When times are tough, you pull yourself up and push yourself to the top ... of a beanstalk ... where you might get schooled in forces and motion by a STEM-loving giant named Dennis. At least that's what happens to Jack in this delicious twist on a classic fairy tale, supported by critical thinking questions and a glossary of key physics terms.

Children love seeing ordinary objects such as paper and string transformed into extraordinary things. This book provides a collection of fun make-and-take tales that enable educators and librarians to take storytelling to a higher level. Can something as simple as a handkerchief, rubber band, paper plate, or piece of rope be used to captivate children during a storytelling? An expansion of the original, best-selling Handmade Tales book, author and storyteller Dianne de Las Casas provides 25 more clever handmade tales appropriate for pre-kindergarten to third grade. By following her clear instructions on incorporating inexpensive props comprised of everyday items into these fun make-and-take stories, educators and librarians can exponentially expand the appeal of their storytime efforts. Including different types of make-and-take stories like string stories, draw and tell, paper tales, and stories that use other simple props, the handmade tales in this book are ideal for preschool and elementary school teachers and librarians of all experience levels. Storytellers, scout leaders, camp counselors, and others who work with groups of young children will also find these make-and-take stories and instructions invaluable.

Relates the tale of Jack who, after trading his mother's milk cow for magic beans, climbs a beanstalk to seek his missing father in the land of giants.

Fairy tale fans will give a GIANT cheer for this funny retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk from the New York Times Bestselling author of Rump and Red! All his life, Jack has longed for an adventure, so when giants turn up in the neighbor's cabbage patch, he is thrilled! Soon Jack is chasing them to a land beyond the clouds, with his little sister, Annabella, in tow. The kingdom of giants is full of super-sized fun: puddings to swim in, spoons to use as catapults, monster toads to carry off pesky little sisters. . . . But Jack and Annabella are on a mission. The king of the giants has taken something that belongs to them, and they’ll do anything—even dive into a smelly tureen of green bean soup—to get it back. “Liesl Shurtliff has the uncanny ability to make magical worlds feel utterly real, and the best part is: you don’t even need a beanstalk to visit them.” —Tim Federle, author of Better Nate than Ever "A delightful story of family, perseverance, and courage." —Booklist

The Wisniewskis, codirectors of the acclaimed Clarion Shadow Theatre, have modernized and simplified the techniques of the ancient art of shadow puppetry and created this easy step-by-step guide. After a brief overview of light and screen options, the authors show you how to introduce concepts of light and shadow to students. Stage directions, puppet patterns, scripts, projected scenery ideas, and a full range of astounding but readily achieved special effects help you quickly master any performance-from simple songs and rhymes to full-blown stories and plays. The special effects use such common materials as wax paper and colored plastic, and no art skills are needed. Suitable for the novice as well as the specialist, the guide has chapters on intermediate and advanced techniques for those who desire a more varied and complex production.

A variety of activities for PreK-3.