BABY BIRD STORY

Top of the morning to you!!  Don't forget to wear something green!  I hope you find a pot of gold!!
                                     
Here's a a "cut and tell" story I 'll be sharing at the VAECE Conference (Virginia Association for Early Childhood Education) in Richmond today.  Adults seem to love the story as much as the children.  

Materials: construction paper, scissors, marker
Directions: Begin this story with a sheet of paper, scissors, and marker in your lap. Follow the directions as you tell the story. (You can either cut the paper or tear it.)

It was spring time and mother and father bird decided to build a nest. Who can tell me some of the things they might have used to make their nest?
(Fold the paper in half and cut accordingly.)

Mother bird sat on the nest and laid a beautiful egg.
(Open the nest to reveal the egg shape.)

Now, mother bird could not leave the egg. She had to sit on it and keep it warm and safe. Even when it rained and the wind blew hard, mother bird had to sit there and protect her egg. Fortunately, two little bugs who lived in the tree made friends with mother bird and kept her company. This is one little bug. His name was _____. (Use a child’s name in the class.)

(Draw a little dot for the bug.)
This is the other little bug. Her name was _____, (Use another child’s name in the class.)
(Draw another little dot on the opposite side.)

One day as mother bird was sitting on the egg, she heard a little cracking sound. She looked down and saw a little crack in her egg.
(Cut a little slit on the fold slanted toward the eyes.)

Then she heard a great, big cracking sound.
(Cut around the eye and slit as shown stopping before
you get to the end of the egg.)

And guess what mother bird saw coming out of the big crack in her egg? 

She saw her baby bird!
(Open the egg and bend up the beak as shown.)

Hint! You can also cut this story out of a paper plate.