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 Here
are some ideas for making your Winter unit special
Music
Music is an important part of
any Early Childhood program.
For links to the
musical artists click here to go to the music
page.
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5 Little
Snowmen
Five little
snowmen round and fat,
Each one wearing
a funny little hat.
In the morning,
out came the sun!
It looked down,
And it melted
one!
(continue singing until no snowmen left)
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Snowflake,
Snowflake
Snowflake,
snowflake dance around,
Snowflake,
snowflake, touch the ground,
Snowflake,
snowflake soft and white,
Snowflake,
snowflake snowball fight!
Snowflake,
snowflake in the air,
Snowflake,
snowflake everywhere! |
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Literacy Activities |
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Activity
Click on the pictures below to
enlarge |
Instructions |
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The Mitten re-telling the story
w/props
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Setting: Centers
Objective: re-telling,
comprehension, sequencing, developing oral language
Materials: Plush
characters from the story (see resources section below),
white pillowcase for the mitten
Directions:
Place plush characters from the story and a white pillowcase in
a tub,
box, or basket in a quiet area of the classroom. Students
may choose to re-tell the story of The Mitten during center time
using the plush characters. Students LOVE this activity!
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The Mitten
Character Classification
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Setting: Small Group, Literacy Centers
Objective: concept of characters, classification, oral
language, story re-telling
Materials: pictures of
characters that were and were not in The Mitten, t-chart
(see printables section below)
Directions:
Print the animals from the story The Mitten from
Jan Brett's website. Print the animals that were not
in the story from the printables section below. Print the
t-chart from the printables section below. Make one copy
of each page for your students. Have the students cut out
each picture and glue it to the appropriate place on the
t-chart.
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Phonological Awareness
Beginning Sounds
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Setting:
Small Group, Literacy Centers
Objective:
Phonological Awareness- beginning sounds
Materials: Pictures of
winter items (see printables
section below), cardstock, laminating film,
magnetic tape, scissors, cookie sheet, magnetic letters
Directions: Print
the winter pictures on cardstock and laminate. Next, cut the pictures out and place a small piece of magnetic tape
on the back of each card. Give each child in your small
group a cookie sheet. Students will identify the
picture, place it on the cookie sheet, and then place the
magnetic letter next to it that starts with the beginning sound
of the item pictured.
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Phonological Awareness
Winter Syllables
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Setting: Small Group, Literacy Centers
Objective: Phonological Awareness- syllabication
Materials: winter
syllable mats (see printables section below), white cotton balls
Directions:
Print the winter syllable mats on cardstock and laminate.
Give 2 mats to each student in your small group. The students will
identify the picture, then clap the number of syllables they
hear in each word: mitten, glove, hat, boot, coat, scarf, snowman,
icicle, igloo. Next, students will place the correct number of
cotton balls (snowballs) next to each picture to indicate the
number of syllables in the word.
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Brrrr Game
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Setting: Small or Large Group, Literacy Centers
Objective: Alphabet Recognition
Materials: Snowman
cut-outs, Sharpie marker, laminating film, plastic container or
basket to put cut-outs in
Directions:
This game is a modified version of the
Bang Game. Write one letter of the alphabet on
each snowman cut-out using the Sharpie marker. On the 27th
snowman write the word "Brrr!" with the Sharpie marker.
Laminate the snowman cut-outs for durability. Place all the
snowmen in
a basket or plastic tub. This game can be played in
large or small groups. Have the students sit in a circle
and pass the basket of snowmen around. Each student closes his eyes and
removes one snowman, then "reads" the letter
written on the back aloud.
If the student can read the letter he keeps the snowman.
If not, then he may ask a friend to help him read the letter.
If a student gets the snowman that says "Brrr!" all the
students can chime in and say "Brrrr!" out loud together and act
like they are cold. After the "Brrr!" snowman is chosen the person who selected it must put all
of his snowmen back in the basket.
This game could also be played
using sight words on the snowmen in place of letters.
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Acting Out the Story
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Setting: Whole group
Objective: Comprehension skills, re-telling,
sequencing, developing oral language
Materials: One
large white bed sheet, masks from Jan Brett's website; click
HERE
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Directions: Have your
students sit in a large circle and select several students to
wear the masks from the link above. Next spread out the
sheet in the middle of the circle. Narrate the story for
the children; as each animal is named, allow the "actors" to
crawl UNDER the sheet in the middle of the circle. When
you get to the crucial part of the story and all the animals are
inside, you sneeze loudly and throw the sheet into the air and
the actors scatter around the room. You may have to
perform your "play" several times so that each child has a turn
to act. Leave the masks and sheet out in your dramatic
play area so the students may act out the story again and again.
