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 Student + 1 Fun Activity = Learning!

I’ve been busy designing all sorts of easy readers that incorporate a variety of standards so you get more bang for your time buck.

I also like to overlap math with language arts so that I can cover even more standards with one activity.

I try to design my booklets so that they have a consistent format.

That way even when it’s a new month with a new theme, the format is the same.

Students feel empowered and their self-esteem is built, because once they have done that first booklet, little or no directions have to be explained for students to get right down to business.

I think this is one of the reasons for the popularity of the 1-2-3 Count With Me series.

Click on the link to view all 25 booklets thus far.

I’m working on 123 Count Valentines With Me this week, and just finished 123 Count Groundhogs With Me. 

Click on the link to view/download it.

My Y5’s never got tired of doing them.

A new series I plan on doing once a month, ‘til all of the months are covered, is the +1 Addition Booklets.

I just completed January’s +1 Snowman Addition Booklet,

as well as the Plus 1 Valentine Addition Booklet  for February.

Click on the links to view/download them.

The booklets help review Common Core State Math Standards: K.CC.3, K.CC.4a, K.CC.4b, K.CC.4c, K.CC.5, K.OA.1, K.OA.5, K.G.1

The easy readers help your students learn the concept of +1 more addition as well as spatial directions.

Students trace and write the numbers and number word and then follow the spatial directions of where to glue that many snowflakes or Valentine hearts. 

They also circle the number in its proper sequence.

All booklets in this series will include a graphing extension and certificate of praise.

Be sure and check back for a kite or shamrock one for March, a butterfly one for April, and one with a frog theme for May!

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN anything you think may be of help to others.

“Choices in life: give up, give in, or give it all you’ve got!” -Unknown

Ring In The New Year With ABC's and 1-2-3's

Sliders are a fun way for your students to review upper and lowercase letters, counting by 1's to 30, skip counting by 2's, 3's, 5's and 10's, plus counting backwards from 10-0 and 20-0.

Students trace the letters and numbers and make a snowman or penguin slider to insert their strips into.

I've included a colorful snowman and penguin as well as ones that are plain, so students can color their own.

You can jazz them up even more by mounting them on construction paper, as I did the snowman. 

Give students a glue bottle or for little ones, put a dollop of glue on a small paper plate and have them use a Q-tip to make X number of dots as they count, then sprinkle with silver glitter after you have finished working with the sliders and have reviewed whatever lessons you wanted to.

Students set their sliders some place safe 'til they are dry and can take them home.

How do you make a slider?

Simply run off the templates, (I use white construction paper so they are more durable) and rough cut them, so that students can practice their own cutting skills, which will exercise and strengthen hand muscles.

You may want to slit the lines in the slider's body before hand.  This is difficult for little ones to manage with safety scissors.  I use an X-acto knife.

Students trim, color and trace their slider and then insert whatever strips you want them to review.

Have students fold down their long ABC strip to manage it better and for ease of taking them home.

Encourage parents, via a newsletter to reinforce these lessons at home.

You can sing the Alphabet Song while pulling letters through the window.

You can play "I Spy" and have a student call out a letter or number.  Everyone pulls their strip through til they find it and then raise their slider, so that you see at a glance who has what so that you can whole group assess and help those who are struggling.

Laminate a set for yourself and use as a fun way to assess individuals as well.

Click on the link to view/down load the Snowman Alphabet and Number Slider or The Penguin Slider.

Thank you for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN anything you think others may find helpful.

"Tomorrow [January 1st] is the first blank page of a 365-page book.  Write a good one!" -Brad Paisley

Math Games Are "Snow" Much Fun!

A fun way for students to practice addition and subtraction is with Dominic the Domino Snowman.

Students roll a pair of dice and then add and subtract.  Children write out the equations and complete the work on a separate sheet of paper.

To make this even more interesting, students use dominoes for Dominic's buttons, finding matching ones that correspond with the dice combinations they rolled. 

You can play with real dominoes, or run off my templates to make paper ones.

Run off, color and laminate a class set of the snowman templates and use dry erase markers, or have students color their own snowman and record their work on a separate sheet of paper.

Click on the link to view/download Dominic the Domino Snowman

Thank you for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN anything you think others may find useful.

Do you have a math game you could share with us?  I'd enjoy hearing from you. diane@teachwithme.com or post a comment here.

"A college degree and a teaching certificate define a person as a teacher, but it takes hard work and dedication to be one." -Paul McClure

1-2-3 Count Winter “Stuff” With Me!

Are you looking for some quick and easy readers that also incorporate math skills and have a winter theme?

You’ve come to the right blog!  The ever-popular 1-2-3 Come Count With Me booklets, have 3 suitable packets for winter: 1-2-3 Count Snowflakes With Me,  

1-2-3 Count Snowmen With Me and finally, 1-2-3- Count Mittens With Me.

Click on the links to view/download the ones you want.

The booklets help students practice a variety of skills and standards, and are a fun way for children to learn or review, write, recognize and read numbers and number words.

1. Students read, trace and write the number and number word.
2. They see a number of "things" (snowmen, snowflakes, mittens) in a sentence and say it.
3. They spy the number in a sequence and circle it.
4. They X-out that many ten-frame boxes or use a bingo dot marker or stamp to fill them in.
5. They cut and glue the set/group to the matching numbered box.

It only takes one time for students to need assistance and then they can work independently on their books.

Teachers can do one a week or month, depending on your themes or needs of your students.

They are great for Daily 5, something to do when students have finished their work, something to send home to do with parents,  great for a sub folder or to send home with struggling students.

All of the packets include:

• At least 1 graphing extension
• Traceable-word wall word/number flashcards
• Covers for the flashcards to make Itty Bitty Books
• A "Plus one more" math skill sheet &
• A certificate of praise.

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN anything you think might be useful to others.

“If there be any truer measure of a man than by what he does, it must be by what he gives.” –Robert South

Deck the Halls With Keepsake Ornaments!

This 36-page Christmas Ornament packet is filled with 16 different ornaments that your students will enjoy making, or perhaps you’ll want to choose one to whip off a bunch of, as gifts for your little ones.

Every year I machine embroidered my students’ names on a snowman hat and made them these “snow” special snowball ornaments, in celebration of the fact that they could write their name.

In the past, I’ve also skipped the name portion and done them with Sunday school groups for Christmas craft night.

You can use any of these, as creative independent centers for a fun December activity to reinforce listening and following directions, as well as increase fine motor skills.

Some of them actually look good enough to eat, like these construction paper cookies topped with shaving cream and glue "frosting!"

Festoon your hallway or trim your bulletin board with awesome borders and then send the ornaments home a few days before break.

Click on the link to view/download the Christmas Ornament packet.

Even when doing “craftivities” it was always important to me to review a variety of standards.

One of my parents’ favorite ornaments was the fingerprint tree.

It’s more recent, so it’s not in the above packet.  The tree is a great way to review the concept of +1 more and counting to 10, all the while producing a lovely keepsake.

Click on the link to view/download the fingerprint Christmas tree.

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN anything you think others may find useful.

Do you have an ornament you could share with us?  I’d enjoy hearing from you.  diane@teachwithme.com

“One mother teaches more than a hundred teachers.” –Jewish proverb