1-2-3 Come Do Some Snowman Writing Prompt Crafts With Me

Do you read the story “Snowmen At Night” by Carolyn Buehner?

It’s one of my students favorites, so I thought I’d make a quick, easy and fun little writing prompt craftivity for them to transition to after our story time.

So you can use this snowman for other stories, I’ve included non-titled patterns for versatility.

Little ones can simply make the snowman, while older students can add a writing prompt on the back, as seen in my sample, where I wrote what the snowmen in the story did at night. 

Other prompts could be: "If I were a snowman I would . . .", "I built a snowman and at night he . . ."  or "This is how you build a snowman:"

Completed projects make a sweet winter bulletin board, and prompts look terrific twirling from the ceiling.

There are 2 circle snowman patterns, as well as a blank-faced snowman, so children can draw their own, coloring with markers and crayons.

For fine-motor cutting practice, I’ve also included pattern pieces that you can run off on a variety of bright colors.

Children trim, arrange and glue them to their blue “night sky” circles to create a vibrant contrast.

I’ve also included a rectangular “color cut & glue” snowman option, with 2 writing prompt worksheets for the back. (See cover photo.)

For extra pizzazz and that finishing touch, my students absolutely love adding some snowflakes to the background using mini “porcupine balls” or Q-tips dipped in white paint.   

Besides writing prompt fun, I wanted students to be able to retell and sequence the story, so I designed some craftivities, which practice those standards in an interesting and fun way.

Completed projects make a really cute bulletin board, or look super dangling from the ceiling.

I’ve included 2, “Snowmen at Night” posters to use with your display.

There are 4 options for the crafty “danglers”, so that you can diversify ability levels, or give your students a choice.

My personal favorite is the single snowman.

Students color, cut & glue the top of the snowman to the oval "tummy" section, which features graphics for all of the things that the snowmen did in the story.

Ater students color them, they use their dangler as a fun way to retell the tale. 

For writing practice, and to check comprehension, older students can list the things the snowmen did at night on the back of their project. 

Another option, has large snowflake "snowballs" with a graphic on each one, that are glued back-to-back and dangle from a trio of snowmen. 

Students choose one of two picture options; then color, trim & glue to a sheet of royal blue construction paper, which adds that touch of "night". 

Besides making the craft, older students can practice their comprehension and writing skills, by explaining what the snowmen did at night on the back of their project.

I’ve included 2 writing prompt worksheets you can use for this.

If knot tying is too difficult for you kiddos, have them twist half a pipe cleaner into a ring and attach that way, or use the smaller snowballs, and have students arrange them in sequential order around the poster. 

You can also use these smaller snowballs, along with a different, circular "topper" to create yet another "dangler" option. 

As with the larger craftivity, these are also glued-back-to-back, so that different images of what the snowmen do at night are visible as the mobiles swirl & twirl.

To check comprehension, make an extra set of “snowballs” (large or small options), laminate, trim and use as an independent center, where students arrange the circle graphics in the correct sequential order of the story.

You could also add a magnet dot on the back, pass them out to students, then sequence the story on your white board after you read it.

Finally, make a “Let’s Sequence the Story” Itty Bitty booklet by collating the mini snowball graphics and adding the cover.

The activities are different enough so that you can do several.

I sometimes get requests to make one of my storytelling "sliders" for a particular book; and was happy to whip one up for Kara in Wisconsin for "Snowmen At Night". 

Sliders are another quick, easy & fun way for students to sequence and retell a story. 

There are two options in this packet, along with a "Here's What Happened" and "Let's Sequence the Story" worksheets.

There are two featured FREEBIES today!

Since Monday is Martin Luther King Day, one  FREEBIE is a set of MLK bookmarks.

Surprise students by leaving one on their desk, or give them a choice and have them use the bookmark to jumpstart a writing prompt about Martin Luther King.  

The other FREEBIE, is a writing prompt craftivity, which makes an awesome winter bulletin board.

Simply cut strips in a variety of construction paper colors.

Children glue them together to make a snowflake, then complete the MLK prompt:

"I have a dream too. My dream is . . ."  or "Like snowflakes, we are all different and unique, as well as the same because . . ." 

Any other winter writing prompts would also work.

Well that's it for today. Thanks for popping in. I'm watching my grandchildren today so it's time to put my Nana hat on. 

I have a new batch of Play-Doh I know they'll be thrilled with, plus we're going to make snowman cookies.

Wishing you a fun day filled with giggles galore & lots of snuggly hugs. 

"In the cookies of life, children are the chocolate chips."

1-2-3 Come Do Some More Snowman Activities With Me  

The flurries are swirling and twirling outside my window, so it's the perfect morning to blog about some of my favorite snowman-themed activities.

We all know that “Practice makes perfect”, but sometimes those worksheets get a bit tiresome. With that in mind, I wanted to create a wintry math activity that children would enjoy.

