ELAG_OhYesItCan

8/11/2019 ELAG_OhYesItCan

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THEM E:

Story-telling

E A R LY L I T E R A C Y A C T I V I T Y G U I D E


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Welcome to the Worldof BETWEEN THE LIONS! 1

How to Use This Guide 2

Stories to Watch and to Read Aloud 2

Theme: Storytelling 3

Literacy Skills 3

The Building Blocksof Preschool Literacy 4

Enjoying and Understanding Books 4

Building Vocabulary 4

Learning about Letters and Words 4

Playing with the Sounds of Language 4

Exploring Concepts of Print 4

Active Viewing and Listening 5

Learn to ReadWatch TV? 5

Read Aloud Tips 5

Watch the Story 6

Before Watching 6

As You Watch 7

After Watching 7

Read Aloud 8

Before Reading 8

As You Read 8

After Reading 9

Learning Centers 10

Art 10

Dramatic Play 11

Library 12

Writing 13

Storytelling 14

Family Storytellers 14

Storytelling Bag 14

Storytellers Chair 14

Word Play 15

We Can! 15

Rhymes with Can 15

Silly Story Sentence 15

Sing a Song 16

Introduce the Song 16

Song Chart 16

Down by the Bay 17

Family Connections 18

Family Adventure 18

Family Letter (English) 19

Family Letter (Spanish) 20

Storytelling WheelActivity Sheet 21

Resources 22

Glossary 24

Credits 25

TableofContents

Oh, Yes, It Can!Activity Guide


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WelcometotheWorld

ofBETWEENTHELIONS!

BETWEEN THE LIONSis named for a family of lionsTheo, Cleo, Lionel, andLeonawho run a library like no other. The doors between the lionsswing open to reveal a place where characters pop off the pages of books,vowels sing, and words come alive.

From the beginning, BETWEEN THE LIONShas been much more than a kidstelevision show. Since the series premiered on PBS in 2000, it has madean enormous difference in helping young children learn to read. Developed

along with literacy experts, the series features live action, puppets, animation,songs, and humor to introduce the joys of reading and to teach the basicskills children need to learn to read. The series also has an extensive Web site(pbskids.org/lions)where youll find more educational and fun activities.

Specifically designed for preschool and family child care settings, this BETWEEN

THE LIONSEarly Literacy Activity Guide offers a wide variety of activities to help

make childrens first steps towards literacy enjoyable, exciting, and rewarding.

http://pbskids.org/lions/http://pbskids.org/lions/


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Stories to Watch and to Read AloudChildren become active viewers as they watch a story on theBETWEEN THE LIONSWeb site and practice active listening as theyrespond to a read-aloud picture book.

Read AloudAbuelaby Arthur Dorros

Childrens imagination will soaras they fly with young Rosalbaand her grandmother over theparks and streets of New York City.This spirited story of family loveand pride will inspire children totell their own stories about familyadventures.

Look forAbuelaat your locallibrary orbookstore.

Watch TogetherOh, Yes, It Can!

A storyteller visits the Lions libraryand tells a West African folktale.Can a yam, a fish trap, a piece offabric, and a stool talk? Oh, yes,they can!

Watch the story withyour children on theBETWEEN THELIONSWebsite at pbskids.org/lions/stories/ohyesitcan.html.

HowtoUseThisGuide

http://pbskids.org/lions/stories/ohyesitcan.htmlhttp://pbskids.org/lions/stories/ohyesitcan.htmlhttp://pbskids.org/lions/stories/ohyesitcan.html


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Literacy SkillsThe activities help childrendevelop and practice a wide

range of early literacy skills,including: listening to oral stories from different

cultures

active viewing and listening skills

choosing books to look at alone andwith a partner

holding, handling, and caring for books

understanding that we read Englishfrom left to right and from top to

bottom

making predictions

developing oral vocabulary

categorizing

retelling and acting out a story in thecorrect sequence

telling and acting out their own stories

playing with rhyme, rhythm, andrepetition

associating the names of letters with

their shapes and soundsassociating spoken and written words

listening and identifying sounds inwords

identifying and generating rhymingwords

recognizing that different words beginwith the same sound

writing a story

clapping and counting syllables

developing coordination and finemotor skills

forming letters with various materials

This guide provides a range of whole-group, small-group, and individual activities for teachers andchild care providers. Select the activities that best suityour program, your schedule, and the developmentalabilities of your children.

Preview Oh, Yes, It Can!on the BETWEEN THE LIONSWebsite at pbskids.org/lions/stories/ohyesitcan.html. ReadAbuelaand select words and concepts to teach children. Check out thepronunciation guide at the end of the book. The Watch theShow and Read Aloud sections provide activities and discussionquestions for before, during, and after viewing and reading.

Encourage children to tryactivities in different LearningCentersArt, Dramatic Play, Science, Library, and Writingthroughout the week.

Extend the themewith the whole-group activities inStorytelling. Help children develop phonological awarenessand concepts of print with activities in the Word Play andSing a Song sections.

Gather theme-related booksfrom the Resources section andplace them in the Learning Centers.

Make copiesof the Family Letter (pages 1920) and theStorytelling Wheel Activity Sheet (page 21) to send hometo families.

