Monday, May 27, 2013

It Takes a Village...

...and a number of generous local businesses to run our busy summer reading program each year!

As I have written letters and emails and have spoken with owners and managers of businesses in the Bellevue and Metro area, I have been impressed by people's willingness to invest in our City's youth.  Year after year I approach restaurants, theaters, stores and businesses that provide entertainment for children and families, and every year I am reminded just how excited businesses are to support our reading program!

Here is a list of businesses who have contributed (so far!) by giving us coupons, passes, tickets and other reading incentives, as well as those who have provided funds for the staff to purchase additional materials needed for the program:

Applebee's
Bellevue City Pools
The Bookworm
Bounce U
Chick-fil-A
Dave & Buster's
Domino's Pizza
Fat Brain Toys
Fazoli's
Fontenelle Nature Association
Godfather's Pizza
IHOP
McDonald's
Omaha Children's Museum
Outback Steakhouse
Papio Fun Park
Pizza Hut
River City Rodeo
Runza
The Rose Theater
Sam & Louie's
Skate City
Sonic
Taco John's
Target
That Pottery Place
Village Inn

I hope you can patronize some of these great establishments - and let them know how much you appreciate their willingness to support the library's summer reading program.  My husband may not know it yet, but he'll be taking me out to a nice dinner at Outback Steakhouse in the near future!!

~ Mrs. B.

Monday, May 20, 2013

Circus!

Presented to Miss Jenny's Head Start classroom at Golden Hills Elementary on Monday, May 20, 2013.

Books:
Circus by Lois Ehlert





Miss Bindergarten Plans a Circus With Kindergarten by Joseph Slote, illustrated by Ashley Wolff





Songs:

Let's All Go To the Circus Today
(tune: "Mary Had a Little Lamb")

Let's all go to the circus today,
The circus today, the circus today!
Let's all go to the circus today
And watch the animals play!

Additional verses:
See the lions jump through the hoops...at the circus today!
See the big seal balancing a ball...at the circus today!
See the little dog jump and twirl...at the circus today!
See the horses prance so high...at the circus today!



Activities:

Funny Clown


Funny clown, funny clown,
Spin around.
Funny clown, funny clown,
Jump up and down.
Funny clown, funny clown,
Touch your toes.
Funny clown, funny clown,
Honk your nose!


I have really enjoyed my monthly visits to Miss Jenny's classroom this year!  The children are always excited to see my puppet friend, Wesley, and to share a snack with him following storytime!   Thanks to the children and teachers for the wonderful surprise they prepared for me today!  They sang a very silly song about an alligator.  I'll probably be singing the refrain in my head all day long!  "Aaa-lligator, Aaa-lligator! Can be a friend to you!"
I hope everyone has a fun and safe summer!
Don't forget: you are always welcome at the Bellevue Public Library!!!
~Mrs. B.







Each Outreach Storytime includes activities that support one or more of the five early literacy practices identified as essential in helping your child develop the skills they need before they can learn to read. The five practices – singing, talking, reading, playing and writing –were developed for Every Child Ready to Read®, an initiative of the Association for Library Services for Children (ALSC) and the Public Library Association (PLA).
Every Child Ready to Read® @ your library®, PLA and ALSC logos are registered trademarks of the American Library Association and are used with permission.

Silly Stories!

Presented at Miss Amy's Head Start classroom at Golden Hills Elementary on Monday, May 20, 2013.

Books:

Let's Sing a Lullaby with the Brave Cowboy by Jan Thomas





 Railroad Hank by Lisa Moser, illustrated by Benji Davies






Songs:
Trot Ol' Joe

Trot Ol' Joe.  Trot Ol' Joe.
You ride better than any horse I know.
Trot Ol' Joe.  Trot Ol' Joe.
You're the best horse in the country-o.
Whoa... Joe!

Here is a fun
video I found featuring the song "Trot Ol' Joe.  We had fun singing this song, although we did NOT do the part where we all fall backwards. We were sitting too close together to do this part of the song without bumping heads!  You might like to try this at home, where you have more room to pull back on the reins and yell, "Whooooooa!"


