INTRODUCING STORIES WITH FLANNEL

by Amarilys Reyes on Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 7:18pm

The four little shrimps and the aunt Sardine.
(Recommended for 2-5 years old )
By Ama Reyes


In the heart of the ocean, the water goes around and makes a big, white bubble.
From the coral reef another orange bubble appears, making 1, 2, 3 bubbles in movement.
One little fish was hidden. He has an invitation to visit their friends, the three Little Shrimps and their aunt, the Sardine.

The fish went to the house and since the door; he smelled a delicious soup that Aunt Sardine was cooking.
- Welcome to our house, says aunt Sardine. -We are ready to eat. Would you help us to set up the table?
Setting up the table they set up:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5 bowls
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, cups
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, napkins
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, spoons
Now wash your hands. And 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 washed their hands
Sit down on the chairs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, chairs
Take the spoons 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 spoons.
- Be careful, the soup is too hot says aunt Sardine.
But one little shrimp did not want to wait.
- Wait a minute little shrimp said aunt sardine.
- Wait a minute little shrimp said the fish
- Wait a minute little shrimp said his brothers
The little shrimp did not wait and he burns his mouth with the soup.
- Oh noo! Said aunt sardine. Now you have to drink a lot of water.
Sorry said little shrimp
It’s okay said his brothers and the fish
- However, but the next time, you have to wait a little more and listen to your aunt with more attention
- I will, said the little shrimp.
Then all the friends enjoyed the delicious soup, all even the little shrimp.

CURRICULUM APPLICATION
PRESENTATION: “The four little shrimp and the aunt Sardine”


SUMMARY: The story is developed, primarily with the use of forms and numbers. The teacher trough the formation of figures with “hearths”, constructs the main character of the story: a fish, who visits the four little shrimps and their aunt´s house. Later, teacher encourage children to count the shrimps and objects and make a delicious soup, providing to children images of sharing food in family and the importance of obey adults when children are dealing with hot food or hot drink.

  I choose representing this activity through sequencing and counting as a presentation of my flannel board activity, using a story about four little shrimps, which used to live in the ocean with their aunt, the sardine.
Relating daily actions such as eat, set and share the table, cook and so for, will encourage children to make a relationship between the story and their own activities.

  What age group of children will you use this with?
The story it would be used with 2-5 years old children.

Other ways  to extend the storyline:

This flannel activity is an easy way to show children sequence in event, introducing simple counting to little ones, and at the same time, one opportunity to express through art creation some character’s development. (Fish construction-using hearths).
Others elements like music would be introducing. The Nicaraguan popular song “Four little Shrimp”, which I heard when I started to work with children from diverse cultures, is an example of how using stories contended in songs, teacher could introduces to children new images, words and the opportunity to represent objects that are not present in physical state. This construction will help them developing speech and on the other hand, literature skills acquisition.
Other activity to be incorporate would be body movements. Encouraging children to move their arms pretending they are swimming, serving coffee, setting up or cleaning up the table, are quotidian structures that help children to level and understand some familiar and social roles. Other option is using food to make a party table in dramatic play area. Children will simulate and will experiences language development, solving problems and sharing with peers. Besides these activities are great stimuli for their emotional skills. (See “Four Little Shrimp” song)

How will involve the children in this activity? Teacher will set up the classroom to provide all the children the opportunity to participate in the flannel presentation. Teacher starts the story and progressively asks to children what would be the next step to make the fish with the forms she/he previously made. Involving children in the construction to the main character of the story make the story collective and in addition, children are able to introduce new elements to solve situations (the fish’s construction with hearts). Later, teacher reads the story using corporal movement, encouraging children to follow direction and make an animated line with the use of gross motor movements (using arms, pretending swimming, pretending drink, setting the table, pretending to take the soup with spoons, etc). Teacher would ask children about feelings and some divergent questions, like What would you do if you were the shrimp? Why aunt sardine said the shrimp that he need to way before drink the soup?

 In what ways does flannel story or activity enhance diversity?

In particular, this story boards the relationship between children and their relatives. Some children do not live or are not taking in care for their original parents. The figure of an aunt, permit to the children understand that exist vary of families and their constitutions. In addition, been different species, the shrimp and sardine would belong to different races, and that means family would be everyone, without discrimination of races, color, nationality or gender. The story teaches children the importance of member’s relationship and the respect for each other.
Using relate or complementary stories as the Nicaraguans song “Four little shrimp”, permit to Spanish speakers children have a comprehension of their culture, promoting an identification and respect for their race and language.

The flannel story activity would be documented recording the presentation and the posterior children’s responses. Teacher would make a chart board that will collect open children opinions and responses. For example What do you thing it would be doing the shrimp when he burn his mouth? This documentation is an important element to explore children responses and make them use their thinking and inferences.

I hope this activity will provide new and useful ideas for your fantastic imagination in dealing with multicultural classroom composition.  Enjoy it!