Sunday, May 31, 2015
Treasure Chest
Today we had an adventure with Samputa Mudra or "Treasure Chest." Mira taught this way of holding your hands in her pirate lesson. We began the lesson with the thought of "what is in your treasure chest?" When preparing for today's children sermon, "The Gospel in a Nutshell," I thought of how the "treasure chest" could be the "nutshell" and hold the love of God, represented by a foam heart. With 66 books in the Holy Bible containing 1,189 chapters and 31,173 verses, it's kinda cool than John 3:16 can zero in on what is essential. This verse is often referred to as the "Gospel in a Nutsell"--For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. Know it and show it! Let God's love shine in the choices you make this week. This is a treasure indeed.
Monday, May 25, 2015
Be WILD about READING this summer!
Going to the Zoo by Tom Paxton
“We’re goin’ to the zoo, zoo, zoo! How about you, you, you? You can come too, too, too!”
When I think about a zoo trip, this song starts a singin’ in my head! Tom Paxton’s book includes playful illustrations that convey how you wear a body out having so much fun . . . but after resting up, you’re ready to go to the zoo again, again, and again!
Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
Speaking of a good night’s rest, the zoo animals in this whimsical Peggy Rathmann creation follow the zookeeper home at night from the zoo. The zookeeper never has a clue, but his wife does! She escorts the critters back to the zoo, mostly. Look for the mouse’s balloon on pages of the story. This book is entertaining and provides an invitation to be sneaky, quiet during yoga class. “Can you be as quiet as the animals when they are following the zookeeper home?”
The One and Only, Ivan by Katherine Applegate (chapter book) and
Ivan: The Remarkable True Story of the Shopping Mall Gorilla by Katherine Applegate (picture book)
From one primate story to the next: Introducing . . . The One and Only, Ivan. This award winning chapter book is a work of fiction but it is inspired by the true story of a gorilla captured as a baby who became the star attraction for a shopping mall in Tacoma Washington for 27 years. It is a powerful read. I am inspired about what we CAN do, even when we are limited or “caged.” The picture book about Ivan shares the true story and includes photos with more info in the back matter. I shared The One and Only, Ivan with my family. It’s great for all ages. The short chapters hook you and keep you turning pages. Our family enjoyed the privilege of visiting Ivan in Zoo Atlanta a month before he died in August 2012, http://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2012/08/21/159542065/famous-gorilla-ivan-dies-at-age-50-an-animal-obituary. The docent we talked with at Zoo Atlanta had read The One and Only, Ivan and felt the author really captured “the voice” of Ivan. With older yogis you can engage in some deep thinking and meaningful conversations about animal welfare, discussing the pros and cons of zoo experiences.
My Heart is Like a Zoo by Michael Hall
I’ve reviewed this book for GFY before but just wanted to mention again. When digging into the zoo topic, it’s a good fit for thinking of caring and loving the animals. It’s a great springboard for a fun art project of creating animals out of heart shapes.
A Children’s Zoo by Tana Hoban
Each animal is described with three words. Readers have to guess what the animal is! This book is an oldie, but goodie. You can create your own zoo book with white chalk on black construction paper. Love, love, love Tana Hoban’s work.
Life-Size Zoo by Teruyuki Komiya
Awesome, life-size photos, for making a trip to the zoo possible even when the sun isn’t shining . . .
My Side of the Car by Kate Feiffer
Soooo this really happened . . . Jules and his daughter created the story based on the memory of trying to get to the zoo on a rainy day. What a beautiful book for perspective, point-of-view. It’s a lesson in how your motivation really shapes what you see! You can twist this theme around to zero in on intentions and where we put our focus or energy.
Wild About Us! by Karen Beaumont
My FAVORITE book right now is not a zoo book but it’s about animals, I Don’t Want to Be a Frog! by Dev Petty. Wild About Us! is a zoo book that shares the same, home-runnin’ theme with I Don’t Want to Be a Frog!. You gotta be you, and be proud about it! In Wild About Us!, each animal sports his or her defining characteristic with pride. You can go back and try to be some of these critters in your yoga class. Have fun making up some moves for the ones that don’t obviously lend themselves to a yoga posture or breathing technique. Celebrate individuality and the varied gifts each yogi brings to the mat!
Wild About Books by Judy Sierra
In this Dr. Seuss tribute, Judy Sierra and Marc Brown team up to create a story sharing a bookmobile driving librarian who lends library books to zoo animals. There’s a GGGGRRRReat book for every reader: tall books for giraffes, tiny ones for crickets. “She even found waterproof books for the otter, who never went swimming without Harry Potter.”
Be WILD about reading this summer!
