Here are some of the materials I put together for our Animals in Winter unit.
This is a non-fiction book we will be using to introduce the unit. I might keep the cards apart and put them up on display one at a time as we talk about what it says. (Source: Animals in Winter Mini Unit)
Here’s a simple little winter poem that talks about what some mammals and critters do in winter. I made a poster for it with dots the children can point to as they say each word of the poem. It also has sequencing cards and a little booklet they can cut out and color. (Source: Animals in Winter Mini Unit)
Some sorting mats for photos of wild creatures that hibernate, migrate, or adapt in the winter. (Source: Animals in Winter Mini Unit)
Help the Squirrel Find the Nuts! This is a Real/Nonsense CVC words reading game. Line up the cards upside down on a rug or table. Pick up a card and read it. If it is a real word, keep the card. If it is a nonsense word, put it in a discard pile to the side. (Source: Animals in Winter Mini Unit)
Here’s a little Monarch migration game board. Our young students play this in the simplest way: just roll a die (or two) and move the game pieces that many spaces. Continue taking turns until everyone makes it to the destination! We use butterfly barrettes from the Dollar Store as game pieces. (Source: Animals in Winter Mini Unit)
This was our Unit Studies shelf setup when we were learning about Animals in Winter.
More Ideas for an Animals in Winter Unit
There are lots of fun movement activities in these two posts: Animals in Winter by Little Giraffes and Hibernation by Preschool Plan-it. These ideas would be great for a day where the weather keeps your class indoors and could easily be adapted based on the needs of your specific group.
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Seemi holds a Master's degree in education, and an AMS Early Childhood credential. She has twenty years of experience in Montessori as a teacher, school administrator, and school owner. Seemi is the founder of TrilliumMontessori.org.