Preschool StoryTime in Nature’s Classroom
The Brandwein Institute’s StoryTime videos are designed for young children and feature nature and its creatures. The books, read by interpretive naturalist Sara Mayes, encourage preschoolers to appreciate the beauty and mysteries of the natural world.
In the Small, Small Pond by Denise Fleming Learn about what lives in and near a pond as naturalist Sara Mayes reads from her farm pond in upstate New York.
For more on tiny pond water organisms, see “Pond Water Critters you can see with a Microscope” on the microscope-microscope website at https://microscope-microscope.org/pond-water-critters-protozoan-guide/.
Also see https://www.prekinders.com/
Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni Meet a clever little inchworm in this Storytime video as naturalist, Sara Mayes reads from her farm in upstate New York.
Find out more about Inchworms on the animals.mom.me website at https://animals.mom.me/inchworms-kids-8744.html. (Be forewarned that there are many ads on this website.)
Watch video of Inchworms at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyasgr9mn3s.
Two sites on measurement:
https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plans/teaching-content/inch-inch-lesson-plan/
https://earlymathcunts.org/lessons/inch-by-oinch/
In the Tall, Tall Grass by Denise Fleming Children ages two to four learn about what lives in a grassy meadow during this preschool StoryTime video as naturalist Sara Mayes reads at the Brandwein Nature Learning Preserve.
For related grass crafts and activities, see
https://toddlerapproved.com/
See “Grass Facts for Kids” at https://kids.kiddle.co/Grass. Although written for middle and upper elementary students, this site contains some interesting examples of grasses and the animals and insects that feed on them.
Fall Leaves Fall! by Zoe Hall Children learn to recognize seasonal change by observing trees and enjoying the autumn leaves.
For some fun activities involving leaves, see
https://www.weareteachers.com/leaf-projects-for-the-classroom/
https://happyhooligans.ca/fall-leaf-crafts-activities-kids/
Walter’s Wonderful Web by Tim Hopgood Children learn about shapes from a little spider who is determined to make a strong web.
For some activities with shapes see
https://www.fantasticfunandlearning.com/shape-activities.html