Nocturnal

Questions:

What kinds of animals are awake at night?

Read Alouds:

Bats at the Library by Brian Lies

Little Owl’s Night by Divya Srinivasan

Frederick by Leo Lionni

Raccoon Tune by Nancy Shaw

Flannel Boards:

Good-Night, Owl by Pat Hutchins

I’m not Scared! by Jonathan Allen

Whoo Goes There? by Jennifer A. Ericsson

While the World is Sleeping by Pamela Duncan Edwards

Night Creatures

I have eyes like the moon,

They sparkle at night.

I see my prey in black and white.

I turn my head from left to right. 

(owl)

By day I look like moss or bark.

I open my wings when it gets dark. 

(moth) 

My fur is black and white.
I walk in gardens late at night.
If you scare me, I will spray –
So stay away!
(skunk)

I hang out in a cave or tree.

In the dark, my eyes can see.
(bat)

On my face I wear a mask.

I wash my food before I eat.
I'll eat whatever I can find
With the long fingers on my feet.
(raccoon)

Action Songs:

“Sleeping Bag Chant” by Carole Peterson

“Black Bat Farm” by Carole Peterson

“Goodnight” by Laurie Berkner

“Mr. Owl” by Kimmy Schwimmy

“The Mice Go Marching” by Hap Palmer

“Hickory, Dickory, Dock” by Wee Sing

“Playin’ ‘Possum” by Johnette Downing

Fingerplays:

The Bat

The bat in flight in the middle of the night
Can flap about with ease.

[flap arms]
For with his ears, he somehow steers

[cup hands behind ears]

A path between the trees.

                [sway from side to side]

Bats

Bats are as batty as can be.              

They sleep all day in a cave or a tree.                          

                [lay head on hands]

When the sun sets in the sky,                              

They rise from their rest to fly.

                [stand up and fly]

Barn Owl

I met a barn owl.

He turned his head,

He looked at me

                [point to self]

And this is what he said:

“I know I am a barn owl.

I flap my wings, that’s what I do.

But I have one question...

Whooooo are you?”

                [echo]

Wide Eyed Owl

There's a wide eyed owl

                [point to eyes]

With a pointed nose,

                [point to nose]

Two pointed ears

                [point to ears]

And claws for toes.

                [point to toes]

He sits in a tree

                [sit down]

And when he looks at you,

                [point at kids]

He flaps his wings

                [flap arms]

And says, “Whoo, Whoo?”

                [echo]

Tiny Mouse

There is such a tiny mouse

Living quietly inside my house.

Out at night he starts to creep,

                [creep fingers]

When everyone is fast asleep.

                [lay head on hands]

But always by the light of day,

                [yawn and stretch]

The tiny mouse creeps away.

                [creep fingers]

Mice are Nice

We think mice are nice. Oh, we think mice are nice!
Mice have noses that twitch and sniff.

                [sniff nose]

Mice have feet that hurry and scurry.

                [shuffle feet]

Mice have whiskers that wiggle and jiggle.

                [wiggle mouth]

We think mice are nice. Oh, we think mice are nice! 

Raccoons

Raccoons in the night
With your masks, you’re quite a sight.
                [circle eyes with hands]

Your keen noses smell food in our trash,
So you knock down our cans with a crash!

[clap]

Craft:

Nutshell Mice