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Math Activities |
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Activity
Click on the pictures below to
enlarge |
Instructions |
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Winter 1-5 Counting Grid
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Setting: Small Group, Math Centers
Objective: Number recognition, number sense, one-to-one
Materials: 1-5
counting grid recording sheet (available in printables
section below), snowflake/winter stamps (available in
resources section below)
Directions:
Students stamp the appropriate number of stamps in the boxes
next to the number.
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Winter Patterning Strips
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Setting: Small Group, Math Centers
Objective: Patterning
Materials: winter patterning
strips (available in printables
section below), snowflake/winter stamps (available in resources
section below), or snowflake sticker foamies
Directions:
Students make a stamp pattern in the grid.
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Snowman Roll 'N Stamp
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Setting: Small Group, Math Centers
Objective: Number recognition, number sense, one-to-one
Materials: foam die,
snowman roll 'n stamp sheets (available in printables
section below), Do-A-Dot markers
Directions:
Students take turns rolling the die, identifying the
corresponding number on their paper and stamping that number
with a Do-A-Dot marker (see picture at left).
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Roll-a-Snowman
 
1
2
 
3
4
 
5
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Setting: Small Group, Math Centers
Objective: number recognition, number sense, spatial
relationships, developing critical thinking skills
Materials: foam die,
snowman notepad, Sharpie marker, Ziploc bags
Directions:
Get one snowman notepad sheet per student in your
small group and laminate. Using
your Sharpie marker write numbers on the body parts of each
snowman as seen in picture 2. Next, cut each snowman
apart as seen in picture 3 and put the body parts in a Ziploc bag as seen in picture
4. You will have one bag per snowman when you are
finished. Give each student in your small group a bag of
snowman parts. Students take turns rolling the die.
Whatever number they roll they place that part of their snowman
with the matching number in front of them on the table, see
picture 5. If they roll a number they already have they
pass the dice to the next person. Students are finished
when their snowman puzzle is complete. see picture 6.
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Snowman Roll 'N Count game
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Setting: Small Group, Math Centers
Objective: 1:1 correspondence, number sense
Materials: Snowman
notepad, snowman manipulatives (see resources section below), one
foam die, Sharpie marker, laminating film
Directions:
Using your Sharpie marker, write the numbers 1-6 on pages on a
snowman notepad, you will need one page per child.
Laminate the
pages and give one to each child in your small group.
Each child takes a turn rolling the die and placing a
manipulative on the corresponding number on their snowman sheet.
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Snowman 1:1 Mat
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Setting: Small Group, Math Centers
Objective: 1:1 correspondence, number sense
Materials: printable
snowman mat- one for each child in the small group (available in
printables
section below), cardstock, laminating film, foam die,
white cotton balls
Directions:
Print the snowman mats on cardstock and laminate. Give each student in the small group a
snowman recording sheet.
Place the cotton balls in the center
of the table in a bowl or other container so they are easily
accessible to all students. Each student takes a turn
rolling the die and putting the corresponding number of
cotton balls on their recording sheet. When there is one
cotton ball on each snowman on their sheet they are finished.
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Snowman 1:1 Ice Cube Tray Game
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Setting: Small Group, Math Centers
Objective: 1:1 correspondence, number sense
Materials: ice cube
trays- one per child in small group, cardstock, foam die,
white cotton balls
Directions: Give each student in the small group an
ice cube tray.
Place the cotton balls in the center
of the table in a bowl or other container so they are easily
accessible to all students. Each student takes a turn
rolling the die and putting the corresponding number of
cotton balls in their ice cube tray. When there is one
cotton ball on in each space in their tray they are finished.
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Snowman Counting Cups
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Setting: Small Group, Math Centers
Objective: 1:1, Number Sense
Materials: Snowman cups, cotton balls,
Sharpie
Directions:
Write a number on the front of each cup with the Sharpie. Have
students place the correct number of cotton balls into the
cups. |
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Frosty the Snowman Board Game
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Setting: Small Group, Math Centers
Objective: 1:1 correspondence
Materials: 2 pieces of cardstock, packing
tape, clipart, snowman counters, snowflake stickers
(available in resources section below), laminating film, one
foam die.
Directions:
Tape two pieces of cardstock together as pictured at left.
