Alligator Story Time: April 1-2, 2019

Books:
Alan's Big Scary Teeth by Jarvis *
Alberto the Dancing Alligator by Richard Waring
Alligator Boy by Cynthia Rylant *
For Pete's Sake by Ellen Stoll Walsh
A Girl and Her Gator by Sean Bryan *

Craft: Paper Chain Alligator
This week's craft was inspired by the above picture with several changes.  Instead of gluing paper tubes together, the children make a three link paper chain out of green paper for the alligator's body.  A strip of cardstock was colored and then folded to make the alligator's mouth.  Two sequins were glued onto it for the eyes.  The head was then glued to one end of the chain for the head.  Four legs were colored and glued to the chain for the alligator's feet.

Extension Activities:
- This week we are focusing on the letter "A" for alligator.  Have your child point out all the "A"s in the book as you are reading.
- Learn more about alligators by checking out a book from the library.  There are several great nonfiction children's books about alligators.

Best of 2016: December 12-13, 2016

Books:
Alan's Big, Scary Teeth by Jarvis *
President Squid by Aaron Reynolds
Rex by Simon James
Still a Gorilla! by Kim Norman *
There's a Bear on My Chair by Ross Collins *
When Spring Comes by Kevin Henkes

Craft: Gorilla
This week's craft is pictured above.  Kids colored the parts of a gorilla - body, head, arms and feet - before gluing them together.

Literacy Extensions:
- Reading Alan's Big, Scary Teeth would be a great lead-in to a talk about tooth brushing and dental hygiene.
- Have your child act out the various animals while reading Still a Gorilla.  See if your child can come up with additional animals to extend the story.