SEW BOOKISH
  • Sew Bookish Blog
  • Social Justice in the Stacks
    • Where to Begin?
  • E-Portfolio
    • Resume
    • Reflection
    • Artifacts >
      • Goal 1 >
        • Outcome 1A
        • Outcome 1C
        • Outcome 1D
      • Goal 2 >
        • Outcome 2B
        • Outcome 2C
        • Outcome 2D
      • Goal 3 >
        • Outcome 3A
        • Outcome 3B
        • Outcome 3D
      • Goal 4 >
        • Outcome 4A
        • Outcome 4B
        • Outcome 4C
      • Goal 5 >
        • Outcome 5A
        • Outcome 5C
        • Outcome 5D
Picture

Categories

All
2018 Book Challenge
About Me
After Hours
Art
Artsy Babies
Baby Lapsit
Baby's Day
Baby Time
Bedtime
Be Yourself
Birds
Blog Updates
Book & Cookie Club
Book Discussions
Book & Fun Club
Book Reviews
Books
Books For Tweens
Brave
Bugs
Chickens
Christmas
Clothes
Colors
Construction
Crafts
Dance
Diverse Books
Dogs
Doreen Cronin
Dragons
Early Literacy
Education Through Music
Escape Room
Every Child Ready To Read
Fall
Family
Family Storytime
Fandoms
Farm
Father's Day
Field Trip
Friends
Fun
GeoGuessr
Grad School
Graphic Novels
Groovy Tots
Halloween
Hugs And Kisses
Inquiry Based Learning
Interactive Books
Jan Thomas
Kindness
Lapsit Favorites
Let's Try It
Letter B
Life Post
Love
Magical Celebrations
Magic Worlds
Makerspace
Marketing
Marvelous Me
Monsters
Mother's Day
Music
Musical Monday
Music And Movement
Outreach
Outreach Storytime
Passive Programs
Peace
Pets
Potty Training
Preschool Storytime
Programming
Resource Guides
Rewind Wednesday
Scavenger Hunt
School
School Age
Snow
Social Emotional Learning
Social Justice Storytime
Space
Spring
Star Wars Reads Day
STEAM
Storytime At The Museum
Storytime Favorites
Stuffed Animals
Tales For 2s And 3s
Techno Thursday
Techno Tuesday
Toddler Storytime
Todd Parr
Try It
Underwear
Unicorns
Videos
Virtual Groovy Tots
Virtual Music And Movement
Virtual Programs
Virtual Storytime
Winter
Wizards & Witches
Yoga
You Are Awesome
Zoom Book Discussion
Zoom Programs

Archives

November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017

January Book & Cookie Club: The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher

1/31/2018

0 Comments

 
Book & Cookie Club is a one hour long book discussion for students in 3rd through 5th grade and their adult caregivers.  I have been facilitating this program since December of 2015.  It is one of my favorite programs because I get to come up with new activities, icebreakers, and discussion games every month!

THE BOOK

Picture
This month, we read and discussed the book The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher by Dana Alison Levy.  It's a fabulous story about four brothers and their adventures and mishaps throughout the school year.

THE PLAN

I start every meeting with an icebreaker.  Participants were challenged to make words out of the phrase "Family Fletcher."  This was a very popular activity.  Some of my favorite words were : fairy, fart, and retch.  
making_words.pdf
File Size: 44 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

After the icebreaker, we played our discussion game.  Participants came up to the line, I asked a question about the book, and if they answered correctly they got to take a penalty shot.  ​There were some fascinating techniques that were used to get the wiffle ball into the goal. A PDF copy of the questions is down below.  I get a little silly when I write the multiple choice questions because the point of this program is to have some fun with friends and develop a love of reading.
family_fletcher_questions.pdf
File Size: 797 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Picture
Hockey stick is made out of a yardstick and cardstock.
One of the Fletcher brothers has a knack for telling scary stories.  We tried our hands at our own scary story creation.  I found a really fun Spooky Ghost Story Madlib from Diva Girl Parties and Stuff.  The end result of the madlib had everyone roaring with laughter.

I always like to put together some activity stations for each book that we discuss.  This month, I had three stations: draw a pug, building bridges challenge, and finger soccer.
For the draw a pug station, I found a really neat video from Draw So Cute on YouTube that teaches you how to draw a pug.  I also found some tutorials on Pinterest which I printed and displayed.  I wanted to have an option for  participants that were feeling too impatient to follow along with the YouTube video.  I had a few darling Pug-icorns, and I am sad to say I forgot to take pictures of them!
For the bridge building challenge, I put out various items that participants could use to construct a bridge: straws, popsicle sticks, dominoes, jenga blocks, and masking tape.  The bridge had to be stable enough to hold some rubber bugs.  The challenge was to fit as many rubber bugs onto the bridge without causing the bridge to collapse.