Dominic, the domino snowman, is a quick easy and fun math game with a variety of options that practice addition and subtraction.

I’ve also provided a simple work mat, for PK kiddos, so that they can practice rolling the dice, counting the dots, finding the matching dominos, then tracing & writing those two numbers.

You can play the game with real dominoes (They sell them at The Dollar Store) or run off the paper dominoes provided, so each student has their own set. The PK paper dominoes, only have one number on them.

The game can be played as an entire class, by having children work in small groups or with a partner. 
You can also set this up as an independent math center.

I’ve provided colorful math mats that you can print and laminate, as well as black & white versions in a large, as well as a smaller, 2-on-a-page size, so that children can color their own.

The recording sheets provide practice writing equations horizontally, while the math mats are vertical. 
It’s important to practice both directions because standardized tests include both, and can otherwise be confusing to children.

 The snowman clock matching game, can be used for an independent math center as well. Students match the analog and digital clocks with the appropriate hatband, arranging them on the snowman.  You could also use the snowman and his puzzle pieces, as an interesting and fun way to individually assess a child, or . . .

Make a snowman clock as a whole-group craftivity, and have students each make one of their own. 
To use the snowman as a whole-group assessment tool, run the blank clocks off on glossy photo paper and trim. Students glue it to their snowman to create a mini dry erase board.   Do the same thing for the digital time square.

Call out a time.  Using a dry erase marker, children draw the hands to show that time, then write it digitally in the rectangle.  You can see at a glance who is having difficulty.  To use the snowman as a clock, print off the blank clock pattern and trim.

Students glue it to their snowman and poke a hole in the center. Attach card stock "hands", or use a large and small paperclip, attached with a brass brad, that children manipulate to show whatever time is called for.

I’ve also included a set of mitten-themed telling time cards, which you can also use in a variety of ways: flashcards, games, a bulletin board display or snip in half to make puzzles. The cards reinforce digital, as well as analog time to the hour and half hour.

The packet also includes: two assessment templates, a blank set of cards to program with whatever, as well as a black and white clock page, with a cover, so that your kiddos can make an “Itty Bitty” Telling Time booklet.   

Another quick, easy & fun little snowman craftivity is the name snowman, which is very versatile.  Children can spell out their entire name, or simply do just their initial.

Studying winter vocabulary words, working on CVC or sight words? Those are other options. Give children a choice, or assign them a word to spell out. 
I’ve also included a writing prompt worksheet with a winter border: “I like winter because . . . However, I don’t like winter when . . .”

Children will be excited to get down to the business of writing, so they can make the snowman “topper” to put above their paper.  
I’ve also included a blank pattern so you can program with a different prompt. Completed projects make a sweet winter bulletin board too.
There's also a blank, black and white template, so students can make up their own puzzles, or you can program with whatever.

Besides the craftivity, you can mix and match the 5 sets of upper and lowercase letter cards to create alphabet games & centers. 
I’ve also included a 3-page tip list of ideas, which includes the “Kaboom!” game. 

Finally, I just finished these sweet snowman vowel pair puzzles.They are an interesting and fun way to practice those tricky vowel pair words.  

Use them for an independent literacy center, where students put them together as puzzles or sort them alphabetically or as groups of rhyming words.

You can also partner children up to play a Memory Match game, or use them for a whole-group, “I Have; Who Has?” game.
I’ve included a sorting mat, as well as two different worksheets for students to write the words on, as they complete the center activities.

There's also a blank, black and white template, so students can make up their own puzzles, or you can program with whatever.

Besides the craftivity, you can mix and match the 5 sets of upper and lowercase letter cards to create alphabet games & centers. 
I’ve also included a 3-page tip list of ideas, which includes the “Kaboom!” game.

The featured FREEBIE for today is a "Snowman on a Roll Dice Game" which reinforces number sense, counting, plus addition if you play with 2 dice.  Well that's it for today. 

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you found something to make winter a bit more fun.  Wishing you a special day filled with lots of smiles.

"Life is like a blanket of snow.  Be careful how you step on it, as every step will show." -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Do Some More Snowman Activities With Me

 Whenever I toss in a bit of craftiness to our learning, I grab my kiddos' attention and they can't wait to get down to business. It's an absolute joy to see them so happily engaged. 

The little bit of extra prep time is well worth the effort, as everyone is focused and on task, with no wasted time with discipline problems or re-explaining things to students who were not listening. 

Plus, completed projects make wonderful bulletin boards and hallway displays, which promote pride in their work and increased self-esteem.

With this in mind, I designed a variety of snowman-themed activities, that practice a variety of standards.

"The Snowman's Nose" is a quick, easy and fun way to practice: upper & lowercase letters, numbers to up to 20 or backwards from 31, plus skip counting by 2s, 3s, 5s and 10s, and can also be a way to whole-group assess. 

There are 8 different snowman heads to choose from. Simply choose which one is appropriate for your kiddos.

