(soft music) (soft music) - Hey, I think I'm getting it.

Oh hi, hey welcome to camp.

I'm Mrs. Hammack and I'm so excited you are here at camp with me.

Camp is a great place for learning and having fun.

And at camp we read a lot, we're gonna spend our days reading and talking and singing and all kinds of activities that will help us to grow into strong readers.

Parents, have you ever taken your family on a field trip?

Well, there is a free field trip that you can take them on to the county public library.

And while you're there, you can get library cards for everybody and then take a few trips to get new books.

Maybe you plan time every week or every other week so that you all can get new books.

Lots of our county libraries have super fun reading programs for everyone of all ages.

So I hope that you'll enjoy a visit to the library and show your kids how much fun reading can be.

They have all kinds of activities going on there.

It's a very fun place.

And remember when we read to our kids or our kids read during the summer, it keeps them from doing that summer slide.

And if they don't read, they could actually lose up to two years of progress and nobody wants that to happen.

So I hope you'll enjoy the library and check out some good books, there's some great ones.

Go on an adventure with your family.

All right, campers.

Are you ready?

♪ Hello readers ♪ ♪ Hello writers ♪ ♪ Hello campers ♪ ♪ I'm glad you're here today ♪ ♪ Hello readers ♪ ♪ Hello writers ♪ ♪ Hello campers ♪ ♪ I'm glad you're here today ♪ All right, it's time for our camp pledge.

Are you ready to repeat after me?

All right let's stand up and let's get our salute.

Here we go.

Repeat after me.

On my honor, I will try my best to be kind to everyone, to have a smile on my face and a song in my heart.

Good job.

All right.

Now it's time for us to train our ears for sound.

That's right.

When we train our ears for sound, it helps us to be able to hear sounds so that when we're reading and writing, we can make those connections.

Today we're gonna play, which ones are the same game?

Which ones are the same?

So I'm gonna say three words and two of them are going to be the same in some way.

Your job is to be a listening detective and figure out which ones are the same.

Have you seen Scooter?

He's supposed to be here to help me with the words.

No, I can't.

Now that he has those shoes, he is unstoppable.

I can't really keep up with him.

All right.

Where should I look?

Oh, what is he doing?

Scooter.

Hello?

Hello?

What are you doing in there?

Yes, you need help?

Okay, that looks very uncomfortable.

Okay.

All right.

Well, hold on.

How many (indistinct) did you eat last night?

Oh, my word!

I think you're getting a little, you know, heavy in the tummy area.

Yeah.

(chuckles) Hey, what were you doing?

You were packing up, where are you going?

Oh, on an adventure.

Okay.

Well maybe you could stick around a little longer so you can help us with our game, would you do that?

Good.

You have a wild imagination, sir.

Okay.

All right.

We're playing the, which ones are the same game, do you remember that game?

Yes.

Okay.

All right.

So let's tell the campers.

Oh, yep, say good morning.

Let's tell the campers the words so they can guess them.

Okay, here we go.

I'll do the first group and then you do the next one.

Are you ready?

Beak, nice, teeth.

Do you hear that two words that are the same in some way?

Beak, nice, teeth.

What did you say?

You're right.

What did you say campers?

Beak and teeth.

Good.

They both have the "e" sound in the middle.

Great listening.

Okay.

You ready for the next one?

Okay.

What are your words?

(laughs) Oh, okay.

Line, mice, rude.

(laughs) Line, mice, rude, which two are the same?

Line and mice.

They both have the "i", "li", "ine", and "mi" "ice", do you hear it?

Good job.

Okay.

What's next?

Did you come up with words?

Yeah you.

Okay, how about this?

Size, weight, cave.

Size, weight, cave.

Yes.

Very nice.

Weight and cave both have the "a" sound.

Did you hear it?

Good job.

Very nicely done.

I have a joke for you.

What happens when an egg laughs?

What happens when an egg laughs?