Theme: StorytellingStorytelling is one of the best ways to help young children developlistening, speaking, and comprehension skills and to prepare themfor learning how to read and write. This guide encourages childrento be active listeners as they enjoy, retell, and act out stories fromdifferent cultures. These stories become models for children to tell,write, and act out their own stories.

You can also use this Early Literacy Activity Guide to explore otherthemes, such as:

family stories

imagination

make-believe

self-esteem

stories and folktales from around the world

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Enjoying andUnderstanding BooksRead to children every day. Share manydifferent kinds of books that sparkchildrens imagination and curiosity. Talk

about what authors and illustrators do,and help children create their own books.During story time, guide children as theymake predictions, ask questions, recall andretell stories in their own words, and relatestories to their own lives.

Building VocabularyEncourage children to learn new wordsby reading aloud and discussing books,explaining unfamiliar words, singing

and acting out songs, poems, and nurseryrhymes, and talking about daily activities.

Learning about Lettersand WordsHelp children recognize letters and thesounds letters make. Encourage childrento shape letters with a variety of materials.Play games and sing songs with the lettersin childrens names.

Playing with the Soundsof LanguageGive children the opportunity to hear andplay with the different sounds of spokenlanguage with songs, poems, and rhymes.

Word play helps children understand thatlanguage is made up of words, that wordsare made up of beats or syllables, and thatsyllables are made up of separate sounds.This builds phonological awareness, whichhelps children become successful readersand writers.

Exploring Conceptsof PrintCreate a print-rich environment forchildren with books, charts, labels, andsigns. As you read books aloud andteach children poems and songs, showthem how we read from left to right andfrom top to bottom. Encourage childrento recognize familiar labels and signsin their environment.

As preschool teachers and child care providers, everything you do to givechildren engaging and meaningful literacy experiences helps preparethem to enter kindergarten ready to learn to read and to write.

TheBuildingBlocksofPreschoolLiteracy



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Learn to ReadWatch TV?Can a television show help teach childrento read? Yes! BETWEEN THE LIONS,developed to help teach reading skills,is an educational tool that encouragesoral language development, phonologicalawareness, and a love of reading.

Help children think and talk aboutwhat they are watching and learningby encouraging activeviewing.

Before viewing, tell children somethingabout the story to capture their interestand to introduce unfamiliar words andideas.

While viewing, show children thatyouare engaged by laughing, singing, andreading the words on the screen aloud.Encourage children to sing along, sway,

and clap to the music.Pause occasionallyand ask children to

talk about what they just watched and toguess what will happen next.

Ask open-ended questions, such as,What did you think of the story? What part

did you like best?

After viewing, read aloud thefeatured book or another book withsimilar themes.

Watch the storymore than once.Children enjoy the repetition and oftenlearn something new at each viewing.

Read Aloud TipsReading books aloud is the foundation of earlyliteracy. While listening to stories, children learnbook language and structure, new concepts, and

new words.

Read the book several timesbefore sharingit with children. Mark the places where youwould like to pause to ask questions or explainunfamiliar words.

Talk about the cover.Point out the title, author,and illustrator. Look at and talk about the art.

Create a context. Share a related personalexperience, look at the pictures together, or askchildren to predict what might happen in the story.

Read slowly so children can understand andenjoy the rhythm of the words and explore thepictures. Hold the book so that everyone can see it.

Add dramato your reading by using differentvoices and simple props. Dont be afraid to be sillyor dramatic!

Ask open-ended questionsafter readingto help children think about, remember, anddiscuss the story.

ActiveViewingandListening



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Before WatchingBefore watching Oh, Yes, It Can!, tell childrensomething about the story to capture their interest.Make connections between the story and childrenslives. Introduce new words, ideas, or concepts.

You will need

computerwith Internet

connection

Oh, Yes, It Can!pbskids.org/lions/

stories/ohyesitcan.

html

map or globe

storytelling propsas needed

clothesline andclothespins

Introduce BETWEEN THE LIONSTell children that they will be watchinga story from a TV series called BETWEENTHELIONS. Ask children if they have everseen the show, and invite them to share

what they know about it.Explain that theshow is about a family of lions who livesin a library and loves to read and to talkabout books.

Children will

practice active viewingand listening skills

make predictions

express ideas and opinions

relate book experiencesto their own lives

explore the conceptof real vs. make-believe

help tell a new versionof a story

bui ld oral vocabulary

Preview the Story Explain thatthe story is called Oh, Yes, It Can!A storyteller comes to the library wherethe Lion family lives, and tells a tale fromWest Africa. Point out where West Africais on a map or globe, as well as where thechildren live. Explain that a storyteller issomeone who tells a story without readingit from a book.

WatchtheShow

http://pbskids.org/lions/stories/ohyesitcan.htmlhttp://pbskids.org/lions/stories/ohyesitcan.htmlhttp://pbskids.org/lions/stories/ohyesitcan.htmlhttp://pbskids.org/lions/stories/ohyesitcan.html


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As You WatchGather children around the screen.Encourage active viewing to keep childrenfocused and engaged.

Invite children to join in the repeating

line, It can, it can! Oh, yes, it can!Encourage children to pretend to run

when the characters run.

Pause the story when the weaver laughsand says, That cant happen! Ask,What do you think will happen next?

