Sign Language Storytime: Animals

My Sign Language Storytime format is:
Intro and hello
Felt story
Movement song or video
Book
Movement song
Goodbye

This storytime is special for a couple of reasons. First, it's the only one that I give a handout with pictures of the signs on it, so that the kids and grownups can refer to it during storytime and then practice at home. Second, I'm experimenting with adding an AV component to storytime by showing videos to follow along with instead of just listening to songs.


Handout:

Intro and hello:
Hello: "Hello Friends"
Before turning on the music, I teach the kids (and grownups) the American Sign Language sign for "friends." Then we boogie, wave, and sing hello to all our friends!

Warming Up Motor Skills: "Open, Shut Them"

On this song we do the movements described in the lyrics: open our hands, close our hands, clap three times, put our hands in our lap, creep our fingers up to our chin, and don't let them in our mouths.

Stretch: "Tall/Small"

This is a short, easy stretch the kids get a kick out of. While we're stretching, I like to encourage them to reach for the ceiling, touch their toes, then make themselves into a tiny ball.

Felt Story
"I Went to the Rescue Shelter"
This story was made by my coworker Sarah of Miss Sarah's Storytime.

I went to the rescue shelter and made a special wish.
The pet that I wanted was a very special...
(Have kids guess what animal rhymes with "wish." When they guess right, put fish on the board)

I went to the rescue shelter while out for a jog.
I wanted a pet with a wagging talk. I found a little...
(Have kids guess what animal rhymes with "jog." When they guess right, put dog on the board)

I went to the rescue shelter, I went there just like that.
Because I heard a little purr. It was a little...
(Have kids guess what animal rhymes with "that." When they guess right, put cat on the board)

I went to the rescue shelter. It had become a habit.
The pet I wanted now was a soft and fluffy...
(Have kids guess what animal rhymes with "habit." When they guess right, put rabbit on the board)

I went to the rescue shelter. I'm sure this sounds absurd,
But the pet that I wanted was a colorful flying...
(Have kids guess what animal rhymes with "absurd." When they guess right, put bird on the board)

I went to the rescue shelter and it was no mistake.
The pet I really wanted now was a green and hissing...
(Have kids guess what animal rhymes with "mistake." When they guess right, put snake on the board)

Video
"ASL Animals Song" by My Smart Hands
During the video, I encouraged everyone to practice along. Using videos in storytime is still something I'm trying out, but it's going well so far.

Book
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carl
It's a classic, and a great book for practicing animal and color signs.

Movement Song
"Five Little Monkeys"

Numbers 1-5

Monkey

Jumping

Fall off

Hurt head

Mom

Call

No more/All done

Goodbye
"Until We Meet Again" from Out of the Box

When we sing this song, I help them recall the sign for friends from the hello song, and teach them a couple others as we sing: meet, time, and say.

Friends

Meet

Goodbye

This is the only storytime that I don't close with bubbles, because directly following is another program called Stay and Play where I set out 4-5 bins of toys for a 30 minute free play. Adding bubbles to that seems to be too much stimulation.