It cracks up.

(laughs) (indistinct) an egg it cracks up.

(laughs) Oh my gosh!

That was a good one.

Yes, I know.

All right.

Are you ready to do our, to find our catch of the day?

We have a new story today and it's kind of an interesting one that I've never heard before until we, til I read it last night.

Yeah, let's go.

All right so, you're gonna sit in your spot, right there.

Perfect.

Don't go anywhere, Mr. Adventurer.

Off you go to an adventure.

Oh, our catch of the day is stuck.

All right.

Let's see what we have here.

I have the word ties, ties.

Now this can mean a lot of different things, but for today in our story, the word ties means connections or things that link people together or unite people, ties.

Okay?

Yes so Scooter and I have the tie, we're tied with our love of smores.

So we have a connection because we both love smores.

All right and this word is a very grown-up word.

Oh gosh, it is called haiku, haiku.

A haiku is a short three line poem and it kind of has a recipe if you will.

It's three lines and usually there are five syllables in the first line, seven syllables in the second line, five syllables in the third line.

And usually they're poems about nature.

Okay?

So that's kind of tricky.

And you're going to hear some haiku in the story that we have today.

I think you'll enjoy it.

Now, our story today is about celebration.

We've been talking about belonging, we've been talking about kindness and friendship.

And today we're gonna talk about celebration and we're gonna think about all three of those strengths together and see if we can find some evidence of those in our story.

Okay?

All right, let's see.

Let me put on my reading tools.

All right.

Today, our story is called "Zen Ties" by John J Muth.

What do you notice on the front cover?

Right?

What, do you know those kinds of animals?

Panda bears.

Good, panda bears.

Good.

Oh, and there, oh, look how that looks.

On the front cover we see their backs, but on the back cover, we see their fronts.

That's pretty clever, isn't it?

All right.

Let's see here.

Oh, look at this is awesome.

Do you know what he's doing?

He's doing, I can't remember the name of it, but he's doing some slow moving exercises that they do in China.

Yeah, I can, I'll try to remember what the name of it is.

"Zen Ties" by John J Muth.

Let's jump in and see what happens.

Train station, "Mom there's a bear over there," said the little girl.

"A what?"

said her mother.

"A bid panda bear," said the girl.

"Hm what's he doing?"

asked the little girl's mother.

"He's sitting."

"Maybe he's waiting for someone," said her mother.

Stillwater, this is Stillwater was waiting for someone.

He was waiting for the arrival of his nephew, Koo.

Uncle Stillwater summer, I have arrived.

Seeing you bring smiles.

There it is.

There's our first haiku.

"Hey Koo."

Get it?

His name is Koo.

"I brought you some welcome balloons."

Koo took the balloons and bowed.

"An uplifting gift."

"Could you carry my case, generous uncle?"

asked Koo.

"It is a short walk to the house, but there's a nice park on the way."

"Let's stop there and have some tea," said StillWater.

(laughs) He's floating away with the balloons, isn't he?

Stillwater, Koo and the balloons all sat quietly in the park.

Tea was very good.

"My cup holds emptiness now, where shall I put it?"

asked Koo.

Stillwater did not like to waste.

We will use these cups every day while you are here so we should save them.

Suddenly still water burst out laughing.

(indistinct), he said.

"Hi Stillwater," said his friends Addy, Michael and Karl.

"We were just coming to see you."

"Hello," said Stillwater.

"I would like you to meet my nephew, Koo."

The children introduced themselves and ran off to play.

Addy invented a game called jump on Stillwater.

It was fun.

Michael wanted to ask Stillwater a question.

"I'm going to be in a spelling bee," Michael said.

"What would you do if you were in a spelling bee?"

"I would spell words," said Stillwater.

Michael looked at his shoes.

"What if you weren't sure of how good you were?"

"I'm anxious about it."

"I feel like I'm in a mess up."

"Do your best."

