Bears

Our last week of the fall session, we are learning about bears! Very appropriate since they're heading into their dens about to hibernate for the winter season.

Books:

Toddler Books:

Can You Growl Like a Bear? - John Butler

Make a Wish Bear - Greg Foley

Tiptoe Joe - Ginger Foglesong Gibson

Preschool Books:

Make a Wish Bear - Greg Foley

Welcome Home, Bear: A Book of Animal Habitats - Il Sung Na

We're Going on a Bear Hunt - Michael Rosen

Rhymes/Fingerplays/Songs:

Wake Up Bear (Tune: "Where is Thumbkin?"):

Where is Bear? Where is Bear?

Here I am! Here I am!

How are you this Fall? Very tired, thank you.

Go to sleep. Go to sleep.

Source: Fellow librarian

*I used a puppet box with a cave cut-out taped to the front. We "woke" bear up several times to repeat the song. 

If You're a Bear and You Know It (Tune: "If You're Happy and You Know It"):

If you're a black bear and you know it, clap your paws,

If you're a black bear and you know it, clap your paws,

If you're a black bear and you know it, and you really want to show it,

If you're a black bear and you know it, clap your paws!

Repeat with:

Polar Bear - Show your teeth

Brown Bear - Growl real loud

*I used puppets of the different types of bears with this particular song. I sat them up on the flannel board while we did each verse so they could judge our bear performances.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? - Eric Carle 

*We have a flannel of this story in our flannel drawer. It makes a wonderful cumulative story that is easy for both Toddlers and Preschoolers to chant along with.