Opening Song: "If You're Happy and You Know It" [standing up] with whispered added verse "If it's storytime and you know it, say Shhhh..."
Letter of the Day
"All of our stories and rhymes today will be about reptiles. Reptiles are a class of animals that includes alligators and crocodiles, turtles, lizards, and snakes. Almost all reptiles have scales, and almost all are born from eggs."
[If "reptiles" is a word most aren't familiar with, do Bread and Butter Rhyme to break up the word's sounds and hear them clearly: "Let's say 'reptile' as SLOWLY as we can" etc.]
Guessing Chant with Magnet Board:
Rattlesnake, Rattlesnake, playing hide and seek!
Are you behind the _______ door? Let's take a peek!
Talk: "Crocodiles have the strongest bite of any animal--much stronger than sharks and tigers! Alligators are in 2nd place. Crocodiles have around 60 teeth [sources differ]. Can you imagine having to brush that many teeth every morning and night?"
Book: Clarabella's Teeth by An Vrombaut
Action Rhyme: "Two Little Rattlesnakes" ["Snakes are reptiles, and RATTLESNAKE begins with our letter of the day! Let's put our hands out and pretend they're two little rattlesnakes." Or do "gila monsters" instead because it's so fun to say "gila monsters," and have them crawl rather than slither away]
Two little rattlesnakes sitting in the grass--
one named SLOW, the other named FAST!
Slither away, Slow! Slither away, Fast!
Slither back, Slow! Slither back, Fast!
Two little rattlesnakes far from the crowd--
one named QUIET, the other named LOUD! etc.
Song: “Dance, Freeze, Melt” by The Learning Groove from Rockin’ Red
Action Rhyme: "One Little Crocodile"
One hungry crocodile swimming through the SWAMP, [swimming action]
looking around for something he can CHOMP ["looking around" action, clap on CHOMP]
He SNAPS at a frog,
but the frog gets away [hold hands out, palms up, shrug]
and the crocodile goes home hungry that day. [rub belly to indicate hunger]
He SNAPS at a turtle...he SNAPS at a fish...
One FAMISHED [or RAVENOUS] crocodile swimming through the SWAMP,
looking around to see what he can CHOMP,
he SNAPS and he SNAPS but he doesn't catch a thing,
so he has to get his dinner from Burger King.
Book: Snip! Snap! What's That? by Mara Bergman
Song with Shaker Eggs: "Snake in the Grass" by Mr. Jon & Friends
[also: remind kids that most reptiles are born from eggs]
Putting Shaker eggs away:
Shake your egg up high!
Shake your egg down low!
Shake your egg realllly fast!
Shake your egg realllly slllooooww.
Shake your egg over your head.
Get ready to put your egg to bed.
Book [if time]: The Wide-Mouthed Frog by Keith Faulkner
Closing Song: Laurie Berkner's "These Are My Glasses" a cappella. "Today, everything we find in our book will begin with R." Possibles before opening to kids for suggestions: Robot! Raging Rhinoceros! Rocket [count down and blast off]!
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Other possible adds/swaps:
Book: I'd Really Like to Eat a Child by Sylviane Donnio
Syllable Clapping: "Alligator and crocodile are some pretty long words, and they're also fun to say. Parents and caregivers, clapping while sounding out long or unfamiliar words together is a great way to help children recognize that words are made up of smaller sounds, a skill that will help them when they start to learn to read." [Clap and say "AL-LI-GA-TOR" slowly to beat, then say it again and again clapping with group, speeding up. If it starts to sound like applause, bow and say 'Thank you.' Do same for "CROC-O-DI-LE."]
Action Rhyme: "Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree"
