Session 5: Make it Count! (Fall 2014)
SAMPLE STORYTIME:
This is a suggested curriculum. You may choose different books if the suggested books
are not available, or if you find a book you’d rather use as long as it is available in the
BPL collection, and it stays true to the program/session goals.
Introductions: Introduce yourself and the program. If it is a small group, have everyone
introduce themselves, including parents and caregivers. Let the children know we are
going to be reading some stories about shapes and counting.
Before the program: Pull some interesting books about counting, shapes, patterns,
matching or other math concepts from the collection to create an attractive display.
*TIP: If you can’t get a copy of the book you want to use for your program before you
start to plan your session, you can often find a read-aloud of a popular children’s book
on YouTube, or view some of the pages on amazon.com.
To the adults: Today we are going to look at a fun early literacy practice: PLAY.
Children learn a lot about the world, particularly language, as they play and talk with
grown-ups and other children. We are going to play with math today! Play is a
wonderful way to explore early math concepts with young children—playing with
puzzles helps children learn about shapes, which is really beginning geometry, and
counting and stacking help with both spatial awareness and number skills!
"Hello Everyone" (Tune: Mary Had a Little Lamb)
Hello everyone, how are you? (Wave to everyone)
How are you? How are you?
Hello everyone, how are you?
How are you today?
Hello everyone, clap your hands! (Clap hands.)
Clap your hands! Clap your hands!
Hello everyone, clap your hands!
Clap your hands, today!
Hello everyone, stomp your feet! (Stomp feet.)
Stomp your feet! Stomp your feet!
Hello everyone, stomp your feet!
Stomp your feet, today!
Hello everyone, touch your nose. (Touch nose).
Touch your nose. Touch your nose.
Hello everyone, touch your nose.
Touch your nose, today.
Alternative Welcome Song: “Clap and Sing Hello”
Tune: Farmer in the Dell
We clap and sing hello,
We clap and sing hello,
With our friends at storytime,
We clap and sing hello!
(Wave and sing hello; stomp and sing hello.)
Counting Book: Count on the Subway by Paul Dubois Jacobs and Jennifer Swender
(Alternate Book: Chicka Chicka 123 by Bill Martin Jr.)
To the adults: Count everywhere! Count while making dinner, standing on the subway
platform and shopping for groceries (ex. 1, 2, 3, 4 oranges in the basket). It’s great for
kids to realize that math is all around us by counting the things in their world.
Fingerplay: Counting Apples
(it’s nice to incorporate seasonal songs and fingerplays)
Five red apples
Hanging on a tree
(five fingers held up)
The juiciest apples you ever did see!
The wind came past
And gave an angry frown
(shake head and look angry)
And one little apple came tumbling down.
(Four red apples, etc…)
*TIP: For shorter songs and rhymes, repeat! Kids learn through repetition and it’s a
great way for parents to learn the songs.
Alternate Song/Fingerplay: “Five Green and Speckled Frogs”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wM0AIb3BTE
Five green and speckled frogs sat on a speckled log
Eating some most delicious bugs -- YUM YUM!
One jumped into the pool where it was nice and cool
Then there were four green and speckled frogs. GLUB! GLUB!
Four green and speckled frogs sat on a speckled log
Eating some most delicious bugs -- YUM YUM!
One jumped into the pool where it was nice and cool
Then there were three green and speckled frogs. GLUB! GLUB!
Three green and speckled frogs sat on a speckled log
Eating some most delicious bugs -- YUM YUM!
One jumped into the pool where it was nice and cool
Then there were two green and speckled frogs. GLUB! GLUB!
Two green and speckled frogs sat on a speckled log
Eating some most delicious bugs -- YUM YUM!
One jumped into the pool where it was nice and cool
Then there was one green and speckled frogs. GLUB! GLUB!
One green and speckled frogs sat on a speckled log
Eating some most delicious bugs -- YUM YUM!
One jumped into the pool where it was nice and cool
Then there were no green and speckled frogs. GLUB! GLUB!
