Margaret Wise Brown

Week One of Author Highlights: Margaret Wise Brown

This plan is for a preschool storytime, a registered program for 3-5 year olds that attend the program independently without a caregiver. This is the preschool version of the author highlight I did in Toddler Time.

Opening Activity:

Little Mouse Flannel Game

Opening Song:
"These Are My Glasses" by Laurie Berkner from Whaddaya Think of That

Books:

Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown - I used the Big Book version of this.
The Diggers by Margaret Wise Brown
The Golden Egg Book by Margaret Wise Brown
Sleepy ABC by Margaret Wise Brown

Jazz It Up Moment:
I brought in a small biography, Margaret Wise Brown by Jill C. Wheeler. The cover had a nice big picture of her on the front. We started by talking about what the word author meant (which almost all of the children knew). I told them that Margaret Wise Brown was the author of every book we were going to read to today and then pointed out her name on every cover of the books I had displayed.

Next I asked them if they knew what the word biography meant. A lot of them thought it was the illustrator of the book. I explained what a biography was and that they are different kinds of books they seemed to get it. I liked having the opportunity to bring up new vocabulary in storytime.

I quizzed them throughout the program on who Margaret Wise Brown was and each time I did this program (four, if you're counting) I had at least one little person shout..."ME!". Most of the older kids got it and would point to the biography I brought in when I asked that question.

Songs:
"The Wheels on the Bus" by The Learning Groove from Groovy Green
"Rhythm in the Scarves" by Johnette Downing" from Second Line Scarf Activity Songs 

Closing Song:
"Goodbye" by Old Town School of Folk Music from Songs for Wiggleworms 


What Went Not So Great

• It was a bit of an overload to do Little Mouse and an opening song. Next time I'll just pick one or the other, or a song that the kids are more excited about. I think my kids are starting to get bored with "These are My Glasses".
• The biography discussion seemed to go over the younger kid's heads (my preschool programs are 3-5 year olds without adults). 
• Sleepy ABC was just a big fat fail, it is just better suited for one-on-one reading I think.

What Went Right

• I can never stop using Little Mouse. The children will revolt and stop coming to storytime. He is the biggest draw, by far.
• Diggers was one of the most successful books. They liked talking about digging a hole big enough for a train to fit in.
• "Rhythm in the Scarves" made the kids really happy. Giving each of them a scarf to dance around with just seems to make their day. Plus this song focuses on counting, which I think is great to reinforce early literacy without beating them over the head with it.