1000 Books Week Five

Can you believe this program has been going on for a month already? 30 days and 24 children reading later, I'd say we're doing alright!

Our last Book of the Week was a favorite of mine, "The Tale of Peter Rabbit", by Beatrix Potter.

This week's Book is a bit more patriotic, what with Canada Day almost upon us! "Our Canadian Flag", by Maxine Trottier and Brian Deines.

A patriotic look at the Canadian flag. The maple leaf is a powerful symbol. Take a heartfelt look at what it means to everyday Canadians. Emotional text, beautiful illustrations, and sidebars that add fascinating details and facts about the history of our flag make this book perfect for the classroom or for anyone who simply loves this great country.

Whatever your plans are for celebrating Canada's birthday, I hope they include sitting down with a good book! I know I will!

1000 Books Week Four

Hello, fellow readers!

It was a good week for the 1000 Books program. Three new children entered the program, eager to read new and exciting stories!

Last week's Book of the Week was "Dinosaur vs. the Potty", by Bob Shea. A delightful tale for parents and children discovering the ups and downs of potty training.

This week's Book of the Week is an oldie, but a goodie. "The Tale of Peter Rabbit", by Beatrix Potter.

"When Mrs. Rabbit beseeches her four furry children not to go into Mr. McGregor's garden, the impish Peter naturally takes this as an open invitation to create mischief. He quickly gets in over his head, when he is spotted by farmer McGregor himself. Any child with a spark of sass will find Peter's adventures remarkably familiar."

A classic tale the whole family can enjoy! (It just so happens to be this Programmer's favorite children's book!) 

1000 Books Week Three

It was a good week for the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program!

We had four new kids sign up for the program, and two kids went home with prizes for reading fifty books! Congratulations Eleanor and Penelope! Keep up the good reading!

Last week's Book of the Week was "Detective Blue", by Steve Metzger. "Detective Blue" tells a fun, interesting story about Little Boy Blue, all grown up!

This week's Book of the Week is "Dinosaur Vs. the Potty", by Bob Shea. This board book is great for kids who are potty training!

"Dinosaur doesn't need to use the potty. Even when he's making lemonade, running through the sprinkler, and splashing in rain puddles. See? He's doing his victory dance. Wait . . . that's not a victory dance, that looks like a potty dance!"

Lots of fun happening with this program! Literacy begins early. Just three books a day will get your child to 1000 books in a year!

If you haven't already signed up for this program, come on down to the library, or call us to register your child.

G.A.S.P Year-End Celebration

Well, it's that time of year again! School's just about at an end, so our Great After School Program is finishing for the summer. We'll start up again in September, for ages 7-12.

To commemorate the year's fun and excitement, we're having a year-end celebration next week: Thursday, June 21st. If the weather permits, we'll have the party outside, filled with outdoor activities like water balloon/water gun fights, hula hoops, Twister with grass paints, a blow-up boat filled with water, and whatever other fun shenanigans we can get into! We'll have pizza and juice, and some prize giveaways!

Bring your towel (and a water-gun if you have one), bring a friend, and come celebrate the G.A.S.P. program with us at the library! Can't wait to see you there!

1000 Books Week Two

We had 9 kids registered for the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program last week. What a great start!

I can't wait to start putting our Star Readers' leaves up on the Reading Beanstalk!

Last week's Book of the Week was "Hugless Douglas", by David Melling. Such a cute story, great for any age!

This week's Book of the Week is "Detective Blue", by Steve Metzger, illustrated by Tedd Arnold.

"Miss Muffet is missing . . . and Detective Blue is on the case!

'Today started like any other day. The dish ran away with the spoon.'

Little Boy Blue is all grown up, and he's a detective working to find Miss Muffet. Join in the fun as Detective Blue tries to crack the case with the help of his nursery rhyme friends. The fun is never-ending as Detective Blue interrogates grown-up nursery rhyme characters in order to solve the Missing Muffet Mystery. Kids, parents, and teachers can find a list of referenced nursery rhymes and go back into the story to find the characters."

