Volume 1: Theme Song: A journey to an enchanted world, I'm going to play and sing in Alphabet Village. A pleasant road leads us to discover this and that. Let's go to Alphabet Village. The Village is mine. The Village is yours. It's a happy gathering of friends. The Village is mine. The Village is yours. Adventures, dancing, songs, stories. The Village is mine. The Village is yours. Adventures, dancing, songs, stories. Milya: Hello there and welcome. I'm Milya and that's Boomchyk Borovyk. He's on his way to Alphabet Village, a magical place where letters grow on trees and the river flows of alphabet soup. There's an adventure around every corner in this enchanted Ukrainian world. This magical key unlocks all of the interesting things in Alphabet Village so that we can explore our Ukrainian culture and a new world of learning. Now, Boomchyk Borovyk and his friends in Alphabet Village speak Ukrainian, but I'll pop in every now and then to help you along if you don't understand everything. Let's see what he's doing. Boomchyk: Oh! Welcome children. I'm going to Alphabet Village. What is Alphabet Village? I'll tell you. Alphabet Village is a magical place Where letters grow on trees And the river flows of alphabet soup. There we will discover An enchanted world. In Alphabet Village, we'll find the key that opens A door to the past, to the secrets of our ancestors. We'll also open a window And fly Into a beautiful Ukrainian world. Ahhh. Alphabet Village. My friends are waiting there for me. Hurry! I'll introduce you to them. Milya: Boomchyk Borovyk is on his way to visit his friends in Alphabet Village. Let's follow him. We'll meet Maksym, who dreams of being a soccer player, Yurko, who prefers art, and Natalka who is eager to learn to read in Ukrainian. We can learn along with her. Let's go. Boomchyk: Good morning Maksym. Maksym: Good morning Boomchyk. Boomchyk: Are you going to play soccer? Maksym: Yes. I practice day and night because I want to be an awesome soccer player. Boomchyk: Outstanding. Hi Yurko! What are you painting? Yurko: I'm painting a tree. There are lots of beautiful trees here in Alphabet Village. Boomchyk: Very good. Natalka! What's new? Natalka: Look Boomchyk Borovyk. I'm building a tall tower. And there are letters on my blocks. As I build, I'm learning the alphabet. Boomchyk: The Alphabet! I know an alphabet song. Let's all sing together and learn the alphabet. (They sing alphabet song together) Natalka: Time to go to school. I'm ready to learn. Let's go to class. Boomchyk, Boomchyk, ra, ta, ta, Wonderful learning awaits. Tri, lee, lya, lya, foo, foo, zooch, Appear magical key! Milya: Natalka is eager for class to begin, but it looks like the boys have other things on their minds. Today's lesson is the Ukrainian alphabet. Pani Vera: Good day children. Today we are learning the alphabet. Maksym: I don't want to be here. I don't want to learn the alphabet. I want to play soccer. Yurko: And I want to pain. Trees, flowers, birds animals. Natalka: I, I want to learn the alphabet. Because letters build words and words build sentences. And sentences build stories and books! I want to read by myself about distant lands, all sorts of adventures, about mermaids and dragons. Knowing the alphabet is the first step To read stories I will read books And learn about everything. I will read books And learn about everything. Milya: Natalka loves books and she wants to read all by herself. But to read, she must know the alphabet. The boys are starting to show interest in all the Ukrainian words we can learn through the Ukrainian alphabet too. Pani Vera: Maksym, we've been learning the alphabet for a long time now. Can you recite it by yourself? Maksym: I study and practice but I don't know it all yet. Pani Vera: Don't worry. If you keep practicing, you'll learn it all. Go on. Maksym: All right. I'll try. (Recites half of alphabet.) Pani Vera: You've learned the alphabet up to the letter "aye." I'll help you remember the next letter. You like sports, and especially soccer. What do you do to set the ball in motion. Maksym: Kick it. Pani Vera: And when the ball falls on the ground, it... Maksym: Rolls. Pani Vera: You still don't know the next letter? Natalka: This is how I remember the next letter. A kozak rides a horse From Kyiv to Kaniv He buys a basket of corn And a few bananas. He buys a tasty kovbasa And cuts it into small pieces The kozak eats the kovbasa And reads the Kobzar. Maksym: Oh! Now I know. The next letter is the letter "k." So many words begin with the letter "k." Kyiv and Kaniv are prominent cities in Ukraine. Corn and kovbasa are delicious foods. And the Kobzar, it's a book of Taras Shevchenko's poems. And a kozak, that's a warrior for Ukraine's freedom. Yurko: Hey, hey, hey. I'm a kozak. I'm protecting Alphabet Village from dragons. Maksym: And I'm a kozak. But not a warrior kozak, I'm a soccer-playing kozak. Pani Vera: Boys. Now Yurko will recite the alphabet. Yurko: (Recites alphabet more than half way through but gets stumped.) I haven't learned the rest. Pani Vera: If we think about your favorite activity, we can figure out the rest of the alphabet. Yurko: Really? How? Pani Vera: "F" are paints in various colors. "Kh" the artist's homes "Tsc" are flowers to paint "Ch" is the ink to draw with Natalka, which letter comes next? Natalka: "Sh" is school where we learn "Shch" is a brush for brushing hair "You" is Yurko and "ya" is me "Soft Sign" and that is the end. Pani Vera: Good job! The soft sign is a special letter. It is not found at the beginning of any words, but we find it in lots of words. Yurko: Yes, in the words deer, bear, seal and rooster. Pani Vera: Do you like animals? Yurko: Very much. Milya: Yurko just learned about the special letter, the soft sign. And Pani Vera just learned that Yurko likes animals and recently visited the zoo. He'll take us there on a special trip. Yurko: Yesterday, I went to the zoo for the first time. Pani Vera: What did you see there? Yurko: So many interesting animals. Hairy and long eared, long-legged and funny. Hungry, lazy...there were all kinds of animals. I know, I'll show you. Boomchyk, Boomchyk, ra, ta, ta, Wonderful learning awaits. Tri, lee, lya, lya, foo, foo, zooch, Appear magical key! Zoo Song: We hear strange sounds, meowing and roaring The sun shines, the lion rests The tiger stretches on the ground How strange, it's as if he's snoring. Giraffes, penguins, monkeys, zebras, camels Lots of animals hedr in the zoo. Diving into the pool and blowing bubbles The seals swim The camels stand in the lake They don't want to do anything. Giraffes, penguins, monkeys, zebras, camels Lots of animals here in the zoo. Further down the path I see a moose And a strong bison Horned goats climb up a hill. Giraffes, penguins, monkeys, zebras, camels Lots of animals here in the zoo. Yurko: It was great! Someday, I'll go to the zoo again. Pani Vera: It is time for recess. When we return to class, we will play an interesting game. Maksym: I hear something. Let's go! Song: What a sound, what a sound Rings out in the Village! Listen! It's