If You're a Cowboy and You Know It
(tune: "If You're Happy and You Know It")

If you're a cowboy and you know it, shout "yee-haw." (YEE-HAW!)
If you're a cowboy and you know it, shout "yee
-haw." (YEE-HAW!)
If you're a cowboy and you know, then your face will surely show it.
If you're a cowboy and you know it, shout "yee
-haw." (YEE-HAW

If you're a cowboy and you know it, rope a cow.... (swing arm above head as though using a lasso)
If you're a cowboy and you know it, ride a horse.... (pretend to hold reins in front of you as you trot)



I have soooo much fun visiting Miss Amy's classroom this year.  The students are always very welcoming and very eager to listen to stories, sing along on songs, and feed treats to my puppet, Wesley.  Thanks to the children and teachers for the wonderful surprise they prepared for me today!  They sang a very silly song about an alligator.  I'll probably be singing the refrain in my head all day long!  "Aaa-lligator, Aaa-lligator! Can be a friend to you!"

I hope everyone has a fun and safe summer!
~Mrs. B.






Every Outreach Storytime includes activities that support one or more of the five early literacy practices identified as essential in helping your child develop the skills they need before they can learn to read. The five practices – singing, talking, reading, playing and writing –were developed for Every Child Ready to Read®, an initiative of the Association for Library Services for Children (ALSC) and the Public Library Association (PLA).
Every Child Ready to Read® @ your library®, PLA and ALSC logos are registered trademarks of the American Library Association and are used with permission.

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Dig Into Reading!

The Bellevue Public Library is gearing up for this year's summer reading program, entitled: "Dig Into Reading!".


When you think of "digging", what comes to mind?

Playing in the sandbox? 
     Construction equipment? 
          Mummies?  Gardening? 
               Dogs and their bones? 
                    Dinosaurs? 
                         Meerkats and prairie dogs? 
                              Pirates and buried treasure?
                                   Getting muddy and dirty?

We are going to explore many of these activities during our reading program which runs from May 28 - July 19, 2013.

Click here to see the calendar of events for the summer.
Click here for more details on the various events.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Rabbits and Tigers and Cats, Oh My!

Presented to children and parents of the Bellevue-Offutt Homeschool Group at Bellevue Public Library on Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Books:

Oh No! by Candace Fleming, illustrated by Eric Rohmann




Too Tall Houses by Gianna Marino





Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin, illustrated by James Dean







The library was pleased to welcome almost 40 members of the Bellevue-Offutt Homeschool Group which made a very generous donation to the Children's Services department. I look forward to purchasing materials for the library that will benefit the homeschool community as well as all the youngsters who use our library!  Thank you for your generosity and your wonderful example of "paying it forward"!

  ~Mrs. B





Every Bellevue Public Library Storytime includes activities that support one or more of the five early literacy practices identified as essential in helping your child develop the skills they need before they can learn to read. The five practices – singing, talking, reading, playing and writing –were developed for Every Child Ready to Read®, an initiative of the Association for Library Services for Children (ALSC) and the Public Library Association (PLA).
Every Child Ready to Read® @ your library®, PLA and ALSC logos are registered trademarks of the American Library Association and are used with permission.

A Day Out West!

Presented  at Welcome School on Friday, May 10, 2013.

Books:

Let's Sing a Lullaby with the Brave Cowboy by Jan Thomas



 Railroad Hank by Lisa Moser, illustrated by Benji Davies





Songs:

Trot Ol' Joe

Trot Ol' Joe.  Trot Ol' Joe.
You ride better than any horse I know.
Trot Ol' Joe.  Trot Ol' Joe.
You're the best horse in the country-o.
Whoa... Joe!


Here is a fun video I found featuring the song "Trot Ol' Joe.  We had fun singing this song, although we did NOT do the part where we all fall backwards. We were sitting too close together to do this part of the song without bumping heads!  You might like to try this at home, where you have more room to pull back on the reins and yell, "Whooooooa!"


