Saturday, August 31, 2013

Oh Dear! Flannel Friday is here!

Oh Dear! 



As the Fall story time session approaches I start organizing the farm books, puppets and flannels. My favorite book for the season, hands down, is Rod Campbell's Oh Dear.  The drama is just waiting for us ...right inside the cover.  But we do need a tad bit of rehearsal.  (a-hem!)  Now please follow along...extend one arm a bit with your palm open and bring it up to your cheek while you dramatically lament..."oh dear" and now shrug your shoulders with both elbows bent and palms facing up (that "I don't know the answer" move) and say "no eggs here"  You can always shake your head no for additional dramatic play

Okay, we're almost ready!  I show the book and explain some background information with hopes of making connections.   In this story a little boy is going to sleep over at his grandmother's house. Do you have a grandmother?  Does she come to your house?  Do you go to her house?  This grandmother lives on a farm...have you been to a farm?  What does it look like?  When the little boy and his grandmother awaken in the early morning she sends the little boy to look for eggs to eat for breakfast.  Do you like eggs?  Do you eat them scrambled?  Would you like to help this little boy find eggs?  Okay, let's do this.    

Once upon a time, a little boy named Buster sleeps over at his grandmother's house.  In the morning he heads out the door to find eggs for breakfast.  He heads straight to the BARN where he finds the ...hmm, what animal does he find in the BARN?  Can you guess?  Let me see ...

Oh yes, the COW...what sound does she make?  Right,  MOOO  MOOO.
  Does she have eggs for Buster's breakfast?   No she doesn't.
  What does Buster say?  OH DEAR, NO EGGS HERE.  
Let's say that again using our hand motions.  You got it!


Next Buster goes to the STY.  Who lives in a STY?  Will you guess?  


You're right!  The pig!  What sound does he make?  OINK OINK!  
Does the pig have eggs for Buster's breakfast?
OH DEAR, NO EGGS HERE

Next Buster goes to the dog house.  Who lives in a dog house?  Do you know?


Of course, the dog!
BARK BARK!
Does the dog have eggs for Buster's breakfast?  
OH DEAR, NO EGGS HERE

Next Buster goes to the stable.  Who lives in a stable?  


Oh my, you are so smart.  You're right - the horse!
What does the horse say?
NEIGH NEIGH
Does this horse have eggs for Buster's breakfast? 
OH DEAR, NO EGGS HERE

Next Buster goes to the HUTCH.  Who lives in a HUTCH?


A bunny lives in a hutch!
Does this bunny have eggs for Buster?
OH DEAR, NO EGGS HERE

Where will Buster go next?


Let's see first he went to the BARN
(practice your sequencing skills!) 
Then he went to the STY
Next he went to the DOG HOUSE
After that he went to the STABLE
And then to the HUTCH

And finally he will go to the HEN HOUSE!
Who lives in the HEN HOUSE?  

(of course they all know by now! Thank heavens!)
Could it be?
Do you think?
Do we see... a HEN????


Hmmm, does she have eggs for Buster's breakfast?


What do you think?


YES! YES! YES!

Yes! The hen has two eggs for Buster's breakfast!


HOORAY!

We skipped a few of the animals from the story. I intentionally leave out the duck because some of the little ones know that ducks lay eggs and the story takes a detour. I avoid that.
And it appears our sheep has gone missing ...I think she's serving double duty 
and is with Mary, (had a little lamb) right now!

And NEXT...we have the shaker eggs!  Of course!  And it's confirmed already that we all love Miss Nina and her shaker eggs. Click it!   You will not regret that click!  She's a doll!  So shake it on baby...with your shaker eggs.

P.S. (Piper Script)  I love dancing with the shaker eggs!  

These flannels were made the old school way, back in the "olden days".  I drew them, colored them with crayon and marker, laminated them and added flannel to the backs.  Oh - the two eggs are made from tan foam and I have tons of them so everyone can place an egg on the flannel board.    





Friday, August 23, 2013

Summer - it's so stinkin' good!



Okay FF friends - it's August 23rd and I haven't had a story time in 3 days!  YAY!!  Let's celebrate our successes! 

 Here at Piper Loves the Library our story time session just ended and we're exhausted.  By the third week of August we are slap-happy!  Statistics are up.  We're feeling the community love.  We survived the busy season...and we all look forward to Labor Day Weekend. * whoo-hoo*  Our town is placing the American flags on the lamp posts in the center today and that always makes me smile.  As my friend, Pete the Cat, says, "It's all good!"

In lieu of posting a new flannel, of which I have none, I will celebrate summer creativity in style with a "photo montage" (ha! photo montage! does anyone say that anymore?) 

So, here's what our library kids did over your summer vacation...and it is so stinkin' good!!!

We are the World, We are the Children

Dog's Colorful Day meets Piet Mondrian






Kandinsky's Circles meet Trees

No, David!






Where the Wild Things Are (in your library)


Watercolors and sharpies on a rainy day




I love my green shoes, I love my green shoes!


Yo! It's like the cat says.....
...in our neighborhood   (click for story stones)

I am truly not ready for summer to be over.  Our students go back to school on the 28th and although there is cleaning and organizing and sorting and preparing for the fall session...I am not ready to let go of summer. Piper and I will head to the beach tomorrow, after work!  Maybe we'll see kids in the library.  Cross your fingers!  

P.S. (Piper Script): We'll take books to the beach.  Any new favorites?  We're in love with this one












Friday, August 9, 2013

My Flannel Friends! 
       (have mustaches!)



Flannel Friday rocks my week!  I look forward to connecting with my virtual friends, my partners-in-felt, librarians, moms and fellow educators each week for inspiration.  I thank you all for this creative collaboration.  AMEN

Beyond Flannel Friday we have flannel friends live and in person.  And that's just the best.  Truth be told - when my crafty colleague Kari Ann accepted a new position...I was sad and happy, (and sad again)  But ...I was grumpy when some of my wild and crazy friends, virtual and otherwise, (hmmm) attended ALA and got together...'cuz...like the song says..."the more we get together the happier we'll be!"  I want more... I want happier!  And it is all about me!



So here we are a'flanneling!  Happy!  Happy!  Making our flannel pieces...sporting our flannel mustaches.  Everyone knows that this is what you do with left over stiffened felt, right?  Make mustaches!  Here's a link for templates - Craftzee.  (great place!)  Just cut off the points on the skinny ka-bob skewers  or better yet, use a chop stick, with a couple of pre-made glue dots - and you're lookin' good!  So get on that Clip-Clop horse, "pardner," and mosey on over to Connecticut!  



It must be time for another workshop and some silly mustaches!  Sunglasses are optional yet very "smart" in the fashion world or... for your secret identity!  



P.S. (Piper Script)  Do you have a favorite flannel board?  This is ours. We'd love to hear what you're using.