music Come dance. Oj taj dunaj...oj taj dunaj...oj ta dunaj dana...oj taj dunaj dana. Dribu, dribu, dribushechku Stomp your feet. Oh! It's fun to be with you. Oj taj dunaj...oj taj dunaj...oj ta dunaj dana...oj taj dunaj dana. Twist, twist, spin around Jump this way and that way Twist, twist, spin around Let people be amazed. Oj taj dunaj...oj taj dunaj...oj ta dunaj dana...oj taj dunaj dana. Ha, ha, ha. Hee, hee, hee It's funny for the whole family. Oj taj dunaj...oj taj dunaj...oj ta dunaj dana...oj taj dunaj dana. Natalka: I like to dance. Maksym: Me too. But I want to learn Ukrainian dancing. Let's find a dance lesson. Children: Boomchyk, Boomchyk, ra, ta, ta, Wonderful learning awaits. Tri, lee, lya, lya, foo, foo, zooch, Appear magical key! Milya: Whew! Dancing is fun, but I'm ready to sit down again. It's time to return to class where Pani Vera has a special lesson planned. We'll play a game that will teach us the capital of Ukraine. Pani Vera: And now, sit down and we'll play an interesting game. Welcome to Who Wants to be a Ukrainian Extraordinaire. Today, our contestant is Natalka. Natalka has successfully completed the first round by reciting the Ukrainian alphabet. Now the game continues. Let's play! Natalka, what is the capital of Ukraine? Kyiv, Lviv, Karpaty or Dnipro? Natalka: Well, I know that the Dnipro is Ukraine's largest river. So, that's not a city. (Sings) In the Carpathian Mountains, that's where I would like to live. Yes, yes. The Karpaty are a mountain range in Ukraine. Lviv is a large city in Ukraine, but not the capital. The capital of Ukraine is Kyiv. Pani Vera: Are you sure? Natalka: Yes. Kyiv is the capital of Ukraine. Pani Vera: That's correct. Congratulations Natalka, your are really a Ukrainian Extraordinaire. That's all for today. Go play. Milya: Class has ended. On their way home Natalka, Yurko and Maksym will find a special photo album. Let's see what's inside. Yurko: What's this? Natalka: It's a photo album. It says: Famous Ukrainians. Maksym: I'd like to see what's inside. Yurko: But there's a lock on the album. Natalka: We need the magical key. Children: Boomchyk, Boomchyk, ra, ta, ta, Wonderful learning awaits. Tri, lee, lya, lya, foo, foo, zooch, Appear magical key! Milya: The children have found an album with pictures of famous Ukrainians. That's Alexander Archipenko, a world famous sculptor. Boomchyk: This is Alexander Archipenko, a world famous sculptor. Milya: Ooooh! That's Roberta Bondar, Canada's first woman in space. Boomchyk: That's Roberta Bondar, Canada's first woman in space. Milya: And Volodymyr the Great, the Grand Prince of Kyiv who introduced Christianity to Ukraine in 988. Boomchyk: Volodymyr the Great, the Grand Prince of Kyiv who introduced Christianity to Ukraine. Milya: Wow! There are lots of famous Ukrainians. Oh! It's dinner time and our adventures are almost over for today. Natalka: What a wonderful day. So many adventures and lessons. Maksym: Oh yes! Today I learned the whole Ukrainian alphabet. (Recites whole alphabet.) Yurko: And I'm going to remember Ukraine's most famous cities. (Sings) One the shores of the Dnipro Stands the famous capital, Kyiv And in Western Ukraine The ancient city Lviv. And in Western Ukraine The ancient city Lviv. Boomchyk: I enjoyed seeing the Ukrainian dancers. Hey, ha, hopak! Natalka: Oh yes, we Ukrainians are fine dancers. But I now know that there are world famous Ukrainian artists, kings and astronauts, too. Milya: It's been an exciting day. Maksym learned the Ukrainian alphabet. Yurko now knows Ukraine's most famous cities, Kyiv and Lviv. Boomchyk enjoyed dancing and Natalka discovered that there are many famous Ukrainians. And me? I've learned the names of lots of animals in Ukrainian. Natalka: It's time for me to go home. Yurko: Mee too. Maksym: Me too. Boomchyk: Good bye friends! Children: Good bye Boomchyk! Milya: The children are going home and our adventures in Alphabet Village are over for today. But come back soon and we'll play and sing again. Good bye! Volume 2: Theme Song: A journey to an enchanted world, I'm going to play and sing in Alphabet Village. A pleasant road leads us to discover this and that. Let's go to Alphabet Village. The Village is mine. The Village is yours. It's a happy gathering of friends. The Village is mine. The Village is yours. Adventures, dancing, songs, stories. The Village is mine. The Village is yours. Adventures, dancing, songs, stories. Milya: Hello and welcome. It's the start of a new day in Alphabet Village, a day of learning, fun and games. I'm learning to speak Ukrainian by observing the activities in Alphabet Village. We have many friends here eager to teach us Ukrainian words. This key unlocks all the doors to learning. Boomchyk Borovyk is in there. Let's watch as he begins his day. Boomchyk: Good morning children. Welcome! I've slept all night and now I am ready to sing and play. But first, I must eat breakfast, brush my teeth and wash up. Now I am ready to get going. Milya: Boomchyk is ready to stretch before he sets out for the day. get up and follow along. Boomchyk: We have lots of adventures planned for today. Are you ready? Did you say Yes, you're ready? Or no, you're not ready? You're ready? Great! First, let us stretch. Perhaps to some music. Song: Head, shoulders, knees and toes. Head, shoulders, knees and toes. Eyes, ears, lips nose. Arms, legs, forehead, tail. Head, shoulders, knees and toes. Head, shoulders, knees and toes. Eyes, ears, lips nose. Arms, legs, forehead, tail. Head, shoulders, knees and toes. Boomchyk: We've stretched and now we're ready for our morning exercises. You know that you need to exercise to have a healthy body. To have healthy minds, we need to exercise them too. Today, we'll exercise our bodies and minds at the same time. Let's jump and count. Milya: Now that we've stretched, we're ready to exercise. Boomchyk will show us how to exercise our bodies and our minds at the same time. he'll count in Ukrainian as we exercise. Come on! Jump up and join in. Song: One, two, three, we are jumping jacks. Four and five, we like to skip and jump. Six, seven, eight, hip, hip, hop. Nine and ten and back to the beginning. Boomchyk: Whew! Time to rest. I have one towel. Now, I have two towels. And now three. And four. And five. Enough towels! But I always enjoy counting. We can count all sorts of things. Milya: Here's another opportunity to count. Boomchyk just found a clock. Let's count the numbers on the clock with boomchyk in Ukrainian. Children: one, two three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve. Boomchyk: Now, look at the clock. There are all sorts of numbers on the face of the clock. A clock tells us the time. And when we tell time, there is a special way to say the numbers. Seven o'clock, time to rise. Eight o'clock, time for breakfast. Nine o'clock, I read a story. Ten o'clock, I clean up my toys. Eleven o'clock, time to exercise. Twelve o'clock, come on! Let's play a game. Maksym: Boomchyk is getting ready to play a game. we want to go to Alphabet Village, too. Children: Boomchyk, boomchyk, ra, ta, ta Wonderful learning awaits. Tri, lee, lya, lya, foo, foo zooch Appear magical key! Maksym: Games? Did somebody say games? Boomchyk: Yes, we were just playing a counting game. Now we're going to play games that will teach us more Ukrainian words. Natalka: Can we play with you? Boomchyk: Certainly! The more the merrier. Yurko: Sometimes big kids don't want to play with us. That makes us little kids sad. Boomchyk: Older children should remember that they were little once too. Song: It simply doesn't matter, if we are big or small. It simply doesn't matter, we play one and all. Some are giants, others are dwarfs. It simply doesn't matter, we're all the same. We're all the same. We're all the same. Boomchyk: Yes, we all like to play together. Games are fun and educational. Natalka: I like to learn. Boomchyk: Yurko, what do you like to do? Yurko: I like to draw, with lots of colors. but I don't always remember the names of all the colors. Milya: Hooray! We're going to play another game. Boomchyk will name a color and the children will name something of that color. Boomchyk: I know a game that will help us learn the colors. I'll name a color and you name something that is that color. ready? Children: Ready. Boomchyk: I'm thinking about black. Maksym: The screen is black as the night. Boomchyk: I'm thinking about blue. Natalka: The sky and ocean. Boomchyk: I'm thinking about white. Yurko: The clouds, fluffy as snow. Boomchyk: I'm thinking green. Maksym: Frogs, grass and leaves. Boomchyk: I'm thinking brown. Yurko: The bark of trees. Boomchyk: I'm thinking yellow. Maksym: The sun in the sky. Boomchyk: I'm thinking red. Natalka: A red bird, a cardinal. Boomchyk: I'm thinking orange. Yurko: A pumpkin fell on the ground. Boomchyk: And what is purple? Children: Purple? Purple. Purple. You're purple. Boomchyk: Yes I'm purple. Milya: It's time to follow Natalka, Maksym and Yurko to class. hey, I wonder where Boomchyk went. Natalka: I'm ready to learn. Let's go to class. Children: Boomchyk, boomchyk, ra, ta, ta Wonderful learning awaits. Tri, lee, lya, lya, foo, foo zooch Appear magical key! Milya: Pani Vera has an adventure planned, a treasure hunt. She will read riddles from a secret note she's received. We must look for clues to help us figure out the riddles and to find the treasure chest. Pani Vera: Come here children. I'll tell you a secret. I've just learned of a secret hiding place for Ukrainian words. Will you help me find this treasure? Children: Yes, Yes. Natalka: What do we need to do to find this treasure? Pani Vera: Well, I've gotten a message for the keeper of Ukrainian words that we should look for a place where there is a large wheel, a long slide and colored animals that go up and down and round and round. Do you know of such a place? Maksym: A carnival! Pani Vera: Right. That's where we'll find our treasure chest. Get ready to go. The note says to look for a boy with a picture of the Ukrainian flag on his shirt. Do you know the colors of the Ukrainian flag? Natalka: Blue and yellow. Pani Vera: Excellent. Natalka: I see the boy. He has a blue balloon. Pani Vera: This boy will help us figure out the first riddle. I fly without wings, I carry passengers and deliver supplies. I'm not a jet but a ... Maksym: Balloon! A blue balloon. Yurko: No, no. It's a bird. Pani Vera: Maksym, Yurko, those are good guesses, but a balloon doesn't carry passengers and a bird has wings. Look, the boy sat in a helicopter. Here's the next riddle. I rock gently on the water. Sit in me, pick up an oar. We will glide. Natalka: A boat! Pani Vera: Next riddle. My wagons are made of steel and iron. I travel on rails all over the world. Maksym: I hear a whistle. It must be a train. Pani Vera: Right. A train. Last riddle. Long tail, skinny legs, I often say (neighing sound.) Yurko: A horse neighs like that. Pani Vera: How are these objects related? Maksym: We can use each of them to get from one place to another. Natalka: They're forms of transportation. Pani Vera: We figured out all of the riddles. Here are our treasures. There is a helicopter, boat, train and horse in the treasure chest. Maksym: I like the train. Pani Vera: You get the train. Natalka: I'd like the horse, please. Pani Vera: Play with the horse. Yurko: I'd like the horse but I'll readily play with the boat. Pani Vera: Play with the boat. Boomchyk: Exactly what I need. Milya: So that's where Boomchyk was hiding. Where's he going now? Hmmmm. Oh, I see why he's in such a hurry. It's lunch time. Boomchyk must be hungry. I wonder what he'll eat for lunch. Boomchyk: I like to eat a variety of foods, something new each day. Song: On Monday, borsch. Peas on Tuesday. On Wednesday, cabbage. Eat my friends. On Thursday, pyrohy. These are our favorites. For a change on Friday, we'll have kasha. For a change on Friday, we'll have kasha. On Saturday, eggs, that the chicken laid. On Sunday, we'll cook meat. Let's eat. On Sunday, we'll cook meat. Let's eat. Boomchyk: What are you're favorite foods? Natalka: I like noodles. Yurko: I like cabbage rolls. Maksym: My favorites are sausages. Boomchyk: My favorite food is eggs. I like them boiled and I like them fried. But most of all, I like pysanky. Maksym: Pysanky aren't for eating. Yurko: Pysanky are art. You look at them. Maksym: I'd like to learn to make pysanky. Natalka: Me too. Let's find Pani Samycia. She makes beautiful pysanky. Yurko: But how will we find her? Natalka: The magical key will open the door to her home and her art. Children: Boomchyk, boomchyk, ra, ta, ta Wonderful learning awaits. Tri, lee, lya, lya, foo, foo zooch Appear magical key! Pani Vera Samycia: Welcome children. I'm Vera Samycia. Today I'll teach you how to make pysanky. Please come into my home. In the beginning, I always start with a prayer. Lord God, help me. First we pick out an egg that's white. And what we use are kistky. That is the name of the writing instrument. And we use wax, too. We use dye. What I'm doing now is drawing on the pysanka with a pencil at first. The the wax, you take the kistka, electric or regular and everything you want to stay white you must color it with the wax. Then you place the pysanka in yellow dye, the lightest color first. Then take it out after 20 minutes and again you cover up what should stay yellow with the wax, then you put the pysanka in orange dye. Now, we'll do more. You see this takes a long time to finish. The pysanka sits calmly and relaxes and waits for me to write on her some more. Then we take the pysanka out of the red dye and we dry her. And we write over the red and towards the end we put her in the black dye. Once she's in the black dye the job is nearly completed. Then you must take it and clean it of the wax and put on the varnish. And our pysanka is done, varnished like a beautiful lady. Yurko: Those were beautiful pysanky. Maksym: Pani Samycia must be famous for this art. Yurko: Yes. Famous. Hey! Let's go look at pictures of famous Ukrainians. we need the magical key. Children: Boomchyk, boomchyk, ra, ta, ta Wonderful learning