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
