Teaching Preschool with Ezra Jack Keats' Snowy Day: Engaging Cross-Curricular Lesson Ideas

Introducing Snowy Weather with Ezra Jack Keats' Snowy Day

Ezra Jack Keats' classic picture book Snowy Day is a wonderful way to introduce preschool and early elementary students to snowy weather concepts. Here are some ideas for using the book:

Vocabulary

• Have students listen for weather words like "snow", "wind", "cold", "melt" as you read the story.
• Make a class chart of the winter weather words.
• Ask students to give examples of each weather concept from their own experiences.

Science Concepts

• Point out how Peter's footprints are holes in the snow. Explain this is because snow is soft.
• Note how the snow melts into water. Talk about snow changing states of matter.
• Discuss why Peter's snowball doesn't last once he brings it inside.

Literacy Connections

• Have students sequence pictures from the story to practice retelling.
• Act out the story using props and costumes.
• Provide snowy sensory bins with cotton balls, blue beads, etc. for imaginative play.

Keats' collage illustrations are rich and ideal for introducing concepts like textures, shapes, colors and artistic style. Snowy Day is a wonderful anchor text for immersing students in snow themes and winter weather learning.

Expanding a Snowy Day Lesson with Fun Activities

Once you've read Ezra Jack Keats' Snowy Day and introduced some basic snow concepts, extend the learning with fun creative activities across the curriculum.

Art Projects

• Have students make collages using cotton balls, tissue paper, foil, glitter and other textures to mimic Keats' artistic style.
• Make handprint snowflakes using paper, paint and glitter.
• Use marbles or balls dipped in white paint to create "melting snow" artwork.

Dramatic Play

• Set up a pretend snowy scene in the classroom with pillows, blankets and costumes.
• Provide artificial "snow" like shaving cream or cloud dough for sensory bins.
• Act out the story using props like scarves, mittens and cardboard "snowballs".

Writing and Literacy

• Have students make story maps to retell the events in sequence.
• Write or dictate snowy weather stories.
• Develop a class book modeled after the story from each student's perspective.

STEM Activities

• Explore melting properties using ice, salt, sand, etc.
• Graph and compare temperatures of snow vs ice vs water.
• Engineer "snowshoes" to walk across pretend snow.

Tapping into the familiar snowy theme with engaging activities builds comprehension, creativity and makes learning memorable.

Making Personal Connections to Snowy Day

One of the best ways to engage students with Ezra Jack Keats' Snowy Day is to have them make personal connections to their own experiences with snow. Here are some ideas:

Class Discussion

• After reading the story, have students share their own memories of playing in the snow.
• Make a chart comparing Peter's snow day to theirs. For example:
  • Peter - made snow angels
  • Maria - went sledding
  • Jose - had a snowball fight
• Highlight similarities and differences using a Venn diagram.

Drawing

• Have students draw a picture of their favorite snow day activity.
• Create a classroom mural with everyone's snow scenes.
• Display the art and have students present their drawings.

Writing

• Students can write about or dictate a story of their own snow day experience.
• Bind the pages to make a class snow memory book.
• Encourage use of transition words like first, next, then, finally to sequence events.

Leveraging students' own snow day adventures helps them relate to Peter's story on a more personal level. Comparing their experiences to the book also builds comprehension, oral language and literacy skills.

Examining Artistic Style in Snowy Day

Ezra Jack Keats' collage illustrations in Snowy Day provide a wonderful opportunity to expose students to a unique artistic style and technique.

Collage Art

• Explain that a collage is art made by gluing materials like paper, fabric and photos to a surface.
• Have students identify materials Keats used in his mixed media collages like:
  • Textured paper
  • Fabric
  • Cut out photos
  • Glitter
  • Paint

Texture and Shape

• Point out Keats' use of different textures like cotton for snow and glossy paper for windows.
• Discuss the simple shapes like circles and rectangles in the art.
• Have students recreate the style using cut paper shapes with glue.