"Snowy's Nose" by Kelly Asbury, is a sweet book to read before or after this craft.

Another way to practice upper and lowercase letters, counting forwards and backwards, as well as skip counting by 2s, 3s, 5s, and 10s, is with Pete the Puzzling Snowman.

Print, color, laminate and trim a set, keeping each puzzle in its own Baggie, and use them for an independent center activity, or do as a whole-group craftivity.

Children can color my snowman face, or they can draw one of their own, on the blank pattern. 

After children cut up their puzzle template, they arrange the pieces on a blue sheet of construction paper, leaving a little gap in-between each strip, creating a cool mosaic effect.

For more alphabet practice, try my Dollar Deal Alphabet Wheels, which build the vocabulary needed to give an example of a word, with that beginning sound.

They feature 6 nouns that begin with that letter, and come in black and white, for individual word work, as well as color, so that you can use them as an independent center activity.

I've also included a worksheet where students trace & write the words in alphabetical order. 

We revisit the letter Ss in January, with the Ss is for Snowman alphabet wheel.

To practice 2D shapes, make a set of "Shapely Snowmen". 

Look closely at the photo, and you'll see that the snowman's facial features match the 2D shape of his head. 

I put a sprig of holly on my hats, but a paper punched snowflake would also look cute.

Use them as giant flashcards, (Hold one up. Children call out what shape it is, along with its attributes, like the number of vertices), use them as a 2D bulletin board display, independent math center, or do as a craftivity, and have students make one of their own.

You can also play a variety of games with them. I've included directions in the packet.

My kiddos absolutely LOVE playing  "4 Corner Freeze" . 

It's easy-peasy for me, and only takes a few minutes, so it’s perfect for the end of the day, or when you want to give your students a brain break or get the wiggles out. 

Finally, if your kiddos need some review with color and color words, the Colorful Snowman Games packet is an interesting and fun way to practice.

Students can play the color-matching game as an independent center, or choose a partner and play a spinner game.

Make an extra set and glue the puzzle hat and scarf pieces to the appropriate snowman and use them for your winter word wall, or a bulletin board display.

I’ve also included a plain set, for students to draw in their own snowman face, if you want to do this as a whole-group craftivity, where each child makes their favorite color snowman.   The packet also includes a “Colors on a Roll” dice game. 

The other snowman color activity is Snowman Colors, which features an emergent reader that covers lots of standards, as students read the repetitive sentences, circle capital letters, add end punctuation, trace and write the words, and color the pictures.  Days of the week + color words are also reinforced.

The packet includes 3 graphing extensions, a game, bookmark and a worksheet, plus a cute snowman craftivity, where the “scarf” is a little flip booklet, featuring color words.

The featured FREEBIE today is a set of "I Spy" snowface worksheet games, which help reinforce upper and lowercase letters + numbers from 1-20.

I did "I Spy" daily, as a fun way for my Y5's to practice, as well as a quick and easy way for me to whole-group assess.

Well that's it for today.  Hope you found something here that tickled your fancy. The sun is shining outside my office window and making the snow sparkle.

As Mr. Rogers used to say: "It's a wonderful day in the neighborhood." Wishing you a carefree day filled with Brrrrr-illiance!

"Some people are so much sunshine to the square inch." -Walt Whitman

1-2-3 Come Do Some Snowman Activities With Me

No matter what grade I taught, my students LOVED making glyphs. They are a quick, easy and fun way to practice listening and following directions.

With that in mind I designed a snowman glyph.  Completed projects make an adorable bulletin board, and provide an interesting way to get to know your kiddos too.

To practice data collection & analysis, as well as process of elimination, have students try and figure out who made some of the snowman glyphs. I've also included 3 graphing extensions to practice another math standard. 

Another super-fun snowman activity, is Silas, the 3D Cylinder Shaped Snowman.

I've found that if I toss a bit of craftiness into our lesson, I not only grab my students' attention, but they learn and retain those concepts better. 

The cylinder shape was a bit of a toughie for some of my kiddos, so this really helped solidify the concept.

Silas does double duty, as his facial features practice and review 2D shapes, which can be drawn on, or cut and glued.

Finally, my kiddos needed more place value practice. To put a bit of zippidy-doo-dah in reinforcing this math standard, I designed  Petey, a super-fun place value snowman.

Simply print the worksheet filled with an assortment of place value blocks. (There's 2 on a page).

Students decide which pieces they want to use to decorate their PV snowman with, then color, cut and glue them to the pattern.

Afterwards, they figure out the value of their snowman, then fill out the "My Place Value Snowman" worksheet.

I've included a blank template as well, if you think this is too much information for younger kiddos.

Children can fill out the black and white version, with whatever information is appropriate for their level. 

I've included one in color, so that teachers can quickly and easily make a sample to share.

Completed projects make an awesome bulletin board or hallway display. 

For more wintry place value practice, I designed a snowman, whole-group assessment game, which can also be used as an independent center activity.