awaits. Tri, lee, lya, lya, foo, foo zooch Appear magical key! Milya: The boys have found an album with pictures of famous Ukrainians. That's Myhailo Hrushevsky, historian and president of Ukraine in 1918. Boomchyk: Myhailo Hrushevsky, historian and past president of Ukraine. Milya: Ooooh. That's hockey great Wayne Gretsky, his grandmother was born in Ukraine. Boomchyk: And this is Wayne Gretsky, his grandmother was born in Ukraine. Milya: And that's movie star, Jack Palance. He was in "City Slickers" and many other Hollywood films. Boomchyk: And that's Jack Palance, a well-known Hollywood actor who's starred in many American movies. Milya: Wow! There are lots of famous Ukrainians. Yurko: Someday, I'm going to be a famous painter. Natalka: I'm going to be a famous scholar. Maybe even a historian like Mykhailo Hrushevsky. Maksym: Yeah, Yeah. I'm planning to be famous when I grow up too. But now, we're just kids. And I want to sing. Song: The children went for a stroll in the forest to pick flowers. The forest is silent. Except for the song of the cuckoo. The forest is silent. Except for the song of the cuckoo. Boomchyk: Hey! Yurko, Maksym, Natalka! Maksym: Boomchyk is calling us. Yurko: I wonder what he's planning to do. Milya: I know what we're going to do next. we're going to match things that belong together. Boomchyk: Look children. Can you figure out the matching pairs? Natalka: School and socks don't match. We learn in school and socks are clothing. But, we need books to study. So school and books match. Boomchyk: Maksym, what goes with shoes? Maksym: Well, not the bun. Buns are for eating and shoes are for wearing on your feet. But first we have to put socks on our feet. Socks and shoes are a pair. Natalka: Good job Maksym. Maksym: Thank you. Yurko: Is it my turn now? Boomchyk: Yes, Yurko. What goes with hamburger. Yurko: I definitely wouldn't put toothpaste on my hamburger. Toothpaste goes on a toothbrush. So the hamburger and the bun are a pair. Milya: That was a fun game. Oh, it's dinner time and our adventures are almost over for the day. Maksym: What a day! So many adventures. So much learning. Natalka: Oh yes! Today I learned to count. One, two, three, four, five. Ah! It's fun to count. Six, seven, eight, nine, oh! Ten pares fell on the ground. Yurko: And I'm going to remember the names of all the colors and foods now. As soon as I get home, I'll sit down at the dining room table and paint a picture of everything I see. Song: I'll gather my paint brushes and start painting right away. A yellow melon and lemon, yellow cheese and a pink ham. A yellow melon and lemon, yellow cheese and a pink ham. Purple grapes, brown lettuce, white mashed potatoes and green beans. White mashed potatoes and green beans. Blue cornflowers, red beets, black bread and gray smoke, I've used all of my paints. Maksym: You learned the colors and I learned parts of the body. When I play soccer, I'll kick the ball with my feet and redirect it with my head but I'll never touch it with my hands. Milya: It's been an exciting day. Maksym learned the names of the parts of the body. Yurko now knows all of the colors. Natalka learned to count. And me? I've learned a lot of new words in Ukrainian like train and horse. Natalka: It's time for me to go home. Yurko: And for me. Maksym: And for me, too. Boomchyk: Good bye friends! Children: Good bye Boomchyk! Milya: The children are going home and our adventures in Alphabet Village are over for today. but come back soon and we'll play and sing again. Volume 3: A journey to an enchanted world, I'm going to play and sing in Alphabet Village. A pleasant road leads us to discover this and that. Let's go to Alphabet Village. The Village is mine. The Village is yours. It's a happy gathering of friends. The Village is mine. The Village is yours. Adventures, dancing, songs, stories. The Village is mine. The Village is yours. Adventures, dancing, songs, stories. Milya: Hello friends and welcome to Alphabet Village, the land where letters grow on trees and the river flows of alphabet soup. It's the beginning of autumn, a time when the letters on the trees turn colors and begin to fall. It's also the time to head back to school, and to learn about the seasons in Ukrainian. There are many treasures and adventures awaiting Maksym, Natalka and Yurko today. Boomchyk Borovyk will lead us in learning all sorts of new Ukrainian words. Hmm, where is Boomchyk? Oh I see him. He's still in bed! We need to help him wake up! Bring it! Boomchyk: Oh, good morning friends, good morning. As you can see, the clock is showing to seven o'clock, time to wake up, stretch, eat breakfast and wash up. Ahhhh! But I'm still sleepy. Maybe you can help me wake up. Yes, yes, the easiest way is to wash up to the tune of a lively melody. Will you help me? Wash my eyes, wash my nose, wash my ears and face, Wash my eyes, wash my nose, wash my ears and face, Wash my neck, wash my hands, I brush my teeth merrily, Every morning I wash my face, so everything's clean. Wash my neck and wash my hands, merrily I brush my teeth, Every morning I wash my face, so everything's clean. There! Now I'm completely awake and ready for breakfast. Mmm, I love to eat breakfast. And you? Do you like to eat a tasty breakfast? Let's go! What's that? You wish me bon appatite? Thank you very much. And the same to you! It's very good. What's that? Oh, I forgot to tell you. Today is the first day of autumn, and in the fall season, children go to school. I'm sure they are all excited. In the park a happy day Bell is ringing clang clang clang, Off to school the children go They'll learn the alphabet, Off to school the children go They'll learn the alphabet. In the fall, in the fall, Off to school we go In the fall, in the fall, in the fall, We're going to school to learn. And Natalka comes prepared She remembers the whole alphabet, A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J She repeats it as she goes. In the fall, in the fall Off to school we go, In the fall, in the fall, in the fall, We're going to learn. In the fall, in the fall, in the fall, We're going to learn. There Maksym is ready to play, Yurko wants to paint. Games and toys and songs Eagerly we all learn. Games and toys and songs Eagerly we all learn. In the fall, in the fall, Off to school we go, In the fall, In the fall, in the fall, We're going to learn. In the fall, In the fall, in the fall, We're going to learn. Boomchyk: Good morning friends! Children: Good morning Boomchyk! Natalka: Are you taking us to school today? Boomchyk: Yes! Let's go! Maksym: The Gate is closed! Natalka: We need the magic key. Yurko: Bring it! All together now! Children: Boom-chyk, boom-chyk, ra-ta-ta, Wondrous learning us awaits. Tree-lee, la-la, foo-foo, zooch Magic key to us appear. Boom-chyk, boom-chyk, ra-ta-ta, Milya: The children are in school and pani Vera will find out how they spent the summer. Pani Vera: Welcome children. I am sure you rested nicely during your summer vacations, and now it is time to learn again. But first, please tell me how you spent your summer vacations? Were they