  If You're a Cowboy and You Know It
(tune: "If You're Happy and You Know It")
If you're a cowboy and you know it, shout "yee-haw." (YEE-HAW!)
If you're a cowboy and you know it, shout "yee
-haw." (YEE-HAW!)
If you're a cowboy and you know, then your face will surely show it.
If you're a cowboy and you know it, shout "yee
-haw." (YEE-HAW

If you're a cowboy and you know it, rope a cow.... (swing arm above head as though using a lasso)
If you're a cowboy and you know it, ride a horse.... (pretend to hold reins in front of you as you trot)



It's hard to believe the end of the school year is upon us.  A BIG Thank You to Molly and the teachers for inviting the Bellevue Public Library to come to Welcome School each month!  I have looked forward to every visit, knowing that I would return to work with a smile on my face!  I want to wish everyone a safe and blessed summer.  I'd love to see you at the library - come anytime you can!
~Mrs. B.







Every Outreach Storytime includes activities that support one or more of the five early literacy practices identified as essential in helping your child develop the skills they need before they can learn to read. The five practices – singing, talking, reading, playing and writing –were developed for Every Child Ready to Read®, an initiative of the Association for Library Services for Children (ALSC) and the Public Library Association (PLA).
Every Child Ready to Read® @ your library®, PLA and ALSC logos are registered trademarks of the American Library Association and are used with permission.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Early Head Start

Presented at Golden Hills' Early Head Start classroom on Thursday, May 9, 2013.
Presented at Peter Sarpy's Early Head Start classroom on Thursday, May 16, 2013.

Book:
I Love Animals by Flora McDonnell






Songs:


Hello, Friends!
(tune: "Goodnight Ladies")

Hello friends.
Hello friends.
Hello friends.
We're glad you came today!


(After singing the song I invite an adult to introduce him/herself and their child. We repeat the song, substituting the child's name for the word "friends". We do this until everyone has been introduced and all the children have been serenaded!)



 The Animals on the Farm
(tune: "The Wheels on the Bus")

The cow on the farm says, "Moo, moo, moo."
"Moo, moo, moo, moo, moo, moo."
The cow on the farm says, "Moo, moo, moo."
All day long.


Suggestions for additional verses:
The pig on the farm says...
The dog on the farm says...
The rooster on the farm says...




Goodbye Song
(tune: "London Bridge")


Goodbye, goodbye, we'll see you soon.See you soon, see you soon.
Goodbye, goodbye, we'll see you soon.
On another day!



Activities:

When Cows Get Up in the Morning
(a gentle bouncing rhyme)

When cows get up in the morning,
They always say "good day!"
When cows get up in the morning,
They always say "good day!"

"Moo, moo, moo!",
That's how they say "good day!"
"Moo, moo, moo!",
That's how they say "good day!"

Help your child think of other farm animals and their respective sounds as you continue this rhyme!



Slowly, Slowly

(Creep fingers slowly up child's back or leg as you slowly say:)
Slowly, slowly, very slowly creeps the garden snail.
Slowly, slowly, very slowly up the wooden trail.

(Run fingers quickly up and down child's body as you quickly say!:)
Quickly, quickly, very quickly runs the little mouse.
Quickly, quickly, very quickly 'round about the house!                                                  





Ten Wild Horses

Ten wild horses came galloping through town.
(hold up both hands)
Five were black and five were brown.
(show one hand for each group of horses)
They galloped up,
And they galloped down.
(Move hands up and down)
And they galloped away and out of town.
(Move hands away and behind body)





I have thoroughly enjoyed visiting the Early Head Start classrooms this year!  At Golden Hills I usually come right at the end of nap time (THEIRS, not mine!) so the children are often still sleepy and cuddly!  The children at Peter Sarpy are usually WIDE AWAKE and ready to sing, play and talk! It has been fun watching the children grow during the past 9 months as they have blossomed and discovered more about their world.  I hope they have enjoyed the stories, songs, fingerplays, puppets and musical instruments I have brought with me on my visits.  I wish you all a wonderfully fun, safe summer!

  ~ Mrs. B


Each Outreach Storytime includes activities that support one or more of the five early literacy practices identified as essential in helping your child develop the skills they need before they can learn to read. The five practices – singing, talking, reading, playing and writing –were developed for Every Child Ready to Read®, an initiative of the Association for Library Services for Children (ALSC) and the Public Library Association (PLA).
Every Child Ready to Read® @ your library®, PLA and ALSC logos are registered trademarks of the American Library Association and are used with permission.