Children Songs and Nursery Rhymes (Kinder Class)

Five Fat Peas


Five fat peas in a pea pod pressed
(children hold hand in a fist)
One grew, two grew, so did all the rest.
(put thumb and fingers up one by one)
They grew and grew
 (raise hand in the air very slowly)
And did not stop,
Until one day
The pod went POP!
(children clap hands together)




One Potato, Two Potato 

One potato, two potato,
Three potato, four,
Five potato, six potato,
Seven potato, more!

One, Two, Tie My Shoe Nursery Rhyme

1,2  Tie my shoe
3,4  Shut the door
5,6  Pick up sticks
7,8  Lay them straight
9, 10  A big fat hen.
Let's get up and count again!

One Little Flower,
One Little BeeOne little flower, one little bee. 
One little blue bird, high in the tree. 
One little brown bear smiling at me. 
One is the number I like, 
you see.

Monkeys On the Bed 
Action poemFive little monkeys jumping  
on the bed 
One fell off and bumped  
his head 
Mama called the doctor and  
the doctor Said, 
" No more monkeys  
jumping on the bed!"

Four little monkeys jumping 
on the bed, three little monkeys jumping on the bed, (and so on).

Five Cookies 
Action poemFive little cookies in the bakery shop. 
Shinning bright with the sugar on top. 
Along comes (child's name) with a nickel to pay. 
He/she buys a cookie and takes it away. 
(continue with four, three, two and one).



Ten Fingers 
A fingerplay

I have ten fingers    hold up both hands, fingers spread
And they all belong to me,  point to self
I can make them do things-
Would you like to see?

I can shut them up tight   make fists
I can open them wide    open hands
I can put them together   place palms together
I can make them all hide   put hands behind back

I can make them jump high   hands over head
I can make them jump low   touch floor
I can fold them up quietly   fold hands in lap
And hold them just so. 

Three Balls 
Action poem

Here's a ball     make ball with thumb and index finger
And here's a ball   make ball with other thumb and index
A great big ball, I see   put arms up and touch fingers

Shall we count them? 
Are you ready? 
One, Two, Three    make all three balls in succession 





Three Little Nickels 
A fingerplay

Three little nickels in a pocketbook new,
   hold up three fingers
One bought a peppermint, and then there were two,
   bend down one finger
Two Little nickels before the day was done,
One bought an ice cream come, and then there was one
   bend down another finger
One little nickel I heard it plainly say,
"I'm going into the piggy bank for a rainy day!" 
 

Turtles 
PoemOne baby turtle alone and new. 
Finds a friend, and then there are two. 
Two baby turtles crawl down to the sea. 
They find another, and then there are three. 
Three baby turtles crawl along the shore. 
They find another, and then there are four. 
Four baby turtles go for a dive. 
Up swims another, and then there are five.

Birds 
PoemThere was one little bird in a little tree, 
He was all alone, and he didn't want to be. 
So he flew far away, over the sea, 
And brought back a friend to live in the tree.



Here is a Beehive
A fingerplay

Here is the beehive, where are the bees?
     clench fist and bring out fingers quickly one by one
Hidden away were nobody sees
Watch and you will see them come out of their hives,
One, two, three, four, five,
Buzz, buzz, buzz.  

Five Little BeesOne little bee blew and flew.
He met a friend, and that made two.Two little bees, busy as could be--
Along came another and that made three.
Three little bees, wanted one more,
Found one soon and that made four.
Four little bees, going to the hive.
Spied their little brother, and that made five.
Five little bees working every hour--
Buzz away, bees, and find another flower.


Five Little Birdies
A fingerplayFive little birdies, flying around our door,
 five fingers one hand up in the air, as verse is said other hand bends down each fingerThe blue one flew away and then there were four.Four little birdies sitting in a tree,
The yellow one flew away and then there were three.
The little birdies didn't know what to do,
So the red one flew away, and then there were two.
Two little birdies sitting in the sun, 
The Brown one flew away, and there was one.
The little green birdie felt so all alone,
He/she flew away and then there was none.
Later on that very day,
five little birdies came back to play.


