Storytime: Preschool Planters & Seeds

Week two of our Preschool Planters mini storytime session. This week we focused on seeds. I was hoping for A Seed is Sleepy to be available, but it was not. That nonfiction series written by Dianna Hutts Aston and illustrated by Sylvia Long is just so delightful. I used another nonfiction book and it worked out great!

Here's our storytime agenda:

Welcome
SONG: Can’t Wait to Celebrate by Jim Gill
Storytime Reminders

Flannel: Bookworm, Bookworm, where should we look?

Behind the books ... two bookworm and three popcorn kernels (aka seeds).
 
Morning has come (clap, clap)
Night is away (clap, clap)
Rise with the sun and welcome the day!
Last week we learned sun and day. This week we added the ASL work for morning. We sang this one twice through with patrons invited to join in whenever they felt comfortable.

BOOK: Seeds by Marissa Kirkman (Pebble [Little Capstone], 2020)

After talking about seeds, we need a garden. Sometimes people build their own gardens. They need to use a hammer, or a saw or sandpaper. Let's build a garden with one of our favorite tool songs:
SONG: Hammer and Saw by Jim Gill

BOOK: Let’s Go Nuts! Seeds We Eat by April Pulley Sayre (Beach Lane Books, 2013)

This foodie trio of books is so much fun! And this book fit the theme perfect!

It led well into a surprise flannel with our "seeds" on the board. The seeds are popcorn kernels.

We counted down with our fingers, shook our bodies during sizzling, and clapped our hands at POP!

I slapped a flannel popcorn piece on top of the kernel when they clapped. I don't know who was more excited for this little rhyme - me or the audience.

Three little kernels sizzling in the pot, All of a sudden, one went POP!
     TWO little kernels sizzling in the pot, All of a sudden, one went POP!
          ONE little kernel sizzling in the pot, All of a sudden, one went POP!

 

After counting down from three to one, let's count more! Our song goes from one to five. (It actually mentions 6, 8, 10 as well but I didn't remember or bring that up during our transition.) We did a little finger wiggling and arm stretching, then hid our hands behind our backs while I started the music.

SONG: One from the Left by Jim Gill

BOOK: How Does a Seed Grow? By Sue Kim, photos by Tilde (Little Simon, 2010)

This particular book is a staff book because it is a "toy book". The pages foldout as you read the book to show photographs of how plants get roots and sprouts, then shows a kiddo holding that vegetable or fruit. When we read about the roots, I stretch my free hand down. When we read about the sprouts, I stretch my free hand up.

Fingerplay: Little Seed
Little seed in the ground             [Crouch down on the floor, hands covering heads.]
Sitting so still                                  [Stay crouching.]
Little seed, will you sprout?
Yes, I will!                                [Jump up!]

Announcements: 
Craft Instructions: planting seeds indoors

1 cup (peat pot)

+ dirt chunk (aka expanded peat pellet)

+ a pinch of little seeds (Bee Friendly Mix Wildflower Seeds)

+ a pinch of bigger seeds (Sunshine Variety Mix Sunflower Seeds)

SONG: Goodbye Rap by Miss Carole x 2

I always play this rap twice because it's so short and fun.