One Flake, Two Flakes, Snow!

Snow
written and illustrated by Uri Shulevitz
Caldecott Honor book
Laptime: toddler - early elementary
Story Circle: toddler - early elementary

This winter it has been snowing in places that rarely, and sometimes never, see snow. I think that all of those people who are experiencing snow in their normally warm dry cities will relate to Uri Shulevitz's Caldecott Honor book, Snow. In this story, the adults greet the snow with denial and disbelief but the child greets the dancing flakes with joy.

"...One snowflake. 'It's snowing,' said boy with dog. 'It's only a snowflake,' said grandfather with beard. ...'It's nothing,' said man with hat. ... 'It'll melt,' said woman with umbrella."

But, of course, it doesn't stop or melt and soon the gray city and the gray day are transformed by the white snow giving the boy and his dog a whimsical winter wonderland in which to play.

Snow - Laptime Lesson Plan Ideas
Play in the snow!

• If you have snow, go out and play.
• If you don't have snow, make some. About.com has directions for making non-toxic fake snow. All you need to make fake snow is sodium polyacrylate, found in disposable diapers or from the gardening center, and water.
• Another easy way to play in the snow when there is no snow around, is to play with shaving cream. For easy clean up cover your table with plastic. Give each child a snowball size squirt of shaving cream and allow them to squish is around the table and finger paint winter designs.

Snow - Story Circle Lesson Plan Ideas
Snowflake Dance
The author uses these beautifully descriptive words, "circling, swirling, spinning, and twirling, dancing, playing.." to share the dance of the falling snow. Choose a piece of music that reminds you of snowfall and is easy for the children to move to. I like Saturday Snow from the Currier and Ives Holiday Collection, Winterscapes. Follow the storyline and have one child be the first snowflake and start the dance. Add children one at a time and then in small groups until everyone is a dancing snowflake.

Make Balloon Snowballs
This craft works best at an art center where you or an aide can work with 3 or 4 children at a time. If you do this project with your whole class make sure that you plan ahead and have everything ready to go so all of the children can begin at the same time.
You will need:

• one blown up balloon per child
• white glue mixed with a little water in a bowl. One bowl for two or three children to share.
• white yarn cut into long strings
• silver or white glitter

1. Have the children dip the yarn strings into the glue mixture and place around their balloons until the balloon is almost covered.
2. Sprinkle the balloon with glitter and allow to dry completely.
3. When the yarn and glitter are dry, pop the balloon and you will have a sparkling snow ball.

Check out Everything Preschool for more snow arts and crafts.

Farrar Straus Giroux, New York 1998