Have you read this great story yet? Check it out. And if you haven't already done so, come on down to the Sylvan Lake Library and register for our new, exciting, 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program! It's free, and it's fun! 

1000 Books Before Kindergarten

Attention parents: We've just started a new children's reading program at the Library! 1000 Books Before Kindergarten is a program designed to encourage early literacy. This program is for children from birth - 5 years.

Did you know that if you read just three books every day with your children, they will have read 1000 books in 1 year?

How the program works: First, come down to the library and register your children for this free program. You will receive a leaf/leaves for your child(ren) to decorate, and a starter sheet for you to write down the first 50 books you've read with your child(ren). Bring back the decorated leaf/leaves, and we'll display them on our Reading Beanstalk. When you bring back your child's completed reading sheet, they get to select a prize for their success, and receive a new reading sheet with spaces for the next 100 books. At the end of the summer, children registered in the program will be invited to a Reading Party at the library to celebrate their success in reading. Each time you bring back a completed sheet, your child(ren) get to select a prize.

If you've already started reading with your child: You are welcome to write down books you and your child(ren) have already read - think of it as a jumpstart!

What books to read: Keep an eye here, on Facebook, and at the library - we'll be displaying a Book of the Week, as well as a list of suggested reading for parents with young children. This week's Book of the Week is "Hugless Douglas", by David Melling.

"Douglas is a young bear looking for a hug. But each time he thinks he has found that very special feeling, it turns out to be a false alarm. The big rock he hugs is too...oof! HEAVY. The tall tree he hugs is too...ouch! SPLINTERY. And the cozy-looking bush he hugs quivers and trembles and then runs away! Poor Hugless Douglas. Won't anyone give him a hug?"

Questions: This new program is being run by the library's newest programmer, Corrie. If you have any questions about registering, finding books to read, or any other questions about the program, you can email her at corrie.brown@libs.prl.ab.ca or call the library at 403-887-2130. Library staff will help you in any way they can, as well.

We look forward to helping your children become great readers!

Shapes

Shapes

Music: Bobs & Lolo Connecting the Dots

Storytime – Welcome Song and Storytime is Starting Song

Read first story Are Eggs Square?, Hockey Shapes or The Wing On A Flea

Fingerplay: Shapes

Make a circle, make a circle,
Draw it in the sky.
Use your finger, use your finger,
Make it round as a pie.
Draw a square, draw a square,
Make the lines so straight.
Make a square, make a square,
Draw a box in the air.
Draw a triangle, draw a triangle, Always start at the top.
Make a tent, make a tent, Use three lines and stop!

Read second story Brown Rabbit's Shape Book or Mouse Shapes

Sing: SHAPES, SHAPES, SHAPES (Tune: “Three Blind Mice”)

 Shapes, shapes, shapes; shapes, shapes, shapes.

We love shapes, we love shapes.

There’re squares and circles for me and you,

Triangles, rectangles, ovals, too,

Hearts and diamonds, to name a few.

Yes, we love shapes.

Read third story Fuzzy Yellow Ducklings, Round is a Pancake or Ship Shapes

Rhyming Poem: The Shape of Things 

What is a circle? What is round?
A quarter rolling on the ground.
A wheel is a circle, so is the moon,
A bottle cap, or a big balloon.

What is a square, with sides the same?
The wooden board for a checker game.
A slice of cheese, a TV screen,
A table napkin to keep you clean.

What is a rectangle, straight and tall?
The door that stands within your wall.
A dollar bill, a loaf of bread,
The mattress lying on your bed.

What is a triangle, with sides of three?
A peice of pie for you and me.
A musical triangle, ding, ding, ding,
A slice of pizza with everything!

These are the shapes seen everywhere:
A triangle, rectangle, circle, square.
If you look closely where you've been,
You'll surely see the shapes you're in!

 Craft: Shape people

Squares, rectangles, circles and triangles cut from coloured construction paper, construction paper,  markers, glue, googly eyes.

Glue on shapes and add eyes and draw on face, arms, and legs 

Idea from Preschool Playbook