winter activities
1-2-3 Come Do Some Activities For "Sneezy the Snowman" With Me
Do you read the story “Sneezy the Snowman” by Maureen Wright?
It’s one of my students’ favorite winter books, and perfect for practicing the “sequencing and retelling a story” standards.
With that in mind, I designed three, quick, easy and fun activities that you can make.
I love that YouTube often has children's books being read. It helps me decide if I want to purchase it.
These short clips are also fun to play for my students as a review, after I have read the story. Here's a link featuring a family of voices reading "Sneezy" (4:35 minutes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J6uZLX9tqg
First up is a "Sneezy the Snowman" flip booklet. There are two options to choose from.
Since Sneezy ultimately solves his “too cold-too hot” problem, by eating ice cream, one of the options is an ice cream cone topped with a “scoop” of snowman. Sneezy’s “head” flips up to reveal pages that have been sequenced from the story.
The other option, is a full-bodied snowman, where a big snowball at the base of Sneezy is the cover, which also flips up.
As always, all of my patterns come in black & white for students, as well as full color, so that teachers can quickly & easily make a sample to share.
So that you can diversify your lessons, there are also two page options available.
Choose the set of 6 pages, which have 2 graphics on a page, for younger students, while older students can opt to sequence and assemble 12 pages featuring a single graphic.
Besides sequencing and retelling, students can also get in some writing practice, as there is room to write a sentence at the bottom of the single-graphic pages, and if you need more room, students can finish on the back of the page. If you're using the double-graphic pages, students can write at the top of the flipped-up page.
When everyone is done, “read” the booklet as a whole group, calling on a student to explain what’s happening on that page; they choose another classmate to continue.
Afterwards, for more reinforcement, students can partner up and take turns retelling the story.
Next up is a "Sneezy the Snowman" storytelling wheel.
There are three wheel “cover” options to choose from.
One features Sneezy, another shows children building the snowman, and the 3rd is a full-bodied snowman, where the wheel is the big “snowball” base.
The snowman’s “head” is easily trimmed and glued to the top.
Choose your favorite, or give students a choice. Obviously the "head topper" takes a bit longer, but is my personal favorite.
For more reinforcement, as well as another way to assess comprehension, I’ve also included “color, cut & glue” puzzle worksheets.
Use the full-color versions for an independent center, and print the black and white pattern, so children can arrange their own puzzle.
Another super-fun thing for students to do is to play “Speed”. They pick a partner and race to see who can sequence their puzzle first.
Finally, a storytelling "slider" is another super-fun way to practice these standards. I named this craftivity a slider because students slide a strip filled with graphics through a "window" to retell the story.
Like the wheel craft, there are 3 “outside” slider options available: Sneezy sneezing, a snowman, and one with children building a snowman.
Pick your favorite or give children a choice.
All of them are easy-peasy to cut, as they are in a rectangular shape; however, you can also choose to cut around the snowman. The “slider strip” fits all of the patterns.
Children color, cut & glue their slider strips together, then insert it into the “slits” of their cover.
As they pull on the end of the “slider” the various pictures go through the “window”, so that children can take turns retelling the story with a classmate.
I’ve included full-color patterns for you, as well as a black & white templates for students.
As an easy & interesting way to assess comprehension, I’ve also included a “Let’s sequence the story” worksheet, where students color and trim the picture tiles then glue them in the correct order.
The slider, as well as the wheel and booklet packets, also include a “Here’s What Happened” worksheet to help check comprehension. They are different in each one.
The black & white versions can be completed by older students. Use the colorful pattern as a whole group activity, to review the story before little ones begin making their craftivity.
Since Valentine's Day is just around the corner, today's featured FREEBIE is a sweet "I love you" ABC activity, which can be a card, magnet, bookmark or writing prompt.
If you've already got Valentine's Day covered, you can use this for Mother's, Father's, or Grandparents Day.
Well that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by.
I'm literally chilling out here in Michigan, as the "Polar Vortex" continues to put us at minus degrees one day, then in the 40s with everything melting on another.
Today everything is beautifully wrapped in dripping ice, as Mother Nature continues to drive us bonkers. Wishing you a warm and wonderful week.
"She's fire and ice. You'll fear the cold and crave the burn." - JM Storm
1-2-3 Come Do A Winter Craftivity With Me
Having taken down all the decorations, plus sent home lots of wonderful student work that once festooned the walls, our hallways always look a bit bleak and bare after Christmas vacation.
It's time to begin again, and since I live in Michigan where snow lasts well into March, I like to do a big snow theme in January.
With that in mind, I designed this sled-themed packet.
The name sleds are a quick, versatile, and fun craftivity, that creates a super-cute, winter bulletin board or hallway display.
I’ve included letters which spell out “Brrr-illiant Work!” to use for a header.
I've gotten a bit more tech saavy and was able to use this beautiful, blue background paper to make the letters.
Simply print, laminate, trim and hang on or above your bulletin board or wall display,
There are 28, black & white graphics of children to top a sled with; as well as full color, so that teachers can quickly and easily make an example to share.
Choose your favorites or give children a choice. Younger children will find the rectanglular shape easy to trim, while older students can opt to cut around the picture.
Besides the 28 graphics, there are also 3 different style options: 1. Graphic with a face on the child, 2. Graphic with a blank face, so that students can draw on their own, and 3. Graphic with a white "photo circle" over the face, so that children can glue on a picture of themselves.
