Grandparents Story Time: May 27, 2014

Books:
Grandpa Green by Lane Smith *
Just Grandma and Me by Mercer Mayer *
My Grandpa by Marta Altes
Raisin and Grape by Tom Amico
Two at the Zoo: A Counting Book by Danna Smith *
What's the Matter, Bunny Blue? by Nicola Smee
Whopper Cake by Karma Wilson

Craft: Family Tree
Children were given a coloring sheet with a tree trunk and branches.  They then got a green circle for each family member.  They could draw or write their family's members names on the circles before gluing them to the tree.

Literacy Extensions:
- Discuss with your child and their grandparent(s) how life was different when the grandparent(s) was a child.
- Discuss what your child should do if they ever get separated from their adult (i.e. What's the Matter, Bunny Blue)

Siblings Story Time: May 19-20, 2014

Books:
Another Brother by Matthew Cordell
The Boy Who Wouldn't Share by Mike Reiss *
I Will Never NOT Ever Eat a Tomato by Lauren Child
Mail Harry to the Moon by Robie H. Harris *
My Little Sister Ate One Hare by Bill Grossman *

Craft: Straw Rocket
Children glued together two rocket cutouts along the sides and top leaving the bottom open.  A straw stuck in the bottom of the rocket.  We had made these before and they worked -- shooting off when blowing into the straw.  However they did not work this week.  I think the straws might have been too narrow.  The children still enjoyed the rockets as puppets though.

Literacy Extensions:
- Have your child come up with new names and descriptions for food (i.e. I Will Never NOT Ever Eat a Tomato)
- Discuss how things change when a new brother or sister joins the family.  Then discuss how things stay the same.

Dad Story Time: May 12-13, 2014

Books:
The Daddy Mountain by Jules Feiffer *
How to Cheer Up Dad by Fred Koehler *
Mitchell's License by Hallie Durand
My Dad Is Big and Strong, But . . . A Bedtime Story by Coralie Saudo *
My Father the Dog by Elizabeth Bluemle
Oh, Daddy! by Bob Shea *

Craft - Superhero Dad
Each child colored a large gingerbread man cutout with a dad superhero logo printed on it. A paper cape was glued to the back.

Literacy Extensions:
- Practice letter recognition.  Have your child point out the "d" and "a"s in the story's text.
- Talk about ways in which your child father's is the same and different from the dads in the books you read.

Mom Story Time: May 5-6, 2014

Books:
Kiss Kiss! by Margaret Wild *
Mama's Coming Home by  Kate Banks
Me and My Mom by Alison Ritchie *
My Monster Mama Loves Me So by Laura Leuck *
Ol' Mama Squirrel by David Ezra Stein *
When Dinosaurs Came With Everything by Elise Broach

Craft: Card for Mom
Our craft this week was a card to give to Mom.  The children were given a half sheet of cardstock with simple lines printed on it so the kids would know where to glue the strips of paper and flower.  They could then write a personal message on the back to give to their moms for Mother's Day.

Literacy Extensions:
- Practice letter recognition by having your child point out all the "m"s and "o"s in the book you are reading.
- Go over animal sounds with your child (i.e Ol' Mama Squirrel).

Colors Story Tme -- Purple: April 28-29, 2014

Books:
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
Purple Coyote by Cornette *
Raisin and Grape by Tom Amico *
Sally and the Purple Socks by Lisze Bechtold *

Craft: Bunch of Grapes
We made a variation of the craft pictured at left.  The children colored a large triangle and drew on a face if they liked.  They then glued on about 15 grapes around the face and a green leaf.

Literacy Extensions:
- See how many things you can list that are the color purple.
- Have your child list how the grandfather in Raisin and Grape is like their grandfather and then how they are different.