Storytime Plan Theme 9
We change for changing seasons
Launch the Theme Introduce the Poster Explain that this theme is about changing seasons and weather. Show the poster “Rain or Sun, Stories Are Fun!” and talk about what the kids are doing and what types of weather are pictured. Help children notice what the characters are wearing and doing in different weather.
The picture books in this theme will spark conversations about how we get ready for changes in the weather. The stories move from simple repetition of the changing seasons, to weather’s changing colors, to the refreshing cool rain after a long dry spell. Books on weather and the seasons give children positive exposure to changes and transitions. Skills Focus • Vocabulary: Concept Words • Comprehension: Use Information to Describe • Alphabet Knowledge: Letters & Sounds • Social & Emotional: Transitions
TM & © Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. Illustrated by Carol Ferrando.
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What kinds of weather do you see on this poster? What is the girl wearing in the rain? What is the boy pulling in the snow?
Use Weather Words Encourage children to use weather words with this guessing game. Invite children to take turns providing clues.
I am wet. You might use an umbrella when I am around. (rain) I make a loud noise when it rains. (thunder) I make the shadow that can follow you during the daytime. (sun) Weather Calendar Make a weather calendar and work together to record the weather at the beginning of each day. Prompt children to think about the weather and dictate a description for you to write on the calendar (hot, cold, sunny, cloudy, rainy, snowy, windy). What’s the temperature like today? Is it hot or cold? Is it windy? What does the sky look like today? Are there many clouds in the sky or is it clear and sunny? Do you see rain or snow failing from the sky?
Resources
• Big Book: Caps, Hats, Socks and Mittens by Louise Borden • Read-Aloud: The Deep Blue Sea by Audrey Wood • Read-Aloud: Come On, Rain! by Karen Hesse • Music: Australian Playground • Character Cards: Season Things • Poster: Rain or Sun, Stories Are Fun! Refer to the Program Guide for Family Time and additional activities.
Play the CD Play the song “Mango Rain” from the Australian Playground CD. Invite children to sing and dance along.
First Language Support • When possible, translate the story words that will help children better enjoy and understand the stories. For example, for Spanish speakers: spring = la primavera ; summer = el verano ; fall = el otoño ; winter = el invierno • Invite children to share the word weather in their home language.
STORYTIME 1
After Reading Aloud Talk About It! Invite children to connect the book to their personal experiences.
This big book shows a group of fun-loving children and what they like best about each season. It is a great introduction to the four seasons and the typical weather and activities that are associated with each one.
What is your favorite thing to do in fall? Winter? Spring? Summer? Which is your favorite season in the story and why? Do we have each of these seasons where we live?
Engage children and activate their weather knowledge with this action chant. Weather Moves Let’s jump up and down (jump up and down) Heat hopping (hop) Blisterrrrr-ing our toes (stretch out the words as you touch toes) Up in the sky (point up to ceiling) Clouds coming—dark! (sway arms over head) Run for cover (run in place) Rain, coo-ooool rain, cools us down (slowly sit down) Share the Big Book Introduce Caps, Hats, Socks, and Mittens Show the book cover and read aloud the title and author’s and illustrator’s names. Explain that this book is about changing seasons and weather. What kinds of clothes are you wearing today? Why do you sometimes wear short sleeves? Long sleeves? Hats and gloves? What do you like to do in hot weather? In cold weather? Let’s read to see what the children in this book like to do.
Make a Seasons Book Have children draw a season they enjoy. Encourage them to draw what they like to do in that season. Ask them to dictate a sentence for you to write, using the name of the season. Help children connect the first letter and first sound of each word in the sentence (e.g., Fall starts with the letter F and the /f/ sound). Reread This big book has many repeating short words and phrases. It offers a perfect opportunity to focus on print awareness, especially words and letters. As you reread the book, point to each word and draw children’s attention to words that repeat ( yum , grass , drip , run , up , hot ). Encourage children to name the letters they see in those words. English Language Development Help English learners understand the recurring metaphor used to describe each season ( Summer is… ). Explain that this is a way of describing something by saying it is something else. Talk about specific examples (e.g., Spring is grass, grass, grass .) and what each one tells us about that season. Research Connection Children’s alphabet knowledge and phonemic awareness are strong predictors of early reading success. A phoneme is the smallest part of spoken language. Tying phonemes to written letters is an important part of early reading. Helping young children make letter-sound connections as you read will help them build these important skills.
Read Interactively As you read, help children match key ideas with each of the four seasons.
What season is this page about? How do you know? What do the children’s clothes tell you about the season?