Measuring Picture Book: Big, Little by Steve Jenkins
(Alternate book: Inch by Inch by Leo Leonni)
To the adults: Take a ruler with you to the park and measuring in feet and inches all of
the things around you. (trees, rocks, grass, benches etc.) Measuring is also about
words like BIG, LITTLE, TALL, SMALL, HIGH, and LOW. Using those words helps kids
learn about math!
*TIP: Steve Jenkens books make great display books and are fun to recommend to
parents because children love them. He has several that cover math concepts including
Big, Little and Actual Size.
Action Chant: As High as A House
As high as a house (reach high)
As small as a mouse (crouch)
As wide as a barn (feet apart, arms
sideways)
As thin as a pin. (stand erect)
*TIP: For shorter songs and rhymes, repeat! Kids learn through repetition and it’s a
great way for parents to learn the songs.
Alternate Action Rhyme: One is A Giant
One is a giant who stomps her feet.
(stomp around room)
Two is a fairy so light and neat.
(flap arms and move around room)
Three is a mouse that curls up small.
(crouch down)
Four is a great big bouncing ball
(jump/bounce around room)
Picture Book: Feast for Ten by Catherine Falwell
Alternate Book: ¡Fiesta! by Ginger Foglesong Gibson
To the adults: Counting while COOKING! You will all receive a copy of Feast for
Ten by Catherine Falwell. It is fun to make counting a playful experience like in the book.
Baking and cooking is a great way to teach your child basic math concepts like counting
and measuring.
Fingerplay: Ten Fingers
I have ten fingers (hold up both hands, fingers spread)
And they all belong to me, (point to self )
I can make them do thingsWould you like to see?
I can shut them up tight (make fists)
I can open them wide (open hands)
I can put them together (place palms together)
I can make them all hide (put hands behind back)
I can make them jump high (hands over head)
I can make them jump low (touch floor)
I can fold them up quietly (fold hands in lap)
And hold them just so.
Alternate fingerplay with Spanish lyrics:
(To the Tune of Ten Little Indians)
1 little, 2 little, 3 little fingers
4 little, 5 little, 6 little fingers,
7 little, 8 little, 9 little fingers,
10 little fingers in a row.
2 hands, ten little fingers,
2 hands, ten little fingers,
2 hands, ten little fingers,
Come and sing with me!
Uno, dos, tres deditos,
Cuatro, cinco, seis deditos,
Siete, ocho, nueve deditos,
Y uno mas son diez.
Dos manitos, diez deditos,
Dos manitos, diez deditos,
Dos manitos, diez deditos,
¡Cuentalos conmigo!
Shapes Picture Book: Mouse Shapes by Ellen Stoll Walsh *get the full size not the
board book
(Alternate book: Round is a Mooncake by R. Thong)
To the adults: Playing with shapes helps kids get ready for math AND reading. Since
letters are made up of different lines and shapes, it is important for children to play with
shapes, like blocks and puzzles. Studies have also shown that children who play with a
variety of shapes in their toys learn new words and concepts faster.
*TIP: There are transition tips and clean up songs in the wiki!
Activity: Play with Patterns (Play/Math)
Students will get a handful of pattern blocks to take home. Children can create their
own patterns. You can suggest shapes, characters or objects from the books you read,
or something from their imagination. Put out math kits for additional pattern, counting
and sorting play.
You'll Need:
 Pattern Blocks
 Zip lock bags
 Math Kits
*TIP: Math Kits! Each branch has been sent a math kit, some may have more than one.
Set the math kit/kits out during your craft time. There are Math Take Home Sheets in
the WIKI. Encourage families to play with the kits.
To the adults: Play with Math! Today we talked about the early literacy of practice
of play. Play is not just fun, but it is how children learn and understand new concepts
and ideas. Talk to your child during play time, let your child play with a variety of toys,
and incorporate writing, matching, sorting, counting, and reading materials into your
child's play. It also a fun way to learn math!
Clean-up: Encourage everyone to help with clean-up.
