It’s a Snowy Day! Lesson Plan

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What We Are Learning
 

Science Focus:

snow

 

Theme Vocabulary Words:

snowy, footprints, snowman, snow angel

 

Skills We’re Practicing:

group discussion, critical thinking, vocabulary, letter recognition

  • This issue was inspired by The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats, which makes it a perfect pairing! As you read, encourage children to make connections between the book and the issue. How are the book and issue similar? How are they different? You can also ask if children have played in the snow like Peter!

Materials: shaving cream, white liquid glue, scraps of orange and brown paper, blue construction paper, small bowls, spoons, child-safe scissors, googly eyes

  • Explore what happens to snowmen when it gets warm in a fun and silly way!
  • In advance, make puffy paint by mixing one-part shaving cream with one-part white liquid glue. Set out bowls of puffy paint, googly eyes, and scraps of orange and brown paper.
  • Talk about what makes snow melt: the sun’s heat! Brainstorm on chart paper other hot things that might melt a snowman. Let children get creative—for example, the snowman might eat hot soup or get into a warm bath!
  • Next, let each child spoon some puffy paint onto a sheet of blue construction paper to make a “melted snowman.” Encourage them to smush it around to make it “blobby.”
  • Then guide children as they cut scraps of paper to make orange carrot noses and brown twig arms. (You can also make these in advance and have them ready for children to use.) Have each child put two eyes, a carrot nose, and twig arms on their melted "snow".
  • Let the artwork dry overnight. Then ask each child, "Why did your snowman melt?" Write their responses on the bottom of the paper. fine-motor skills/storytelling

Materials: salt or white sand, baking tray with lip, craft sticks, index cards, marker, small manipulative toys (i.e., people, animals, cars)

  • Students can make snow tracks like Peter from The Snowy Day!
  • In advance, fill a baking tray with salt or white sand. (You can use any kind of long, shallow tray or box.) On index cards, draw a variety of lines—straight lines, wavy lines, loopy lines, zigzags—and letters.
  • Place a craft stick and index cards next to the tray. Have children drag the craft stick through the “snow” to make the same line or letter that is shown on the card.
  • You can also encourage children to explore their wintry imaginations by making different designs or by playing with small manipulative toys in the “snow”! fine-motor skills/sensory play