In this story, a boy named Nick loses his white mitten in the snow. As animals find it and squeeze inside to stay warm, the mitten stretches! In the video below, author Jan Brett reads aloud this charming folk tale celebrating friendship and sharing as Nick searches for his lost mitten.

Phonological Awareness is the ability to recognize and manipulate the spoken parts of sentences and words. The activity below includes phonological awareness practice.

Being able to hear the parts (syllables) of a word is an important skill for readers. Select a small stuffed animal or toy. Have your student make the animal jump once for each of the syllables in words you say and then slide or “run” to blend the whole word.

For example, say the word penguin. Your student would make the stuffed animal hop 2 times (pen-guin) and then slide or "run" to blend the whole word (penguin).

Can you think of other animals with a 2-syllable name? How about a 3-syllable name?

This activity can be easily done with any word!

Blending and segmenting sounds in words are two of the most impactful phonemic awareness activities for young readers.

First, choose some simple, one syllable words (for example, snow, gift, joy, etc.) to use in the activity. Next, ask your student to place their two fists together and move them apart in order to "stretch" the sounds they hear in the word. Then move their fists back together to "shrink" the word. Finally, ask them to "touch" an object for each sound they hear in the word and "say" the word once more. You could have your student touch colored squares of paper, bottle caps, holiday stickers, or even a fun snack like chocolate chips, mini-marshmallows, M&Ms, or pretzels.

Click the link below to watch a video demonstration of stretch and shrink & touch and say.

Phonics is instruction in the relationship between letters (graphemes) and the sounds (phonemes) they represent. It is an essential component of effective reading instruction and is necessary for decoding (reading) new words. Students need practice in reading text, spelling, and writing in order to consolidate their learning for long term use.

This hands-on game makes decoding practice exciting!

Materials:

• plastic cups
• marker or pen

1. Label cups with letters, blends (fl, sp, dr, etc.) or vowel teams (ee, ai, oo, etc.) (Hint: check your student's class newsletter to find the phonics skills that are being taught)
2. Set the cups out in a row to spell a word.
3. Have your student read the word.
   
4. Replace one letters, blends, digraph or vowel team at a time to create a new word.
5. Have your student read the new word.
6. Challenge your student to read both real words and nonsense words.

Materials:

• various regular foods and/or household items
• plastic alphabet letters

Directions:

1. Lay several food and/or household items on the table along with plastic alphabet letters.
2. Silently choose one of the items.
3. Provide a sound clue. For example, if you have a pineapple, you'd say, "I spy something that begins with /p/(sound)". Ask your student to identify which object you are thinking of, repeating the sound, then naming the object.
4. Your student should respond, "/p/, pineapple".
5. If your student is correct, say "That's right. Pineapple begins with /p/. Hold up the letter that spells /p/(sound).
6. The child will choose and hold up the plastic letter P. Direct the child to repeat, "P spells /p/."
7. Repeat with other items.
8. *The routine may be varied by focusing on the final sound of the food/household item.

Vocabulary is defined as knowledge of, and memory for oral word meanings. We can further define vocabulary as either receptive vocabulary (words whose meanings one can recognize when reading or listening to others speak) or expressive vocabulary (the words we use when speaking or writing). Extensive research has revealed that vocabulary is the biggest factor in understanding text once a person has learned to read the printed word. Activities that focus on vocabulary acquisition through understanding the various layers of words increase the likelihood that students will learn new words deeply. Vocabulary knowledge is important to a student’s ability to read and comprehend what is read.

Homographs, words that have the same spelling but different meanings, provide a great opportunity for word play. For this activity, you will say a word out loud and see if your student can give you more than one meaning for the word.

For example:

bark: the sound a dog makes, but it is also the covering on a tree

ring: jewelry you wear on your finger, but it is also the sound a doorbell makes

To extend this activity, ask your student to create a sentence using both words. It might sound something like this: The delivery person will ring the doorbell when they deliver my new ring.

For example, what do you call a no cost honey maker? A free bee!

Not only will you practice an important reading skill, but you will learn some new words along the way! Challenge your student to create their own unique rhyming pair!

Rhyme Time.pdf

Comparing and contrasting is a way to examine the similarities and differences between two or more things. By comparing and contrasting, readers can deepen their understanding of a text by drawing attention to important details. A Venn diagram is a useful tool to organize similarities and differences. For this activity, your student will compare and contrast The Three Snow Bears with the classic fairy tale, Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

Materials:

two paper plates , or a blank piece of paper

stapler, scissors, glue, pencil or pen

Venn diagram pictures (linked below)

Activity

1. Overlap the two paper plates and staple them together to create a Venn diagram. (Or, draw two circles that overlap on your blank paper)
2. Write "Only in Goldilocks" at the top of one circle. Write "Only in The Three Snow Bears" at the top of the second circle. At the top of the overlap section, write "Same" or "Both".
3. Print and cut out the Venn diagram pictures (linked below).
4. Read or listen to the story, Goldilocks and the Three Bears. (video below)
   
5. Read or listen to the story, The Three Snow Bears. (video below)
6. Have your student place and glue the pictures into the correct circle. Ask your student to explain why the picture belongs in the circle.

