I Love Animals! Animal Storytime

Today we read 3 amazing animal stories…

I Love Animals by Flora McDonnell

Animals Talk Too by Graham Meadows

The Home Builders by Varsha Bajaj, illustrated by Simona Mulazzani

Extension Activities

Kindergarten – Draw a picture of your favourite animal and write down its name.  If you aren’t sure how to spell it, ask a parent, teacher, or older sibling.

Grade 1 and 2 Mini Research Assignment – You will create a new Google Doc and paste a photo of your favourite animal in it.  On the page you will include at least 3 facts you learn from Google about your favourite animal.  If you aren’t used to using Google Docs, you can draw and write everything you learn on a piece of paper instead.  If you’d like, you can share your finished Google Doc with Brigitte Ruel b.ruel@theojcs.ca

Cranky Bear Stories

I am excited because today is a super fun storytime.  We read not one, but 3 Cranky Bear books!!  I have also included a Cranky colouring page you can print out and colour!

The Very Cranky Bear by Nick Bland

The Very Itchy Bear by Nick Bland

The Very Brave Bear by Nick Bland

Print your own Cranky Colouring Page

Download

Earth Day Story – The Curious Garden

To help us celebrate Earth Day, today we are reading ‘The Curious Garden‘ by Peter Brown.

Earth Day Activity Ideas

• Recycle Bin Raid – find one item in your recycle bin and turn it into something new and amazing!  Maybe that little milk carton can become a tiny bird feeder!  Maybe that paper towel tube can become an art project giraffe!  Use your imagination to transform a piece of trash into a treasure.
• Local Garbage Pick-Up – go out with a parent and find somewhere in your neighbourhood that could use a garbage clean up.  Remember to be safe and wear gloves and don’t touch anything sharp!
• Be a Curious Gardener – if you can get your hands on some seedlings, do some gardening of your own.  If you aren’t sure how to plant a seedling, get a parent or an older sibling to help.  Gardening takes lots of practice, but over time you will get your green thumb.

Earth Day Story – Wangari’s Trees of Peace

Today we read the true story of Wangari Maathai.  The book is called ‘Wangari’s Trees of Peace‘ and it is by Jeanette Winter.

Discussion Questions

These can be discussed as a class or your answers can be left on this page as a comment.

1. What parallels can you draw between Wangari and Greta Thunberg?
2. What were some of the many ways that Wangari’s Green Belt Movement had an impact?
3. How did the Green Belt Movement help to foster peace in Kenya?

Activity – Spread a Green Message on Your Socials!

If you have a school blog, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or Snapchat account, use today as a day to post about an environmental topic that is important to you.  For some inspiration check out some TikTok #earthday videos!

The Elephant’s New Shoe – A True Rescue Story

OJCS Storytime

Today we read The Elephant’s New Shoe by Laurel Neme, Foreword by Nick Marx, and illustrated by Ariel Landy.

 

Chag Sameach – Passover Stories

Passover is almost here and so today I read two beautiful P.J. Library Passover stories…

Welcoming Elijah – A Passover Tale by Leslea Newman, illustrated by Susan Gal

and

Pippa’s Passover Plate by Vivian Kirkfield, illustrated by Jill Weber

Let’s Hunt for Spring!

The first day of Spring is MARCH 20th believe it or not!!  Today we read;

Hopper Hunts for Spring by Marcus Pfister

and

Spring by Stephanie Turnbull

Classroom Activity – Hunt for Signs of Spring

Go for a walk with your class and hunt for signs of Spring with this Spring Scavenger Hunt printout from the Backwoods Mama website!

Download

Science Stories Part 3 – The Scientific Method

Today we read Charlotte the Scientist is Squished by Camille Andros, Illustrated by Brianne Farley.

Activity

This website offers 3 super simple experiments you can do with your young students to practice the steps of The Scientific Method.  Check out KidsAcademy!

Winter Fun Day – Tacky the Penguin

I hope you are all having a super fun Winter Fun Day!  Today we will read Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester, Illustrated by Lynn Munsinger

Activity – Design a Snowglobe

Download

Download

Stories to Inspire You to Be a Maker!

Today we will get inspired to be makers!

We read:

Be a Maker by Katey Howes, Illustrated by Elizabet Vukovic
and
Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty, Illustrated by David Roberts

Check out this great resource for kid-friendly maker projects:

https://www.itabc.ca/success-stories/5-maker-activities-you-can-do-home-your-kids 

Tightrope Walking and Your Centre of Gravity

This week kicks off the first of three science-related storytimes just in time for that special part of the year where the OJCS puts the focus on science projects and STEAM fair!  We will read two stories about tightrope walkers and then do an experiment where your students can learn about centre of gravity!

Today we read;

The Man Who Walked Between The Towers by Mordicai Gerstein

High-Wire Henry by Mary Calhoun, illustrated by Erick Ingraham

NOTE: I apologize for the shaky camera, I didn’t realize that kids in the gym directly above were causing a mini earthquake!

Experiment Time!

