Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!

"No amount of skillful invention can replace the essential element

 of  imagination."...Edward Hopper

 

Howdy, Honey, Howdy!

Granny Goose is here on my very own web page...Sweet!

       Usually I spends most of my days on the farm growing lovely flowers and delicious veggies to eat...but I was starting to get lazy bones...so I hit the road and I would love to come visit with your little ones.

     I'm writing on this computer page to tell you about my special children's program. It is lively,  exciting, singing, acting, laughing, and last but not in the least, a fun filled educational storytelling program for pre-school to elementary 3rd grade school students!

So how did ~  (Oni Lasana, da mama wit da drama!) become...

 

GRANNY GOOSE?

 

       Well, it was far, far away from the USA...while I was Doin' Dunbar stories in Europe in a country called Germany, back in 1998. 

      I was on tour with my storytelling friend, Diane Williams of Mississippi, introducing the wonderful poetry of  Paul Laurence Dunbar  at many of the American (DoDD) Department of Defense, elementary and middle schools.  So one day, outside the auditorium in the hallway, as I passed by, I over heard a little girl at Mark Twain Elementary School in Heidelberg, whisper (very loudly) to her friend..."Is she Mother Goose?" 

       So I answered in jest..."No sweetie...I'm Granny Goose,  Mother Goose cousin!"

    Seeing her eyes light up,  I thought what the hay...I may as well be Granny Goose, since all my stories rhyme like the ones you find in Mother Goose books.


    So returning to the USA, I went into my book shop (inside my head) and developed this special character and a  unique storytelling program. Just for the little ones....

 

            *!* THE GRANNY GOOSE STORY TIME EXPERIENCE *!*

       

        Is a lively stor'try (poetic storytelling) program that features the poetry of  Paul Laurence Dunbar.  This unique, exciting 45 - 60 minutes will fly by so fast, but will be remembered forever!


               (read the reviews if ya don't believe Granny's boasting;-) 

 

       Many of Dunbar's dialect poetry and folktales are about southern country life in America during and after the Civil War.  He was also gifted in his mastery of English styles with his children's poetry.  Dunbar's poetry is well loved and is published in many children's  books today. 

 

      In the storytelling program, Granny Goose sings, chants & raps Paul Dunbar's choral poems.  The energetic style engages the children with a "call and response" storytelling that draws them into the story, bringing on the drama & laughs.


    Youth participate by acting, mime and rap/singing with Granny Goose. By using the greatest tool they possess  for learning, retaining and enjoying...not with TV or a video games but with good old  fashion IMAGINATION! 

 

    Imagination guides us happily along as we journey "down on the farm."  Next door to "Old MacDonald" and right around the corner from Mother Goose!"

   

     Catch a duck in THE CAPTURE..."rap-sing" THE SANDMAN and JOHNNY SPEAKS...to planting a garden of love as we mime THE SEEDLING together. 

     We learn a sign language song on using our good manners and sometimes, Granny will bring along her little friend, "Star Shine" from her "Girlfriends" program to sing & share some hugs & see ya later alligator's!

      So give your little scholar's a trip of a treat, "Down On The Farm With Granny Goose"...they will never forget!

 Don't be late ~ don't hesitate ~ book a date with

GRANNY GOOSE....today! 

 

~ Besides tons of schools & theater performances ~

 

       You can also hear Oni Lasana in the award winning audio book "HIP HOP SPEAKS TO CHILDREN" on Sourcebooks, Inc.  edited by Nikki Giovanni. Oni raps a Paul Dunbar poem solo, and Gwendolyn Brook's "We Real Cool" and the Martin Luther King speech with Nikki Giovanni and Val Gray Ward.

 

Listen to Nikki talk about the book here: Hip Hop Speaks To Children

        The Definitive Collection of Paul Laurence Dunbar is available on DVD at Amazon.com and also features Oni Lasana among other great folks!

        Oni's "Brother Dunbar Poetry & Performance Workshop" for elementary & middle school is published under "A Poetic Approach To Storytelling" in the book Literacy Development in the Storytelling Classroom on Libraries Unlimited Publishing House. Edited by Diane Williams, Sherry Norfolk, and Jane Stenson.

 "Creativity is intelligence having fun" -- Albert Einstein

                                        

 GRANNY GOOSE GETS GOOSE BUMP REVIEWS!



THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA 

 

  "The children and families at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia are a unique audience. These times are most often accompanied by the stress of mixed emotions and programs such as "Down On The Farm With Granny Goose" provide an invaluable outlet from the stress of illness, if just for a short time. It is my hope that Ms. Lasana continues her storytelling with children in many other settings so that they may receive as much joy from "Down On The Farm..." as the children and families at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia."