Distribute: the Take Home sheet or create a your own with
the Template.
Giveaway: This weeks giveaway book is Feast for 10 by Catherine Falwell
Closing song or rhyme: "The More We Get Together"
(learn the song here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQqbQwF5v5Y)
(CD is available:
http://brooklyn.bibliocommons.com/item/show/11218241062906_singable_songs_
for_the_very_young)
The more we get together
Together, together
The more we get together
The happier we'll be
Cause your friends are my friends
And my friends are your friends
The more we get together
The happier we'll be
Alternate closing song:
Tickle the Clouds (source: Miss Meg’s Storytime)
Tickle the clouds
Tickle your toes
Turn around
Tickle your nose
Reach down low
Reach up high
The stories are over,
Wave bye-bye!
Sidebar:
Dates: November 14, 15, 16
Practice: Play
Theme: Counting/Shapes/Math
Program goals:
Introduce parents to the early literacy practice of play. Share books with the children
that model children and parents doing things together in a playful manner. Do an
activity that encourages open ended play between parents and children. Introduce
children and parents to shape play—creating patterns with shape blocks, naming
shapes.
Suggested books:
Count on the Subway by Paul Dubois Jacobs and Jennifer Swender (counting)
Big, Little by Steve Jenkins (measuring)
Feast for Ten by Catherine Falwell (Counting)
Mouse Shapes by Ellen Stoll Walsh (shapes) *get the full size not the board book
Alternate suggestions:
Counting:
Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young (also great for days of the week and colors!)
10 Black Dots by Donald Crews
10 Little Rubber Ducks by Eric Carle
One Grain of Rice by Demi
Let’s Count Goats by Mem Fox
¡Fiesta! by Ginger Foglesong Gibson
One Two Buckle My Shoe by Anna Grossnickle
How many donkeys?: an Arabic counting tale retold from a Saudi folktale by Margaret
Read MacDonald and Nadia Jameel Taibah; illustrated by Carol Liddiment (counting)
One Blue Fish by Charles Reasoner (counting)
Math Curse by Jon Sciezcka, illustrated by Lane Smith (counting and other math
concepts--good for older kids)
Gobble-gobble crash! by Julie Stiegemeyer; illustrated by Valeri Gorbachev (counting;
good for pre-Thanksgiving)
One Gorilla by Anthony Browne (counting)
Zero is the Leaves on the Tree by Betsy Franco (counting, number concepts)
Count Down to Kindergarten by Alison McGhee (counting)
One Boy by Laura Vaccaro Seeger (counting)
One, Two, Buckle my Shoe by Anna Grossnickle Hines
More Math Skills:
Round is a Mooncake by R. Thong (shapes)
The Line Up Book, by Marisabina Russo (sorting)
Big, Bigger, Biggest by Nancy Coffelt (measuring)
Inch by Inch by Leo Leonni (measuring)
The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins (division)
Actual Size by Steve Jenkins(measuring)
Big, Little by Steve Jenkins(measuring)
Mapping Penny's World by Loreen Leedy (maps, spatial awareness. Good for an
older group)
Bedtime Math by Laura Overdeck; illustrated by Jim Paillot
A Birthday for Cow! By Jan Thomas (talk about cooking together like the animals in
this book. Cooking uses lots of math.)
Mouse Shapes by Ellen Stoll Walsh (shapes) *get the full size not the board book
Max found two sticks by Brian Pinkney (patterns)
Rosie's Walk by Pat Hutchins (spatial relations)
Mr. Cookie Baker by M. Wellington (measurement, counting)
Shoes, Shoes, Shoes by Ann Morris (sorting)
Alternate Songs, Rhymes and Fingerplays:
You can find a lot of thematic rhymes, songs and fingerplays on the RSK page on the
BPL Website: http://www.bklynlibrary.org/first-5-years/songs-rhymes
These titles should be in the branch's Storytime Collection, or easily located. You
may need to put some books on hold to make sure they’re there for you. Plan
ahead!