten by Kristine O’Connell Goerge and Maggie Smith
Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen
Under My Hood I Have a Hat by Karla Kuskin and #OwnVoices Fumi Kosaka
The Snowy Day (not pictured) by Ezra Jack Keats
Inclusion:
Under My Hood I Have a Hat by Karla Kuskin and #OwnVoices Fumi Kosaka shows a young girl of Asian descent getting undressed and dressed to play out in the snow. The colorful pictures are eye catching and the rhyming text is sure to catch the little’s attention.
The Snowy Day (not pictured) by Ezra Jack Keats is a classic probably known to most everyone. Peter gets dressed in his bright red snow suit to go outside and enjoy the snowy day.
Flannel Game:
For this game I’ll hand out the mittens and let the kiddos match them.
Flannel Game:
In this game I’ll hide the snow ball behind one of the hats and let the kiddos guess which one.
Song:
The Mitten Song (To the Wheels on the Bus)
The mittens on my hands
Keep me warm
Keep me warm
Keep me warm
The mittens on my hands
Keep me warm
All Winter long!
The hat on my head
Keeps me warm
Keeps me warm
Keep me warm
The hat on my head
Keeps me warm
All Winter long!
The scarf on my neck
Keeps me warm
Keeps me warm
Keep me warm
The scarf on my neck
Keeps me warm
All Winter long!
Adapted from: Perpetual Preschool
January Songs:
If You Have Some Rhythm Sticks
If you have some rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks
If you have some rhythms sticks you can tap them now.
If you have some rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks
If you have some rhythms sticks you can scrape them now.
If you have some rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks
If you have some rhythms sticks you can hammer them now.
If you have some rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks, rhythm sticks
If you have some rhythms sticks you can drum them now.
Credit: Jbrary
Bread and Butter, Marmalade and Jam
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s tap our sticks as nice as we can.
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s tap our sticks as quick as we can.
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s tap our sticks as slow as we can.
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s tap our sticks as quiet as we can.
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s tap our sticks as loud as we can.
Bread and butter, marmalade and jam
Let’s tap our sticks as nice as we can.
Credit: Jbrary
Craft:
We’ll be doing the winter hat craft that I found here.
Books:
Ninja Claus by #OwnVoices Arree Chung
How to Catch an Elf by Adam Wallace and Andy Elkerton
Merry Christmas, Baby Shark
Inclusion:
Ninja Claus by #OwnVoices Arree Chung is a charming story about a young Asian American boy who tries to catch Santa–ninja style!!
In Merry Christmas, Baby Shark the elves are multiracial.
Flannel Story:
Tune: Mary Wore a Red Dress
Santa wore a green suit, green suit, green suit, Santa wore a green suit all day long.
…Oh no Santa that’s not right.
Santa wore a red suit, red suit, red suit.
Santa wore a red suit all night long.
Credit and Pattern: Making Learning Fun
Flannel Rhyme:
Five little elves jumping on the sleigh,
One jumped off and ran away.
Rudolph called Santa and Santa said,
“No More elves jumping on the sleigh
!Four little elves jumping on the sleigh,
One jumped off and ran away.
Rudolph called Santa and Santa said,
“No More elves jumping on the sleigh!
Three little elves jumping on the sleigh,
One jumped off and ran away.
Rudolph called Santa and Santa said,
“No More elves jumping on the sleigh!
Two little elves jumping on the sleigh,
One jumped off and ran away.
Rudolph called Santa and Santa said,
“No More elves jumping on the sleigh!
One little elf jumping on the sleigh,
One jumped off and ran away.
Song:
Toss Your ScarvesTune: Jingle Bells
Toss your scarves, toss your scarvesToss them way up high.
Toss your scarves up in the air,’til they reach the sky.
Wave your scarves, waves your scarves,
Twirl them round and round.
Twirl your scarves one more time,
then let them all fall down.
Song:
Dance Like Snow Flakes Tune: Brother John
Dance like snowflakes
Dance like snowflakes
In the air
In the air.
Whirling, twirling snowflakes
Whirling, twirling snowflakes
Here and there
Here and there.
Craft:
We are doing a Christmas tree shape craft that I found here.
Books:
Books:
I Got the Christmsa Spirit by #OwnVoices Connie Schofield-Morrison and #OwnVoices Frank Morrison
Grumpy Cat’s First Worst Christmas by Christy Webster and Steph Laberis
Pig the Elf by Aaron Blabey
Inclusion:
This holiday follow up to “I Got the Rhythm” is adorable! It has super easy text and expressive illustrations. It’s about all the fun of the season, but also the real meaning. In a gentle way it deals with poverty and homelessness. The protagonist is African American. Unfortunately, I had a hard time finding inclusive Christmas books so this one is a repeat from last year.
Flannel Activity:
5 Little Snowflakes
One little snowflake with nothing to do,
Along came another and then there were… two!
Two little snowflakes laughing with me,
Along came another and then there were…three!
Three little snowflakes looking for some more,
Along came another and then there were…four!
Four little snowflakes dancing a jive,
Along came another, and then there were…five!
Five little snowflakes, having so much fun!
Out came the sun, and then there were none!
5 Little Christmas Cookies
Five little Christmas Cookies
With frosting galore
One was eaten and then there were four.
Four little Christmas cookies
Two and two you see
One was eaten and then there were three.
Three little Christmas cookies
But before I knew
One was eaten and then there were two.
Two little Christmas cookies ,
Oh what fun!
One was eaten and then there was one.
One little Christmas cookie
Watch me run!
I ate the last one
And then there were none!
Song:
Toss Your ScarvesTune: Jingle Bells
Toss your scarves, toss your scarves
Toss them way up high.
Toss your scarves up in the air,’til they reach the sky.
Wave your scarves, waves your scarves,
Twirl them round and round.
Twirl your scarves one more time,then let them all fall down.
Song:
Dance Like Snowflakes
Tune: Brother John
Dance like snowflakes
Dance like snowflakes
In the air
In the air.
Whirling, twirling snowflakes
Whirling, twirling snowflakes
Here and there
Here and there.