After WatchingTalk about the Story Ask open-endedquestions that invite children to share their

thoughts and opinions.What did you think of the story? What

part did you like best?

Why did the yam tell the farmer to leavehim alone?

Can Tables Talk?Talk with children about whether Oh, Yes,It Can! is a real or make-believe story.Then ask,

Can a table talk? (Oh, no, it cant!)

Can a grandma say, I love you?(Oh, yes, she can!)

Can a banana chatter? (Oh, no, it cant!)

Change the Story Retelling or changinga story helps children recognize basicstory structure and sequence and developstorytelling skills.

Invite children to change Oh, Yes, It Can!by substituting characters and objects fromtheir own environment. For example, youmight feature a construction worker with atalking hammer, a firefighter with a talkinghat, a teacher with a talking pencil, and amayor with a talking chair. Use props to tellyour story and encourage children to helpyou by supplying the repeating phrase, Itcan, it can. Oh, yes, it can!

Take It Further Draw four picturesof the new characters with their talkingobjects. Help children hang the picturesin the correct sequence on a clotheslineat childrens eye level. Encouragechildren to use the pictures to retellthe story.



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You will needAbuela by Arthur

Dorros

chart paper,markers

cutout pictures ofdifferent modes of

transportation

bananas, papayas,and mangos

(optional)

Before Reading

Prereading activities build backgroundknowledge, spark childrens interest, andprepare them for listening.

Introduce the Book

Show the cover. Point to the words asyou read the title and the names of theauthor and illustrator aloud. Talk aboutwhat an author and illustrator do.

If you have Spanish-speaking children,ask them what the word abuelameans.

If not, explain that abuelais a Spanishword that means grandmother. Ask,What do you call your grandmother or

grandfather? Tell children that the peoplein the story speak both English andSpanish. Teachor invite Spanish-speakers to teachhow to say hello(hola)and good morning (buenos das)in Spanish.

Invite children to look at the cover.Ask, What do you see?What do you thinkthe story will be about? Tell children thatthe story is about an adventure thata girl and her grandmother go on inNew York City.

Take a Picture Walk Look at thepictures together.Point to Abuela andRosalba and ask children to guess wherethey are. Use the pictures to explain themeaning of words children may not know,such as unload, mangos, papayas, crane,

Statue of Liberty, andairport.

ReadAloud

Children will

listen to, enjoy, and discuss a story

talk about what authors and illustrators d

learn that we read from left to right andfrom top to bottom

express ideas and opinions

learn words in Spanish

explore the concept of real vs. make-belie

build oral vocabulary

categorize

As You ReadIf you dont speak Spanish, review theglossary at the end of the book.

Use the illustrations to help childrenunderstand the meaning of the Spanishwords. Point out the way the Spanishand English words or phrases echo eachother (El parque es lindo, says Abuela.I know what she means. I think the parkis beautiful too.)

Invite children to find Rosalba andAbuela in the illustrations at the shipdock. Ask, Have you ever eaten a banana,

papaya, or mango? What do they taste like?You may want to have children see ortaste some of these fruits at snack time.Be aware of food allergies.

When Abuela and Rosalba circle theStatue of Liberty, explain that it is afamous statue that welcomes people

who come to the United States fromother countries.



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After ReadingTalk about the BookAsk open-endedquestions that encourage children to thinkabout what happened in the story. Askfollow-up questions that invite childrento expand and explain their answers.

What did you think about the story?What did you like best?

Was Rosalba and Abuelas adventureflying above the city real or make-believe? How do you know?

How do you think Rosalba feels about hergrandmother? How can you tell?

If you could fly over our town (or city),where would you go?

Can Cows Fly? This activity helpschildren distinguish between reality andmake-believe and reinforces vocabularywords from the story. Ask,

Can a cow fly? (Oh, no, it cant!)

Can a bird soar through the sky?(Oh, yes, it can!)

Can an elephantglidethrough the air?(Oh, no, it cant!)

Can a grandma leapover a rainbow?

(Oh, no, she cant!)Can an airplaneglidepast the clouds?

(Oh, yes, it can!)

Explore Words and Their Meanings

Look through the pictures inAbuelaandask children to identify the differentmodes of transportation. Ask, How do

Abuela and Rosalba get to the park? (bus)

How do people get around in the park?(bicycle, roller skates, boat, wheelchair,skateboard) How do people get around inthe city? (cars, taxis, trains)

Create a Transportation Web (see below).Have children cut out pictures of differentmodes of transportation from magazines.Invite children to choose a picture, nameit, and paste it in the appropriate sectionof the chart. Add a label.

Talk about the chart to help childrenshare and build their knowledge andvocabulary. Ask,What do we call the

person who flies an airplane? (pilot)Whatdo we call the people who ride in the planes,

trains, and buses? (passengers)

Take It Further Teach children thesong The Wheels on the Bus. Invitechildren to make up new verses fordifferent actions (beep the horn, put

in coins, etc.). You can also makeup a new song about other modes oftransportation such as The Sails onthe Ship or The Wheels on the Train.

Transportation

Air

Land Water

helicopter

car

sailboat



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Children can do these activities in small groups, with partners, orindependently. Invite children to explore the materials at each center.Name, explain, and think aloud as you model activities for children.Then encourage children to join inand interact with other childrenas they work and play.