Ten In A Bed
Action poemThere were ten in a bed and the little one said, 
"Roll over, roll over."   rolling motion
So they all rolled over and one fell out.
There were nine in the bed and the little one said, 
"Roll over, roll over."
So they all rolled over and one fell out....

  This is repeated until you get to the number one.  Each time "roll over" is said, rolling motion is dramatized.

There was one in the bed and the little one said, 
"Good night!" 



Counting  Apples
A fingerplay

Five red apples
Hanging on a tree    five fingers held up
The juiciest apples you ever did see!
The wind came past
And gave an angry frown     shake head and look angry
And one little apple came tumbling down.
Four red apples, etc. 

Monkeys 
In A Tree 
Action poemFive little monkeys 
Sitting in a tree 
Teasing Mr. Crocodile-- 
"You can't catch me." 
"You can't catch me." 
 Along comes Mr. Crocodile 
As quiet as can be-- 
SNAP!!! 
Continue until all monkeys 
are gone

Away swims Mr. Crocodile
As full as he can be!!!

Squirrels
Counting poemFive little squirrels sitting in a tree. 
The first one said, "What do I see?" 
The second one said, "Some nuts on the ground." 
The third one said, "Those nuts I found." 
The fourth one said, "I'll race you there." 
The Fifth one said, "All right, that's fair." 
So they shook their tails and ran with glee. 
To the nuts that lay at the foot of the tree.

Dinosaurs
Subtracting NumbersFive enormous dinosaurs 
Letting out a roar-- 
One went away, and 
Then there were four.

Four enormous dinosaurs
Crashing down a tree--
One went away, and 
Then there were three.

Three enormous dinosaurs
Eating tiger stew--
One went away, and 
Then there were two.

Two enormous dinosaurs
Trying to run--
One ran away, and then there was one.

One enormous dinosaur, 
Afraid to be a hero--
He went away, and
Then there was zero.

Working in TwosSequence for reciting is: first child, second child, both together.

I'm the shoe brush
I'm the shoe
Polish one and polish two
Brush, brush, brush.

I'm the dustpan
I'm the broom
We can see a dusty room
Sweep, sweep, sweep

I'm the candle
I'm the wick
It's getting dark now
Light up the wick, tsk, task, task.

I'm the letter
I'm the stamp
We stick together if we're damp. 

Special Thanks to:
Source:

http://www.preschoolrainbow.org/preschool-rhymes.htm

Animals: Animal Language

Little scientific work has been done on the "language" of animals. Partly because most animals are not very gabby, partly because they are shy, until lately the only available collections of animal noises have been the dubious data supplied by bird-and-barnyard imitators.

In London recently a book was published which went a long way toward filling the gap.* Written by Popularizer-Professor Julian Sorell Huxley, and containing two discs (four sides) recorded by Ludwig Koch, the book shows that a greater variety of animal sounds exists than most scientists ever suspected.

To get his records Koch needed patience, ingenuity and a complicated apparatus. For a year an enormous van had to be moved back & forth between two big British zoos to catch the llama's hollow mating cry, the spotted hyena's angry laugh, the binturong's exhibitionist catcall. Koch spent some sleepless nights.

He recorded not only exotic sounds which the average zoo-goer never hears in a hundred visits but also such familiar noises as the rhythmic bleating of sea lions, broken by short, harsh, discordant barks, which sound like a few bars from Ravel's Valse. More sophisticated listeners preferred the grotesque beauty of the West African red river hog's grunt, the resonant, whuffing snort of the white-tailed gnu, the whistling whinny of the panda.

Most of this animal language has a surprising range. The lion alone makes six distinct sounds, all the way from a hunting call to a grumble of satisfaction after the kill, when it roars "as gently as any sucking dove."

