Burnham Bunch: Sharks

Vacation = Sharks?

Well, this is it. The final week of Burnham Bunch Storytime -- for this school year. Summer Bunch begins June 21st. But, until then, we will be in a mad-frenzy of summer reading preparation! Lots and lots to do!

Our final storytime theme is usually vacation and trips. But, this year I am just all tapped out of ideas. I can't focus on the now. Instead, I am focused on all there is to do to prepare for summer Reading. So, as I was surfing Pinterest for inspiration, I found this cute idea. Seriously, thank the stars for Pinterest. So, I guess, sharks it is ....

Read: Commotion in the Ocean by Giles Andrea and Never Take a Shark to the Dentist by Jane Judy Barrett

Flannel Board: We Dove in the Ocean - via Valley Storytime

Craft: Shark!! found via Pinterest from Almost Unschoolers

Need: Blue and red craft paper, white sticker eyes, small paper plates, glue sticks.

• Prior to storytime, I sketched a shark shape and cut shape from blue paper (and shark fin from the scraps). I then cut some toothy-grins from small paper plates. And cut tongues from the red paper.
• Have the kids glue together.
• D.O.N.E.

Burnham Bunch: Colors

Color me Fabulous!

Read: Purple Little Bird by Greg Foley and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see? by Bill Martin

Flannel board: Purple Little Bird by Greg Foley

Craft: What is YOUR favorite color? Painting

Need: White crayon, water color paints, easel paper, sponge brushes and cups.

• Prior to storytime, I wrote each child's name in white crayon on white paper. (I also wrote their name in pencil at the bottom corner of the paper)
• As the children arrived, I asked them each to choose their favorite color crayon and place it at their craft seat. This way, my assistant could have the colors prepared. 
• I told the kiddos that there was a secret message written on each paper. And, as they paint their paper, the secret would be revealed.
• Seriously, how simple can you get??! (Really and truly, I am fried!)

Burnham Bunch: Gardens and Snails and Storytime Tales

Slowly but surely ....

Well, just three weeks left of school-year storytime. Some of my kiddos are moving on to Kindergarten. *sigh* I will miss them so much. Luckily, most of them have younger siblings. I keep telling the mom's that they must keep having children, so that they will never leave me!

Read: A Green, Green Garden by Mercer Mayer and Snail's Good Night by Ann Whiteford Paul

Craft: Paper plate snail found via Pinterest

Need: Paper plates, multi-colored squares of tissue paper, white glue, sponge brush, green craft paper and sticker-eyes (of course!!)

• Prior to storytime, I cut some snail "bodies" out of the green craft paper and glued them on to the plates. And that is ALL the prep work needed.
• I had the kiddos "paint" their paper plate with the glue (and then set the glue aside -- otherwise tissue paper + glue = big ol' mess!)
• Then, I instructed the kiddos to place all the multi-color pieces of tissue paper onto their plate.
• Last touch, sticker eyes.

He is pretending he is Luke Skywalker in his Stormtropper "costume" LOVE IT!

Burnham Bunch: Buzzzzz

The Bee's Knees

Read: Buzz said the Bee by Wendy Lewinson and The Greedy Little Bee by Steve Smallman

Flannel board: Buzz said the Bee Inspired by Storytiming

Craft: Busy Bee

Need: Black and yellow craft paper, wax paper, glue sticks, sticker eyes.

• Prior to storytime, I cut out medium-sized circles of yellow for the bee body and smaller-sized circles of black for the head. I also cut strips of black paper for the stripes and antenna.
• Basically .... have the children glue all the pieces together and make a bee!
• The End.

Burnham Bunch: Ducks

Ducklings

Read: Seven Hungry Babies by Candace Fleming and Cold Little Duck, Duck, Duck by Lisa Westberg Peters.

Flannel board: I  got nothin' this week!

I am getting down-heartened with my storytime! As the school-year winds down, I begin to feel the same every year. My registration shows that the program is "full." But, I have maybe 5 out of 12 children showing. Parents are showing up late (if they show at all). This month has been a bust. It takes a lot of work to pull-together a storytime -- selecting books, finding a craft and a flannel board activity, cutting out all the millions of pieces for the craft ... Oh, well! I don't know if other storytimers have the same problems? *sigh* 

P.S. So, after explaining to the kids we are going to read books about ducks, I realize that one of my books is about BIRDS in a nest, not DUCKS! haha! Of course, the kiddos could care less. But, I was fretting, the entire time I was reading the book. Wowzer! I am losing it!

Craft: Waddling Duck
Need: White card stock, duck template, glue sticks, yellow and orange crayons, sticker eyes, feathers, brass brad.

• Prior to storytime, I downloaded a duck template (and tweaked it a bit) and printed it out on white card stock. Then I cut out all the bits and put a small slit in the body, the wing and the feet -- this will be where we attach the brad.
• I had the kiddos color their duck body yellow and the beak and feet orange.
• Apply the sticker eye.
• As each kiddos finished, I placed the brad through the wing, duck, and finally the feet
• Then asked them to glue some feathers onto their duck.
• And watch them waddle. Quack! Quack!