pleasant? Natalka: Oh yes. I went to the beach and swam in the ocean. Yurko: I went to summer camp, and met many new friends. Maksym: I practiced football all summer, and even took part in a football tournament, where our team won first place. Pani Vera: I'm glad that everyone had a pleasant summer vacation. Summer is one of the four seasons. Can you tell me what the other seasons of the year are? Natalka: I know. Now we start school, and this means that it must be autumn. Pani Vera: Yes. We return to school in the fall. Yurko: And it gets colder outside, the leaves on the trees change colors and the animals get ready for winter. Winter is the following season. Maksym: Oh, I like winter less, because during the winter, you can't play football outside. Yurko: But you can build a snowman. Natalka: And sled down a hill. Yurko: And you need to wear warm clothes, mittens and a hat, so that the cold doesn't freeze your ears and fingers. Natalka: That's true, but I love to roll around in the snow, and to make snow angels. Maksym: Yes. Yes. I still like spring better. Spring is the following season. Natalka: Yes, in the spring it becomes warmer, the flowers come up and the trees become green again. Yurko: Birds return from their summer homes, and insects and bees circle everywhere. Pani Vera: You know the seasons well. But to remember them better, let's play a game. Here in my treasure chest are different pictures. Can you guess which season is portrayed in each picture? Milya: The children know all about the seasons - the names of the seasons, and even what each season brings. Now the game is to try and tell the season just by looking at the picture. Do you think you can guess each season? Maksym: This is the fall. I like to play in the leaves. Natalka: This is winter! I can't wait to play in the snow. Maksym: Spring! Spring! Children: Summer! Summer! Summer! Pani Vera: You know the seasons well. For this, you deserve a reward. I wonder what is hidden in the treasure chest? What's this? I know! This is that very mitten, about which the story is written. Maksym: I don't know any story about a mitten. Do you Natalka? Yurko? (part 2 of 2 emails - continued) Pani Vera: Then listen. An old man was walking through a forest with his dog following him. And he lost his mitten. Along came a mouse and she climbed into the mitten. "Here I shall live," said the mouse. When along came a frog who asked: "Who, who lives in this mitten?" "Squeaky mouse, and who are you?" replied the mouse. "Croaky frog" replied the frog "Will you let me in?" "Come in." Now there were two of them, when along came a rabbit and asked: "Who, who lives in this mitten?" "Squeaky mouse and croaky frog, and who are you?" "I'm hoppity rabbit please let me in." "All right, come in." Now there were three, when along came a fox that asked: "Who, who lives in this mitten?" Squeaky mouse, croaky frog and hoppity rabbit, and who are you?" "I'm sister fox, let me in as well." Alright, come in." Now there were four, when along came a wolf, and headed right for the mitten: "Who, who lives in this mitten?" asked the wolf. "Squeaky mouse, croaky frog, hoppity rabbit and sister fox, and who are you?" "Brother wolf" replied the wolf "let me in too." "Oh alright, come in." And the wolf climbed right in and now they were five, when out of nowhere there came a wild boar: "Oink-grunt-grunt-oink! Who, who lives in this mitten?" "Squeaky mouse, croaky frog, hoppity rabbit, sister fox and brother wolf, and who are you?" "Oink-grunt-grunt-oink! I'm tusky boar, let me in as well." "What are we to do? Everyone who comes along wants to get into the mitten!" exclaimed the animals. "There is no room for you!" "I'll fit. Please let me in," said the boar. "What are we to do with you? Come in." And the boar climbed into the mitten. Now they were six, but so tightly packed in in that they could hardly move. When suddenly the underbrush crackled and there came a big brown bear that headed straight for the mitten: "Who, who lives in this mitten?" growled the bear. "Squeaky mouse, croaky frog, hoppity rabbit, sister fox, brother wolf and tusky boar, and who are you?" "Ha, ha, ha! There are so many of you in there. I'm troublesome bear, let me in too!" "How will you fit? The mitten is already bursting at the seams!" "Somehow we'll work it out." "Oh, alright, come in. But keep to the side." The bear climbed in. Now they were seven, but so tightly packed in that the mitten was about to burst. The old man realized that he had lost a mitten and headed back looking for the missing mitten, the dog running in front of the old man. The dog ran and ran, when ahead of him he saw the mitten. It was lying in the snow and moving. The dog barked: woof-woof-woof. The frightened animals all ran out of the mitten and scattered throughout the forest. The old man came and took his mitten. Natalka: I enjoyed that story very much. Maksym: I like it as well. But I would like to know where all those animals lived after they lost their house. I'm sure they were cold without their house, the warm mitten. Pani Vera: I'm glad you liked the story. And now it's time to choose your treasures. Natalka: I would like to have the wreath please, because it reminds me of spring. Maksym: I like the sunglasses. Yurko: These mittens are exactly what I need, because my hands are always sold in the winter. Pani Vera: Children, look at the time. It's already lunchtime. It's time to have some lunch and then to return to class. I wish you "bon appatite.' Children: And the same to you! Milya: What a story! Can you believe that all those animals fit into that little mitten? Well, remember that we are in Alphabet Village and magical things happen all the time here. Take a look. Natalka: I really like this wreath. Maksym: In these glasses I'm ready for summer. Yurko: Hey, where is the second mitten. Natalka: Interesting, could all those animals really fit into that mitten. Yurko: Where could it have gone? Maksym: It was certainly a warm home for the summer. Yurko: What's this? Children: Boomchyk! Boomchyk: I wonder how all of those animals fit into that mitten, when I can't even get into it by my lonesome. Children: laugh Boomchyk: It's starting to rain! And I'm very hungry. Yurko: Me too. Boomchyk: Then let's all go to my house for lunch, and after we can play a little. Children: Let's go! Milya: It's lunchtime, and I think I'll catch a bowl of alphabet raindrops. They look delicious! I'm going to have lunch here, but Boomchyk has invited the children to his house for lunch. Boomchyk also has a surprise for the children. Let's listen in. Natalka: Boomchyk, thank you for a very tasty lunch. Maksym and Yurko: Yes! Yes! Yes! We thank you, thank you and jump up high! Boomchyk: You're welcome. And now I have a surprise for you. Yurko: What kind of surprise? I love surprises. Boomchyk: This kind. This is a magic radio. On this radio, you can listen to and makeup all sorts of new songs. Would you like to listen? Maksym: Songs? Absolutely! Boomchyk: This is a song about the months of the year. We have already