So Many Questions Storytime Lesson Plan
Books
Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road? by Jon Agee...[et al.], Dial Books for Young Readers, 2006.
Why Are You Doing That? by Elise Amado, illustrated by Manuel Monroy, Groundwood Books, 2014.
Why? by Lindsay Camp, Putnam, 1998.
Question Boy Meets Little Miss Know-It-All by Peter Catalanotto, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2012.
Clementine and Mungo by Sarah Dyer, Bloomsbury, 2004.
A Very Curious Bear by Tony Mitten, illustrated by Paul Howard, Random House, 2009.
First Big Book of Why by Amy Shields, National Geographic, 2011.
Why? by Richard Torrey, Harper, 2010.
Songs
"Very Good Question" --Uncle Rock, The Big Picture (2:12)
"Why Me" --William Janiak, Songs About Me (1:29)
"Just Wondering" --Caspar Babypants, I Found You (2:38)
"Do You Know How" --Movin' and Shakin' for Youngsters (1:45)
"The Question Song" --Mrs. Jones Room, accessed 9/29/15
Fingerplays/Action Rhymes
Where is Thumbkin?
X Marks the Spot
Props
Little Mouse's Houses, accessed 9/29/15
Who Lives in the Ocean Guessing Game, accessed 9/29/15
Question mark stick puppets-- print out question marks on study paper (laminate if possible), and tape onto jumbo craft sticks. Hand out to children and have them hold them up in the air when they hear a question word in a book.
Art Projects
Question Illustrations --Teach Preschool, accessed 9/29/15
Question Mark craft --A Year of Many Firsts, accessed 9/29/15
Why Writer --Cbc.ca, accessed 9/29/15
Video
"The Five W's Song" --Scratch Garden (video), accessed 9/30/15
Every Child Ready to Read Practices/Skills
Talking & Background Knowledge-- asking and answering questions to aid comprehension and connect to personal experiences and prior knowledge
Talking & Vocabulary-- basic question words (who, what, when, where, why, and how)
Possible ECRR Aside to Parents & Caregivers
Next time you read a book with your child switch roles. See if your child can ask you questions like "what animal do you see in the picture?" or "where is the family going?" Not only is it important that your child understand how a question differs from a statement, but the process of letting your child wonder and express their curiosity validates and supports a spirit of inquiry.
Minnesota Early Childhood Indicators of Progress
Domain: Approaches to Learning
Curiosity:
-Show eagerness and a sense of wonder as a learner
-Show interest in discovering and learning new things
Persistence:
-Seek and/or accept help or information when needed
Storytime Implemented
Mixed Ages
Welcome: Sing Alphabet Song, talk about the letter of the day, W and the five wh- question words
Book: Why? (Torrey)
Flannel board: Little Mouse
Song: The Five W's
Book: Why Are You Doing That? (Amado)
Fingerplay: Where is Thumbkin?
Song: The Question Song
Book: A Very Curious Bear (Mitten)
Closing: Today we read a book (ASL), we sang a song (ASL), let's blow a kiss (mime), and say so long (wave).
Further Resources
Ask a Question Day, March 14th -- Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion, accessed 9/29/15
Every Child Ready to Read
Minnesota Early Childhood Indicators of Progress
Right Question Institute
"Teaching Children to Ask Questions" -- Heidi Songs, accessed 9/29/15