I’ve included both a full page snowman, as well as a two-on-a-page pattern.  Students can draw in their own snowman face, or color my pattern.

To turn these into dry erase “boards”, cut squares out of glossy photo paper.  Each student needs 4 to glue on top of the squares on their place value snowman.   My students keep their snowman in their math journals, as we play the game once or twice a week. 

Students, don’t really seem to get tired of it, and the place value “light bulbs” go on rather quickly in their heads.   Despite the fact that many of my kiddos can't count past 100, they still can wrap their brains around place value, when shown visually, by playing this game.

Print; laminate and trim the number cards (0-9) and toss them in a mitten or winter cap.  Choose 3 students to pick a card.  This will become the 3-digit number that students write in the number squares of the snowman’s hat, using a dry erase marker.

Today's featured FREEBIE is a "Rip & Tear" snowman craft. Ripping and tearing paper is a super-fun way for kiddos to strengthen those finger and hand muscles. 

The packet includes a pattern for a mosaic snowman, as well as a whole, torn paper one. 

My kiddos do one the first week of January, then the other at the end of the month. 

Completed projects make an awesome bulletin board or hallway display, which we keep up through February. 

In the photograph, you can see Silas, the 3D cylinder shaped snowman, hanging with our rip and tear snowmen.

Well that's it for today.  Thanks for stopping by. 

Even tho' it's a chilly 33 degrees outside, the sun is shining, so I think I'll take my poodle pup Chloe for a walk.  Wishing you an energizing day.

"The higher your energy level, the more efficient your body. The more efficient your body, the better you feel and the more you will use your talent to produce outstanding results." - Anthony Roberts

1-2-3 Come Snip Some Snowflakes With Me

During the last few days before Christmas break, we took down all of our December bulletin boards and hallway displays featuring my students' work.

Because everything looked so bare, I always liked to do a craftivity on party day, that we could hang up for January. "Snippy, the 2D Snowflake", is perfect for that.

When it comes to practicing our scissor  skills, is there any cutting activity more fun than snipping a paper snowflake?

My Y5s absolutely LOVE making them, as there seems something almost magical about gently unfolding their creation, to reveal a lovely lacy snowflake.

With that in mind, I designed Snippy, the Shapely Snowflake Snowman, as a way to practice and review 2D shapes.

Although they look pretty awesome, they are no more difficult than cutting a regular paper, just follow my simple directions. 

If you opt to just make a regular snowflake, using coffee filters, instead of paper, is much easier for PK kiddos to cut.

The more "chunks" you snip, the more intricate your snowflake. Snipping chunks in the various 2D shapes, will also help reinforce this Common Core Standard.

I show my kiddos how to cut squares, rectangles, circles, triangles, a diamond rhombus, as well as a heart. 

Although each snowflake will be unique, just like real ones, the various shapes will be the same for everyone. 

Those snowflakes then becomes Snippy's body, with the hatbands stating the name of the shape.

Even if you choose not to do this as a whole-group, listening and following directions craftivity, make a set for a lovely "Winter Wonderland Wall", to use as shape review.

The packet includes directions, patterns and photographs of the folded steps, plus pictures of the completed projects.

Before we make our snowflakes, I read Snip Snip Snow by Nancy Poydar.   It’s one of my favorite snowflake books and my Y5’s really enjoy it. 

They always asked if they can make a snowflake too, which provides the perfect segue to our paper cutting activities.  

For almost all of them, this is a first-time experience, so they are extremely excited to begin.  To save time, you can prefold the paper for little ones, otherwise you can do the folding portion as a "monkey-see, monkey-do" following direction activity.  

While you are demonstrating, remind students to keep their snowflake folded and to have a space in-between each cut or they will have a snowflake with big holes that will likely fall apart. 

I always had a few kiddo's who got caught up in snipping and failed to follow directions.  For this reason, it’s a good idea to run off a few extra shapes. 

I hope your kiddos have a blizzard of fun as they snip snip away. The results are truly amazing!

Finally, while researching paper snowflakes, I came across the lovely idea of using a snowflake as a paper tutu for a ballerina, over at Krokotak What little princess wouldn't want to make one of these! 

There's also a connet-the-dots snowflake over at Calvary Kids with numbers to 78. 

The featured FREEBIE today is another shape craftivity.  I call them snowman name stackers.

They are a quick, easy and fun way to practice name recognition, letters, circles, squares and rectangles. 

My kiddos also make these before break, so that we can hang them on our lockers.

Well that's it for today.  Thanks for stopping by. I'll be watching Kaiden (3) and Kaitlyn (1) today.

My grandchildren are certainly rainbows in my life.

Maybe we'll make some snowflakes and attach them to the packages that still need wrapping.  Wishing you "fun-tastic" day. 

