November 2015

Caregiver Chronicle
Mem Fox’s Read Aloud Commandments
Mem Fox is an
Australian literacy and read
aloud expert
and consultant.
She has written
many books for
children, including Hattie and
the Fox and
Where is the
Green Sheep? and for adults, a
book about reading aloud to children entitled Reading Magic.
1. Spend at least ten wildly happy
minutes every single day reading
aloud.
6. Let children hear lots of language
by talking to them constantly about
the pictures, or anything else connected to the book; or sing any old
song that you can remember; or say
nursery rhymes in a bouncy way; or
be noisy together doing clapping
games.
7. Look for rhyme, rhythm or repetition in books for young children, and
make sure the books are really short.
8. Play games with the things that you
and the child can see on the page,
such as letting kids finish rhymes, and
finding the letters that start the child’s
name and yours, remembering that
it’s never work, it’s always a fabulous
game.
2. Read at least three stories a day:
it may be the same story three
9. Never ever teach reading, or get
times. Children need to hear a thoutense around books.
sand stories before they can begin
to learn to read.
10. Read aloud every day because
you just love being with your child, not
3. Read aloud with animation. Lisbecause it’s the right
ten to your own voice and don’t be
thing to do. This is as
dull, or flat, or boring. Hang loose
important for fathers
and be loud, have fun and laugh a
as it is for mothers!
lot.
4. Read with joy and enjoyment:
real enjoyment for yourself and
great joy for the listeners.
5. Read the stories that the kids
love, over and over and over again,
and always read in the same ‘tune’
for each book: i.e. with the same
intonations on each page, each
time.
Visit Mem Fox's website at:
www.memfox.net
November is Family Literacy Month
share these Read Aloud Commandments and the other literacy articles in
this issue with the families you work
with.
Anoka and Washington Counties
Volume 2, Issue 11
November 2015
Contact Us:
Katy Chase
763-783-4881
[email protected]
Doreen Jackson
763-783-4891
[email protected]
Astra Lowery
763-792-8713
[email protected]
Carrie Woolsey
763-783-4711
[email protected]
Allison Panning
763-783-4823
[email protected]
Annette Borman
763-783-4711
[email protected]
Terri Hoffman
763-717-7718
[email protected]
Inside this issue:
Special Days in
November
2
How to Choose a 2
Children’s Book
Literacy Checklist 3
Refer a Friend
4
Poems
4
French Toast
5
Parent Aware
Info Sessions
6
Special Days to Celebrate in November
8th: National STEM/STEAM Day
11th: Veteran’s Day
18th: Mickey Mouse’s Birthday
26th: Thanksgiving
28th: National French Toast Day
World Kindness Week: 11-17
American Education Week: 16-22
Better Conversation Week: 24-30
National Game & Puzzle Week: 24-30
National Gratitude Month
National Family Literacy Month
National Peanut Butter Lovers Month
History of Veterans Day
Celebrated on the 11th of November every year,
Veterans Day marks the day that World War I came
to an end. To be very specific, the ceasefire was
announced on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the
11th month of the year. While it wasn’t the end to all
wars, as our leaders originally hoped it would be,
the day is now recognized as a day to thank all the
men and women who fight for our freedom, whether
in the Navy, the Army, the Air Force, the Marine
Corps or the Coast Guard.
How to Choose a Children’s Book
Children at every age benefit from hearing
books read aloud.
Babies (0 - 12 months) love the sound of your
voice even before they understand the words.
Rhyming books with lots of rhythm hold a baby’s interest and are very comforting. Babies
also love looking at faces. Books with photographs of other babies or of objects are great
to talk about with your little one.
that keep reading fun and introduce new ideas.
4-Year-Olds often memorize the words of their favorite book, even before they learn to read. Ask
your child to retell his or her favorite book.
The most important reason to read to your
child is to share time together.
Toddlers (12 - 18 months) are learning new
words, how to hold a book, and how to turn
board book pages. Toddlers enjoy books that
relate to their own experiences.
Youngsters (18 - 24 months) are beginning
to notice details in the illustrations. Youngsters
can learn the names of objects you point to in
books.
2-Year-Olds have favorite books and can predict what’s going to happen in a story. Read
books that describe a series of events. Ask,
“What’s going to happen next?”
Find Book lists and additional information at :
http://www.familyreading.org/m-ideas.htm
3-Year-Olds have a longer attention span and
can listen to books with more words. They are
also developing a sense of humor! Pick books
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Caregiver Chronicle
Tips for Sharing Books
(Suggestions
of the American Library Associa-
tion)




Find a comfortable place to sit.
Turn off other distractions -- television, radio or stereo.
Hold the book so that your child can see
the pages clearly.
Involve your child by having him or her
point out objects, talk about the pictures or
repeat common words.