"That is what you're supposed to do," said Stillwater.

"But it's hard to do my best when I'm nervous," said Michael.

Stillwater nodded and then he smiled.

Koo and I have to visit Miss Whitaker this afternoon.

I would like you and Karl and Addy to come along.

"The Miss Whitaker who lives on our street?"

asked Addy.

"That Miss.

Whitaker?"

asked Karl.

"She hates us."

"She's really old and she spits when she talks."

"And every time we walk past her house, she shouts at us."

"She scares me."

"She's your friend," Michael said.

Stillwater looked at them, "Yes, he said."

"She isn't feeling well And we must bring her something to eat."

The children helped Stillwater prepare some soup, it smelled very good.

Then they put it on a tray with some soft bread.

As they walked quietly down the streets, Stillwater said, "Miss Whitaker is a good friend."

"You will see."

"Why on earth did you bring these children here?"

shouted Miss Whitaker.

The children backed way up.

"Hello Miss Whitaker," said Stillwater.

"You look well today."

"We've brought you some nice soup."

Karl looked at Miss Whitaker, she does not look well at all.

She looked thin and she looked really small, much smaller than she did when she stood on the porch yelling at them for throwing a ball into her yard.

Stillwater helped Miss Whitaker up to the bed and he offered her the soup.

Then he asked Addy to sweep the floors, he asked Michael to open the curtains and the blinds.

"Karl, hold the dust an still," said Addy.

"Karl and Koo are very good at drawing pictures," said Stillwater.

"I can't see pictures anymore," said Miss Whitaker crossly.

Karl and Koo drew several pictures together.

When it was time to leave, Stillwater put them up around Miss Whitaker's bed.

He told her they would come back tomorrow.

Outside the children said goodbye.

"Bye," said Karl.

"Bye" said Addy.

"See you tomorrow," said Stillwater.

"I don't know," said Michael.

"I should study for my spelling bee."

"You should come," said Stillwater.

"You should come early."

Oh, what is she doing?

She's found a way to see the pictures.

The next morning Stillwater told Michael Miss Whitaker used to teach English.

"She did?"

asked Michael.

Then Stillwater said, "Miss Whitaker, did you know Michael is going to be in the spelling bee?"

"Well," said, Miss Whitaker.

"I know something about that."

"Now listen, just like plants, words have roots," said Miss Whitaker.

A plant rose from its roots and so do words.

Roots of words can teach you to spell.

And with that, Michael spent the morning with Miss Whitaker studying for his spelling bee.

The next day, Stillwater found Koo looking up at an apple tree in Miss Whitaker's front yard.

"Hello Stillwater," said a voice from way up there.

"Can you catch me?"

"I was getting some apples for Miss Whitaker," said Karl.

"This morning sunlight, gathering apples and a boy," said Koo.

After the spelling bee, Michael raced to Miss Whitaker's.

"I did it," Michael said.

"I made it all the way through the end."

"Good," said Stillwater.

"So, you were not too nervous?"

"The judges were nothing compared to Miss Whitaker," said Michael.

"Yeah," said Karl.

"Just this morning she was shouting at us again."

"Then why are you smiling?"

ask Stillwater.

"She was telling us to get out of the street and play in her yard."

On the last day of Koo's visit, Michael presented Miss Whitaker with the ribbon he got at the spelling bee.

Karl gave her the apples that he gathered.

"My mother taught me to make apple tea," said Miss Whitaker.

"I haven't made it in years."

"Now Addy and I have made some for you."

When it was time to say goodbye, Addy, Michael and Carl gave Koo a big hug.

"Some are fading, new friends faces lighten the way home," said Koo.

At the train station, Stillwater looked over at Koo.

"You may throw away that your cup now," said Stillwater.

Koo shook his head.

"Nearing my visits and summer now tastes of apple tea, I will keep my cup."

said Koo.

Nice.

Wow so, did you see any community building in that story?