"Good friends are like snowflakes.  Each different and beautiful in their own way." -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Do Some Snowman Activities With Me

We didn't have much snow in December, but January is certainly making up for it. There's certainly enough to make a few fat snowmen; so I wanted to feature some of my favorite snowman-themed activities.

A snowman's head is perfect for reviewing 2D shapes.  I had a lot of fun making these shapely snowmen.  You can make a set for a winter bulletin board, anchor chart-posters, large flashcards to review and assess the shapes, a center matching activity, or have students choose their favorite and make one. 

Look carefully and you'll see that the snowman's facial features also match the 2D shape of his head.  Click on the link to view/download the shapely snowman packet.

Reinforce a variety of standards with these 7 snowman puzzles that cover upper and lowercase letters, counting backwards, plus skip counting by 2s, 3s, 5s and 10s.  Make a set to use as puzzles for an independent center.

These also make a lovely bulletin board.  Caption: Learning is “snow” much fun!  Have students choose a snowman that they want to make.  Run off copies, they trim and glue to a sheet of blue or black construction paper. 

For a mosaic appearance, tell students to put a small space in-between.  Add a bit more pizazz by having students make “snowflakes” with a Q-tip dipped in white paint.  For that finishing touch, sprinkle the wet paint dots with opalescent glitter.

If you are working on colors or color words with your students, I think you'll enjoy the Snowman Color Match packet. Students can play the game as an independent center, or choose a partner and play a spinner game. 

Make an extra set and have students glue the puzzle hat and scarf pieces to the appropriate snowman and use them for your winter word wall. There's a plain set for students to draw in their own snowman face, as well as an illustrated set.

The snowman-themed emergent reader, covers lots of standards, as students read the repetitive sentences, circle capital letters, add end punctuation, trace and write the words, and color the pictures. 

Days of the week + color words are reinforced. Three graphing extensions, a game, bookmark and a worksheet are all included as well.

Finally, help review analog and digital time to the hour and half hour, with the snowman clock matching game. 

Print the snowman template on white construction paper; laminate and trim. 

Run off the hatband-time words, the digital time-rectangles and the analog clocks; laminate and trim.

Students choose a time and then match all of the pieces and parts to complete that snowman.  Make an extra set and glue together for a "Time For Winter" bulletin board. 

Students can also make their own snowman clock to use as an assessment tool.  Run off the analog clock and digital time box templates, on glossy photo paper.  Children trim and glue to their snowman. They now have a dry erase digital and analog clock! 

Teacher calls out a time. Using dry erase markers, students draw hands on the clock and write the digital time in the box, then hold up their snowman when they are done. 

This is a quick, easy and fun way to whole-group assess, as you can see at a glance who is having difficulty. Children use a tissue to wipe off that answer, so they can play another round.  Continue the game 'til you have covered/assessed all of the time options.

Well that's it for today.  Thanks for visiting.  I hope you found some useful activities to help bring out the brrrr-illiance in your kiddos.  As for me, it's time to brave the wintry artic to buy a few groceries, as Mother Hubbard's cupboard is indeed bare, and I'm clueless what to make for dinner.

Hopefully it won't take too long to find my car under the avalance of snow it's frosted with.  Wishing you a stress-free happy day.

"I get a special feeling when I walk on snow that no one else has.  It's a mixture of awe, adventure and amazement; and makes me wonder if this is something akin to what explorers and astronauts experienced, when they left their footprints on places yet to be discovered by others.  Certainly a pleasant feeling of accomplishment at being first." - Diane Henderson

1-2-3 Come "Build" A Snowman With Me

I was really on a creative roll the other day.  All one needs to do is spend a little time on Pinterest and if you're like me, the brain shoots into over drive!  So many ideas and not enough time in my life to do everything I'd like to.  Sound familiar?

While browsing, I found a wooden snowman used as a countdown to Christmas.  Versions of this idea were all over the Internet, from crafty moms to companies; I'm not sure who was the originator, so I can't link up or give appropriate credit.

All of them though, had just 25 numbers on them, because they were using the snowman as a countdown activity. 

I LOVE the idea of the moving carrot nose, so I thought I'd write "stuff" around the snowman's face that would make him perfect for the classroom, as an educational manipulative in December or January. Thus "Snowy" the ed-venturous educational snowman was born.

It was fun designing a paper snowman face that can review upper and lowercase letters and numbers to 31.  I've also included a face for skip counting by 2's, 3's, 5's or 10's.  Or... You can simply make one for your calendar center and countdown the days in January.  

These make a quick, easy and fun way to whole-group assess too. 

Call out a number/letter and have students move their snowman's nose to that position or... move your teacher sample to an uppercase letter, and have students find the matching lowercase letter on theirs. 

For added pizzazz, I ran the carrot noses through my crinkle machine.  My Y5's called this the "Cruncher Muncher." 

It provided great fine motor practice, as students turned the crank to get the paper through the rollers. 