Younger children can simply color the picture, trim and glue to their paper sled with their name on it, while older students can use their sled to go along with one of the writing prompts.
There are three writing worksheets to choose from.
My personal favorite is: “Sledding With My 5 Senses”.
I share my examples, which i've included in the packet. We close our eyes and pretend we are sledding, then discuss some things we might see, hear, feel etc.
"Expand" these thoughts with older students. For example. "I see snow" is appropropriate for little ones; while "I see sparkling white snow" is expanded to include adjectives.
This more descriptive sentence helps everyone "see" what the author does. If your students are like mine, they will really enjoy "growing" a sentence.
I’ve also included a “Come Sledding With Me” poem. Use the colorful poster for the center of your display.
"Oh no! Sloping snow. Here we go!" This rhyming poem is chock full of over 20 Dolch sight words. Have older students use the black & white version to practice reading, along with a variety of other standards.
There’s a question sheet that you can share with your class. For example, "What words rhyme in the first stanza?" "Can you think of another rhyming word?"
Have older students write their answers on their BW copy of the poem. I've included my completed sample to use as an answer key.
Another quick, easy and fun way to continue with the poetry genre, is having students make an acrostic poem, using the word sledding.
I’ve included an acrostic pattern, with a definition poster, plus an example to introduce your lesson.
Completed projects can be displayed with the name sled craft for a really cute language arts bulletin board.
And woo hoo! Look at how many standards your students have practiced, all while enjoying making a name sled.
Since the 100th Day of school is just around the corner, today's featured FREEBIE is a quick, easy & fun little "Rip & Tear" craft to help you celebrate.
Ripping and tearing strips of paper into small square scraps and then gluing them to their #100 worksheet, is not only fun for your kiddos, it helps strengthen their finger muscles.
Children can do a multi-colored "rainbow" 100, like my sample, or choose 2 or 3 colors and do an AB-AB or ABC-ABC color pattern.
Completed projects make a sweet bulletin board. I've included a poster to use for the center of your display.
Well that's it for today.
The snow outside my office window is falling softly, and all over town children and teachers are rejoicing in having a "snuggle in" snow day.
Wishing you a sparkling day.
"If you listen carefully, the silence of the snow is beautiful." -Unknown
1-2-3 Come Frolic With Me: Winter Craftivities, Bulletin Boards and Games
I was really on a creative roll yesterday. All one needs to do is spend a little time on Pinterest and your brain will shoot 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. I found versions of this idea all over, so not sure who was the originator, but I thought the moveable carrot nose would be perfect for the classroom.
It was fun designing a paper snowman face that can review upper and lowercase letters and numbers to 20. I've included a face for skip counting by 2's, 3's, 5's or 10's.
You can also simply make one for your calendar center and countdown the days in January.
These make a quick and easy 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.
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.
For more letter and number practice, have your students put together these winter pine tree puzzles. They can be done as an independent center activity, or you can make copies for your students.
Children cut the green number/letter tiles and then glue them in appropriate order on the boxed grid. For that extra bit of pizzazz, run the template off on blue construction paper and have students dot on "snowflakes" with a Q-tip.
If you celebrate 100 Day in January, this is a wonderful "craftivity" that makes a cool bulletin board. Caption: Mrs. Henderson's Kinders Are Doing Tree-mendous Work! Click on the link to view/download the Pine Tree Puzzles
Another awesome bulletin board for January, features a New Year's writing prompt.
Basketball, soccer and football are all sports where players score goals, so I thought it would be fun to have students write what their goals were for the New Year on the ball of their choice.
I've included a poster that you can put in the center of your bulletin board as a caption.
Besides the balls, there are also 2 writing prompt pages for journal writing, which includes one with a hockey theme. Click on the link to grab the New Year Goals Packet.
Another New Year's activity you can have your kiddo's do, is see how many words they can come up with, using the letters in Happy New Year. I've included a list of 267 words.
When students are done, share your list to see if there are any words that they aren't familiar with; have them write them on their paper and look them up. Click on the link to check out the How Many New Year activity.
Since the fact family houses have been such popular downloads, I designed an igloo "Frosty Fact Family Fun" packet. Choose whatever number you want your students to work on.
They write it in the center of the snowflake and then write all of the equations that they can think of, on the outer sections of their snowflake, to show that number.
Do one each day; to make their booklet, have students glue their snowflake to an igloo-shaped page. Add their photo for that finishing touch. Click on the link to view/downlaod the Frosty Fact Family Fun packet.
For More number fun, I think you'll enjoy the snowflake number cards. Use these for your word wall, a bulletin board, flashcards, games, or an independent center.
Print; laminate and cut into puzzles for even more ideas. I've also included 3 sets of snowflake tiles so students can sort, pattern and make groups/sets to match the number on the cards. Click on the link to grab the Snowflake Number cards.
Finally, I had a request from Karla out in Vermont, for penguin alphabet and number cards.
She wanted something small that her pre-schoolers could manipulate. She only needed numbers to 10, but I included a blank template for you to program with more.
There's also a list of ideas you can use the cards for, including games like "Kaboom!" Click on the link if you'd like a set of these mini-penguins.
Thanks for visiting today. Feel free to PIN away. My "Pin It!" button is at the top. As you can see I design and blog daily, so I hope you can stop by tomorrow to see all the newest FREEBIES, created by this brain that needs a shut-off button!
