I just wrapped up my winter unit with the kiddos. We did have some good times (inside though! The windchill was to cold to take them out. I was kinda bummed. I really wanted to make snow angels with them!)
Below are some of the activities we did and the language targets with the lessons. The vocabulary development was a bit rocky because we had so many snow days spread throughout the unit!
Vocabulary: snowman, snowflake, hot chocolate, coat, gloves, hat, scarf, ice skating, snow angel, hockey, sweater, sled, mittens, ice skates, skiing, snow, sweatshirt, snowpants, shoveling, icicles, sledding, shovel, snowball, snowboots, winter.
I sent black and white pictures of the vocabulary cards home with the kiddos to practice. I included a hot chocolate game board and directions for a simple vocabulary review game for the families. Game board link
To open the lesson we brainstormed ideas about winter. What can we do in the winter? What do we wear in the winter? We made a chart. Then we reviewed the winter vocabulary words.
T: When do you wear a swimsuit?
S: In the summer?
Put on/take off
I set out all the kiddos snow gear (I had sent a note home requesting all items be sent in on specific days). I called each kiddo up one at a time and gave that student a direction.
T: Put on your boots.
T: (to a different student) Who is putting on their boots?
S: Robbie is putting on his boots!
I went around the group a few times, the we took turns taking off the items!
I video taped the actions to use with the smartboard later!
Sledding!
No winter lesson is complete without going sledding. Sadly, we had to do this in my classroom because of the windchill. But hey, that's how we roll in teaching, flexible!!
Language goal: I will, present progressive, and
T: Ali, will you go sledding?
S: I will go sledding!
T: (to a different student) Who is sledding?
S: Ali is sledding!
I pulled two kiddos at a time for their second turn to get the conjunction "and" in there!!
Shoveling!
Same goals as sledding lesson but with the shovel. We have a blue plastic swimming pool that I filled with snow. Using a kid sized shovel, each kiddo had a turn to shovel some snow into a bucket. Then when the lesson was over, I left the pool out as a center with some gloves, shovels and buckets. The kiddos had a blast!
I have/Who has?
Using the vocabulary cards and the bitsboard app on my ipad, we played I have/who has?
Pass out all of the vocabulary cards (keep one for yourself to start off the game). Say, I have the ice skates, (swipe the flashcard on bitsboard and ask for whatever picture comes up) who has the snowboots?
S: I have snowboots (again swipe on the bitsboard), who has the sweater.
This game took 2 days for the kiddos to really understand what I wanted, but then I overheard them playing a version of it during free play! I was so excited. Started taking language samples and just beamed with pride!!!
Centers
Snow painting-recipe on pinterest found here
White playdough with glitter, the kiddos loved that too!
We made our snackmats with black paper and chalk drawings this time. We made snow pictures. I loved how they turned out!
Marshmallow snowman-using an outline of a snowman, kiddos glue mini marshmallows on the line.
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/94575660899008398/
Paperplate snow hats found this on pinterest and it turned out super cute! I used cotton balls instead of paper. Paper plate hat
Happy winter!!