Amazon Links:
A Children’s Zoo by Tana Hoban
http://www.amazon.com/Childrens-Zoo-Tana-Hoban/dp/0688052029/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1430702754&sr=1-1&keywords=tana+hoban+zoo
Going to the Zoo by Tom Paxton
Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
Ivan: The Remarkable True Story of the Shopping Mall Gorilla by Katherine Applegate
http://www.amazon.com/Ivan-Remarkable-Story-Shopping-Gorilla/dp/0544252306/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1430702396&sr=1-1&keywords=ivan+the+gorilla
Life-Size Zoo by Teruyuki Komiya
My Heart is Like a Zoo by Michael Hall
My Side of the Car by Kate Feiffer
The One and Only, Ivan by Katherine Applegate
Wild About Books by Judy Sierra
Wild About Us! by Karen Beaumont
Sunday, May 3, 2015
Let's PLAY with a Good Book
Toys Go Out: Being the Adventure of a Knowledgeable Stingray, a Toughy Little Buffalo, and Someone Called Plastic by Emily Jenkins
Toys Dance Party: Being the Further Adventures of a Bossyboots Stingray, a Courageous Buffalo, and a Hopeful Round Someone Called Plastic by Emily Jenkins
Toys Come Home: Being the Early Experiences of an Intelligent Stingray, a Brave Buffalo, and a Brand New Someone Called Plastic by Emily Jenkins
These are chapter book ideas for your older yogis or your younger, advanced readers! These are age appropriate in content (and it can be a challenge to find age appropriate content for an advanced young reader)! Reminiscent of The Velveteen Rabbit and Corduroy,
the toys talk and share adventures. What ARE your toys doing when you aren’t playing with them?
Press Here by Hervé Tullet
Here is a book you can PLAY! This interactive book is enjoyable for all ages. You can involve the whole class! Take turns following the directions and “making” fun things happen on each page! I often make a connection to the benefits of listening and paying attention and how sometimes we miss out on a good time when we don’t.
Hand Rhymes by Marc Brown
Another interactive book choice! For me, Hand Rhymes and Finger Rhymes connect with mudras. Finger Rhymes by Marc Brown was not available at Amazon but may be at your public library. It is available at my local branch! Marc Tolon Brown is the author of the Arthur the Aardvark series. He shares step-by-step directions for movement with hands/fingers for a variety of poems and songs. These fingerplays are fun to establish routines in your class. Try one to pull everybody’s attention back, so together you can do what’s next in your practice.
A Fine, Fine School by Sharon Creech
WOW! This is my go to book for when we try to do more, more, more to improve! “Less is more.” Play is so necessary for “improvement” and healthy growth. Extending the school day or the school week, doing more, is not the answer. It’s on the playground that kiddos solve problems and practice how to be safe, responsible and respectful to others. A lot of learning happens during recess and unstructured play, if children are afforded the opportunity. This one is a fine, fine choice for the folks who make decisions on school scheduling!
Mr. President Goes to School by Rick Walton
This book illustrates how even “BIG people" need play to help solve problems and get along better with friends. Play invites balance. I love when Mr. President applies some kindergarten tactics with the quarreling dignitaries. Robert Fulghum had it right when he wrote the poem, “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.”
(1) Not a Box and (2) Not a Stick by Antoinette Portis
Imagination is key in unstructured play! When my children were little, we bought toys and they played with the boxes for the toys . . . Not a Box and Not a Stick capture how much fun you can have playing and using your imagination. The simple illustrations capture the box/stick as it is in the book character’s creative mind.
The Quiet Place by Sarah Stewart
Another great “box” story! Set in the 1950’s, this story describes a little girl’s move from Mexico to the US. This book is formatted uniquely. The letters Isabel writes to her Auntie Lupita, describing her new life and how she is learning to speak English, relate the story. She creates a “quiet place” with several boxes to write her letters. Creating a quiet place is a great connection to slowing down, experiencing mindfulness, settling all the events of a good or not so good day. This book describes quiet play and how healthful and helpful it is during transitions, growing up times, and always.
Can I Play Too? by Mo Willems
Snake wants to play with Elephant and Piggie, but there’s some problem solving to do to involve Snake in their game. Unlike red-nosed Rudolph’s Reindeer Games, Elephant and Piggie figure how to adapt the fun so everyone can play. I love me some Elephant and Piggie! If you don’t know these books and you work with young yogis, check ‘em out at the public library ASAP. Simple, great fun and kids absolutely LOVE them.
How do YOU play? Play with a good book everyday! Storytime builds relationships, strengthens your thinking and is just plain fun. :-)
Happy Reading in May!
Amazon Links:
Toys Go Out: Being the Adventure of a Knowledgeable Stingray, a Toughy Little Buffalo, and Someone Called Plastic by Emily Jenkins
Toys Dance Party: Being the Further Adventures of a Bossyboots Stingray, a Courageous Buffalo, and a Hopeful Round Someone Called Plastic by Emily Jenkins
Toys Come Home: Being the Early Experiences of an Intelligent Stingray, a Brave Buffalo, and a Brand New Someone Called Plastic by Emily Jenkins
Press Here by Hervé Tullet
Hand Rhymes by Marc Brown
A Fine, Fine School by Sharon Creech
Mr. President Goes to School by Rick Walton
(1) Not a Box and (2) Not a Stick by Antoinette Portis
The Quiet Place by Sarah Stewart
Can I Play Too? by Mo Willems
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