The finger puppet soccer  station was a lot of fun to put together.  I used large green construction paper and created a small scale soccer field.  I printed off a couple of soccer player finger puppets from Kara's Party Ideas.  I am glad that I used cardstock for the finger puppets because regular printer paper would have ripped easily.  For the ball, I used a pom-pom.  Adults and kids had a lot of fun playing finger puppet soccer.  

Next month, we will be discussing El Deafo by Cece Bell.
Picture
The build a bridge challenge station.
Picture
The finger puppet soccer station.
0 Comments

Family Storytime: Snow & Snowmen

1/24/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
Clipart by Krista Wallden of Creative Clips. Graphic designed on PicMonkey.
Today's storytime theme was about snow and snowmen. We had a pretty good turnout this morning despite some icy road conditions.  My favorite part of storytime this morning was pulling scarves out of my pockets for Carole Peterson's "I Built a Snowman" song.  I felt a bit like David Copperfield when all of the little people gasped with delight.  Perhaps I have a future career as a magician?

Books

Picture
Find out what bears, owls, geese, and hares do in the wintertime.
Picture
Mouse and Papa have some fun in the snow!
Picture
A family has a fun filled night-time romp in the snow!

Action Rhymes

Two of the action rhymes that I used today came from one of my favorite Children's Librarian blogs, Storytime Katie. I typed up the words and projected them so that caregivers could say the action rhymes with me.  

Here's a Hill
Here’s a hill (tilt left arm so that it forms a hill)
And here’s a hill (tilt right arm so that it forms a hill)
All covered with snow (raise hands up, bring down in snow motion)
I’ll put on my coat, (put coat on)
And jump on my sled (hold the rope of a sled)
And ZOOM, down the hill I will go! (clap hands, slid hands down)
Credit: The Holiday Zone via Storytime Katie

I Built a Snowman
I built a little snowman (make large circle with arms)
He had a carrot nose (point to nose)
Along came a bunny (hold up to bent fingers)
And what do you suppose? (shrug)
That hungry little bunny (make bunny again)
Looking for his lunch (hop bunny around)
Ate the snowman’s nose (pretend bunny is eating nose)
Nibble! Nibble! Crunch! (pretend to be eating a carrot)
Credit: Everything Preschool via Storytime Katie
heres_a_hill.pdf
File Size: 221 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

i_built_a_snowman.pdf
File Size: 530 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Clipart is by Krista Wallden of Creative Clips

Recorded Music

These are the songs that we listened or danced to in storytime.  If you are interested in checking out these songs, there are links to Amazon where you can listen to a sample and purchase these great songs!
Picture
Pre-storytime music: Snowman in the Summer
Picture
Good morning song: Can't Wait to Celebrate
Picture
Moved to: I Can Make a Snowman & Snowflake, Snowflake
Picture
Moved to & Sang: I'm a Little Snowflake
Picture
Danced to: If You're Happy & You Know It
Picture
Goodbye Song: Say Goodbye
Picture
Post-storytime music: Hello Goodbye
Picture
Post-storytime music: La Bamba

Other Activities

Pre-Storytime Activity:  Winter I-Spy from Life Over C's Blog
Letter of the Week:  The letter of the week this week is the letter S.  We talked about each of the pictures in the collage.  I purchased the clipart for this collage from the amazing Krista Wallden of Creative Clips and Little Red of  Little Red's Schoolhouse.
letter_ss_collage.pdf
File Size: 458 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

0 Comments

Family Storytime: Peace & Kindness

1/17/2018

0 Comments

 
This week it was my turn to put together the Family Storytime basket.  In honor of Martin Luther King Jr, I decided to focus on peace and kindness this week.  

If you are interested in seeing what types of materials we put into our family storytime baskets, here is a PDF of the materials that I included in my basket for this week:​
peace___kindness_family_storytime_basket.pdf
File Size: 415 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Books

Picture
This is a fabulous book for teaching children about the power of words.
Picture
A poetic book that shows how peace can be found in everyday actions.
Picture
How peace is said in different languages around the world.