Jam paper carries this awesome tool called a "corru-gator"  which easily crimps paper.  They have a "wave" pattern as well as a straight line one.  Once you roll your paper through, it comes out looking like corrugated cardboard, and really adds that finishing touch.

Poke a hole at the end of the carrot and use a brass brad to fasten the nose to the snowman.   Click on the link to view/download the Snowman's Nose packet.

An adorable book to read before or after this activity, is entitled: Where's Snowy's Nose? by Kelly Asbury. It was one of my Y5's favorites.

Thanks for visiting today.  I need to get going, as I have a few more things I need to run out and get for tomorrow's family gathering. 

Love having a full house, which means 14 adults, 5 grandchildren, 3 dogs and a partridge in a pear tree... Wishing you a glorious day filled with everything and everyone you enjoy the most.

 "Wisdom from a snowman: It's OK to be a little bottom heavy.  Don't get too much sun.  Everyone "nose" carrots are good for you.  Be a jolly happy soul.  It takes a few extra rolls to make a good midsection.  It's fun to hang out in your front yard.  Remember, we're all a bit flakey and that's what makes things interesting. Have a pure heart. White goes with everything.  We are all unique and special.  Accessorize, accessorize, accesorize." -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Snip Some Snowflakes With Me!

I don’t think there's another cutting activity more fun than snipping a snowflake.  Even young children enjoy this great fine motor practice.  There’s something magical about unfolding a cut-up triangle to reveal a lacy snowflake! 

The photo shows my Y5's creations (along with 3 of my own more intricate ones, that I used as samples.) I displayed them on our cafeteria door, which was located across from our room.  Everyone enjoyed them, and commented that they couldn't believe my little ones had made such awesome lacy snowflakes. 

I was extremely proud of their results and how far they had come with their scissor skills!  They absolutely LOVED snipping snowflakes.

For PK kiddo’s, fold coffee filters, so they are less thick and so much easier to cut.  You can also expedite things by having your snowflakes pre-folded, or use this opportunity to whole-group assess listening and following directions, as well as ordinal numbers.  i.e. First fold your paper like this.  Second fold this point over to this point etc.

Be sure to make quite a few extras for students who fall in love with creating them, or those little ones who get carried away snipping and make a snowflake that falls apart, because they didn’t keep spaces in between their cuts.

For extra pizzazz, spritz their creations with silver glitter spray.   (Make sure you’re in a well-ventilated area.  Even though it’s cold, I spritzed artwork outside.)  Completed projects look great sprinkled on a blue-foil bulletin board, used as a border, arranged in a huge wreath on the wall, or taped to a classroom window.

Before we made our snowflakes, I read Snip Snip Snow by Nancy Poydar.   It’s one of my favorite snowflake books and my Y5’s really enjoyed it.  They always asked if they could make a snowflake too, which provided the perfect segue to our paper cutting activities.    For almost all of them, this was a first-time experience, so they were extremely excited!

This easy snowflake pattern can be found over at Sociological Images in an article about Snowflake Bently.

To cut some really intricate snowflakes, which you can use as incentives, check out the tutorial at DIY Cozy Home. 

I'd cut 3 really awesome looking snowflakes and tell my students that they would be given to 3 "quiet as snowflake" students who completed their work. 

When I saw a child on task, I'd put their name stick in the cup that I would be drawing 3 students' Popsicle sticks from.  This was a very effective motivational tool.

There are quite a few more lovely lacy examples over at Designs That Inspire.

For more snowflake cutting practice, I think your students will enjoy making Snippy, the Snowflake Snowman.  He’s a terrific way to review 2D shapes. 

You may want to whole-group assess 2D shapes by using the snowman "posters" from My Shapely Snowmen. Make a set and use as giant flashcards. 

Have students count any vertices and review vocabulary like angles, corners, symmetry etc.  After your little review, have students transition to making Snippy.

Here’s how: 

• Run off the snowflake shapes on regular white paper.
• Review 2D shapes.  

Show my sample photographs, or make samples of your own.  Students choose a shape that they want for their snowman’s belly.

• Give students a few moments to trim their shape, counting vertices as they go.
  
• Demonstrate how to fold the shapes. 

I’ve labeled the shapes with numbers in each corner, to make this easier, however, there are a variety of ways you can fold your paper, as you strive for a folded shape that looks like a cone. 

There's a photo of each folded-paper shape, next to the cut-out snowflake shape, to assist you.

Older students can read the directions at the bottom of their paper.  For younger students, I suggest a “monkey see-monkey do”  whole-group direction activity.  i.e. Gather all of the students together who chose the circle shape. 

Fold once, and have children do what you do, then continue with the step-by-step folding directions ‘til they have the desired cone.

Also demonstrate how to snip a snowflake.  While you are cutting, explain symmetry to older students and remind them to snip the same “chunk”  on both sides.  This sort of cutting is difficult enough for little ones, so I simply let my Y5‘s snip away, with whatever shape they could manage.  