Right?

How about friendship?

Yeah.

And kindness?

Definitely.

Yes.

So belonging, kindness, friendship, all rolled into one story about a group of friends.

What was, why do you think she was so cranky?

Why was Miss Whitaker so cranky?

Maybe she just didn't know what happiness that spending time with the children could bring her.

And how did they show her kindness even when she was not quite so kind?

Right, they, remember they went with Stillwater.

They swept her floor, they picked apples for her, they drew pictures for her.

So do you think that that changed how she felt about them?

I do too.

And maybe it kind of made her stop and think a little bit about why they might wanna do something like that for her.

And that just kind of helped her to be kind.

I think that was great, what a great story.

So let's take a look at our reading power chart.

It says what Koo says in a haiku.

Did you notice that Koo, the little bear, talked kind of funny, right?

He was speaking in haikus.

Remember the poem we talked about?

Three lines, yeah five, seven, five.

So it says here write the haiku from page eight.

So instead of writing it, lets just read it.

And let's see if we can get the, gist of the poem that he says.

Okay, are you ready?

An uplifting gift.

An up lifting gift.

(claps hands) Was that five?

Could you carry my case?

Could you carry my case?

Hmm.

Generous uncle.

Oh, asked Koo.

Did you see how he did that?

So the author, how clever, right?

The nephew's name was Koo, and when you say hello to him, you would say, "Hi, Koo."

Which is the poem that he's spoken.

He's spoken poems.

And there's some other poems that he spoken also.

Let's see if I can find another one really quickly.

Oh, I know he did at the end, right?

What did he say about his, throwing away his cup, do you remember?

Here it is.

"Nearing my visits end, summer now tastes of apple tea."

"I will keep my cup," said Koo.

Isn't that clever how the author used the character in the stories name to introduce us to a type of poetry.

How fun.

Wow.

That is so smart.

So a group of friends, this is about a group of friends that came together and a special time that they shared together.

And that's kind of what a celebration is like, right?

All right.

Today, we are going to do an activity.

We're going to make a paper doll of ourselves and link them together so that we are tied together.

So I think that'll be fun.

But before we do, I have a little joke for you.

Are you ready?

Are you ready, scooter?

I have a joke for you.

It's about Cinderella.

Do you know why Cinderella didn't make the basketball team?

Do you know?

Because she ran away from the ball.

(laughs) Get it, the ball.

See what I did?

I played with the word ball, right?

Ball like a basketball or ball like the big party.

(laughs) I might become an author.

Let's go.

All right.

Today we are making paper doll versions of ourself.

So I kind of already started mine 'cause I knew we wouldn't have a lot of time.

So I made my hair and my hat and I put some, a shirt and jeans and boots.

And so I'm gonna color my face.

And give myself a little bit of color here.

And I'm using these beautiful color crayons that are skin tones.

Oh my gosh!

I love them so much.

There's so many different skin tones.

Isn't that great that we're all different?

And we have beautiful colors of skin, that is so beautiful to me.

I just love how different we all are.

And then I can use my markers to make my eyes.

I have blue eyes, you might have brown eyes or green eyes.

That's another thing that makes us also beautiful and unique.

And then I could make my smile, I'm gonna take a little longer.

So I'm gonna take some time to do that.

And then we're gonna stick them together because we have ties.

♪ Skidamarink a dink a dink ♪ ♪ Skidamarink a doo ♪ ♪ I love you ♪ ♪ Skidamarink a dink a dink ♪ ♪ Skidamarink a doo ♪ ♪ I love you ♪ ♪ I love you in the morning ♪ ♪ And in the afternoon ♪ ♪ I love you in the evening ♪ ♪ And underneath the moon ♪ ♪ Skidamarink a dink a dink ♪ ♪ Skidamarink a doo ♪ ♪ I love you ♪ Come back tomorrow.

Bye bye.

(lighthearted guitar music)