Let Me Tell You 'Bout the Birds and the Bees...

The warmth of the sun is with us once more; flowers are blooming, birds are singing and crickets are chirping. I offer you some folktales to help us welcome summer!

Akanidi the Bright Sunbeam – A Siberian Tale
http://tinyurl.com/9v3un8

Clytie, the Heliotrope -An adaptation of the Greek myth
http://tinyurl.com/9mz8ql

The Cricket’s Song - Guatemalan Folktale
http://tinyurl.com/7ofxz8

Daffodeelia – A Sri Lankan Fairytale
http://tinyurl.com/35fpkyf

The Flower Queen’s Daughter - By Andrew Lang
http://tinyurl.com/77uooc

How the King of Birds Was Chosen: and other Mayan folk tales
http://tinyurl.com/cbhsw3

The Language of the Birds
http://tinyurl.com/dgtupm

Why Cats Sit on the Doorstep in the Sun
http://tinyurl.com/2xga8h


CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
I know school is out in many parts of the USA for the season but these sites may be useful in your storytelling and library programs this summer.

Flower Facts and Trivia – Add some interesting trivia about flowers to your storytelling or classroom lessson plans. http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/flowers/pcd11.html

Flowers in the Classroom - Grades 5 to 8 Language Arts: Legendary Flowers lesson plan including myths, folktales and legends of flowers. http://www.teachertube.com/support_files/1390.pdf

Honey Bees and Cultural Attitudes - Grades: 4-6 Essential Skills: Literature, Language Arts, Social Studies Students explore how honey bees are portrayed in art and literature. It also offers a comprehensive and age appropriate bibliography at the end. http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/insects/ahb/lsn25.html

The Teacher’s Guide: Plants and Flowers - Lots of lesson plans and ideas to keep the ideas blooming! http://www.theteachersguide.com/plantsflowers.htm
 

CRAFTS
 
ChildFun.com - Summer brings a bounty of fresh fruit so why not have some fruity fun! http://tinyurl.com/m99dj4
 
Kaboose.com - Lots of fun Fourth of July crafts to make your holiday sparkle!
http://tinyurl.com/nymrap
 
Kinderart - Summer is time to take the children to the zoo. Download some cute animal printables to keep your students and children roaring with delight long after the field trip!
http://tinyurl.com/mfoajz


MUSIC

Loowit Campfire Songs - Summer is just around the corner. Get ready for those scouting camp gigs with songs that will have them merrily singing long. http://tinyurl.com/kjfhqb

Bus Songs - We all know that sometimes our audiences need to “get the wiggles out” and what better way than to have them sing along! Your toes will be tapping and your fingers snapping as you explore this fun site full of songs that just add some extra Zip A De Doo Dah to your storytelling programs. http://www.bussongs.com/

Karen Chace  2010 ©

This blog post was researched and compiled by Karen Chace. Permission for private use is granted. Distribution, either electronically or on paper is prohibited without my expressed written permission. For permission please contact me at storybug@aol.com. Of course, if you wish to link to my blog via your website, blog, newsletter, Facebook page or Twitter please feel free to do so; I greatly appreciate your support and personal integrity.