Special Thanks to:
Source:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,771291,00.html

Thomas A. Edison (Reading Class)

THOMAS A. EDISON Born in 1847 - Died in 1931

Thomas Alva Edison was called Alva, or Al by his family. He was a very curious child. He was always asking questions. Even his mother, who had once been a schoolteacher could not answer all his questions. He would experiment to try to find the answers. Once he tried to hatch some eggs by sitting on them. Another time he accidently burned down the family's barn.

The teacher told someone she thought there was something wrong with Alva; that he was "addled" * . He told his mother and they took him out of the school. He only went to school for 3 months in his whole life. Afterwards , he was taught at home.

He wanted to experiment. To make money for his experiments, he went to work at age 12 selling newspapers and candy on a train. When he had some spare time on the train, he would do experiments in the baggage car.

When he was 16 he went to work for the telegraph * office sending messages.

He became nearly deaf due to an injury to his ears. He later said he didn't mind being deaf because it helped him to concentrate.

When he was 22 years old he went to New York. He only had $1 in his pocket. He hunted for a job during the day, and at night he slept in the basement of a gold company. He watched everything around him very closely. Some equipment broke down and Edison was able to fix it because he had been watching it work before he went to sleep each night. The owners gave him a job. He improved the machine so much the company paid him $40,000 for his invention. He started the American Telegraph Works in New Jersey.

He built a laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey. It was here with his employees he made many of his inventions. He would work night after night, and sometimes he would fall asleep at his workbench. His wife wouldn't see him for days at a time.

He and his team worked to make a light bulb which would burn for a long time without burning out. They tried 1,500 materials and nothing worked well. Finally he tried a new material in the filament * that burned nearly 200 hours.

After he had made the light bulb, he worked to make a power system so people could use the bulb. In 1882 he flipped a switch and 85 houses in New York City had electric lights for the first time.



Thomas Edison was probably the world's greatest inventor. He had a patent on 1,093 inventions. In addition to the electric light, he also invented the phonograph * , a camera to take motion pictures, a cement mixer, the automatic * telegraph, and he improved Alexander Graham Bell's telephone.

Special Thanks to:
Source:
http://gardenofpraise.com/ibdediso.htm

Why do we Yawn? (Reading Class)

Why do we Yawn?

Do you think that a great big yawn means you are really bored? Well, if you do, then you cannot possibly be further from the truth. Until recently many researchers used to think yawning is essential to increasing the oxygen intake to the lungs. A few on the other hand insisted that yawning is similar to stretching as it increases blood pressure and heart beat rate.

While both research findings are correct, new studies show that yawning actually perks you up instead of doing the opposite (as many of us seem to think). Scientists point out that we have a tendency to yawn before a big event - athletes yawn before a race, pilots yawn before take-off and you yawn before an exam.

Humans are not the only ones affected by the yawning bug. Animals have been observed to yawn before feeding time while wild animals have a tendency to yawn before a fight.

The act is also highly contagious so if you spot someone with his mouth open, chances are, you too will follow suit. New findings highlight something totally unthinkable - yawning might be a primitive handover from our ancestors signalling a need for change. Or in other words, the act essentially prepares the brain for change.

Believe it or not but even a baby in the womb yawns as it shifts position, however children do not begin to copy other people's yawns until the age of four or five. Studies show that this period of growth is crucial to the learning process as the child improves his/her social skills.

Strangely enough contagious yawning is also linked to intelligence in children (who show the first signs of contagious yawning) surpassing other slow learners.

Hundreds and thousands of years ago, the campfire served as the main gathering point for all the members of the group. Researchers claim that as the people sat around the fire, warming themselves, they would yawn if the leader yawned, as a mark of respect. Those who were more supportive of the leader were more inclined to yawn.

Come to think of it, there might be some truth in it. Have you ever noticed yawning is more contagious if the yawner is someone you like or who you are close to?? It's true and there is ample documentation of the fact.

Despite all these advancements scientists still haven't figured out why we yawn before bed-time, but then again, that is our way of demanding a change -enough of TV, its time to go to bed!