Read with expression.
Vary the pace of your reading.
Have your child select books to read.
Reread your child's favorite books whenever
asked.
Recite or sing rhymes from your favorite books.
Make reading a habit -- before bedtime, after lunch, after nap.
Books About Caring,
Kindness, and Empathy
Here are some books about kindness that
you can use to celebrate World Kindness
Week: November 11-17
Have You Filled a Bucket Today? A
Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids
by Carol McCloud
(visit www.bucketfillers101.com for other
books in the series and resources to use
in your program)
The Nice Book by David Ezra Stein
(Ages 1-3)
Bear Feels Sick by Karma Wilson and
Jane Chapman (Ages 3-5)
Can You Tell How Someone Feels? by
Nita Everly (ages 3-6)
Understand and Care by Cheri Meiners
(Ages 3-6)
When I Care about Others
by Cornelia Maude Spelman (Ages 5-7)
How Kind! - Mary Murphy (Ages 2-5)
The Kindness Quilt - Nancy Elizabeth
Wallace (Ages 6-8)
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Caregiver Chronicle
Thanksgiving Poems
Five Fat Turkeys
Five fat turkeys sitting on a
fence
The first one said," Oh, my am
I immense!"
The second one said, "I can gobble at you"
The third one said, " I can gobble too"
The fourth one said, ""I can spread my tail"
The fifth one said, "Don't catch it on a nail"
The farmer came by and had to say, "Turkeys
look best on Thanksgiving Day!"
Page 4
Five little Turkeys
Five little turkeys by the barn door,
One waddled off, then there were four.
Four little turkeys out under the tree,
One waddled off, then there were three.
Three little turkeys with nothing to do.
One waddled off, then there were two.
Two little turkeys in the noonday sun,
One waddled off, then there was one.
One little turkey - better run away!
Soon will come Thanksgiving Day.
Caregiver Chronicle
Center for Inclusive Childcare Training
Sessions scheduled for November 12,
December 15, 2015 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Location: Concordia University Marshall Building 1371 Marshall Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55104
$25 per night
Sessions:
Social Emotional Development: Helping Children Develop Regulation Skills
The Seven Common Reasons Behind Challenging Behavior
Registration form available at http://www.inclusivechildcare.org/pdf/October-training-seriesflyer.pdf
For Information Call Dea Anderson, Learning Resources Coordinator, 651 603-6274
November 28th National French Toast Day
Celebrate National French Toast Day on Monday when the kids come back from the long
Thanksgiving break with one of these French
Toast recipes.
Cinnamon Roll French Toast
Ingredients
Canned cinnamon rolls
Eggs
Milk
Directions
1. Flatten the cinnamon rolls, put them in the
oven to cook until just done (about 10
minutes)
2. Break and beat the eggs
3. Soak the flattened rolls in the egg and drop
onto frying pan
4. Cook until done (4-5 minutes)
Adopted from http://
kidsactivitiesblog.com/5505/cinnamon-rollfrench-toast
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Caregiver
French Toast in a Mug
2 slices of bread
1 egg
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
In a large mug, melt the butter in the microwave for
about 30 seconds. Roll the butter around in the cup
to coat it. In the mug whisk the egg with a fork until
well blended. Sprinkle the cinnamon over the egg
and add the vanilla then stir again. Cut or tear the
bread into bite size pieces and add to the egg mixture in the mug, pressing the bread down in to the
egg. Let the mixture sit for a minute so the bread
will soak up the egg. Microwave on high for 30 seconds at a time until the egg is cooked through. It
usually takes about 90 seconds total. Enjoy with
the syrup of your choice right out of the mug or you
can plop it onto a plate and cut it up.
Blog Credit: http://
www.tipsfromatypicalmomblog.com/2015/01/
microwave-french-toast-mug.html
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Caregiver Chronicle