STORYTIME 2
After Reading Aloud Talk About It! Help children recall story details. Where is the purple parrot? What sound do you hear at the beginning of purple and parrot ? What letter makes that sound? Where is the red rock? What sound do you hear at the beginning of red and rock ? What letter makes that sound? Weather Changes Use the character cards for The Deep Blue Sea to explore how the weather changes in the story. If possible, add to children’s engagement by using props, such as sunglasses when it’s sunny. Encourage children to talk about how they feel when the weather changes quickly. Reread Give each child a small piece of construction paper so each child has one piece of black, orange, purple, brown, green, red, blue, yellow, white, and gray paper. As you read the story, ask children to hold up a matching piece of construction paper each time you read a color word. At the end of the story, work together to create a group rainbow with the pieces of construction paper. English Language Development Invite children to take turns pointing to the illustrations that match each color as you read the page. For example, There’s a nut, a brown nut (child points to nut) on a green tree (child points to tree) on a red rock (child points to rock). Track the text as you read. Research Connection Many young children find transitions stressful. We can help children cope with transitions by noticing and talking about regular changes and cycles in our lives. We can model anticipating change, seeing something positive in what’s to come, and understanding when and how changes repeat.
In The Deep Blue Sea, the text builds and repeats as clear weather turns to rain and then back again. The pages add and repeat color words that match the beautiful illustrations.
Engage children and build background by singing this rainbow tune together to the tune of “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes.” Rainbow Song Red, orange, green, and blue! Green and blue. Then comes purple and a bit of brown, too. I made this rainbow just for you! Red, orange, green, and blue! Green and blue. (make a rainbow shape by fanning out hands over head) Share the Read-Aloud Introduce The Deep Blue Sea Read aloud the title and author’s name as you show the book cover. Explain that this book is about both colors and weather and that it takes place in the middle of the sea. Preview the cover together.
What colors do you see on the cover? Let’s name them together.
Read Interactively Focus on the cumulative aspect of this story and what is added as you turn each page. Read the book from beginning to end.
How do the words change? How do the pictures change? What colors do you see? What do you think will happen on the next page?
STORYTIME 3
After Reading Aloud Talk About It! Invite children to talk about the story and connect it to their own lives. Have you ever felt happy about rain like the people in this story do? What do you like about rain? What don’t you like? Have you ever waited for the weather to change? What happened? How do you think the girl feels about her Mamma? How can you tell? Rain Dance Invite children to dance in a rain celebration, just like the characters in Come On, Rain! Tap a drum (or bucket) lightly for drizzle, slowly for regular rain, and fast for a downpour. Challenge children to become raindrops, tapping their feet or clapping their hands in time to your drumming. Encourage children to call out the word drizzle , rain , or downpour to change your drumming pace as they dance. Reread As you reread the story, address a few unfamiliar words such as squinting , bulging , or dim . Guide children to understand those words by using the context and the pictures. You do not need to explain every piece of language for children to understand and enjoy this rich story. English Language Development The rich language and illustrations in this book can be challenging for all young learners. Before reading, page through the book with English learners and invite them to help you describe in simple language what they see happening. Research Connection By age four, many children have an active speaking vocabulary of about 1,500 words. By hearing rich language in a variety of contexts in stories, children increase their vocabulary and their ability to use the words in new contexts.
Come On, Rain! tells the story of a hot city day cooled by a welcome rain. The rich text and illustrations help us experience what Tessie and her friends feel as they bear the heat and celebrate the rain with their mammas.
Share the Read-Aloud Introduce Come On, Rain! Show the cover and read aloud the title and the author’s and illustrator’s names. Explain that this book shows why rain can be so welcome on a very hot day. Engage children with this fingerplay about the weather. Explain that misty means cloudy or foggy, and moisty means wet. One Misty, Moisty Morning One Misty, Moisty Morning When cloudy was the day, (hands over head) I chanced to meet a man (wave hello) All dressed in fine leather. (point to clothes) His name was Fine Weather. I began to grin (big smile) How do you do, how do you do, How do you do again! (shake hands)
This girl has an umbrella. Do you see rain? Why do you think she has an umbrella? Let’s read the story to find out what happens.
Read Interactively Help children notice and enjoy the book’s rich and rhythmic language.
The plants are listless and parched, just like the people. That means they are drooping and thirsty. What would help them?
Connect the Stories Display the books and talk about how all three books tell about the weather.
Which kinds of weather are shown in each book? How is the girl in Come On, Rain! like the children in Caps, Hats, Socks, and Mittens ? Which is your favorite book and why?
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