Recorded Music

These are the songs that we listened or danced to in storytime.  If you are interested in checking out these songs, there are links to Amazon where you can listen to a sample and purchase these great songs!
Picture
Pre-storytime music: "Hello Friend"
Picture
Welcome song: "Hello, Hello"
Picture
We danced to: "Everybody is Jumping"
Picture
We danced to: "Freeze Dance"
Picture
We danced to: "Shake Break"
Picture
We danced to: "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"
Picture
Goodbye song: "Goodbye"
Picture
Post-storytime music: "Smart, Unique, Special" (Instrumental)

Action Rhyme

The action rhyme that I used today came from one of my favorite Children's Librarian blogs, Jbrary. I typed up the words and projected them so that caregivers could say the action rhyme with me.  
I Have a Little Heart
​

I have a little heart, (place hand over heart)
And it goes thump, thump, thump (pat chest three times)
It keeps right on beating,
When I jump, jump, jump (jump three times)
I get a special feeling, when I look at you. (point to child)
It makes me want to give you a hug or two. (hug yourself)


Credit: Jbrary
i_have_a_little_heart.pdf
File Size: 199 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Heart clipart by Krista Wallden of Creative Clips.

Flannels​

I made two flannels for storytime this week. The first one is based on the book How Kind! by Mary Murphy. I found the idea on Totally Toddler!'s blog. The second one is an adaptation of Big Hugs, Little Hugs by Felicia Bond. I have included the files for the words below, but I did not include the file for the images.  If you like the clipart, I purchased it from Krista Wallden of Creative Clips and Whimsy Clips to create my flannels.  
Picture
big_hugs_little_hugs_flannel_adaptation.pdf
File Size: 107 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Picture
how_kind_from_totally_toddler.pdf
File Size: 265 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Other Activities

Pre-storytime quote: I typed up the quote "have courage and be kind" and projected it as families walked into storytime.

Letter of the week:  The letter of the week this week is the letter L.  I created a collage of items that begin with the letter L.  I projected the collage and we talked about each picture in the collage.

Take home activity:  I created a flyer listing acts of kindness.  I printed them off for families to take home with them.
letter_ll_collage.pdf
File Size: 331 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Clipart by Krista Wallden of Creative Clips.​
acts_of_kindness_january_2018.pdf
File Size: 205 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Clipart by Krista Wallden of Creative Clips.​  Fonts by Hello Literacy.
0 Comments

Rewind Wednesday #4

1/10/2018

0 Comments

 
The 2018 Committee for The Party That Shall Not be Named will be getting together in a few days to begin planning this year's event! I am thrilled to be serving on the planning committee for the third year in a row! The Party is one of my favorite big library celebrations and I am beyond excited to see what my committee members have in store for this year.  
0 Comments

Rewind Wednesday #3

1/3/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
In June of 2016, I had the opportunity to co-facilitate one of our Yoga inspired special programs.  I think that our my colleagues and our patrons would agree that this is a popular special program!  Whenever it is time to sign up for our special programs, this is one of the programs that many of my colleagues enjoy planning and facilitating.

We like to dim the lights, play calming music, and decorate the room to create a cozy and comforting atmosphere.  We stress that the program is yoga inspired.  We read books, do some yoga poses, and conclude with some meditation.  

Here are the ideas that my colleague and I gathered along with our finished outline for the program.
yoga_ideas___outline.pdf
File Size: 5416 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

0 Comments

    About the Author

    Children's librarian.  Unicorn wrangler. 
    ​Crafter.  


    Disclaimer

    ​​The views ​expressed on this site are my own and do not reflect those of my employer or the community I serve.

    Picture

    Follow Me

    RSS Feed


    Currently reading

    Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story
    Us, in Progress: Short Stories About Young Latinos
    The Librarian of Auschwitz
    The Golden Compass


    Nicole Lawton's favorite books »

    2020 Reading Challenge

    2020 Reading Challenge
    Nicole has read 80 books toward her goal of 100 books.
    hide
    80 of 100 (80%)
    view books

    Favorites

    Picture
    Picture

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Sew Bookish Blog
  • Social Justice in the Stacks
    • Where to Begin?
  • E-Portfolio
    • Resume
    • Reflection
    • Artifacts >
      • Goal 1 >
        • Outcome 1A
        • Outcome 1C
        • Outcome 1D
      • Goal 2 >
        • Outcome 2B
        • Outcome 2C
        • Outcome 2D
      • Goal 3 >
        • Outcome 3A
        • Outcome 3B
        • Outcome 3D
      • Goal 4 >
        • Outcome 4A
        • Outcome 4B
        • Outcome 4C
      • Goal 5 >
        • Outcome 5A
        • Outcome 5C
        • Outcome 5D