Art Art inspires children to express theirthoughts and feelings and expands theirvocabulary with words that describe color,

line, shape, and texture. Children learn aboutconcepts of print and letters when they signtheir name to their artwork.

You will need

drawing paper,

crayons, markers

dark constructionpaper, white, gray,

and yellow paint;

straws

blankets or matsCome Fly with Me! Ask children wherethey would go if they could fly. Invite themto draw and color a picture of themselvesflying, including the things that they wouldsee. Talk to children about their pictures.Look at how high you are! Who is with you?

What is below you?

Cloud Pictures Show children thecloud picture inAbuela.Take blankets ormats outside and invite children to lookat the clouds. Describe what the cloudsmake you think of and ask children whatthey see. Invite children to draw picturesof the clouds. Talk to the children abouttheir pictures.

Children will

use different art materials

tell stories through art

sequence a story

develop fine motor skills

observe the natural world

develop oral vocabulary

write their names

LearningCenters

Take It Further Cover a tablewith newspaper. Put white, gray, oryellow paint on dark constructionpaper. Invite children to blow on thepaint with straws. What do they seein their clouds?



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On the Go! Display the TransportationWeb (see page 9) as well as books thatfeature different modes of transportation.Provide dress-up clothes that pilots, trainconductors, and ship captains might wear,as well as chairs that children can organizeinto rows. Display tickets, schedules, and

Dramatic Play In dramatic play, children deepentheir understanding of the world around them and use languageto negotiate roles, describe what they are doing, and ask andanswer questions. Props such as labels and signs engage childrens

early reading and writing skills.

Family Fun Invite children to drawpictures of themselves and a familymember on an adventure. Children maywant to draw a family outing to a park

or a beach, a trip to the library, or a visitwith relatives.

Children will

use imagination


develop an understandingof different functions of print

You will needbooks about

transportation

cutout picturesof type of

transportation

sample schedules,tickets, tokens

pilot, conductor,and captain clothes

tokens on a table and talk to childrenabout these items and how people usethem. Encourage children to pretend thatthey are traveling. Ask, Who is driving the(train, bus, etc.)? Who are the passengers?

What kind of noise does the (train) make?

Where are you going?

Talk to children about their pictures. Whereare you? Who are you with? How did you

get there? What was your favorite part of the

adventure?Children will use their pictures

in the Writing Center (page 13).



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You will need

folktales andother stories from

diverse cultures

cassette or CDplayers and

headphones

storytellingrecordings and

books on tape,

including ones that

you and/or family

members make

flannel board andfelt characters,

puppets, stuffed

animals

Library Setting up an inviting andcozy place where children can look at bookshelps foster a love of reading. Include manydifferent kinds of reading materials that relateto childrens interests and reflect their culturaldiversity. Add props such as puppets, stuffedanimals, and flannel boards. Encouragechildren to tell their own stories and act outstories they have heard.

Independent and Partner ReadingWhen young children imitate adults andplay at reading, they are engaging in bookhandling behaviors that are important firststeps in learning to read.

Include a variety of stories and folktalesfrom different cultures (see Resources).Encourage children to select books thatinterest them.

Demonstrate how to hold, handle, andcare for books. Talk about the f ront,back, top, and bottom of a book. Showchildren where to begin reading and howto turn the pages. Encourage children tolook at the words and the pictures.

Read books that children select to a smallgroup. Track print as you read to showchildren that in English we read from leftto right and from top to bottom.

If possible, read Isla, the sequel toAbuela,aloud to children (see Resources).

Organize children into pairs. Have eachpair select a folktale to look at and readtogether. Encourage children to taketurns looking at the pages, describing thecharacters, and saying what they thinkthe story is about. Ask children abouttheir book. What did you think of the book?Tell me something about it.

LearningCenters(continued)

Children will

choose storytelling recordings tolisten to

choose books to look at alone andwith a partner

learn how to hold, handle, and carefor books

develop a sense of story structure

learn that we read from left to rightand from top to bottom


retell and act out a story

Listening Listening to stories helpschildren learn the meanings of newwords and understand that stories havea beginning, a middle, and an end.

Set up a listening area with cassette orCD players, storytelling recordings, bookson tape, and headphones.

Make your own audio recordings ofchildrens favorite stories. Invite familymembers to record themselves readinga favorite book or telling a familystory. Ask family members to includea photograph of themselves with theirrecording. Children will love listening tothe familiar sounds of their loved onesvoices.

Encourage children to use props to retellor act out the stories they listen toin the listening area, and to tell theirown stories.



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Writing When children practicewriting letters and words to expresstheir ideas, they learn about concepts ofprint, the different functions of print, thealphabet, and phonics. Include a varietyof writing materials, as well as samplesof different types of writing such asinvitations, postcards, letters, lists, signs,and thank-you notes.

Letter Shaping Choose a letter fromthe alphabet and encourage a child tofind it on an alphabet strip or poster. Youmay want to choose the letter cfor can, or

another letter that children are interestedin learning. In the air and on paper, traceover the letter in lowercase and uppercaseto show children how to write them. Reviewthe sound the letter makes. Have childrenmake both forms of the letter from variousmaterials. Children can also make theletters in their names.

