Octopus Video!

Ah, the beloved Charlotte Diamond song!  I like to use my Ocean Creatures felt set with this one.  Here's a video example:

Slippery Fish

I've had a foam version of Slippery Fish in my classroom for years.  It's been through a lot, and the fabric paint has peeled off of most pieces, and some of the octopus' arms are stapled on.  Poor guy. So I finally took the time to re-do this set.  Here it is!

I was introduced to Slippery Fish (actually, its real title is Octopus) from a Charlotte Diamond CD I bought many, many years ago.  Like, maybe 20?  I had no idea it was such a well known and oft-felted song!  I use it Every. Single. Year.  Frequently.  And somehow I'm still not sick of it!

Here's a video of the set being used with that lovely song:

                              

This set is available at my shop :)  (But it doesn't include the Slippery Fish lyrics shown above--rather, there's a cute five little ocean creatures rhyme in there.  Copyright, you know!)

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Shark Stories

So, Shark Week.  Hmmmm.....  And I'm hosting it!  Hmmmmm......  I checked out all the cool ocean sets on Pinterest, and I looked through my own collection thinking I might just post my old Slippery Fish set, or add a shark to my Ocean Set.  I even have a laminated clipart set for Three Little Fishies (aka Boop Boop Ditty).  But I decided I needed something different.  So, I started googling.

I made this set by searching for 'shark size chart'. I really wanted to emphasize the difference in the size of each shark. I printed out one of the million images that came up and traced the sharks I liked.  I then enlarged each one about 2x bigger to create my templates and got to work flannelizing them (and the diver!)  Add a little fabric paint, and voila! 

I haven't decided exactly how I'll use them yet.  I'm thinking a take on Sue Williams' I Went Walking...  Maybe:

I went diving!

What did you see?

One Blue Shark was swimming by me!

Or perhaps a take on Brown Bear:

Blue Shark, Blue Shark, what do you see?

I see a Tiger Shark looking at me...

Here they are all lined up:  diver, blue shark, tiger shark, thresher shark, hammerhead, great white...all atop the huge whale shark!
(Huge whale shark, do do, do do do do, huge whale shark do do, do do do do...)

This particular set isn't for sale, but please check out my shop with many of my other sets:

Flannel Board Fun

I'm hosting Flannel Friday this week!  Check out the Roundup HERE.  And of course you can find a huge assortment of ideas at Flannel Friday's Pinterest Board, and other goodies at the Flannel Friday Facebook Page and  FF blog.  Check them all out! 

Five Little Fish

Though I didn't go swimming with any fish on my recent trip to Nicaragua, I was at the ocean, and there are sharks in Lake Nicaragua, so I'm posting this in honor of my trip anyway!  You may recognize that awesome shark from his original debut at Piper Loves the Library, but the fish are all mine.  Or, well, at least copied from a google search of clip art!  I love the way the collage method makes their colors stand out.  

The children always look a little hesitant when I pull such a grumpy looking shark out of his storage bag. But I place my finger over his furrowed brow and show them how different he looks--and then we all start wiggling our eyebrows at each other and talking about things that make us happy or grumpy or surprised, and once we finally get back on track to do the shark stories, everyone's feeling much more at ease!

Here are the poems and songs we typically do with this set.  I believe I found these both at Perpetual Preschool ages and ages ago.

Five Little Fish/Teasing Mr. Shark

Five little fishies swimming in the sea, (encourage the kids to 'swim' their hands)

Teasing Mr. Shark--"You can't catch me!" (thumbs on temples, fingers waving in air)

Along comes Mr. Shark as quiet as can be (swim him behind the board with fin showing, and the kids can put their hands up like a fin, too!)

And SNAPS that fish right out of the sea! (Kids clap on 'snaps' and shark/teacher removes one fish)

Continue on, counting down.  I always like to give the option of a happy ending if anyone seems upset.  Sometimes we ask Mr. Shark if he's eaten the fish, and he answers with grunts, keeping his mouth tightly closed!  Eventually we tell him a joke so he laughs, and all the fish come swimming right on out :)  Or something along those lines...

This particular set isn't for sale, but please check out my shop with many of my other sets:

Flannel Board Fun Shop

Five Little Fish (this one doesn't use the shark)
(sung to London Bridge;)

Five little fish swimming by the shore,
By the shore, by the shore,
One got caught, then there were four, four little fish.

Four little fish swimming in the sea,
In the sea, in the sea,
One got caught, then there were three, three little fish.

Three little fish swimming in the blue,
In the blue, in the blue,
One got caught, then there were two, two little fish.

Two little fish swimming in the sun,
In the sun, in the sun,
One got caught, then there was one, one little fish.

One little fish swimming straight for home,
Straight for home, straight for home.
Decided he would never roam, smart little fish.

This week you'll find the Flannel Friday roundup at Catch the Possibilities and of course you'll find lots of other ideas at Flannel Friday's blog or Pinterest page.