They were not able to make a heart shape, so if they wanted one, I snipped that for them, when they were done cutting.  

While you are demonstrating, remind students to keep their snowflake folded and to have a space in between each cut or they will have a snowflake with big holes that will likely fall apart.  I always had a few kiddo's who got caught up in snipping and failed to follow directions.  For this reason, it’s a good idea to run off a few extra shapes. 

If you want to be able to have more cuts show through, for a lacier snowflake, fold the paper one last time.  This will make the paper pretty thick, so students should be older, with more cutting experience.  

To avoid ripping their shape, show how students should SLOWLY and CAREFULLY unfold their paper. So they flatten out, have older students refold their shape, but only in the opposite way they were folded, so the paper can be flattened out and smoothed.  

• Run off the snowman head and hat templates, trim and trace onto an old file folder to make a pattern that you can trace once and then cut 3-6 at a time.  Because your students are already doing a lot of cutting, I’d have the head and hat pre-cut.

• So it's easy for children to have proper placement on their paper, have them glue the black hat to the white circle and then glue the snowman's hatted-head to the top of their paper.  Afterwards, they glue their snowflake so that it becomes Snippy’s body.  
• So they don’t rip their snowflake, have students rub their glue stick over the construction paper area where they will glue the snowflake, and then gently press the snowflake down, carefully smoothing it, so that it sticks to the paper.  

• Run off the shape-word hatbands on a variety of colors.  Students trim, trace and glue to their hat.  Glitter, or snowflakes cut with a paper punch can add a bit more pizzazz.   Punch a hole in the top, tie a yarn loop and hang back-to-back from a hallway ceiling.

I prefer making the snowman with just a snowflake tummy, but if your students would like to add mittens and boots for a more Frosty the Snowman look, I've included a template for both.  Click on the link to view/download Snippy, The Shaped Snowflake Snowman. 

Finally, while researching paper snowflakes, I came across the lovely idea of using a snowflake as a paper tutu for a ballerina, over at Krokotak What little princess wouldn't want to make one of these! 

There's also a connet-the-dots snowflake over at Calvary Kids with numbers to 78.

Thanks for visiting today, feel free to PIN away.  I hope you can stop by tomorrow, as I post more winter FREEBIES.

"Hold fast to dreams.  For when dreams go, life is a barren field frozen with snow." -Langston Hughes

1-2-3 Come Do Some Snowman Craftivities With Me!

I LOVE rip and tear craftivities for little ones.  It's so important to strengthen their finger muscles and tearing strips of paper is an especially fun way to do that. 

Run off my snowman template.  I purposely make these small, so that children don't get tired and bored trying to fill up too big of an area.  Inform students to rip up their strips, putting each color in a pile, before they start to glue. 

This way, they can rub their glue stick over an entire section and simply press those colored pieces on that area.  This expedites the gluing and keeps children's fingers from getting too sticky.  You'll still have a few that will rub glue on that little piece and stick it on that way, which takes a lot longer.

You can do this as a whole-group activity.  While students are at special, lunch or recess, place the strips on their desk/table area, so they can get started when they return. 

You can also do this as an independent center.  When students completed their table top morning lessons, I had special centers the Y5's could transition to.  This really helped children stay on task and focused, as they wanted to make whatever fun thing I had on those TV tray centers.

So that my kiddo's didn't make a huge mess of all the colors of paper strips, I slid the paper in the openings of a plastic basket. 

Another option for rip and tear, is to rip the paper parts and then glue them together like a puzzle. 

I suggest this for Y5's and older, as some of my kiddo's had a hard time figuring out where to tear, while trying to keep their paper folded and stay on the line.  Before hand, demonstrate this. 

In later years, I held up the hat and said, "Do what I do." Doing this activity with step-by-step directions (monkey-see, monkey do) really expedited things.   These look wonderful hung back-to-back from the ceiling. 

In the photograph, they are hung along with our cylinder snowman windsocks.  My hallway was always decorated to the hilt, which was a real self-esteem builder.

These snowmen were also the January page for my Y5's  Rippin' Through The Year  monthly keepsake booklet.   Click on the link to view/download that booklet.  Click on this link to view/download the  Rip & Tear Snowmen packet which includes both kinds.

Another group activity that's great fine motor practice, is "Stuffy." We have a recycled paper box in the teachers’ lounges through out our schools.  The last day we’re in school, before Christmas break, I visited these rooms and loaded up a big black trash bag, with as much paper as I could carry.

If you don’t have a recycled paper box in your school, start one.  These scraps are great to make “shred” and do all sorts of activities with.

When my students came back from vacation, we'd build our own two-snowball snowman out of a couple of white garbage bags.  My Y5’s named him “Stuffy.”  Children sat on our Circle of Friends carpet and crinkled up paper “snowballs.” 

As they got a snowball done, I had them toss it towards our big garbage can that was lined with the white garbage bag.  Every time they made a “bucket” they gave themselves a tally mark, under their name that I’d written on the white board.   If they missed, they simply tried again. 