• What does this remind me of?
• How is my life similar / different to the (character/ event)?
• Has something like this ever happened to me?
• How does this relate to my life?
• What were my feelings when I read this?

If you want more information about making connections, watch the video below.

Fluency is defined as the ability to read with speed, accuracy, and proper expression. Fluency is "reading as we talk". In order to understand what they read, students must be able to read fluently whether they are reading aloud or silently. When reading aloud, fluent readers read in phrases and add intonation appropriately. Their reading is smooth and has expression.

Singing songs while looking at the lyrics, or words to the songs, is an excellent way to build fluency.

As a student looks at the song lyrics while singing along, reading accuracy, speed, and proper expression improves.

The example shared below is “The Good Morning Song.” A copy of the lyrics is linked below, as well as a link to a YouTube video of the song with the lyrics on the screen.

Repeated readings of the lyrics, while singing along, will strengthen your student’s letter and word recognition reading skills. Songs will also help your student with expression and phrasing. Have your student point to the words while singing along. After singing the song multiple times, you can point to words for your student to read, or have your student practice reading phrases. You can even challenge your student to read the whole song.

There are countless videos for children with lyrics on the internet. Repeated singing and reading will increase fluency. Enjoy!

Link to the Song Lyrics - "The Good Morning Song"

https://www.scribd.com/document/426600312/Good-Morning-Song-for-Kids

Link to the YouTube Video of "The Good Morning Song" with Lyrics:

Reading aloud together can build fluency! As you read together, your student will grow in their ability to read in phrases and with expression. Try this activity with The Snowy Day or any other book or text that your student can read with very few errors.

1. Read a section of a book or text aloud to your student while they follow along with their finger. Listening to you read allows your student to hear a model of fluent reading!

2. Reread the same section aloud with your student. Try to read with "one voice." As you both read , use your finger to track the words to lead your student as you read.

3. Reread that section a few more times together.

4. Have your student read that section to you!

5. Download the script of The Snowy Day and perform it as a play to enhance your fluency practice!

According to the Reading Rockets website, "...writing is an essential skill that can help students become stronger readers; it can provide the means to enhance vocabulary, comprehension and spelling abilities."

Writing is so much more involved than just forming letters and learning how to spell words. Prewriting skills are essential for students to be able to develop the ability to hold and move a pencil fluently and effectively, and therefore produce legible writing. Use a sensory tray as a prewriting activity to practice lines, circles and eventually letters to build strong fine motor skills.

Materials:

• shallow tray (a baking sheet, or lid to a plastic container works well)
• sensory material: salt, sugar, rice or sand
• unsharpened pencil, straw, or toothpick (optional)

1. Spread a thin layer of the selected sensory material on the bottom of the tray. There should be just enough so when you draw / write with your finger, the bottom of the tray can be seen.
2. Have your student practice drawing straight lines, diagonal lines, and circles in the sensory material.
3. After your student is fluent with lines and shapes, provide a model of uppercase and lowercase letters and have your student copy the letter in the sensory material. Be sure that letters are formed using top to bottom, left to right motions.
4. Once your student is accurate with letter formation using their index finger, you can have them use the eraser end of an unsharpened pencil, a straw, or even a toothpick to practice forming the letters.

One of the best ways to introduce poetry is to write an acrostic poem with your student. There is no pressure to rhyme, they get to play with words, and it is easy to choose a topic. Writing acrostic poetry is something that everyone can enjoy! After watching the video explanation below, try your hand at writing an acrostic poem using the word, WINTER. What other winter-themed words can you use to write a poem?

Exploring new books opens up fresh worlds, exciting characters and new ideas. Every title offers a chance to spark your imagination and enrich your reading experience.

Disclaimer: Below are some books that are recommended as great options to explore. Please note that individual tastes and expectations for literacy varies and books should always be reviewed thoroughly before choosing to use them with students. Common Sense Media is a resource that can be used to obtain summaries and insights into some available books and other types of media so that you can make informed decisions as you support your student.

Scan the QR code to access additional literacy resources.

You can access past issues of the ARI Winter Break newsletter for additional ideas and activities!

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The information included in this document is done from the perspective of improving LITERACY instruction for students and is only intended to outline support that directly relates to literacy instruction. Please use any resource links with discretion, as their position statements are their own and not necessarily representative of ARI and the ALSDE. Usage of any materials should be with adherence to the rules and regulations of the Alabama State Department of Education.