Thematic Units…Thematic Units…

from The MAILBOX® magazine

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Snow Folk Inviteyouryoungstersintoanimaginarywinterlandscapecompletewithfolksmadeofglisteningsnow,perfectroundsnowballs,andsnowysurprises.Inthiswintryunit,there’sasnow-folkpoem,asong,askatingmovementactivity,games,acreativewritingexercise,cut-and-glueprojects,andsnowycrafts.Thesnowfolkaren’taroundforeverandneitheriswinter.Sowhywaitanotherminute?

by Lucia Kemp Henry

The Snow FolksIlookoutthewindow,AndIseeaplaceThat’scoveredalloverWithwhite,frostedlace.

Thisplaceoncehadcolors,Butitchangedovernight.Andnowit’saGlistening,magicalwhite!

IwonderwholivesInaplacewhereI’dfreeze,IfIdidn’twearsweatersAndbootstomyknees.

ThesefolkmustbesnowFromtheirheadstotheirtoes!ForI’dneverbehappyWithfrostonmy nose.

ThefolkswholivehereJustlovetobeoutInthecold,wintrydriftsAsthesnowswirlsabout.

They’rehappyinblizzards.Theysmilethroughastorm.Theylaughwhenitfreezes,Buttheycrywhenit’swarm!

Snow-Folk Art Somepaper,paint,spongesquares,markers,andglueareallyouryoung-stersneedtocreatesnowfolkoftheirown.Tomakeasnowboyorgirl,firstsponge-printthelowerthirdofasheetofblueconstructionpaperusingaspongesquarefilledwithwhitetemperapaint.Printsnowflakedotsovertheothertwo-thirdsofthepaperusingaQ-tips®cottonswabwhichhasbeendunkedinwhitepaint.Allowthepainttodry.Cutoutwhiteconstructionpapercopiesofthecircularbodysectionsonpage7orcut(ortear)outbodysectionsfromwhiteconstructionpaper.Gluethesecirclestothebluepapertoresembleasnowman.Cutoutandglueon

coloredcopiesofthesnowboyorgirlaccessoriesonpage8.Addfacialfeatureswithmarker.Forafunandfrostydisplay,mount

theseprojectsonabulletinboard.

Sing-along Youryoungsterswillfinditeasytosingthissnow-folksongtothetuneof“ISawThreeShips.”Ifdesired,usethepatternsonpage7asasetofflannelboardfigures.

I Made A Snow FriendImadeasnowfriendoutofsnowOnewinterday,onewinterday.ImadeasnowfriendoutofsnowOnewinterdayinthemorning.

IrolledasnowballbigascouldbeOnewinterday,onewinterday.IrolledasnowballbigascouldbeOnewinterdayinthemorning.

Imadeanotherone,smalleryousee,Onewinterday,onewinterday.Imadeanotherone,smalleryousee,Onewinterdayinthemorning.

Irolledonemore;nowIhadthreeOnewinterday,onewinterday.AndstackedthemupasquickascouldbeOnewinterdayinthemorning.

IaddedanoseandtwoeyestoseeOnewinterday,onewinterday.Igavehimamouth.Hesaid,“Hi!”tomeOnewinterdayinthemorning.

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My Snowball Evenifit’s70°andsunnywhereyouare,youryoungsterscanmaketheirveryownsnowballswiththismixed-mediaartproject.Usethepatternsonpages9and10tomaketagboardtracers.Beginmakingthissnowballartprojectbytracingthesweaterpatternontowallpaperorgiftwrap.

Tracethemittenandhatpatternsontocomplementarycolorsofconstructionpaper,thefacepatternontotanorbrownconstructionpaper,andthesnowballpatternontowhiteconstruc-

tionpaper.Thencutouteachpiece.Gluethesweatercutouttoasheetofcoloredconstruc-tionpaperfirst;thenglueontheremainingcutoutsasshown.Addfaceand

hairdetailswithcrayons.Togivethesnowballathree-dimensionaleffect,glueongrape-sizeballsofcrumpledwhitetissuepaper.

Snowballs To Keep Thedisappointingthingaboutsnowballsistheyneverstayaroundverylong.Butthat’sthereasonthissnowballmath

Snowball Olympics Cabinfevergotyoudown?Snowedunderwiththewinterblahs?ThentimeforSnowballOlympicsandablizzardoffun!Providesomewhite,circle-shapedbeanbagsandStyrofoam®ballsinseveralsizes.SetupOlympicchallengesaroundtheroom,androtateyoungstersthrougheachevent.Selecteventsfromthelistbelow,addafewofyour

Snowball Olympics Events• Includeaneventcalled“snowballspooning”inwhicheachyoungstercar-

riesasmallStyrofoam®ballfromonepointtoanotheronaspoon.