Children will

associate names of letters with their shapes

develop fine motor skills

use a variety of writing tools to shape and write letters

write and draw a response to a book

understand that what we say can be written downand read by others

write their names

Write about It Think aloud as youwrite and/or draw something about theshow or book. Encourage children towrite or draw their thoughts, for example,about a visit to the park or a bus ride. Askquestions to help children expand theirideas. Children may want to dictate theirresponses. Point to each word as you read

the dictation aloud.

Family Fun Group Book Askchildren to choose a family fun picturethat they drew in the Art Center (see page11). Encourage children to tell you aboutthe picture. Write childrens words in acaption below the picture. You may wantto provide a sentence frame such as,

Felipe went to with his

.

Bind the pictures together to make agroup book. Read and reread the bookto children.

You will need

play dough, WikkiStix, Unifix Cubes,

pipe cleaners, finge

paints, clay (choose

one or more)

alphabet stamps anstencils

alphabet strip orposter

variety of paper andwriting materials,including markers,

pencils, colored

pencils, crayons

childrens family fundrawings from the

Art Center

book-bindingmaterials (rings,

binders, hole punch

and yarn, etc.)



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Through storytelling, children learnabout story structure, sequencing,and the sounds of language. Provideopportunities for children to listento stories from diverse cultures. Enjoyhow children use their imaginationas they tell their own stories.

Storytelling BagForm a storytelling circle. Hold up abag filled with familiar objects. Pick outone object and tell a short, make-believestory about it. Then invite each childto pick an object and tell their ownmake-believe story.

Storytellers ChairAsk if anyone would like to tell a story. Helpthe child develop his or her story so thatit has a beginning, a middle, and an end.Gather related props.

Invite the storyteller to sit in a specialstorytelling chair. Gather the otherchildren around. Ask prompting questionsif the storyteller needs or asks for help.Congratulate the storyteller and end witha round of applause.

Family StorytellersInvite family members to share favorite

stories about funny or interesting thingsthat have happened in their family, orfavorite make-believe stories that havebeen passed down from generation togeneration. Encourage family membersto tell their stories in their home language.Invite children to ask the storytellerquestions.

Take It Further Ask the familystoryteller if you can record him or her.

Place the recording in the listeningarea for children to enjoy.

You will need

a bag filled withfamiliar objects

(such as comb,

stuffed animal,

bracelet, spoon)

tape or digitalrecorder and

cassette tapes

Children will

develop active listening skills

appreciate storytelling as part ofdiverse cultural and family traditions

use creativity and imagination to telltheir own stories

develop a sense of story structure

bui ld self-esteem


Storytelling



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We Can!Gather children in a circle. Clap your

hands as you say, I can clap my hands.Encourage children to think of somethingthey each can do, such as hop, skip,jump, or sing.

Invite a child (Cathy) into the circle. Askthe child to demonstrate what she can do

(jump). Then have the class repeat, Cathycan jump! Oh, yes, she can!

Invite the child to lead the others inchanting the letters in her name,C-a-t-h-y. Cathy! Point to the letters on thechilds name card during the chant.

Ask the child to clap the syllables inher name (Ca-thy). Encourage childrento say the name again as they clap thesyllables. Give each child a turn.

Take It Further Write the wordsWe Can on chart paper. Ask eachchild, What can you do? Write theresponse. (Carla can run fast. Nathan can

play the drums.)Read aloud the chart,pointing to each of the words. Invitethe children to read the chart with you.

Children will

identify the letters in their names

hear and clap the syllables in their names

identify and generate rhyming words

recognize that different words beginwith the same sound

identify initial sounds in wordsClapping syllables in names, rhyming, andalliteration help build phonological awareness.

WordPlay

Rhymes with CanInvite children to play a rhyming game.

Say, Im going to say some words. If aword rhymes with the word can, clap.

Say the following words slowly: man, bus,van, airplane.

After each word, ask, Does this word rhyme

with the word can?If it does, clap!Ask, What other words and names can you

think of that rhyme with the word can?

Silly Story Sentence

Ask children what sound the wordcanbegins with. Then have them find

pictures of things that begin with the /k/sound. Attach the pictures to chart paperand label each one. Have children repeatthe words as you point to the pictures.

As a group, choose several words to makeup a silly story sentence, such as The cowand the cat ate cookies in the car.

Encourage children to use the picturesto create their own silly story sentences.

You will need

chart paper,markers, pictures,

tape

name cardfor each child



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Introduce the SongSing Down by the Bay to children withjoy and enthusiasm. Sing it a few timesto help children learn it. Then have themsing with you.

Song ChartWrite the words to Down by the Bayon chart paper or poster board. As yousing the song, point to each word with apointer. This helps children learn thatin English we read from left to right andfrom top to bottom. Sing the song togetherand encourage children to move their

hands, heads, or bodies to the rhythm.

You will need

chart paper,markers

pointer

Singing songs is a great way to build early reading skills. The songDown by the Bay gives children the opportunity to play with rhythm,rhyme, and repetition. It also gives them a chance to make up otherimaginative verses.

Children will

understand that the words in a song areread from top to bottom and from left

to right

associate sounds with written words

identify and generate rhyming words

identify familiar letters and words

SingaSong

Take It Further

Have children point to and say anywords or letters that they recognize.