Color Palette

• Note Keats' use of a limited color palette focusing on white, blue, grey and brown.
• Mix paints to match the snowy day tones.
• Identify warm and cool colors and temperatures they convey.

Analyzing Keats' artistic choices provides a rich opportunity to develop visual literacy and appreciate creative techniques.

Developing a Cross-Curricular Snow Unit

Ezra Jack Keats' Snowy Day can serve as the foundation for a cross-curricular unit integrating snow themes across the curriculum.

Math Integration

• Measure "snow" (shaving cream, cloud dough, etc.) using non-standard units like blocks, cups and spoons.
• Graph types of precipitation (snow, rain, sleet, hail).
• Count and sort snowflake shapes or paper cutouts.

Literacy Connections

• Read fiction and nonfiction books about snow themes.
• Research snowy animals like penguins, polar bears and arctic foxes.
• Write snow poetry using adjectives and the five senses.

Science Exploration

• Investigate snow melting, freezing and the states of matter.
• Discuss snowflake shapes and symmetry.
• Learn about snow gear and how it protects from the cold.

Dramatic Play

• Set up a pretend snowy grocery store, arctic animal hospital, etc.
• Provide snowshoes, mittens and other accessories for role playing.

Weaving snow concepts throughout various subjects and learning centers reinforces comprehension while keeping students engaged.

Benefits of Amazon Prime for Ezra Jack Keats Snowy Day

Purchasing Ezra Jack Keats' beloved picture book Snowy Day on Amazon can be very convenient for teachers and parents, especially with an Amazon Prime membership.

Free Two-Day Shipping

Amazon Prime offers free two-day shipping on eligible items. This makes it easy to quickly acquire copies of Snowy Day for your classroom without paying extra shipping fees. You can order them right when you need them instead of waiting weeks for standard shipping.

Free Release-Date Delivery

Snowy Day is a classic book that's periodically re-issued in special editions. With Prime's free release-date delivery, you can pre-order an upcoming version and receive it on the exact day it's released.

Prime Reading

In addition to free shipping, Prime members get access to Prime Reading. This lets you read Snowy Day online or using a Kindle app before purchasing a physical copy. It's great for previewing the book.

Price Discounts

Prime members often get exclusive discounts on books. So you may be able to buy Snowy Day for less money compared to non-Prime members.

Overall, a Prime membership can offer convenience and savings for teachers stocking up on popular children's books like Snowy Day. The shipping perks allow quick access to the materials you need for your classroom.

How To Use Ezra Jack Keats Snow Day In The Classroom?

"Ezra Jack Keats Snow Day" is a great resource for early childhood educators to teach their students about winter and snow. Here are some ways to use the book in the classroom:

Read "Ezra Jack Keats Snow Day" aloud to the class and use it as a starting point for discussions about winter and snow.

Use the book as inspiration for sensory writing trays, pocket chart activities, and snow globe sensory play.

Incorporate the book into a winter-themed lesson plan bundle that includes math, literacy, and dramatic play.

Use the book to teach social-emotional learning by discussing the characters and their experiences dealing with growing up and childhood problems.

Create fun activities for students such as visualizing, retelling, sequencing, and vocabulary lessons.

Encourage students to create their own snowy day illustrations by painting a blue piece of paper with a white snowy hill.

These activities will help students engage with the book and learn about winter and snow in a fun and interactive way.

What Are Some Specific Activities Or Crafts That Can Be Done With Young Learners Using Ezra Jack Keats' Snow Day?

There are many activities and crafts that can be done with young learners using Ezra Jack Keats' "Snow Day". Here are some specific ideas:

Create a pipe cleaner snowflake from Activity Village.

Make paper snowflakes from Lasso the Moon.

Make snow globes from My Joy-Filled Life.

Create a snowy tree painting from Nurturing Learning.

Make glowing snowmen from Stuff by Ash.

Create a snowy day scene from Creative Family Fun.

Make frosty winter art from Nurture Store.

Create a snowman pointillism craft from Meaningful Mama.

Make a snowy paper bag tree from Crayon Box Chronicles.

Create a marshmallow snowman from Happy Home Fairy.