Special Thanks to:
Source:

http://www.pitara.com/discover/5wh/online.asp?story=112

Interesting facts about coca cola (Reading Class)

Interesting facts about coca cola
Before there were diet drinks and bottled waters, there was Coca-Cola. Born at the end of the Civil War, Coca-Cola is the invention of Dr. John Styth Pemberton, an Atlanta pharmacist who made a caramel-colored syrup — the basis of Coke — in his backyard in 1886. Pemberton’s local druggist mixed carbonated water with the syrup and served it as a soda fountain drink for five cents a glass.

Pemberton’s associate, Frank M. Robinson, suggested the name Coca-Cola, thinking two “C”s would make for attractive advertising. In 1893, the name “Coca-Cola” was registered with the U.S. Patent Office.

While the company changed ownership several times, the progress of Coca-Cola didn’t slow down. In 1894, the first factory to manufacture Coke’s syrup opened in Dallas, Texas, and by 1897, Coca-Cola was being drunk in every state and territory in America. Today, hundreds of millions of Cokes are drunk each day in more than 185 countries around the world.

Despite its popularity, Coca-Cola and other soft-drinks come under attack by parents concerned over children’s eating habits. Although tasty, soft drinks don’t provide the basic nutrients needed by growing children or by adults. Unfortunately, many people don’t develop good eating habits and their diets are based on sodas and the greasy foods often consumed with them, such as French fries.

Special Thanks to:
Source:

http://www.strange-facts.info/interesting-facts-about-coca-cola

Up Close with Yao Ming -Time For Kids Interview- (Reading Class)

Yao Ming, the 7-foot 6-inch, 'Little Giant from China' and Houston Rockets' center, has been the focus of the media both in China and U.S. the moment he arrived in 2002. Yao Ming has demonstrated his talent and strength as a powerful player. He had a successful 2004-2005 NBA season and is a three-time NBA All-Star. Many people predict that he will become one of the greatest basketball players in NBA history.

Before Yao Ming arrived, I kept wondering if with his enormous size, he would be intimidating. But I immediately became relaxed and comfortable after he started to talk. There is something special about his personality. During my entire interview, he was very well versed and he was sincere, kind, caring, personable, and sometimes philosophical. We talked about his life in China, his journey to the NBA and the Rockets and his current and future goals. 

TFK: I heard when you were 9 years old, the same age as me; you started to attend the amateur sports school in Shanghai. What was your life like as a kid growing up in China? 
Yao Ming: Nothing really special. I went to the school in the morning. In the afternoon at 2:00 o'clock, I did my home work and then played with neighborhood kids. When I was 9 years old and began to play basketball, I had a regular time to practice basketball from 2:00 to 5:00 in the afternoon. 

Kid Reporter Trisha poses next to Yao Ming.

TFK: What is the major difference between playing in China and here in the US and what do you like best about playing in China and in the U.S.? 
Yao Ming: There are too many areas that are different. In terms of playing basketball and life, there are just too many areas that differ. This is because the differences exist in the cultures between the two countries are so vast; it takes time to change yourself and get used to them. In terms of comparisons, what do I like best about playing in the U.S.? I should say the way they create the atmosphere in the games is much better than that in China. China’s professional league basketball games are not very mature; the atmosphere during the games is not very enthusiastic. It has not been exploited to its max. But there are a few good things about playing in China… It’s my family hobby. 

TFK: What has been your most difficult adjustment to make from a CBA (Chinese Basketball Association) player to an NBA player? 
Yao Ming: I feel that I did not make too many adjustments; except for the language…I must speak English when I am here. 

TFK: You have been selected as an All Star three times. What does it feel like to play in an All Star Game with all those other great players? 
Yao Ming: The All Star Game is not just a game; it contains many many elements inside. It is a weekend to let the fans play and also let our players play. In addition to the games, it contains a lot of other things: such as the 3 point shootout, slam dunk contest, skill challenge …and many other fun things, it is called 'Jam Fest'. It is a holiday for basketball.