Reread the line: Did you ever see apig dancing the jig?Ask children if

they can find the rhyming wordsin the line. Point out that the wordspigandjig rhyme because they havethe same ending sound (ig).Askchildren what other words they canthink of that rhyme withpigandjig.

Encourage children to make upadditional verses to the song bycreating silly rhymes, for example,Did you ever see a snake eating a cake?

You may want to focus on repeating

a specific sound such as the atsound: Did you ever see a cat wearinga hator . . . a rat swinging a bat.



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DownbytheBay

Downbythebaywherethewatermelonsgrow.BacktomyhomeIdarenotgo.ForifIdomymotherwillsay,Didyoueverseeapigdancingthejig?Downbythebay.

Additionalverses:Didyoueverseeawhalewithapolkadottail?Didyoueverseeabearcombinghishair?Didyoueverseeaduckdrivingatruck?



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Encourage parents to ask their children about what they are doing andlearning each day. Send home letters regularly that offer suggestions abouthow parents can support their childrens learning. You can send homethe letter on page 19 (English) and page 20 (Spanish), along with theStorytelling Wheel Activity Sheet (page 21). Try to host family get-togethersseveral times during the year to celebrate childrens accomplishments andto promote a sense of community.

Family AdventureInvite families on a group adventure that you and the children have planned. Perhaps

children will want to take a bus ride to a local park, as Abuela and Rosalba did. Askparents to bring snacks. Bring blankets for children to lie on and look at the clouds. Invitefamily members to tell a favorite family story or sing a song. The next day, invite childrento draw a picture of their favorite part of the adventure. Together write a story about it.

FamilyConnections



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Date

Dear Family,

This week we have been watching and talking about a story from

BETWEEN THE LIONS, a PBS television show about a family of lions

who lives in a library and loves to read. A storyteller comes to the

library and tells a West African folktale about a yam that can talk!

We also read the storyAbuelaby Arthur Dorros about a girl and hergrandmother who go on an adventure together.

We have had fun listening to stories from many cultures, and drawing

and telling our own stories about family adventures. Here are some

ways you can explore these themes at home with your child.

Tell your child a favorite family story. It can be about your childhood

or a story you heard as a child.

Plan a family adventure with your child. Talk about how you will getthere (bus, train, car, walking) and what you will do.

Look for storytelling events at your local library.

Watch the story Oh, Yes, It Can! on the BETWEEN THE LIONSWeb site

atpbskids.org/lions/stories/ohyesitcan.html.

You can watch BETWEEN THE LIONSat home with your child. Sing along

with the songs and talk about the show. Visit the BETWEEN THE LIONS

Web site(pbskids.org/lions) where youll find lots of fun activities, songs,and recommended books.

http://pbskids.org/lions/stories/ohyesitcan.htmlhttp://pbskids.org/lions/stories/ohyesitcan.htmlhttp://pbskids.org/lions/stories/ohyesitcan.htmlhttp://pbskids.org/lions/http://pbskids.org/lions/http://pbskids.org/lions/stories/ohyesitcan.html


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Fecha

Apreciada familia:

Durante esta semana, estamos viendo y hablando sobre un cuento de

BETWEEN THE LIONS,una serie de televisin en la cadena PBS que trata

sobre una familia de leones que vive en la biblioteca y que tiene gran

amor por la lectura. Un cuentista va a la biblioteca y cuenta un cuento

popular de frica occidental. Es sobre una batata o un ame que habla.Tambin lemos el cuentoAbuelade Arthur Dorros, sobre una nia y su

abuela que viven una aventura juntas.

Hemos gozado oyendo cuentos de muchas culturas, y dibujando y

contando cuentos de aventuras que cada uno hemos vivido en familia.

He aqu algunas maneras de explorar estos temas en casa con los nios.

Cuntele al nio un cuento favorito de la familia. Puede ser sobre la

niez suya o algo que oy cuando usted era chico.

Organice una aventura familiar con el nio. Hablen de cmo van

a llegar (en autobs, en tren, en auto, a pie) y qu harn cuando

lleguen.

Busquen ocasiones cuando cuenten cuentos en la biblioteca local.

Vean el cuento Oh, Yes, It Can! en la sede de Internet de BETWEEN

THE LIONSenpbskids.org/lions/stories/ohyesitcan.html.

Puede ver BETWEEN THE LIONSen casa con los nios. Canten cuandosuenen las canciones y hablen sobre la trama del episodio. Visiten el

sitio en ingls de BETWEEN THE LIONSen Internet (pbskids.org/lions).

Encontrarn muchas actividades divertidas y una lista de libros que

pueden disfrutar juntos.

http://pbskids.org/lions/stories/ohyesitcan.htmlhttp://pbskids.org/lions/stories/ohyesitcan.htmlhttp://pbskids.org/lions/stories/ohyesitcan.htmlhttp://pbskids.org/lions/http://pbskids.org/lions/http://pbskids.org/lions/stories/ohyesitcan.html


23/2721

Here is a game for families to play together. Let yourimaginations fly and have fun!

Make a paper or cardboard arrow. Poke a hole in it.

Use a pencil and the arrow as a spinner. Take turns spinningthe arrow.

When the arrow points to a picture, make up a story about it.If you like, act out the story.