Sincerely,

Stacy Redelheim, MS, CCLS

Child Life Specialist 2001  


 Dear Ms. Lasana,


      I cannot thank you enough for visiting us at the Olde City Senior Homes with our Reading Buddies. The children cannot stop talking about it. I have received numerous phone calls from parents wanting to know who Granny Goose is. Your program gave the children a chance to experience something many of them have never seen and may never see again. Thanks again!

 Mrs. Kathleen Borielli

Elementary  School Teacher

 

 What our children say...

  

"Thank you so much for coming to my school to tell us stories! You were great!  My favorite story was the duck story, you told the story so well I could picture them  in my head with my eyes open."    

Corey

1st grader at Mark Twain Elementary School

Heidelberg, Germany

 


"I learned a lot of stuff from you. Thank you for making my imagination grow because I had never used my imagination before. Thank you for teaching me a lot of things about the farm."  

 Catlin

Solis-Cohen Elementary School

Philadelphia 

 
 

"I liked the program because the acting we did and when we had to help Granny Goose catch the duck and hunt the bunny rabbit. I like the poetry too because it was great poetry."  

Meaghan

Dunbar Elementary School

Philadelphia

 

 "You are so nice. You are good at telling stories. When I grow up maybe I will be a storyteller like you. You are good at making children laugh.  I hope you have a great day. I would like to hear some more stories.  You are such a nice person."

  Grace,

Duckrey Elementary School,

Philadelphia

 

 

"I thought that the program was very good because of the excellent poetry. When you speak poetry you use your imagination. You did very well at that, I loved all of the poetry. I had a lot of fun acting the part of the dog."

Mike

Victory Elementary School

Lake Charles, Louisiana


Now ya can't argue with those young critics!


*!*

 

Teacher's Guide for Granny Goose Program
Copy, print out & review to share before or after a Granny Goose visit.

 
THE CAPTURE by Paul Laurence Dunbar
(Southern English Dialect)


Duck come switchin' cross de lot
Hi, oh, Miss Lady!
Hurry up an' hide de pot
Hi, oh, Miss Lady!
Duck's a mighty 'spicious fowl,
Slick as snake an' wise as owl;
Hol' dat dog, don't let him yowl!
Hi, oh, Miss Lady!

Th'ow dat co'n out kind o' slow
Hi, oh, Miss Lady!
Keep yo'se'f behin' de do'
Hi, oh, Miss Lady!
Lots o' food'll kill his feah,
Co'n is cheap but fowls is deah--
"Come, good ducky, come on heah."
Hi, oh, Miss Lady!

Ain't he fat and ain't he fine,
Hi, oh, Miss Lady!
Des can't wait to make him mine.
Hi, oh, Miss Lady!
See him waddle when he walk,
'Sh! keep still and don't you talk!
Got you! Don't you daih to squawk!
Hi, oh, Miss Lady!

THE SEEDLING By Paul Laurence Dunbar
(Standard English)

As a quiet little seedling
Lay within its dark some bed,
To itself it fell a-talking,
And this is what it said:

"I am not so very robust,
But I'll do the best I can;"
And the seedling from that moment
Its work of life began.

So it pushed a little leaflet
Up into the light of day,
To examine the surroundings
And show the rest the way.

The leaflet liked the prospect,
So it called its brother, Stem;
Then two other leaflets heard it,
And quickly followed them.

To be sure the haste and hurry
Made the seedling sweat and pant;
But almost before it knew it
It found itself a plant.

The sunshine poured upon it,
And the clouds they gave a shower;
And the little plant kept growing
Till it found itself a flower.

Little folks, be like the seedling,
Always do the best you can;
Every child must share life's labor
Just as well as every man.

And the sun and showers will help you
Through the lonesome, struggling hours,
Till you raise to light and beauty
Virtue's fair, unfading flowers.

THE SAND-MAN by Paul Laurence Dunbar
(Standard English)

I know a man
With face of tan
But who is ever kind;
Whom girls and boys
Leaves games and toys
Each eventide to find.

When day grows dim,
They watch for him,
He comes to place his claim;
He wears the crown
Of Dreaming-town;
The Sandman is his name.

When sparkling eyes
Troop sleepywise
And busy lips grow dumb;
When little heads
Nod toward the beds,
We know the Sandman's come.

JOHNNY SPEAKS by Paul Laurence Dunbar

The sand-man he's a jolly old fellow,
His face is kind and his voice is mellow
But he makes your eyelids as heavy as lead,
And then you got to go off to bed;
I don't think I like the sand-man.

But I've been playing this live-long day;
It does make a fellow so tired to play!
Oh, my, I'm a yawning right here before ma,
I'm the sleepiest fellow that you ever saw
I think I do like the sand-man.


Your welcomed to...