For more information on how I plan and prepare my preschool storytimes, check out this introduction post. I starred the materials used in the plan; multiple stars indicate use for more than one class.
The Plan
Books
All Year Round by Susan B. Katz*
Hap-Pea All Year by Keith Baker
An Orange in January by Dianna Hutts Aston*
Today is Monday by Eric Carle**
Theme Extension Activities
Featured CD: H.U.M. All Year Long**
Featured Track: #6 Like a Windy Day
Flannelboard: Thanks a Lot
Flannelboard: What’s the Weather**
Letter of the Day: C**
Repeating Extension Activities
- Five Little Monkeys Swinging in the Tree*
- Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes
- Icky Sticky Bubble Gum*
- Movement Cube
How It Went
Monday morning
I have to admit that the Calendar theme was planned for the middle of last session. But when a cold knocked me out for a week, I recycled it into this session. I scheduled it first because winter is rapidly leaving Illinois, but that a mistake. The theme is a bit too quiet for a first week and I had one kiddo that absolutely refused to sit down after we sang our opening song. (I generally pick a guaranteed hit — dinosaurs, alphabet, colors, etc. as a week one theme.) That being said, they paid great attention during An Orange in January and made great predictions about what would happen next. And they were DELIGHTED when I read Today is Monday because it was Monday when I read it!
Tuesday morning
On the other hand, this group was baffled that I read Today is Monday because it wasn’t Monday. (There’s a good segue between groups for you!) This group really enjoyed tracing shapes in the air during All Year Round. All Year Round does a nice job of staying away from holidays, but it does have a heart as February’s shape and does talk about changing pumpkins to jack-o-lanterns in October’s spread. A heads-up for those wanting to remain 100% holiday free at storytime.
storytime katie 
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