StorytellingWheel



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Folktales, Fables, Legends,and Myths

Baby Rattlesnake by Te Ata

(Childrens Book Press,1993)

In this Native American tale, a baby rattlesnake

learns a valuable lesson when he misuses

his rattle.

Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain retold by Verna

Aardema (Puffin, 1993) (audiotape available)

A cumulative rhyme tells how Ki-pat brought

rain to the drought-stricken Kapiti Plain.

How Chipmunk Got His Stripesby Joseph Bruchac

and James Bruchac (Puffin, 2003)In this Native American folktale, Bear and

Brown Squirrel disagree about whether Bear

can stop the sun from rising.

Joseph Had a Little Overcoatby Simms Taback

(Viking, 1999) (audiotape available)

In this version of a Yiddish folk song, an old

overcoat is recycled into various garments,

until there is nothing left but the story to tell.

Nine-in-One, Grr! Grr!: A Folktale from the Hmong

Peopleby Blia Xiong and Cathy Spagnoli

(Childrens Book Press, 1993)When the great god Shao promises Tiger nine

cubs each year, Bird comes up with a clever trick

to prevent the land from being overrun by tigers.

Seor Cats Romance and Other Favorite Stories

from Latin Americaretold by Luca M. Gonzalez

(Scholastic, 2001)

A collection of popular tales told to young

children in Latin America.

The Talking Eggs: A Folktale from the American South

by Robert D. San Souci (Dial, 1989)

When Blanche helps an old woman, herkindness is rewarded with riches.

Story Books

Cows Cant Flyby David Milgrim (Puffin, 2000)An imaginative boy draws a picture that lands

in a cow pasture. The cows take flight, but only

he can see them.

Jonathan and His Mommy by Irene Smalls

(Little, Brown, 1994)

A boy and his mother have a great adventure

as they walk through their neighborhood.

I Can Do It Too!by Karen Baicker

(Handprint Books, 2003)

A little girl celebrates the everyday things she

can do.Isla by Arthur Dorros (Puffin, 1999)

In this sequel toAbuela, Rosalba and her

grandmother take an imaginary journey to the

Caribbean island where Abuela grew up.

Little Cloudby Eric Carle (Puffin, 1996)

A little cloud becomes a sheep, an airplane,

a hat, and more.

My Car by Byron Barton (Greenwillow, 2001)

Sam describes his car and how he drives it.

See also other books in this series: Planes,

Trains, Boats.

My Crayons Talkby Patricia Hubbard

(Henry Holt, 1999)

In this imaginative story, crayons talk, shout,

sing, and hoot.

Nap by Antonio Ramrez (Groundwood, 2004)

In her dreams at night, Napi imagines that she

becomes a heron, flying over her village.

The Snowmanby Raymond Briggs (Penguin, 2000)

In this wordless story, a snowman comes to life

and flies.Tar Beachby Faith Ringgold (Dragonfly, 1996)

Eight-year-old Cassie dreams of flying above her

apartment building in Harlem.

You Can Do It Too! by Karen Baicker (Handprint

Books, 2005)

A big sister assures her little brother that he can

join in the fun with her.

Resources



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Songs, Poems, and Rhyming Books

Busy Boatsby Tony Mitton (Kingfisher, 2002)

Animal characters take a rhyming journey

on different kinds of boats. See also other books

in this series:Roaring Rockets,Amazing Airplanes,andTerrific Trains.

I Love Planes!by Philemon Sturges

(HarperCollins, 2003)

A boy dreams about flying and names his

favorite kinds of airplanes. See also I Love Trains!

and I Love Trucks!

The Seals on the Busby Lenny Hort (Owlet, 2003)

Different animals make their own sounds as they

ride around town on a bus.

The Wheels on the Busby Raffi (Crown, 1990)The familiar song lyrics are playfully illustrated.

Nonfiction Books

The Airplane Alphabet Bookby Jerry Pallotta

(Charlesbridge, 1997)

An alphabet book presents interesting facts

about different kinds of airplanes.

Big Book of Things That Goby Caroline Bingham

(DK, 1994)

Full-color photographs show vehicles that travel

on land, in water, or through the air.Flyingby Donald Crews (HarperTrophy, 1989)

An airplane takes off, flies, and lands after

passing over cities, countryside, lakes, and more.

See Freight Train Board Bookand School Busby the

same author.

On the Go by Ann Morris (HarperTrophy, 1994)

Color photographs show the ways people allover the world move from place to place.

This Is the Way We Go to School by Edith Baer

(Scholastic, 1992)

Describes the many different ways children allover the world get to school.

What Can You Do? A Book about Discovering What

You Do Wellby Shelley Rotner and Sheila Kelly

(Millbrook, 2001)

Color photographs show children doing

a range of activities.

Resources for Teachersand Caregivers

Storytelling

The Complete Book of Rhymes, Songs, Poems,Fingerplays and Chants by Jackie Silberg and Pam

Schiller (Gryphon House, 2002)

Over 700 selections, arranged alphabetically

by title. Includes a thematic, title, and first-line

index.

Tell Me a Tale: A Book about Storytelling

by Joseph Bruchac (Harcourt, 1997)A Native American storyteller discusses the

four basic components of storytelling: listening,

observing, remembering, and sharing.

Note:Check your local public library forstorytelling recordings.