TFK: I know you participate in the NBA's 'Read to Achieve' program and you have read to kids both in the U.S. and China. I read that you said 'Reading and learning are important no matter where you live…'Can you tell me your purpose of reading to the kids? 
Yao Ming: Knowledge is very important. Even for players like us, we still need to read a lot. Knowledge is not just the knowledge of books. There are various kinds of knowledge. For us who play basketball, we should be able to summarize our experiences of success and failure. This is also a type of learning. So learning is very, very important for every profession. 

TFK: What were your favorite childhood books? 
Yao Ming: I liked to read history books and biographies. To this date, I still like these types of books. 

TFK: You are also involved in a lot of charity work. You participated in NBA's 'Basketball Without Borders' program and you are the spokesperson for China's AIDS Prevention Campaign and promote bone marrow donation in Beijing. Could you tell me more about your role with Ronald McDonald House Charities? 
Yao Ming: This, I think… How to put it? I don't know why, but this is something I truly enjoy doing and it really makes me feel good to do it. This is a calling. I feel it is a calling. In this world, I think one person's influence is far from being enough. The reason I did this is because I hope more and more people can join us. 

TFK: Most great basketball players are always trying to improve their skills. What skills are you trying to improve? 
Yao Ming: I want to learn to better help my team. Any types of skills that can better help me to assist my team are what I need to learn. 

TFK: Which teammate has helped you the most during your NBA career? Why? 
Yao Ming: My career is still very short, (you know) my professional career. But I have learned good experiences and better things from almost all my teammates. I must say that every one I have dealt with has been very helpful to me. 

TFK: Would you say Shaquille O'Neal is the toughest rival you have faced so far? If not him, who is the toughest rival for you and why? 
Yao Ming: (Laughs) There is no such thing like 'if not him'! It is him! There is no 'if' at all! 

TFK: Which player in the NBA do you enjoy watching the most? Why? 
Yao Ming: You should know this world is very exciting! Just like you don’t want to only stick to eating one thing out of the whole meal. You eat a little bit of everything. Playing basketball is the same. From the view of appreciation, watching different types of players play is a real enjoyment for me. 

TFK: This is your fourth year with the NBA. Your performances in recent games have made many fans very excited! How has your role on the Rockets changed as you have gained experience and improved your skills? 
Yao Ming: My coach always has very high expectations of me. I have also been constantly trying my very best to meet his expectations. Not just because he expects me to, I want to do this myself too. He has given me a goal and I feel that now I have found a way to reach this goal. 

TFK: What are your goals for this season? 
Yao Ming: My current goal? (Smiles) The current goal is making the playoffs! 

TFK: What do you think the Rockets have to do to make the playoffs? 
Yao Ming: To win every game that we are supposed to win and treat every game cautiously and seriously. 

TFK: Who has been the most influential person in your life helping you getting where you are today? Why? 
Yao Ming: My parents. Because they have influenced me so much! From basketball (because they used to be basketball players themselves) to lessons in life. 

TFK: When you are not playing basketball, what other sports do you like to play? 
Yao Ming: Swimming. Before I played basketball, I used to play water polo, but I was considered a slow swimmer, I wasn’t allowed to swim anymore, so I started to play basketball. Right now it is the basketball season, I don’t have much time to swim. But I swim in the summer when I have some free time. 

TFK: You are considered China's pride. People in China and Chinese Americans here in the States have very high expectations of you. Do you feel a lot of pressure and tension knowing that all of China is watching your every move on the court? 
Yao Ming: Yes, I feel a lot of pressure and I used to be nervous, but I am getting used to it. You need to learn how to play your game and live your life normally under pressure and tension. Those things are beyond your control. You can only get used to them, they won’t get used to you. 

TFK: You are a great role model for today’s youth. What advice do you want to give to the kids in the U.S. who want to become a great basketball player or a great athlete like you when they grow up? 
Yao Ming: Study hard. Do not get injured. 

Special Thanks to:
Source:

http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/kids/news/story/0,28277,1632612,00.html