Additional Classroom Connections This storytime can be expanded to continue children’s exploration of stories and story characters.
Music & Movement Finger Play Ask children why they think a bear might go over a mountain. Invite them to sing this song about a bear who does just that. The Bear Went over the Mountain The bear went over the mountain, The bear went over the mountain, The bear went over the mountain, To see what he could see.
Social & Emotional Story Problem Box Have children work to solve story problems as a way to sharpen their real-life problem-solving skills. Place slips of paper with story problems such as the following in a shoebox. • Two rabbits want to reach an apple up in a tree. • A squirrel wants to cross a river, but can’t swim. • An elephant wants to be friends with a mouse. • A friendly lion doesn’t want to scare other animals. • A turtle on a hike can’t keep up with its friends. Throughout the week, invite children to pick out a story problem from the box. They can brainstorm solutions with a partner, draw solutions, or even act out solutions. Invite children to add their own story problems to the box. Classroom Interactions Encouraging Positive Behavior Encourage and support positive behavior in your classroom using the following approaches. • Make sure children know behavior expectations. Be consistent in your expectations. Make sure children know if something has changed. • Look for opportunities to highlight the cause- and-effect impact of positive behavior. Maria helped Jozen pick up the blocks. That means we can start snacktime sooner. • Support children in making positive choices. Offer two positive options. You both want to use the counting bears. Would you like to share some of the bears now, or take turns using all the bears? • Acknowledge positive behavior, and don’t focus on negative behavior after it has passed.
The other side of the mountain, The other side of the mountain, The other side of the mountain, Was all that he could see. Additional Verses: The bear went across the river... The bear went through the meadow...
Language & Literacy Creating Oral Stories Creating oral stories is a great way for children to use their imaginations and explore their understanding of story structure. Explain that every story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Display Maybe a Bear Ate It! and tell children that in the beginning, we learn that the little cat has a problem. Show the pages in the middle when the little cat is trying to solve the problem. Only at the end does the little cat solve his problem. Invite children to outline the structure with you. Make three boxes and ask children to dictate what happened at the beginning, middle, and end as you write their words in each box. Then invite children to act out the story as you read their words aloud.
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