Make a snowy day scene with snow paint from Time 4 Kindergarten.

Build a snowflake busy bag from School Time Snippets.

Create a snowman factory from Buggy and Buddy.

Make a snowman cheeseball from Baking Beauty.

Create maple syrup snow candy from Little House Living.

Make tracks in the snow with shaving cream and paint from Primary Theme Park.

Create a sensory writing tray from Pre-K Pages.

Make a pocket chart activity from Pre-K Pages.

Create a snow globe sensory play from Teach Preschool.

Do an instant snow science activity with recording sheet from Prekinders.

Make tracks in the snow art activity from Primary Theme Park.

These activities and crafts are perfect for young learners and will help them engage with the book in a fun and interactive way.

What Are Some Sensory Activities That Can Be Done With Young Learners Using Ezra Jack Keats' Snow Day?

"Ezra Jack Keats' Snow Day" is a great book to use for sensory activities with young learners. Here are some specific ideas:

Create a sensory writing tray with fake snow and have students practice writing letters, numbers, or words in the snow.

Use a pocket chart activity to retell the story and have students place characters and events in order.

Create a sensory bin with fake snow and winter-themed objects for students to explore and play with.

Use instant snow to create a science experiment and have students record their observations.

Create a snowy day shadow box with cotton balls, construction paper, and other materials.

Make footprints in the snow with paint and have students practice gross motor skills by copying the little boy in the book.

Create a sensory bag with fake snow and winter-themed objects for students to explore and play with.

Use sugar as a sensory material to create a snowy scene and have students make tracks with objects.

Have students act out different actions in the snow such as walking, running, sliding, jumping, and digging.

Use dot markers to cover snowballs with phonics and articulation words.

These sensory activities will help students engage with the book and learn about winter and snow in a fun and interactive way.

What Are Some Snow-Themed Sensory Materials That Can Be Used With Young Learners During A Snow Day Activity?

There are many snow-themed sensory materials that can be used with young learners during a Snow Day activity. Here are some ideas:

Arctic slime

Melting castles

Arctic icy rescue

Cloud dough recipe

Snowflake slime

Snowman slime

Melting snowmen

Fake snow

Snow sensory bottle

Winter sensory bin

Snowy tree painting

Snowy day shadow box

Snow paint

Instant snow

Snowman pointillism craft

Snowy paper bag tree

Snowy day scene sensory bag

Snowy day scene sensory bin

Snowy day sensory writing tray

Snowy day pocket chart activity

Snow globe sensory play

Snowy day sensory bin with winter-themed objects

Snowy day sensory bag with winter-themed objects

Snowy day sensory tray with winter-themed objects

Snowy day sensory squish bag

These sensory materials will help young learners engage with the winter and snow themes in "Ezra Jack Keats' Snow Day" in a fun and interactive way.

• Introducing Snowy Weather with Ezra Jack Keats' Snowy Day
• Vocabulary
• Science Concepts
• Literacy Connections
• Expanding a Snowy Day Lesson with Fun Activities
• Art Projects
• Dramatic Play
• Writing and Literacy
• STEM Activities
• Making Personal Connections to Snowy Day
• Class Discussion
• Drawing
• Writing
• Examining Artistic Style in Snowy Day
• Collage Art
• Texture and Shape
• Color Palette
• Developing a Cross-Curricular Snow Unit
• Math Integration
• Literacy Connections
• Science Exploration
• Dramatic Play
• Benefits of Amazon Prime for Ezra Jack Keats Snowy Day
• Free Two-Day Shipping
• Free Release-Date Delivery
• Prime Reading
• Price Discounts
• How To Use Ezra Jack Keats Snow Day In The Classroom?
• What Are Some Specific Activities Or Crafts That Can Be Done With Young Learners Using Ezra Jack Keats' Snow Day?
• What Are Some Sensory Activities That Can Be Done With Young Learners Using Ezra Jack Keats' Snow Day?
• What Are Some Snow-Themed Sensory Materials That Can Be Used With Young Learners During A Snow Day Activity?