Texas Reading Club 2012, Get a Clue...at Your Library! Preschool - Get a Clue with Your Culture / Descubriendo tu cultura

Decorate your bulletin board with bright colored butcher paper and affix pictures of your library staff’s family. Cut out the words “My Library Family” from white construction paper and affix them the bulletin board.

Nametag

This is Me / Soy yo

Copy the “This is Me” frame nametag template at the end of this program onto white cardstock paper. Let children color a “mini me” image of themselves into the frame.

Display

Culture in the Library / Cultura en la biblioteca

Ask patrons and staff to lend personal belongings that would describe their cultural heritage. Display them in a display case with small index cards by them to describe what culture the items represent.

Decorations

Invite patrons and coworkers to lend their traditional outfits from their families’ native countries and exhibit them in the programming area.

Refreshments

Cultural Pot luck

Ask participating families to bring in an edible finger food that is representative of their heritage to share during the program. Throughout the program, have participants talk a bit about the background of their dishes.

Songs

“Family Tree” in Celebration of Family by Various Artists

Rhymes and Poetry

This is My Family

(by Priscilla Celina Suarez)

This is me
as you see
surrounded
and overcrowded
with love
and loving it.

This is my family
as you see
surrounded
and overcrowded
with my love
and loving it!

Reader’s Theater

Where I’m From

(by Priscilla Celina Suarez)

Characters

Texan 1
Texan 2

Texan 1: I am from Texas, where the skies are blue and the people are true. Me, I’m proud to be from Texas.

Texan 2: Me too. I am also from Texas. Where bluebonnets are the state flower, growing in bright hues all throughout the roadsides, from the very tippity-tip to the panhandle of this big state.

Texan 1: I am from a state where the flag flies high, with a star as white as the color of marshmallows and cotton balls.

Texan 2: Here in Texas, the mockingbird is the state bird. Mockingbirds come in many colors and tones and are known to mock songs of other birds and yucky insects.

Texan 1: Did you know that where I’m from, we have a state fish? I’m sure that it swims and glides in the sea, it’s name is the Guadalupe Bass.

Texan 2: Where I am from, there are four bodies of water that border the state of Texas. They are the Sabine River, the Red River, the Rio Grande, and the Gulf of Mexico.

Texan 1: All throughout Texas, we have a prickly state plant, namely the Prickly Pear Cactus. You wouldn’t know it, but between all of those needles and pins, this plant grows a yummy juicy fruit.

Texan 2: Here in Texas, we sure do like our music, from country to pop to rock and roll. We pat on tambourines, play on drums and other things, but the guitar is our state’s musical instrument.

Texan 1: Even on hot days, our sport is the Rodeo, where cowboys and other folks put on a good show.

Texan 2: My grandma loves our state tree, the Pecan, which grows green and provides the main ingredient for my favorite type of pie.

Texan 1: My favorite part about where I am from is the best ever state song, “Texas, Our Texas”.

Texan 1 & Texan 2: (Singing together)

Texas, our Texas! All hail the mighty State!
Texas, our Texas! So wonderful so great!
Boldest and grandest, Withstanding ev'ry test;
O Empire wide and glorious, you stand supremely blest.

Puppet Plays

These Are My Amigos

(by Priscilla Celina Suarez)

Puppets

Ana
Benny
Carlos
Diana
Elisa

Setting

School

Benny: Here at our school, there are many second graders like us who like to sing songs and play fun games.

Ana: I think the most fun part about my amigos is that they know many English and Spanish songs, just like me.

Carlos: My favorite song is Happy Birthday, which I am sure many of you here know. It is Diana’s birthday today, and before eating her birthday cake, (show image of birthday cake) we should all sing her a song. Everybody help me sing!

Ana, Benny, Carlos, and Elisa: (singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to Diana)

Diana: (clapping) Thank you! You all are the best singers ever!

Elisa: My favorite song is almost like the Happy Birthday song, but it is the Spanish version of a birthday melody.

Carlos: I know which one!

Diana: It is one of my favorite songs too!

Benny: Then we will sing it to you!

Ana, Benny, Carlos, and Elisa:(singing ‘Las Mañanitas’ to Diana)

Benny: My favorite song in the whole world is ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’. My brother sings it to me every night before we go to bed.

Ana, Benny, Carlos, Diana and Elisa: (singing ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’)

Ana: And my favorite song is ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’ because it reminds me of the time that my dog Greñas followed me to school. I was so embarrassed!

Diana: I remember that! It was so funny and he kept barking at you because he wanted to come into the classroom!

Ana, Benny, Carlos, Diana and Elisa: (singing ‘Mary had a Little Lamb’)

Elisa: Well, you’ll never guess what my favorite song is!

Benny: I bet you I can! It’s probably ‘De Colores’.

Ana, Benny, Carlos, Diana and Elisa:(singing ‘De Colores’)

Elisa: I do like that song, but it is not my favorite one.

Carlos: I bet you then that it is ‘Los Elefantes’.

Ana, Benny, Carlos, Diana and Elisa:(singing ‘Los Elefantes’)

Elisa: Nope. But I like that song too.

Ana: Then, it is ‘Duérmete, Mi Niño’.

Ana, Benny, Carlos, Diana and Elisa:(singing ‘Duérmete, Mi Niño’)

Elisa: Not that song either!

Diana: I am almost sure that it is ‘I’m a Little Teapot’.

Ana, Benny, Carlos, Diana and Elisa: (singing ‘I’m a Little Teapot’)

Elisa: Nope!

Ana, Benny, Carlos, and Diana: Then what is it?!

Elisa: It is ‘You are my Sunshine’.

Ana, Benny, Carlos, Diana and Elisa: (singing ‘You are my Sunshine’)

Benny: Why is that your favorite song?

Elisa: Because you all are my amigos, and that makes me very happy!

The End

Crafts

Family Collage

Materials

Crayons
Glue
Glitter
Construction Paper (assorted colors)
Magazines
Photographs (ask children to bring photos they can cut out)
Scissors

Directions

Let the children cut out images from magazines that remind them of their relatives. Let them decorate the construction paper using their photographs, crayons, glitter, and the pictures cut from magazines.

Games and Activities

In What Country?

Print out several images of clothing styles, food, historical attractions, and such from around the world. Show children the images and have them guess where the item in the image is from.

Guest Speakers

Invite a local genealogist to talk to the children about family trees.

Web Sites

Social Studies for Kids
http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/subjects/cultures.htm

Explores all types of fun facts about cultures around the world.

Professional Resources

Social Studies – PBS Teachers Resources
http://www.pbs.org/teachers/classroom/k-2/social-studies/resources/?resource_topic=115&resource_type=&resource_site=

Visit this site for ideas and activities to use in your library.

This is Me Nametag

A diamond shaped drawing to be cut out and used as a nametag

Print out the above image and cut to use as a nametag.