Afterwards, everyone got a snowman sticker, and the one who made the most “buckets” got a trip to the treasure box.  This is great counting, and tally mark practice, as well as wonderful fine and gross motor exercise too. 

Take the garbage bag out when it’s pretty full and have students continue to stuff ‘til the bag is nice and round.  Make sure the bottom bag is bigger than the “head”.  When you are happy with Stuffy’s size, put your snowman "ball" in the corner of the classroom, so he leans against the wall for support and “build” him from there.

Using duct tape (It’s nice and sticky) put on the head.  Decorate with a real stocking cap and scarf.  Poke a hole on either side and use two rulers as arms. Two paint sticks work well too.  A pair of gloves or mittens, go on each end and wahla (!) your own inside snowman.

Add a construction paper nose, “coal” black eyes and red cherry mouth pieces, + some circles for the buttons; stick them on with duct tape.
Each month I tried to do something that was RECYCLED and Stuffy fit the bill for January.  Click on the link to print Stuffy's directions.

Finally, a simple and quick decoration for your students' lockers is to make the Snowman Name Stacker. 

If you don't have lockers, these look adorable lined up on a hallway wall.  Have your students help you arrange them in alphabetical order, or from tallest to shortest. 

You can make a template, trace once and cut out 3-6 circles at a time, or run off my template on white construction paper and have students cut out their own circles. 

For younger children, especially those with long names, have a 2-3-circle cutting limit and then allow them to add as many pre-cut circles as they need to spell their name.

Demonstrate how to glue just the edge of the "snowball" to another to "build" their vertical snowman stacker. Review vertical and horizontal vocabulary with them, as well as the circle, rectangle and square shapes. 

Give each child a pre-cut black square and rectangle.  Have them glue the shapes together to make a hat to glue to the top of their snowman. 

Using crayons or markers students draw and color a face.  Wiggle eyes are also fun. You could cut their school photo in the shape of a heart, and have them glue that to their hat as well.

Afterwards, students write a letter on each of the belly snowballs, so that they spell their name.  If you have the time, go over their letters with Elmer's glue and have them sprinkle on glitter. 

As a math extension, graph how many letters in students' names, or which letters were used the most. Add up everyone's totals for a grand total of how many letters for the entire class. Click on the link to view/download the Snowman Name Stacker.

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"Getting an inch of snow, is like winning 10 cents in the lottery." -Bill Waterson

1-2-3 Come Do Some Wintery Craftivities With Me

If you need a quick bulletin board for January, I think you'll like this simple but vibrant mitten craftivity.  Run off the template on a variety of colors of construction paper. 

Children choose one and press their painted white hand in the center.  Gluing pulled-cotton to the cuff, adds that finishing touch.  For even more pizzazz, write students' names with glitter. 

If you want, give students a writing prompt, and have them complete it on the back of their mitten, then suspend from the ceiling.  Click On The Link to get the mitten pattern. 

This is a fun activity to do with your kiddo's after reading The Mitten  by Jan Brett.

If your little ones are still working on identifying letters, another simple bulletin board "craftivity" is to have children choose either a mitten or snowman pattern, trace it on a wordy section of the newspaper and then trim.  

Children complete a matching recording sheet, filling in their guess of how many letters they think they will find.  Afterwards, they find and circle, either the letter Mm for mitten, or Ss for snowman, counting as they go.  

When they are done, they complete the data as to whether their guess was equal, greater than or less than their correct answer.  If you want, have them figure out how many more or less they were off. 

Children who chose the snowman, add facial features; those who chose the mitten can color it their favorite color. 

Gather students together to discuss their results.  Do they have any ideas of why more S's  than Mm's were found?

Click on the link to get the newsprint mitten/snowman patterns.

If you are starting to work on coins with your students, you'll want to take a look at Mitten Money.

This easy reader reinforces word wall and Dolch words, as well as all of the 2-D shapes, + the penny, nickel, dime and quarter coins.  Click on the link to view/download the Mitten Money easy reader. 

For more math activities check out the place value snowman.  Students can choose to draw their own face on the snowman, or color mine. 

To turn these into a dry-erase "board" cut squares of glossy photo paper.  Each student needs 4 to glue on top of the squares on their paper.  

Print; laminate and trim the snowman number cards (0-9) Toss them into a mitten; call on 3 students to choose a card. 

These will make the 3-digit number that students write in the number box, using a dry erase marker.  

Children figure out the place value position of each, and write the appropriate numbers in the one's, ten's, and hundred's boxes.  

When they are done, they show their work; you can whole-group assess with a glance.  Play continues 'til all of your students have had a turn to choose a number.  Click on the link to view/download the Place Value Snowman Packet. 

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away.  I hope you can stop by tomorrow for the newest FREEBIES. 

"In seed time, learn; in harvest, teach; in winter, enjoy." -William Blake