Start Your Engines - Zoom into Books
By Teresa Chiv
Books to Share
- Miss Spider’s New Car by David Kirk.
- My Race Car by Michael Rex.
- The Race by Caroline Repchuk.
- Racer Dogs by Bob Kolar.
- Rattletrap Car by Phyllis Root.
- Vroom Chugga Vroom Vroom by Ann Miranda.
Books to Show or Booktalk
- The Berenstain Bears’ and the Big Road Race by Stan and Jan Berenstain.
- Big Book of Race Cars by Trevor Lord.
- The Racecar Alphabet by Brian Floca.
- The Smash-Up Crash-Up Derby by Tres Seymour.
Nametag
Trophy Time
Photocopy the car pattern to create nametags for each child.
Decorations
Winner’s Stage
Create a winner’s stage by covering a step stool with a tablecloth or butcher paper. Place the stage against a wall. Photocopy the checkered pattern and attach a dowel or stick to each to create two checkerboard flags. Place them on the wall, crossing the dowels about four feet above the stage.
Fingerplays
- Recite “Auto, Auto” in Let’s Do Fingerplays by Marion Grayson.
- Recite “Traffic Lights” in Children’s Counting-Out Rhymes, Fingerplays, Jump-Rope and Bounce-Ball Chants and Other Rhythms by Gloria Delamar.
One Little Race Car
(By Teresa Chiv. Sing to the tune of “Ten Little Indians.”)
One little, (Hold up index finger)
Two little, (Hold up middle finger)
Three little race cars. (Hold up ring finger)
Four little, (Hold up pinky finger)
Five little, (Hold up thumb)
Six little race cars. (Hold up index finger on other hand)
Seven little, (Hold up middle finger on other hand)
Eight little, (Hold up ring finger on other hand)
Nine little race cars. (Hold up pinky finger on other hand)
Ten little race cars racing! (Hold up thumb on other hand)
Ten little, (Lower thumb on one hand)
Nine little, (Lower pinky finger on one hand)
Eight little race cars. (Lower ring finger on one hand)
Seven little, (Lower middle finger on one hand)
Six little, (Lower index finger on one hand)
Five little race cars. (Lower thumb on other hand)
Four little, (Lower pinky on other hand)
Three little, (Lower ring finger on other hand)
Two little race cars. (Lower middle finger on other hand)
One little race car winning!
Action Rhymes
Traffic Light
(Traditional.)
Twinkle, twinkle traffic light. (Hold your hands together in a circle)
Shining on the corner bright.
Stop shines red. (Hold one hand up in a stop gesture)
Go is green. (Put your hand down, and walk briskly in place)
Slow-down yellow’s in-between. (Walk slowly in place)
Twinkle twinkle traffic light. (Hold your hands together in a circle)
Shining on the corner bright.
Dance and Movement Songs
Play “Look Both Ways” on Toot Toot! by The Wiggles. Children will stand up and walk in a circle throughout this song, until the chorus. During the chorus, lead the children in the following movements:
Stop at the light (Stand with feet apart and one hand up in a stop gesture)
Look both ways (While holding hand up, turn your head from side to side)
Look both ways, again. (Turn your head from side to side again)
Wait for the traffic to come to a stop, (Put your hand down and feet together)
Then cross the road with a friend. (Put your hand out to your side as if you are holding hands with someone, and then walk in place)
Songs
Are We Driving?
(By Cosette Chiv. Sing to the tune of “Frere Jacques.” If you are not familiar with the tune, it’s available on-line at the NIEHS Kid’s Page, www.niehs.nih.gov/kids/lyrics/frere.htm.)
Are we driving?
Are we driving?
Yes we are.
Yes we are.
Where are we going?
Where are we going?
To the race.
To the race!
Hurry, Hurry Drive the Race Car
(By Teresa Chiv. Sing to the tune of “Hurry, Hurry Drive the Firetruck,” on Barney’s Favorites, Vol. 1. The tune is similar to “Ten Little Indians” and can be heard on-line at Casio Songs.)
Hurry, hurry drive the race car.
Hurry, hurry drive the race car.
Hurry, hurry drive the race car.
We want to get first place!
Hurry, hurry increase the speed.
Hurry, hurry increase the speed.
Hurry, hurry increase the speed.
We want to get first place!
Hurry, hurry pass the other cars.
Hurry, hurry pass the other cars.
Hurry, hurry pass the other cars.
We want to get first place!
Hurry, hurry there’s the finish line.
Hurry, hurry there’s the finish line.
Hurry, hurry there’s the finish line.
We did get first place!
Flannel Boards
Traffic Light
Cut a 12-inch by 7-inch rectangle from black felt. Cut three felt circles, one red, one green, and one yellow. Place them on the flannel board as instructed.
Drivers watch the traffic light. (Place the black felt rectangle on the board vertically)
The bottom one is green. (Place the green circle on the bottom of the black rectangle)
Red is at the very top. (Place the red circle at the top of the black rectangle)
Yellow’s in-between. (Place the yellow circle in the middle of the black rectangle)
Crafts
Trophy
Materials
- Silver and gold glitter
- Crayons or colored pencils
- Elmer’s glue
Directions
Photocopy the car trophy pattern onto card stock. After the children receive their trophy from the relay race described below, they will color the trophy and outline their car with glue and glitter.
Games and Activities
Relay Race
Copy the car pattern onto card stock to make three-foot-long cars in red, green, yellow, and blue. Use pylons, roadside cones, or masking tape to create obstacle courses in the program room. Depending on how many children are in the group, you may need up to four courses. The children form lines at each end of the obstacle courses. The children take turns holding the racecar at their side, and walking or running through the obstacle course. When they reach the end, they hand the car to the next child in line. When each child is finished, he or she will go to the winner’s stage to receive a trophy. If there is a digital or Polaroid camera available, take each child’s picture. This activity is recommended for groups of 100 or fewer children.
Videos/DVDs/Films
If you have public performance rights, show these videos and DVDs, or segments of them, to the children. Otherwise, display them for home use.
- Real Wheels: There Goes a Race Car. (35 minutes)
- Toot Toot! by The Wiggles. (40 minutes)
CD-ROMs
Putt-Putt Enters the Race.
Professional Resources
- Barney’s Favorites, Vol. 1.
- Children’s Counting-Out Rhymes, Fingerplays, Jump-Rope and Bounce-Ball Chants and Other Rhythms by Gloria Delamar.
- Let’s Do Fingerplays by Marion Grayson.
- Toot Toot! by the Wiggles.
- Casio Songs www.casiosongs.com
Search for the music for popular songs. It’s free unless you decide to download the music. - NIEHS Kids’ Page www.niehs.nih.gov/kids/home.htm
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences provides lyrics and sound files for a variety of children’s and family songs.
