Storytime for June 10th: Let's Celebrate Dad

This week's storytime is all about the dads (and uncles, and grandpas, and friends) who are special to us!

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Here are the books we'll be reading this week, along with some videos, links, and activities to accompany them!

Visit the Mo Willems homepage to play games and learn more about Mo's characters.

Download and print a Knuffle Bunny Too activity kit, including coloring pages and other activities.

Visit Leslie Patricelli's website to download coloring pages, play online games, and learn more about the author and her books.

Download and print this Interrupting Chicken story kit for some free Papa and Chicken puppets, coloring pages, and crafts.

Check out the chicken activities and games at Enchanted Learning.

Watch a video of author and illustrator David Ezra Stein talking about Interrupting Chicken.

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You can also download this week's Takeaway page by clicking here.

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And be sure to check out the related online activities for Father's Day:

DLTK—coloring pages, printables, songs, poems, and puzzles

Enchanted Learning—cards, crafts, and writing activities about dads 

Disney Family—crafts and recipes for Father’s Day 

PrimaryGames—Father’s Day themed online games

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And, finally, if you liked today's stories, here are some more great books about dads!

• Grandpa Green by Lane Smith
• Jangles: A Big Fish Story by David Shannon
• Knock Knock: My Dad's Dream for Me by Daniel Beaty
• Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
• Just Me and My Dad by Mercer Mayer

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Have a great week, and we'll see you next Tuesday!

Announcing Summer Library Hours!

Storytime Themes:

Tuesday, June 10th: Let's Celebrate Dad

Tuesday, June 17th: It's Summertime

Tuesday, June 24th: Creepy Crawlies

Tuesday, July 1st: America the Beautiful

Tuesday, July 8th: Christmas in July

Tuesday, July 15th: Pet Parade

Tuesday, July 22nd: Things That Go--CANCELED!

Tuesday, July 29th: What's That Smell?

Tuesday, August 5th: Stargazing

Children's Book Week!

Last week, Smithville Elementary celebrated National Children's Book Week!  Students participated in week-long activities like locating mystery books in the library, matching teachers to their favorite books, and writing the titles of their favorite books on the chalk wall.

Some of our students volunteered to write a book recommendation for their peers.  They were featured in mini posters around the school, along with a QR code that links to a recording of their review!

In addition, we had some special visitors from Junior High who partnered with some of our third graders for a special reading time.

Grace and Evan share a story.

Jaxon and Cole read together.

We were also lucky enough to have two classes of seventh graders put together some readers theater skits for us.  Each small group adapted a favorite children's picture book for a live re-enactment.  Our students loved watching the "big kids" perform!

Tanner and Ethan bring The Gold Miner's Daughter to life.

Brody plays the boy from The Giving Tree, rowing away from home.

King Arthur's Very Great Grandson (Eliana) encounters a Cyclops (Emily).

Third graders were literally on the edge of their seats!

Mrs. Prihoda's art classes from Junior High also created some amazing larger-than-life character cut-outs for Children's Book Week!  Our students had a great time posing with some of their favorite characters!

Annie as Little Red Riding Hood

Logan makes a fantastic Willy Wonka!

Kelly with the Head of Ranch Security (Hank the Cowdog)

Frog and Toad (and Bodie) are friends.

Looks like Lydia and Margherita are headed down a sunny dirt road, deep in Bear Country!

Louise shares a snack with Piglet.

And, finally, we ended our week of book-related fun with our third annual Read-In at Red Brick.  The Read-In featured a live reading of The Day the Crayons Quit, with some of our administration and staff playing the parts of the crayons.

What a COLORFUL cast of characters!

We wrapped up the Read-In with a live reading of Carnivores by some awesome fifth graders.

Margherita (Timber Wolf), Brooklyn (Lion), Bodie (narrator), and Vivian (Great White Shark) turned out to be ferocious meat-eaters!

Thanks to everyone who helped us celebrate how meaningful and special children's books are in our school and in our students lives!  It was a fantastic week!