Texas Reading Club 2012, Get a Clue...at Your Library! Elementary - My Grandparents / Mis abuelitos

This old man, he played two. He played knick-knack on my shoe. Chorus.
This old man, he played three. He played knick-knack on my knee. Chorus.
This old man, he played four. He played knick-knack on my door. Chorus.
This old man, he played five. He played knick-knack on my hive. Chorus.
This old man, he played six. He played knick-knack on my sticks. Chorus.
This old man, he played seven. He played knick-knack up in Heaven. Chorus.
This old man, he played eight. He played knick-knack on my gate. Chorus.
This old man, he played nine. He played knick-knack on my spine. Chorus.
This old man, he played ten. He played knick-knack once again. Chorus.

Reader’s Theater

Grandma's Corazon

by Priscilla Celina Suarez

Characters

Narrator 1
Narrator 2
Rubi
Abuelita
Don Ramiro

(Abuelita sits in a chair, daydreaming.)

Narrator 1: Sometimes, Abuelita would sit by her window, thinking about her grandchildren who lived far away, in another country.

Narrator 2: You see, Abuelita lived in Mexico in a beautiful country home near the sierras, where the moon sets brightly and clearly and the stars shine like a dazzling light in the sky. And her grandchildren, they lived in a warm border town in a state named Texas…which is where we are!

Narrator 1: Abuelita and her grandchildren would only see each other twice a year, during Christmas time and in the spring.

Narrator 2: They kept in touch through snail mail, because Abuelita did not own a computer to be able to email her family.

Narrator 1: But that was okay, because her grandchildren loved to write letters to a far away place, and draw pictures of how life in Texas was going for them.

Narrator 2: Especially Abuelita’s youngest granddaughter, Rubi, who had just turned eight and could not remember what the night sky looked like.

Narrator 1: Abuelita was now just wondering about Rubi, and how her birthday celebration was coming along. It was just then that Abuelita heard a knock at her door.

(Narrator 1 & 2 leave stage)

Don Ramiro: Knock, knock. (enter Don Ramon)

Abuelita: Ay voy, who’s that knocking at my door?

Don Ramiro: Abuelita, it is I, Don Ramiro.

Abuelita: Hola, Don Ramiro, what brings you out here on this beautiful summer day?

Don Ramiro: The mail is here, and guess what, Abuelita?!

Abuelita: Don Ramiro, seeing as how you come to visit when I have received mail, I’d have to say you bring me a gift.

Don Ramiro: You guessed correctly, Abuelita. It is a letter from young Miss Rubi that I bring here with me. (hands over letter to Abuelita) Here it is. I must get back to work, pero I hope you enjoy this gift of words.

Abuelita: (seeing Don Ramiro to the door) Thank you, Don Ramiro! Saludos to your family.

(Don Ramiro leaves stage)

Narrator 1: Abuelita was so excited to receive a letter from her querida Rubi that it took her no more than a minute to open up her letter.

Narrator 2: And in it was a wonderful surprise for her.

(Abuelita resumes her position sitting by the window to read her letter. In enters Rubi on the opposite side of the stage, looking at the audience.)

Rubi: Hola, my dearest Abuelita,

Today is my eighth birthday and it is almost the best day ever. Abuelita, the only thing missing here for me is you! Nobody knows how to dance la cucaracha or how to tell me cuentos quite like you do.

I can’t believe it has been four whole months since I’ve seen you. It sure does seem like forever. The weather is so hot and humid here in Texas, I wonder when I will ever get to wear a sweater again! Abuelita, the city here is not at all fresh like it is near the sierras of your hometown.

My family surprised me with a birthday party at the water park, and all my friends were there. I received many presents, and the cake was all made out of chocolate which, as you know, is my favorite flavor! We had so much fun, and the guests all stayed until very late. Just when I thought my day full of surprises was over, my dad gave me the best one of all! He asked me to write to you to let you know all about it!

He told me that next week, we all get to go visit you for one entire month! Isn’t that the best news?! Abuelita, I love you so much, and I cannot wait until we get to sit beneath the stars and catch up on those fun stories you always tell us.

Sending you lots of love and kisses,

Rubi

(Narrator 1 & 2 enter stage)

Narrator 1: The week could not have passed any slower for Abuelita…

Narrator 2: or Rubi.

Narrator 1: But, finally, the week did pass and Abuelita and Rubi were reunited for what was sure to be the most wonderful month ever!

(Rubi and Abuelita hug each other.)

The End

Crafts

Keepsake Box

Materials

Construction paper
Crayons
Glue Sticks
Magazines
Video cassette boxes (ask the AV department and patrons for old cases)
Scissors

Directions

Let the children cut a cover for the video cassette boxes from construction paper and decorate them as they wish. They can slide it into the video cassette box to make their own personalized keepsake box.

Games and Activities

Dress Like a Grandma Relay

Bring in two sets of oversized pajamas, socks, sunglasses with the lenses taken out, and bonnets. Place one set on each side of the room. Separate the children into two teams and line them up on the opposite sides from where you place the sets of clothing. In this relay race, a member of each team runs to the opposite side, puts on all the items of clothing, and runs back to the starting line and takes them all off. Then the next member puts them, runs to the opposite side of the room…and so forth, until everyone has taken a turn.

Web-Based Activities

WorldGenWeb for Kids
http://www.worldgenweb.org/~wgw4kids/

A great site for children to begin their family genealogy.

Web Sites

Genealogy for Kids
http://www.kidsturncentral.com/topics/hobbies/kidsgenealogy.htm

Provides a guideline on how children can create a family tree.

Professional Resources

Family Search
http://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asp

Free resources for finding family histories.

My Heart Nametag

Print out this pdf file of the My Heart nametag and cut to use as a nametag.