Next, glue Microsoft clipart to the playing board that
corresponds to the story (sun, north pole). Affix
snowflake stickers to the playing board to create the path to
the north pole. When the board is complete laminate it for
durability.
Use the snowman
counters as playing pieces. Place the playing pieces on
the sun to start. Students will take turns rolling the die
and moving along the snowflake path towards the north pole
before they melt. |
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Snowman Sequencing
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Setting: Small Group, Math Centers
Objective: Sequencing, ordinal numbers
Materials: snowman
sequencing sheet- one per child (available in printables
section below), scissors, glue stick, construction paper
Directions:
Print one sequencing sheet per child. Have students cut
out the pictures and glue them to a strip of construction paper
in the correct order. Have each child tell you what
happened first, second, and third in the story.
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Fun
Activities
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Activity |
Instructions |
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Paper Snowman
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Materials: Black construction paper, white construction paper, toothpicks,
buttons, glue sticks, liquid glue, crayons.
Trace 3 different sized
circles on white paper (small, med, large) for the snowman's
body. Have the children cut out the 3 circles and glue to
the black construction paper. Next, using crayons students
can color the background and snowman's face and other details of
the picture. Using liquid glue, attach the toothpicks for
arms and buttons. You could also use wiggly eyes for this
project. |
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Crayon Resist Snowman
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Materials:
Blue crayon, one piece of blue construction paper per child,
white watercolor paint cakes, paint brushes (chubby
work better for this project)
On each sheet of blue
construction paper draw a snowman outline using the blue crayon.
Next, have the students paint all over the paper with the
thinned white paint. This creates a wonderful crayon
resist effect that the kids will adore! |
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Puffy Paint Snowman
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Materials:
Elmer's liquid glue, regular shaving cream (not gel or menthol),
one sheet of blue construction paper per child, miscellaneous
items like un-popped popcorn, birdseed, raisins, cheerios,
buttons, etc.. This
project is the perfect companion to the story Snowballs
by Lois Ehlert. Mix two parts shaving cream to one part Elmer's
glue in a plastic container. Allow the children to spread
the "puffy paint" onto their paper in the shape of a snowman
with their hands or plop it on with a spoon. The paint
will dry three-dimensional and stiff. Add the
miscellaneous items to decorate the snowman. No need to
add any glue, the items will stick to the shaving cream/glue
mixture easily enough. |
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Lacing Mitten
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Materials:
scissors, 2 sheets of colored construction paper per child,
blank paper, yarn, hole puncher, crayons, markers, glitter glue.
This project is the perfect
companion to the story of "The Mitten" by Jan Brett. Have
each child trace the shape of a mitten onto two pieces of
construction paper or the template found
HERE. Next, each child will cut out
his or her mittens, then (either independently or with your
help) place the two mittens together back to back and punch
holes around the edges leaving the flat bottom open (where the
hand goes). Once the holes are punched, the students may
use lengths of yarn to "sew" the mitten. When finished
have the students draw their favorite animals from the story on
blank paper, or use the reproducible found
HERE. Next,
the students cut out their animals and place them inside of the
mitten, re-telling the story as they go along. They may
also wish to decorate the outside of the mitten using crayons,
markers, or glitter glue. |
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Ice Cube Game
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Materials:
Ice cube, music (Frosty the Snowman would be ideal).
Have the students sit in a
circle and explain the rules of the game: when the music
plays the students pass the ice cube around the circle just like
"Hot Potato", when the music stops the person who is left
holding the ice cube is "out". Before you begin, ask the
children to predict what will happen to the ice cube as it is
passed around. you may want to write down your predictions
on a large piece of white chart paper in the shape of a snowman
or snowball to post on the wall. This game is a huge hit
with the Pre-K crowd, you may want to keep your ice cube tray
full because they will beg to play over and over again! |
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Will it melt?
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Materials:
a variety of objects on a
tray, some that will and some that will not melt.
Arrange a variety of
objects on a tray (ones that you won't mind getting wet), some
examples might be, a little car, a pencil, popsicle, ice cube, a
pinecone etc. Pass the tray around the circle and ask the
children to predict which items will melt and which will not.
Then, place the tray near a window and let it sit for a few
hours. At the end of the day take the tray out and look at
it again and discuss the predictions that were made earlier.
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Family Snowman Project
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Materials: cardstock, picture of
a snowman, letter to
families. Copy a
large outline of a snowman onto white cardstock. Attach a
letter explaining the concept of a "Family Project" to your
student's families. They may use materials commonly found
at home such as cereal, corn, etc... You can even give
awards for the "coolest" snowman etc :) |
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