learned about the seasons, but we still don't know the names of the months. Want to listen? Natalka: Yes. Yes. Boomchyk: In a minute I will tell What the months are in the year. In a year there are twelve months Twelve months in a year there are January's a cold month It's the coldest time of year February's winds are fierce Biting everybody's ears. March's winds blow strong, Bringing spring, April covered in flowers, And green grasses start to grow. April covered in flowers, And green grasses start to grow. January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December at the end... May breath is a warmer breeze Bringing leaves back to the trees, And in June the longest days we'll play outside. Relaxation in July At the beach we'll enjoy the heat. August ripens pears to gold Fruits for all. January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, And December at the end... In September children know Off to school they all will go, And October brings the cold Painting leaves golden colors. Rain and leaves begin to fall In November they fly. In December comes the end Winter's coming. In December comes the end Winter's coming. January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, And December at the end. We learned the months of the year, We will sing them all together. We learned the months of the year, We will sing them all together. Boomchyk: Enough of this. I can't dance another step. Maksym: I'm all danced out. Natalka: Oh! It's time to head back to school! Boomchyk: Good bye! Children: Good bye. Milya: Wow! What a song. I hope it helps me remember the months of the year in Ukrainian. But now the children have to rush back to school for an afternoon of games and learning, and maybe even a special adventure. And Boomchyk? He's about to get a new visitor, the mailman. Boomchyk: I wonder who's at the door? Thank you for the mail! Mail's here, mail's here I tear open letters Mail's here, mail's here I tear open letters. I'm laughing and enjoying And I'm ready to read the letter I'm laughing and enjoying And I'm ready to read the letter Mail's here, mail's here I tear open letters Mail's here, mail's here I tear open letters. I'm laughing and enjoying And I'm ready to read the letter I'm laughing and enjoying And I'm ready to read the letter Stephania Reads Letter: Dear Boomchyk. I'm five years old. My birthday is in January. In January it is very cold. For my birthday we ate cake and then played in the snow. We also went sledding down a hill. I'm very happy that my birthday is in winter. Stephania. Boomchyk: What a wonderful letter. Thank you, Stephania, for writing me. I'm always happy to receive letters. I wonder if you have favorite months of the year? Girl: My favorite time of year is spring. Because everything comes alive. The grass becomes green. Birds sing. And the flowers smell nice. Boy: My favorite time of year is Autumn because I enjoy jumping in leaf piles. Milya: Boomchyk's friends sure know a lot about the seasons and the months of the year! Hey, it's time to head back to the classroom and learn the days of the week! Pani Vera: Did everyone have a good lunch? Good! Now it's time to set up our class calendar. Here on the wall is a calendar. Yurko: That reminds me of the calendar which hangs on the wall in our kitchen. But this calendar has no names of the months, or days of the week. Pani Vera: Correct. We will have to fill in the blanks ourselves. We need to paste these pictures and names onto our calendar. And to help us remember the names of the days, maybe we can recall the song about the days of the week. Natalka: I remember. Monday we eat borsch, And eat peas on Tuesday. But these pictures don't fit in a song about food. Pani Vera: Correct, because our weekly calendar shows the things we will be doing each day. Listen, and then see if you can join in. Monday we will dance, Sing on Tuesday, Wednesday we play the bandura and sing merrily. Wednesday we play the bandura and sing merrily. Thursdays are for pysanky Everyone will write them. And to change things on a Friday We can do some reading. And to change things on a Friday We can do some reading. Saturday is for soccer, We will all play. And on Sunday we go to church To praise God. And on Sunday we go to church To praise God. Pani Vera: Very well done! You now know the order and the names of the days of the week. Now help me glue the correct pictures onto our calendar. Milya: What a great song. I learned all the days of the week, and I learned about some of the interesting things Maksym, Natalka and Yurko will be doing at school this week. Let' see how the calendar looks. Pani Vera: Our day is almost over. But before we say good bye, I have a short surprise for you. Look at the magic screen. Natalka: But on the screen, we don't see anything. Yurko: We need the magical key. Children: Boom-chyk, boom-chyk, ra-ta-ta Wondrous learning awaits. Tri-li, lya-lya, foo-foo, zooch Appear magical key. Pani Vera: This is the "Sunflower Festival," in Warren Michigan, during which the people of the city can learn a lot about Ukraine, it's heritage, culture and traditions. Yurko: My mother and I went to this festival last summer. I had a great time, and learned a lot about Ukrainian music and about Ukrainian folk art. Natalka: Did you see the display of embroidery? Yurko: I saw some beautiful ones. Maksym: Did you ride the carousel? Yurko: Yes. Maksym: Did you get to eat anything tasty? Yurko: I ate varenyky and cabbage rolls. Natalka: And did they dance? Yurko: Yes and played music. Maksym: Did anyone play a game of soccer? Yurko: No, they only played on instruments. Milya: This is the Sunflower Festival in Warren Michigan. The festival shows some of the culture and heritage of Ukraine. Yurko visited the festival last summer, and had a lot of fun, while learning all about his Ukrainian heritage. Pani Vera: Children, it's time to say good bye. Till tomorrow! Children: Until tomorrow. Natalka: Hey Boomchyk! You will not believe what an interesting day we had. I learned the days of the week in the right order. Boomchyk: From Monday through Sunday? Natalka: Yes. Yurko: And I had a lot of fun remembering a great trip to a festival in Michigan. Maksym: I liked your magic radio most of all. It helped me learn the names of all the months of the year. January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December. We learned the months of the year. Let's sing all together. Milya: What an exciting first day of school this has turned out to be. Natalka learned the days of the week, and Maksym just can't stop singing the song about the months of the year. And Yurko told us about his visit to a Ukrainian festival. And everyone loved the story about the animals that made a house out of a lost mitten. And me? I learned the Ukrainian words for the seasons, months and days. Natalka: It's fun to stay here and talk but it's time for me to go home. Yurko: And for me. Maksym: And for me too. Boomchyk: Good bye friends! Children: Good bye Boomchyk! Milya: The children are going home and our adventures in Alphabet Village