• SupplyseveralStyrofoamballsforthe“snowballdrop”inwhichyoung-stersarechallengedtodroptheballsfromwaistheightintoacoffeecan.

• Testyouryoungsters’aimwiththe“snowballshoot”inwhichyoungsterstossbeanbagsintobaskets.

• Callforyouryoungsters’speediestmovesinthe“snowbucketrelay.”Inthisevent,haveyoungsterstaketurnsloadingStyrofoamballsintoabuck-et,carryingthebuckettoaspecifiedmark,andreturningtothestartingpointtounloadthebucketbeforepassingittothenextteammember.

• Placesmall,cardboard,stand-upsnowmenadistanceawayfromyoung-sters.Challengeyoungsterstoknockoverthesnowmenbytossingbean-bagsatthem.

Having A Ball Onceyouryoungstershavemadesnowballsasdescribedin“MySnow-ball,”settheballrollingwithastorystarter.Oneachstudent’spaperwrite“Imadeasnowballonefineday,butitfellfrommyhandandrolledaway!Itrolled….”Thenwriteashedictatestheepisodesofhissnowballorhavehimwriteithimself.It’sagreatwaytogetyourstudents’creativethinkingandwritingskillsrollingalong.

own,andletthegamesbegin!EndtheOlympicsceremoniouslybypresentingeachyoungsterwitha“snowball”medal.

centerwillbesoappealingtoyouryoungsters.Fillabasketwithpretendsnowballs,suchasfeltcircles,crumpledwhitepaper,orsmallStyrofoam®balls.Placethebasketinacenteralongwithmittencut-outslabeledwithnumbers.Inviteeachchildtoselectamitten,readthenumber,andcountsnowballsequaltothenumber.

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Waltzing Through Winter Transformyourclassroom,gymnasium,ormultipurposeroomintoanimaginaryfrozenpond;theninviteyouryoungsterstowaltzthroughseveralminutesofmake-believe.Moveallfurnitureandotherobstaclesawayfromthecenteroftheroom.Havestudentsremovetheirshoessotheycan“skate”instockingfeet.(Forsafety,imposea“norunning”rule.)Theninspiregraceful,skatingmove-mentsandaleisurelypacebyplaying“TheSkater’sWaltz”byEmilWald-teufel.Encouragestudentstomovetotherhythmofthemusic.

Skating On Paper Asafollow-upto“WaltzingThroughWinter,”haveyoungsterscompletethisartactivity.Giveeachchildasheetofdarkbluecon-structionpapertorepresentafrozenpond.Playarecordingof“TheSkater’sWaltz”whilestudentspushwhitechalk,crayons,orpastelsovertheirpaperpondinrhythmwiththemusic.Whenthissessionhasended,helpeachyoungstersprayhisprojectwithadhesive(inawell-ventilatedarea)andsprinkleonclearglitter.Haveeachyoungsterdrawandcolorhimselfskating,cutoutthepicture,andgluehisskatertohisconstructionpaperpond.

Let-It-Snow Literature WatchtheirfaceslightupasyoureadaloudThe MittenwrittenandillustratedbyJanBrett.Inthisbook,severalwinter-wearyanimals,largeandsmall,takerefugeinalittleboy’slostmitten.Inhonorofthisbook,proclaimaMittenDay.Onthisday,delightyouryoungstersbydisplayingtheirmittensaroundtheroomandtuckingatinystuffedanimalinanadult-sizedmitten,sothatheispeekingoutforalltosee.

InThe Snowman byRaymondBriggs,ayoungboybuildsasnowman.Tohisamazement,thesnowmancomestolifeandleadstheboyonanadventure.Seatyouryoungstersinacircle.Askonestudenttotellwhatmighthappenifthesnowmanhehadjustcompletedcametolife.Stophimafterawhileandhavethechildseatedtohisrightcontinuethestorywherehestopped.

AlittleboyexploresthecityafterithasbeentransformedbyawintersnowstorminThe Snowy Day writtenandillustratedbyEzraJackKeats.Hedecidestoputasnowballinhispockettosaveforlater.Haveyouryoungsterssuggestwaystosuccessfullystoresnowballsasyoumakealist.Whichsuggestionswillwork,accordingtoyouryoungsters’predictions?

PatternsUse the three largest circles with “Snow-Folk Art” on page 4.

Use all the patterns with “Sing-along” on page 4.

�©The Education Center, Inc. • Snow • Preschool/Kindergarten • TEC3190

� ©The Education Center, Inc. • Snow • Preschool/Kindergarten • TEC3190

upper hat

hat brim

buttons

scarf sections

scarf neck piece

upper hat

hat brim

buttons

shawl sections

shawl neck piece

Patterns For Snow Boy

Patterns For Snow Girl

©The Education Center, Inc. • Snow • Preschool/Kindergarten • TEC3190

PatternsUse with “Snow Folk-Art” on page 4.