Thanksgiving Story time

 To Start off our book club- we made some turkey hats. My kids love crafts!






They cut some simple shapes out to construct these turkeys- complete with google eyes.

Then we read some silly and traditional thanksgiving books.



I really liked this book- because it shows through illustrations not words what the lifestyles were like for the pilgrims and Indians during this time period. The children loved looking and comparing the two. (What little pilgrim children did- compared to life as a Native American.)

 

Pumpkin storytime

There are so many cute books with pumpkins- This is one story I read for our pumpkin story time. This is the cute craft we did. You can look tomorrow on my preschool page HERE to see the other activities we did with pumpkins.


We also played a cute modified Trick or Treat game.
To prep: You need a trick-or- treat bucket, strips of paper and Halloween candy.
On the paper you write TREAT on a few, the rest you write different "tricks".
"Tricks" could be, BARK like a dog, HOP like a frog, do 5 Jump-N-Jacks, WINK at your neighbor, BLINK 5x, Meow like a cat, etc...  (just think of silly tricks they could do.)

Then place the papers in the trick-or-treat bucket.

Play the game by sitting in a circle and passing the bucket around. If they pull a TREAT paper, you give them a piece of Halloween candy. If they pick a TRICK, they have to perform the trick.

Over all- a very fun Story time.

The Landry News

Mr. Larson is perhaps the worst teacher in the world. Instead of teaching, he prefers to read a newspaper and drink coffee. One day Mr. Larson notices a newspaper published by a new student in his class! As he reads the one page-handwritten newspaper he finds an unfavorable review of his teaching style. Cara Landry not only criticise his methods of "no teaching" but proposes that the real teachers in the classroom- the students- be paid his salary! This newspaper turns into a class project that might just get Mr. Larson fired- finally!

This book really is more like a "HOW to start your own paper- with a plot along the side" type book. Great book to read over a vacation break- when your child might have more time to devote to starting his own paper with his friends!

Go on a field trip to where a local paper is made. (Arrange in advance.) See the real process and ask real reporters questions about their jobs.
(Great book if you have scouters working on Bears Information, Please achievement or Jot it Down achievement pg 136-145 OR Webelo Communicator Requirements pg 177.)

Discuss the first Landry paper Editorial. Was that brave? Smart? Gutsy- or just dumb?
What are the qualities of a reporter or journalist? (pg 16)
What about the topic of Truth and Mercy? Is it important to have both- or does truth always win?

Is there a heart to a newspaper? (p 41)
What are some steps to starting your own paper? ( pg 56)
List Positive- Neutral - Negatively charged words. Have you ever thought about that? Does that change the way you want to talk, write from now on? What power do words hold on influencing people? Expressing ideas?
What are some column ideas from the book? (pg 93) What are some of your own column ideas?

Start your own paper- What is the name? What is the heart of your paper?

Halloween Story Time

Opening Activity:

Invite your little ones over for a Halloween story time and set out your box of dress up clothes. Let the kids mix and match items and create a costume for the Story time.
Story time: Once all the kids have arrived and are happy with their costumes. Sit them down for some Halloween stories.

Stories: Who Goes Out on Halloween? by Sue Alexander, My Monster Mama Loves Me So by Laura Leuck , There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat! by Lucille Colandro,

Sing songs such as: Eency Weency Spider, (modify it and sing again the "Big -Fat hairy spider" in a deeper voice.), 5 Little Pumpkins sitting on a gate- with hand motions, and 1little 2 little, 3 little witches. (sung to the tune of 10 little Indians.)
(It goes as follows: One little, two little, three little witches - hold up your fingers....
flying over hay stacks, flying down ditches- swoop your hand up and down...
sliding down moon beams without any hitches ....
HEY Ho! Halloween's here!)

Snack: Enjoy pumpkin cookies and pumpkin treats... frost pumpkin shaped sugar cookies.

End game: TRICK OR TREAT....(modified game)
For this trick or treat game- kids don't go door to door. They sit on your floor in a circle and take turns pulling cards out of a pumpkin. (plastic trick or treat pumpkin). Some of the papers say TRICK- and have a silly thing they have to do like, "make a silly face" , "howl at the moon", etc.. some papers say TREAT. Papers that say TREAT- have a number on them too. (Take one, two , three treats... ) Some papers say SHARE a treat and they have to choose someone in the circle to give a treat to...
This game is about sharing, taking turns, being silly and getting treats! Play and make sure everyone has a handful of treats to take home with them.

Ending Activity: Dance until parents come to Halloween music. I found a CD at Walmart for under $5 that has silly songs like Monster Mash and the Flying Purple People Eater.

Frog and Toad All Year by Arnold Lobel

Summary: Follow Frog and Toad's friendship from season to season. This is a simple chapter book. Each chapter highlights a season and the last chapter includes a Christmas story. Frog and Toad share, support and serve each other. A quaint book about true friends.

Frog & Toad All Year Outline
Frog and Toad are good friends.
Talk about the qualities of a good friend.
What does it mean to be a good friend.
This was our November 2007 pick- so I will be emphasising blessings and things we have to be thankful for. (For example: Good Friends.)

This book is divided into 5 chapters- each highlighting a different season.
(Chapter 5 is a holiday- Christmas.)
Do 5 Activities while reviewing each chapter.

Chapter 1. Down the Hill-
TRY SOMETHING NEW! Frog introduced Toad to snow and sledding.
Go ICE BLOCKING... down a grassy hill... ( To make Ice Blocks use large plastic dish tubs and freeze enough ice blocks for each boy. Or ask each family to make their own.) Find a good sledding hill- and be sure to bring towels to sit on. (Bums do get cold and wet!) Fun activity!

Chapter 2. The Corner-
Is a story about the Season Changing... while outside ICE BLOCKING- look at the signs that the season is changing.. in the story- it was winter to spring... in November- it will be Fall - Winter.
(Blessing: The beautiful world we live in.)

Chapter 3. Ice Cream
- Need I even say?-- enjoy some ice cream cones for your treat!

Chapter 4. The Surprise!
Plan and do a service project to do as a book club.

Make cards- and mail them to an organization like- Keiki Cards. An organization that sends handmade cards to sick children monthly. These are not "get well" cards- they don't want to focus on the children's illness. They prefer holiday, silly, children's cards- just for fun.
Talk about the blessing of our bodies, and enjoying good health!

For this activity- you can use stickers, stamps, card stock paper, markers... make a book mark to include and why not share some of the titles of your favorite books!

Chapter 5 Christmas Eve!
Let the boys know- For your Christmas Book Club Meeting - you'll be exchanging names- to swap presents..! You can do this however you like- this could be a Secret Santa kind of thing or just a gift exchange. Our group is going to have it be a simple gift exchange with the limit $5.