are over for today. But come back soon - and we'll play and sing again. Good bye. Volume 4: Theme Song: A journey to an enchanted world, I'm going to play and sing in Alphabet Village. A pleasant road leads us to discover this and that. Let's go to Alphabet Village. The Village is mine. The Village is yours. It's a happy gathering of friends. The Village is mine. The Village is yours. Adventures, dancing, songs, stories. The Village is mine. The Village is yours. Milya: Welcome children. It's me, Milya. And there is Boomchyk Borovyk. Today is Boomchyk's birthday. Let's see how he plans to celebrate. Boomchyk: Ah-choo! Off-scene voices: Bless you! Boomchyk: Thank you! Excuse me my dear viewers. My mother recently reminded me to always be polite. And you said Bless you so politely. Do you know what? Today is my birthday! Soon, my friends will come to visit. Today, I will try to use my best manners. The children will bring presents. And I will thank them nicely. Thank you Marika. Thank you Mykola. We'll have lunch and I'll say Please come to the table. Bon appatite! And my friends will sing Happy Birthday to me. I'm ready to start celebrating right now. Today is my birthday. Today is my birthday. Today is my birthday I love to celebrate I will play and jump And blow out candles. I love to celebrate I will play and jump And blow out candles. I'm a year older and I'm smarter I know how to add And every day I practice on my bandura and play. And every day I practice on my bandura and play. Maksym: Today is Boomchyk's birthday. He has invited everyone to come to his house to celebrate. Yurko: Yes. Yes. We will celebrate together. Maybe there will be cake and balloons... Natalka: But first we must go to school. Children: Boom-chyk, boom-chyk, ra-ta-ta Wondrous learning awaits. Tri-li, lya-lya, foo-foo, zooch Appear magical key. Milya: So Boomchyk has invited all of his friends to his birthday party. Maksym, Yurko and Natalka are at school now. I think Pani Vera will help them get ready for the party. Pani Vera: Good morning children. Children: Good morning Pani Vera. Pani Vera: Why have you brought presents to school today? Natalka: Today Boomchyk Borovyk celebrates his birthday. We are going to his house for a party. Pani Vera: A birthday is a big day for every child. Each year, you grow and learn something new. Maksym, how old are you? Maksym: I'm five already. This year, I learned to ride a bicycle all by myself. Pani Vera: How nice! Natalka: And I'm four years old. This year, I learned the whole alphabet and I can comb my own hair. Pani Vera: Wonderful! Yurko, how old are you? Yurko: I'm four too. I know how to pour milk by myself. And how to clean up my toys. Pani Vera: You really know how to take care of yourself. Maksym: Ah-choo! Natalka and Yurko: Bless you! Maksym: Thank you! Boomchyk will probably get lots of presents for his birthday. Pani Vera: Well, yes. That will be our lesson for today: birthdays! We can celebrate birthdays in many ways -- with family or friends, at home or at the park. Look at the magical screen and watch how Nastia celebrates her birthday. Natalka: But there is nothing on the screen. Yurko: We probably need the magical key. Children: Boom-chyk, boom-chyk, ra-ta-ta Wondrous learning awaits. Tri-li, lya-lya, foo-foo, zooch Appear magical key. Nastia: Hello Oksana. Guest 1: Hello, Nastia. Nastia: Thank you. Guest 1: You're welcome. Guest 2: Good Day! Nastia: Good Day Alexander and Mark. Guest 2: Happy Birthday. Nastia: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for coming. Mother: Come children. It is time to play some games. Come here. Stand in a circle and hold hands. Hold hands. Make a nice circle. Guest 3: Come by me Anya. Mother: We'll play a game called The Mill Wheel. Do we like this game? Yes. Do we all know the words? Yes. Lets begin. One, two, three. All together: The mill wheel For four coins The circle has broken We all fall down. The mill wheel For four coins The circle has broken We all fall down. Mother: Children, we've played so nicely and now we'll rest and sing a song about the thumb. Ready? One big thumb Two big thumbs Got up early and told their mother That they were going for a long hike. Got up early and told their mother That they were going for a long hike. One big thumb Two big thumbs Hiked and sang Until they fell into a wolf's den. Hiked and sang Until they fell into a wolf's den. One big thumb Two big thumbs Call their mother from the wolf's den They call with all their might. Call their mother from the wolf's den They call with all their might. Their mother came at once She paled from fright She pulled them out and scolded them And put them to bed to sleep. She pulled them out and scolded them And put them to bed to sleep. One big thumb Two big thumbs Sleep. Mother: Now I am sure you are all Hungry. Please come to the table, children. Nastia: Bon Appatite to you all! Guests: Thank you! Mnohaya Lita. Milya: Nastia had a wonderful party. I love birthday parties. Back in the classroom, Maksym is ready to go to Boomchyk's party. But first, Pani Vera will present a lesson about family members. Maksym: Is it time yet to go to Boomchyk's house? Pani Vera: Not yet. Not yet. First, a lesson about families. Tell us Maksym, who lives with you in your house? Maksym: Mama and me. Pani Vera: That is your family. The people who are closest to you and whom you love most. Natalka: I have a brother, Zenko. And my grandmother and grandfather live in our house too. In my family, I have lots of names. To my mom and dad, I am a daughter To my brother and sister, I'm a sister To my grandma and grandpa, I'm a granddaughter To my aunt and uncle, I'm a niece. Yurko: Listen. This is what my family calls me. To my mom and dad, I am a son To my brother and sister, I'm a brother To my grandma and grandpa, I'm a grandson To my aunt and uncle, I'm a nephew. Pani Vera: There are many kinds of families. Maksym is an only child. Natalka has a brother. And Yurko has a sister and a brother. Sometimes families have pets too. Would you like to hear a story about an interesting family? Children: Yes! Yes! Please tell us a story! Pani Vera: This story is called "The giant turnip." It was written by the famous Ukrainian author, Ivan Franko. Pani Vera: There was a grandfather, Andrushka, and grandmother, Marushka, the grandmother had a daughter, Minka, and the daughter had a dog, Finka, and the dog had a friend, the cat Varvarka, and the cat had a charge, the mouse Siromanka. Once in spring, the grandfather took his spade and hoe, and dug a garden row, he turned it and raked it, made a small hole with his finger and planted a turnip. The grandfather worked fruitfully and the turnip sprouted nicely. Each day, the grandfather went into the garden with a mouthful of water and watered the turnip and encouraged it to grow. The turnip grew and grew. First, it was like a mouse, then like a beet, then like a fist, then like two, and finally, it grew as big as the grandfather's head. Grandfather was delighted. Grandfather: It is time to harvest the turnip. Pani Vera: He walked into the garden thump, thump! He grabbed the turnip by its green top: he pulled with his hands, he braced himself with his legs, he used all of his strength - he labored all day, but the turnip would not budge. He called the Grandmother, Marushka. Grandfather: Come, Grandmother, help me to pull up the turnip. Pani Vera: They went into the garden, thump, thump. Grandfather grabbed the top of the turnip, Grandmother took Grandfather by the shoulder - they pull and pull. Grandfather pulls the turnip's top, Grandmother pull on Grandfather's shirt, they work with their arms and legs - they work all day. But the turnip will not budge. Grandmother calls her Daughter, Minka. Grandmother: Come Daughter, help us to pull up the turnip! Pani Vera: They went into the garden, thump, thump. Grandfather grabbed the top of the turnip, Grandmother took Grandfather by the shirt, the Daughter grabbed Grandmother's apron strings, they pull with their arms, they brace themselves with their legs, they work all day, but the turnip will not budge. The Daughter calls her Dog, Finka. Daughter: Come Finka, help us to pull up this turnip! Pani Vera: They went into the garden, thump, thump. Grandfather grabbed the top of the turnip, Grandmother took Grandfather by the shoulder, the daughter grabbed Grandmother's apron strings, the dog held the daughter's skirt. Grandfather yanks the top of the turnip, Grandmother pulls on Grandfather's shirt, the Daughter pulls Grandmother's apron strings, the dog pulls the daughter's skirt. They work all day. But the turnip will not budge. The dog calls the cat, Varvarka. Dog: Come, Varvarka, help us to pull up the turnip. Pani Vera: They went into the garden, thump, thump. Grandfather grabbed the top of the turnip, Grandmother took Grandfather by the shoulder, the daughter grabbed Grandmother's apron strings, the dog held the daughter's skirt, the cat held onto the dog's tail. They pull with their arms and their teeth, they brace themselves with their legs. They work all day, but the turnip will not budge. The cat calls the mouse, Siromanka: Cat: Come, Siromanka, help us to pull up the turnip! Pani Vera: They went into the garden, thump, thump. Grandfather grabbed the top of the turnip, Grandmother took Grandfather by the shoulder, the daughter grabbed Grandmother's apron strings, the dog held the daughter's skirt, the cat held the dog's tail, the mouse held the cat's paw - and they pulled and pulled and kaboom! The turnip fell on Grandfather Andrushka, Grandfather fell on Grandmother Marushka, Grandmother fell of daughter Minka, Minka fell on the dog Finka, the dog fell on the cat Varvarka - and the mouse dashed into a crevice. Natalka: I loved that story. Yurko: Oh yes! But is it time for Boomchyk's party now? Pani Vera: Finally it is time. Have fun! Boomchyk: It is so hard to wait. Soon my friends will be here. But it seems like time is moving so slowly. Hmmm. I'm curious. Who is at the door? Thank you for the mail. The mail is here, the mail is here I'm opening the envelope The mail is here, the mail is here I'm opening the envelope I smile and am happy And read my letter I smile and am happy And read my letter The mail is here, the mail is here I'm opening the envelope I smile and am happy And read my letter Dear Boomchyk. That's me! Birthday greetings! I am sending along this birthday poem to amuse you: Something is buzzing and something is ringing Someone is flying and someone is running Children and animals are hurrying To celebrate your birthday. Happy Birthday to Boomchyk Borovyk from Andrij. What a lovely card. Thank you Andrij for writing to me. I really enjoy receiving mail. Milya: Boomchyk received a lovely birthday card from his friend Andrij. He is really anxious for his friends to arrive and for his party to begin. The children are on their way now. Let's see where they are. Natalka: And they pulled and they pulled and fell to the ground! Maksym: Funny about that turnip. Boomchyk's mother told me that she bought him a bandura for his birthday. Yurko: A bandura! Oh, look. There is a bandura right here in front of us. Maksym: I wish someone would play for us. Natalka: But we need the magical key. Children: Boom-chyk, boom-chyk, ra-ta-ta Wondrous learning awaits. Tri-li, lya-lya, foo-foo, zooch Appear magical key. Michael Serdiuk: Hello. My name is Michael Serdiuk. Today I want to teach you to play the bandura so afterwards you can play on this musical instrument whenever you want. So now children, sit on your chairs upright. And hold the bandura on your legs like this. Left leg must be a bit in front of the right. Left hand should be placed on the neck of the bandura. Right hand should be held straight. And it is supposed to move freely across the bandura, never lean your arm on your leg. To get the sound, you need to pull the strings gently towards yourself. Your fingers should not be stiff, they need to be slightly bent and free. Put your fingers gently on the strings and pull them downward. And the strings will play for you doe, rae, me and so on. When we want to play two notes together, we use two fingers at the same time and take two strings and pull them downward. Now, we are ready to play a song. Bandura, it's a beautiful Ukrainian instrument. I feel pleased when I play it. Seems to me that you'll leave pleased with today's lesson. Natalka: How beautiful. What an interesting instrument. Maksym: Truly. Truly. But now let's hurry. It is time to celebrate Boomchyk's birthday. Milya: I loved seeing the man playing the bandura. All of those strings made such beautiful sounds. And now it is time for Boomchyk's party. Let's go! Natalka: Happy Birthday Boomchyk! Boomchyk: Thank you. Maksym and Yurko: Happy Birthday Boomchyk! Boomchyk: Thank you. Yurko: Listen Boomchyk. There is a surprise from our friends in the audience. Mnohaya Lita. Boomchyk: Thank you for the greetings and the presents. And most of all, thank you for coming to my party to celebrate with me. Maksym: Oh. It is time to go home. Natalka: For me too. Yurko: What a long, interesting day. Natalka: I really enjoyed the story about the turnip. The whole family worked together to pull up that giant turnip. My family works and plays together too. Yurko: I found the bandurist so interesting that I want to learn to play too. I would take up a bandura And play what I could Because of the bandura I became a bandurist. Because of the bandura I became a bandurist. Maksym: Yurko, you sand so nicely. For me, my favorite part of the day was celebrating Boomchyk's birthday. Boomchyk: Oh yes. It was so nice to celebrate my birthday with all of you. Good bye. Children: Good bye. Milya: The children and Boomchyk had a wonderful day, full of learning and celebrating. Natalka enjoyed the story of the Giant Turnip. Yurko decided that he wants to be a bandurist. Maksym had fun at Boomchyk's party. And me? I learned the names of lots of family members in Ukrainian: Mama - mother, Tato - father, don'ka - daughter, and sin - son. Everyone is going home for the day. We hope to see you again soon. Goodbye.