Visit the following link for an easy experiment you can do at home or in the classroom! https://www.rookieparenting.com/can-you-balance-a-craft-stick-on-a-chopstick-science-experiment/

Purim Storytime – Cakes and Miracles

Happy Purim!!

Today we read;

Cakes and Miracles – A Purim Tale by Barbara Diamond Goldin, illustrated by Jaime Zollars

Black History Month Storytime

February is Black History Month so today we will introduce students to what Black History Month is all about with this 5 minute video (appropriate for all ages) and then hear a story inspired by Rosa Parks called The Bus Ride by William Miller, illustrated by John Ward, and introduced by Rosa Parks.

Watch This Video First!

Once you’ve watched the video, listen to the story:

Discussion Questions:

1. Why does Sara feel sad for her mother at the start of the story?
2. If you had to follow different rules because of your race or skin colour, how would you feel?
3. Would you have had the courage to sit at the front of the bus, even if it was against the law?
4. How does Sara become a hero to others?

Time Travelling with Dinosaurs!

Some fun stories and a bit of creative writing or drawing!

I chose some funny books about time travelling and dinosaurs to read today. They are;

We’re Back! – A Dinosaur Story by Hudson Talbott

and

Time Train by Paul Fleischman, illustrations by Claire Ewart

Activity – Creative writing or drawing

We will use these books to springboard some creative writing or drawing!

For our younger students or students who struggle with writing you will DRAW a picture of something that could happen if you went back in time to visit the dinosaurs or if dinosaurs came to our time to visit us.

For our students who are comfortable with writing you will write it as a short story.  Make sure it is ORIGINAL, we don’t want to hear the books I just read re-told.  Imagine something that could happen if you went back in time to visit dinosaurs or if they came to the future to visit you!

If you’d like to share them here, email them to me at b.ruel@theojcs.ca

Let’s Celebrate The Trees!

Tu B’Shevat is such a wonderful holiday.  It is so important to grow up appreciating nature and trees!  Today I will read three books about trees.  They are;

Are Trees Alive? by Debbie S. Miller, illustrated by Stacey Schuett

Have You Seen Trees? by Joanne Oppenheim, illustrated by Jean and Mou-Sien Tseng

Picture a Tree by Barbara Reid

Activity

Our activity this week is a beautiful but simple tree painting!  All it takes is tracing your hand and part of your arm to make the trunk, painting it brown, and then choosing some pretty colours to make dots for leaves.  For the full instructions visit https://www.artycraftykids.com/art/autumn-handprint-tree/ 

Creative Writing Activity – I Didn’t Do My Homework Because…

Today we will do a fun creative writing activity. Let’s watch the video!

If you have permission to be on the blogs, you can send me a video or a photo of yourself sharing your drawing and excuse.  I will post the video or photo here!  My email is b.ruel@theojcs.ca

OJCS Storytime – The Tea Party in the Woods

My favourite Winter picture book is The Tea Party in the Woods by Akiko Miyakoshi.  In this video we will listen to the story and also make our own magic pies while learning about fractions!

Chapter Book Storytime – UFO Spotted!

Today we read the chapter book UFO Spotted! which is in the Hilde Cracks the Case Series.  This book is written by Hilde Lysiak and Matthew Lysiak and illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff.  If you decide to stop at a certain chapter make sure you take note of the time in the video so you can start back in the same place another time.

I want you to pay attention to how important it is to Hilde to get all the FACTS before she writes her story.  Real news is fact-based.  Real journalism is not a guess or an opinion.  Real news is not based on rumours.  Real news is about stating clear facts.  That is very important in learning to differentiate real news from potentially fake, false, or misleading news.

ACTIVITY: Visit Hilde’s news site and get tips from the real Hilde!

First let’s visit Hilde’s real news site, Orange Street News, and take ten minutes to read some real news stories.

Site Address: https://orangestreetnews.com/

When you are done, listen to Hilde’s advice for aspiring journalists:

OJCS Storytime – Cleaning Frenzy!

Today we read;

Tidy by Emily Gravett

Sweep by Louise Greig and Julia Sarda

Activities:

Teachers can choose between several handout activities in this amazing Emily Gravett Sweep teacher resource page.

Download

Kitchen Cleaning Frenzy Game:

Designate one corner of your kitchen to be your ‘net’ area by marking it off with duct tape.  If you have a small real net even better.  Now arrange lots of non-breakable small objects around the kitchen floor.  These could be small toys, balls, etc…  Now use a broom and see how fast you can sweep those objects into your net.  If you have a sibling you can compete with, that is even more fun.  Use a timer to break your own record again and again!

Digital Citizenship Workshop – Facts vs. Opinions

Today we listen to the story;

Facts vs. Opinions vs. Robots by Michael Rex

Afterwards we will complete a short assignment to make sure we understand the difference.  Understanding the difference between facts and opinions is another way we can be great digital citizens.  There is so much information online presented as a fact when it is actually just an opinion.  And in this book we learn how important it is to listen respectfully to the opinions of others even if we don’t agree with them.  This is especially true online when we make comments on each other’s blogs and social media.