Elementary Programs Chapters
By Bonnie Langan and Anne Neidinger
Deep in Texas Tall Tales
- Books to Share
- Songs
- Riddles and Jokes
- Reader’s Theatre
- Stories to Tell
- Craft
- Guest Speakers
- Books to Display or Booktalk
- Bulletin Boards
- Display
- Decorations
- Incentives
- Videos/DVD’s/Films
- Professional Resources
Books to Share
Cowboy and the Black-eyed Pea by Tony Johnston.
The Legend of the Bluebonnet by Tomie dePaola.
The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush by Tomie dePaola.
Legend of Pecos Bill by Terry Small.
Why Cowgirls are Such Sweet Talkers by Laurie Knowlton.
Why Cowboys Sleep with Their Boots On by Laurie Knowlton.
Songs
Deep in the Heart of Texas
Lyrics and a MIDI file are on the NIEHS Kids Page at http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/lyrics/texas.htm.
The Yellow Rose of Texas
A MIDI file and lyrics on the NIEHS Kids Page at http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/lyrics/yellowrose.htm.
Riddles and Jokes
Select jokes to tell from Texas! 500 Jokes of the Lone Star State by Boyce House. Visit Texas Tales, Jokes and Anecdotes by John Watson at http://buckcreek.tripod.com/texas.html and select some jokes to tell.
Knock Knock.
Who’s there?
Beep.
Beep who.
Beep Beep RoadrunnerKnock Knock.
Who’s there?
Summer.
Summer who?
Summer Reading Club is here!
Reader’s Theatre
The Cowboy Who Cried Coyote
Let the children read, “The Cowboy Who Cried Coyote” by Gayle Travis, in Read Across Texas, the 2002 Texas Reading Club manual, at http://www.tsl.texas.gov/ld/projects/trc/2002/manual/scripts/criedcoyote.html.
The Ballad of Ginger Fella
Let the children read, “The Ballad of Ginger Fella” by Missy Edgemon, in Read Across Texas, the 2002 Texas Reading Club manual, at http://www.tsl.texas.gov/ld/projects/trc/2002/manual/scripts/gingerfella.html.
Select a script from Frontier Fogs and Other Frankly Fractured Folktales for Reader’s Theatre by Anthony Fredricks or Multicultural Folktales: Reader’s Theatre for Elementary Students by Suzanne I Barchers.
Stories to Tell
Tell a tall tale about an historical figure such as Daniel Boone, Jim Bowie, Davy Crockett, or a character from folklore such as Pecos Bill.
Craft
Bluebonnet Flowers
Materials- Popped corn
- Blue tempera paint
- Crepe paper
- Pipe cleaners
- Optional: Buttons
In advance, place popped corn in a paper bag with blue tempera paint. The children glue the blue popcorn “petals” onto a green pipe cleaner stem, and attach leaves made from green pipe cleaner or green crepe paper. An alternative is to use blue buttons as petals.
Vaquero Pantene Puppet
Materials- Brass fasteners
- Construction paper or card stock
- Colors
Copy the pantene puppet pattern at http://www.tsl.texas.gov/ld/projects/trc/2002/manual/clipart/cowboy.html, from the Elementary Chapter of Read Across Texas, the 2002 Texas Reading Club manual, Read Across Texas onto card stock. Or, copy the pattern onto regular paper, cut the pieces out, and glue them to construction paper. Let the children color the pattern pieces, cut them out, assemble them with brass fasteners, and play with their puppets.
Guest Speakers
Invite a singing cowboy or a Texas storyteller to tell their favorite tall tales.
Books to Display or Booktalk
Brian Robertson’s Favorite Texas Tales by Brian Robertson.
Ghost Stories of Old Texas by Zinita Fowler.
Hold up the Sky by Jane Curry.
The Legend of Lone Star Bear by Remi Kramer.
Pecos Bill: A Tall Tale by Steven Kellogg.
Tales from the Home Place by Burandt and Shelley Dale.
Bulletin Boards
Affix pictures of tall tale characters onto the bulletin board along with book covers of tall tales. Let the children write and illustrate tall tales, or draw pictures of characters from tall tales, and add them to the bulletin board.
Display
Display books of Texas tall tales.
Decorations
Hang or display cowboys, boots, paintbrushes, corn husks dolls, bluebonnets, the shape of Texas, and other cowboy-related items around the library.
Incentives
Ask your local hardware store to donate bluebonnet seeds for the children to plant in small pots, garden areas, or a window box.
Videos/DVD’s/Films
The Legend of the Bluebonnet. (20 minutes)
Pecos Bill: King of Cowboys. (49 minutes)
Professional Resources
Frontier Fogs and Other Frankly Fractured Folktales for Reader’s Theatre by Anthony Fredricks.
Multicultural Folktales: Reader’s theatre for Elementary Students by Suzanne I Barchers.
Texas! 500 Jokes of the Lone Star State by Boyce House.
American Folklore
http://www.americanfolklore.net/folktales/tx.html
This site features folklore from across the U.S., including Texas stories. Tongue twisters are also included at http://www.americanfolklore.net/tonguetwisters.html.
Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame
http://www.texascowboyhalloffame.com/
The Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame honors people who participate in rodeo events and excel at them. Texas Tales, Jokes and Anecdotes http://buckcreek.tripod.comtexas.html Features jokes to tell to children at storytime programs.
Texas Theatres
http://www.texastheatres.org/
The Texas Nonprofit Theatre web site encourages community theatres in Texas and includes scripts for children’s plays, musicals, including one act plays.
Tune in to Texas Stories
http://www.texasstories.com/
On this site, children can learn about the Lone Star State and how to be a Texan. The site includes audio files of stories.