Story of the Month
Story Kit Available at First Step Library
Raindrops by Sandy Gay
Summary: This story is extremely simple and contains a limited number of words. The phrase: "The rain is falling on my..." is repeated on each page. A chorus, "drip, drip, drop", is also repeated on each page. The chorus encourages young children to play with the sounds of the words and contributes to the rhythm of the story, creating an auditory image of falling rain.
Hints for Reading Aloud: As you read the story aloud to your child, emphasize the beginning and ending sound of the words drip, drip, drop. On subsequent readings, leave off the end of each sentence "The rain is falling on my. . . ", allowing your child to complete the sentence. Also encourage your child to repeat the chorus "drip, drip, drop", as you read each page. Point to the words as your child recites the chorus, so that he/she becomes aware that the symbols on the page represent sounds.
Things to use at home
spray bottle sponge eye droppers
graham crackers jelly or jam food coloring
Activities
Watching raindrops: Use the spray bottle and sponge outdoors together in a place where your child can spray water on a low window (at child's height, such as a sliding door). Watch the drops slide down the glass together. Talk about the paths that the drops take. Indoors, your child can spray the water bottle on the sides of the bathtub during bath time play. During a rainstorm, watch the raindrops on a windowpane (a low window, at your child's eye level) together.
Raindrops above my head: Take an umbrella outside together. Let your child stand under the umbrella as you use the spray bottle to spray "raindrops" onto the top of the umbrella. As the umbrella becomes very wet, your child will see the drops falling off the edge of the umbrella. Use words from the story: "drip" "drop", and "the rain is falling on my umbrella". Use positional words to describe the activity as you play: "above", "on top", ”under", "over", etc.
Raindrop artwork: Use food coloring to color small amounts of water in paper cups. Help your child use the eyedropper included in this kit to drip colored water onto plain paper towels. Use words from the story as you make pictures together. Talk about how the colored water spreads onto the paper towel and makes designs.
Rainy Day Cookies: Spread jelly or jam on one square of graham cracker. Put another square on top to make a sandwich. Identify the shape - square. Point out to your child that we read recipes to learn how to make new foods. Have your child help assemble the ingredients as you read the recipe. Talk about the illustration on the last page in the story as you share your snack.
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Please visit the Cuyahoga County Public Library