Literacy

Creating Readers: Over 1000 Games, Activities,

Tongue Twisters, Fingerplays, Songs, and Stories to

Get Children Excited About Reading by Pam Schiller

(Gryphon 2001)

A compilation of resources for the preschool

teacher and family day care provider. See also Do

You Know the Muffin Man?and Where is Thumbkin?

by the same author.

Preschool Literacy Collectionedited by Lesley Mandel

Morrow (IRA, 2009)

A series of six books on early literacy forpreschoolers.

Starting Out Right: A Guide to Promoting Childrens

Reading Successby M. Susan Burns, Peg Griffin, and

Catherine E. Snow, editors, the National Research

Council (National Academy Press, 1999)

Offers hands-on activities to encourage

childrens interest in books and reading and

to build oral language skills. Also available

online at http://www.nap.edu.

http://www.nap.edu/http://www.nap.edu/


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alliteration:The repetition of the same sound

at the beginning of words, as in Sally sells seashells

by the seashore.

book handling:Learning about the parts of a

book, including the front and back covers, the text,

and the illustrations, as well as how to hold, care

for, and handle books.

book language:Words that describe the features

of books, such as author, illustrator, title, plot,

character, setting, anddialogue.

concepts of print:1) The different ways we use

written language, such as letters, recipes, labels,and stories; 2) the structure of written language,

such as the space between words; and 3) the

conventions of written language, such as the way

we read from left to right and from top to bottom.

environmental print:The print at home or in the

community, including labels on food products, store

and road signs, and advertisements.

learning center:A small area in a classroom

or family child care setting that is designed

to allow children to explore materials as they

play and learn by themselves or with others.Examples include art, dramatic play, library, and

writing centers.

making predictions:To use information that you

already know to guess what a story will be about

or what will happen next.

modeling:An instructional approach in which

the teacher thinks aloud and demonstrates a taskbefore inviting children to perform it.

phonological awareness:The ability to hear,

understand, and play with the different sounds

that make up spoken words; the realization that

sentences are made up of words and that words are

made up of separate syllables.

picture walk:A prereading activity to prepare

children for listening. The teacher turns the pages

of a book from the beginning to the end and

encourages children to look at and talk about

the pictures.

recall and retell:To remember and tell a story

in your own words and in the correct sequence.

song or poem chart:A large chart with the words

to a song or poem so teachers can point to each

word as they read it to children.

story structure:The way stories are organized

into a beginning, a middle, and an end.

track print:An instructional technique in which

the teacher moves a finger or a pointer under the

words from left to right and from top to bottomas she or he reads a book, song chart, or other text.

word play:Playing with the beginning, middle,

and ending sounds of words to explore how sounds

and words work.

Glossary

24 Oh, Yes, It Can!Activity Guide


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This BETWEEN THE LIONSEarly Literacy Activity

Guidewas produced by the Educational Outreachdepartment of the WGBH Educational Foundation.

Karen Barss

Director, Educational Outreach

Sonja Latimore

Manager, Editorial Content

Cyrisse Jaffee

Editorial Project Director

Rhonda Berkower

Writer

Jill MackayProduction Coordinator

Tyler Kemp-Benedict

Doug Scott

Designers

Mark Hoffman

Print Production

Michelle Figlar

Consultant

National Head Start Association

BETWEEN THE LIONS

Brigid Sullivan

Executive-in-Charge

Judith Stoia

Executive Producer

Christopher Cerf

Executive Producer for Sirius Thinking, Ltd.

Norman Stiles

Executive Producer for Sirius Thinking, Ltd.

Linda Rath

Curriculum Director

Beth Kirsch

Coordinating Producer/Project Director

Carol Klein

Supervising Producer

Mary Haggerty

Outreach Manager

Gay Mohrbacher

Outreach Coordinator

Credits

BETWEEN THE LIONSis produced by WGBH Boston, Sirius Thi nking, Ltd., and

Mississippi Public Broadcasting. BETWEEN THE LIONSis funded in part by

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a cooperative agreement from theU.S. Department of Educations Ready To Learn grant, and by the Barksdale

Reading Institute. National corporate sponsorship is provided by Chick-

fil-A, Inc. The contents herein were originally developed with support from

the Ready To Learn Television Program, P/R Award Number R295A0002, as

administered by the Of fice of Innovation and Improvement, U.S. Department

of Education, and were developed in part under a cooperative agreement

between the U.S. Depart ment of Education, The Corporation for Public

Broadcasting, and the Public Broadcasting Service for the Ready To Learn

Initiative, PR#s U295A050003 and U295B050003. However, the contents do

not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you

should not assume endorsement by the F ederal Government.

2005, 200 9 WGBH Educational Foundation and Sirius Thinking, Ltd. All

rights reserved. BETWEEN THE LIONS, Get Wild About Reading, and the BTL

characters and related indicia are trademarks or registered trademarks of

WGBH Educational Foundation. All third part y trademarks are the property

of their respective owners. Used with permission.

Illustrations by Steven Mach.

BTL Photos on TOC and page 7 by Richard Termine/WGBH/Sirius Thinking;

all other BTL photos by John E . Barrett/WGBH/Sirius Thinking. Photo, page

5: Geatano/CORBIS. Photo, page 10: iStockphoto.com/Photo-Max.Abuela

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