Life in the big city! There are so many titles that depict city life, it was hard to choose. My library is in a small town surrounded by countryside but fairly close to the larger city of Indianapolis. It’s no Big Apple, but I assumed many of them have some personal experience with tall buildings and busy streets. I quite enjoyed the extension activities for this week as well.
You can see the virtual program that does not include the full books read aloud here.
Early Literacy Tip: Rhymes like “The Hippopotamus got on the City Bus” call attention to the fact that “hip” is just one part of the bigger word “hippopotamus.” Also, when we complete the verses for cow, sheep and snake we show how familiar animal sounds can be found in other words that we regularly use. Recognizing and playing with the smaller sounds in words is called phonological awareness. Researchers have recognized this as a critical pre-reading skill that helps kids sound out words when they begin to learn how to read.
Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello
Read: City Shapes by Diana Murray & Bryan Collier
What shapes are these? Black rectangle, green circle, yellow circle, red circle – it’s a stoplight! There are stoplights everywhere, but there are LOTS in a city where there are many vehicles and traffic.
Flannel Rhyme: Green Means Go
Green means “GO!” Go! Go! Go! (roll arms quickly)
Yellow means “Slow.” Slow… slow… slow. (roll arms slowly)
Red means “STOP!” (ASL sign for stop: one hand making a
chopping motion onto flat opposite hand)
Go! Go! Go! (roll fast)
Slow… slow… slow… (roll slow)
STOP! (ASL sign for stop)
Credit: Jbrary
A simple stoplight flannel. I chose to leave the pieces unglued so we can “construct” it. Yes, I did have to look up the order of the colors!
In the city, it’s very busy, and the city is always growing and changing. Sometimes old buildings are torn down and new buildings are constructed. Here’s a stretch about a tall crane that helps build them.
Stretch Rhyme: Cranes Reach Up
Cranes reach up
Cranes reach down
Cranes reach out
And all around
Credit: Jbrary
Read: Skyscraper by Jorey Hurley
I asked the kids to notice the trees in almost every spread, showing the changing seasons. It takes a long time to build a skyscraper!
A tongue twister and a memory challenge!
Song: She’ll Be Driving a Bulldozer
(tune of She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain)
She’ll be driving a bulldozer when she comes…Push it back! (pushing motion)
She’ll be driving a bulldozer when she comes…Push it back! (pushing motion)
She’ll be driving a bulldozer, she’ll be driving a bulldozer,
She’ll be driving a bulldozer when she comes…Push it back!
Additional verses: (at the end of each verse, do ALL the previous refrains in reverse order. So, the last one would be “Clean it up! Lift it high! Mix it up! Look out below! Scoop it up! Push it back!”)
…running a big digger… Scoop it up! (scooping motion)
…working a dirt-dumper… Look out below! (hands around mouth)
…on a cement mixer… Mix it up! (roll arms)
…moving a tall crane arm… Lift it high! (reach arm up)
…steering a street-sweeper… Clean it up! (sweeping motions)
Credit: Rob Reid’s Storytime Slam! 15 Lesson Plans for Preschool and Primary Story Programs. Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin: Upstart Books. p8
Lap Bounce: Bumpity-Bumpity Goes the Dump Truck
(tune of Michael Finnegan)
Bumpity, bumpity goes the dump truck (bounce gently)
Bumpity, bumpity goes the dump truck
Bumpity, bumpity goes the dump truck
Dump out the load! (lean to side or back)
Credit: Jbrary
With so many people, there can be a lot of traffic on the road in a city. Many people ride together on buses, trains, and subways to reduce traffic and get from one place to another more quickly.
Rhythm Rhyme: Hippopotamus on a City Bus
(slap thighs rhythmically until the last line of each verse)
A hip, a hip, a hippopotamus
Got on, got on, got on a city bus
And all, and all, and all the people said,
“You’re squishing us!” (squish face or hug baby)
Additional verses:
A cow, a cow, a cow got on a bus
Yes, a cow, a cow, a cow got on the bus
And all, and all, and all the people said,“Mooooove over!”
(lean far to one side)
A snake…“Sssssssssit down!” (motion hand down)
A sheep…“Baaaack up!” (lean far back)
Credit: Jbrary
Read: Noisy Night by Mac Barnett & Brian Biggs
Lifting Song: The Elevator Song
Oh, the city is great and the city is grand
There are a whole lot of people on a little piece of land
And we live way up on the fifty-seventh floor
And this is what we do when we go out the door:
We take the elevator up, we take the elevator down (3 times)
And we turn around!
Credit: Jbrary
Craft: Cityscape
Draw a city with white chalk on black construction paper, then decorate with vehicle foam stickers. I used ALL my stickers on mine!
Credit: Sunflower Storytime
I also booktalked these alternative titles during the permanent YouTube video.
Good Morning, Digger by Anne Rockwell & Melanie Hope Greenberg
Go! Go! Go! Stop! by Charise Mericle Harper
City Moon by Rachael Cole & Blanca Gómez
Windows by Julia Denos & E. B. Goodale
Closing Rhyme: Tickle the Stars
This storytime was presented virtually on 9/1/20.
Storytime Handout:
Storytime with Ms. Emily Library 