Snow Day Literature Unit Study for Early Learners

Learn all about snow and snow plows in this fun Literature-based, multi-subject Snow Day Unit Study for Preschool up to 2nd grade.

Snow Day literature unit study for preschool, kindergarten and first to 2nd grades with multiple subjects covered

This Snow Day Unit Study is based upon the classic children’s picture book by Betsy Maestro (illustrated by Guilio Maestro) and is perfect for your preschool to early elementary-aged kids who want to learn more about snow, how it’s plowed off of streets and sidewalks, and what happens around town when there’s a big snowstorm.

Scroll down to the bottom of this post for more Winter Homeschooling Resources!

Some links in this post may be affiliate links for products that I’m using or have tried in the past and recommend. This means that if you click on them, I may make a tiny commission, at no extra cost to you. For more info, check our privacy policy.

Resources for Your Snow Day Literature Study

Library List:

Snow Day by Betsy Maestro

Snow is Falling (A Read and Let’s Find Out Science Book) by Franklyn M. Branley

Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin also available to read for free on Open Library

Non-fiction snow plow books, such as Snowplows (Seedlings: Community Vehicles) by Quinn Arnold OR Snowplows (Pull Ahead Books Mighty Movers) by Jeffery Zuehlke

Richard Scarry’s Cars and Trucks and Things That Go by Richard Scarry

Optional books

I’m a Snowplow (Little Golden Book) by Dennis R. Shealy

The Little Snowplow by Lora Koehler (this book is similar in theme to The Little Engine That Could)

Blizzard by John Rocco About the Rhode Island blizzard of 1978, told from a little boy’s perspective

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton

For your babies and toddlers: Richard Scarry’s Busy Busy Winter by Richard Scarry (As a speech therapist, I LOVE the Richard Scarry books! They are terrific for introducing vocabulary words to your kids)

Just for Fun

Watch the 2022 reboot of Snow Day. You can read a review of this silly G-rated movie on PluggedIn. (For once, the remake is much much better than the original 2000 movie, which I don’t recommend.)

Activities for Your Snow Day Literature Unit Study

printable snow removal mini book for pre-literacy

Snowplows

Read the book, Snow Day, and the non-fiction books about snowplows and learn how snow is removed from streets, freeways, runways, train tracks, harbors, sidewalks and driveways.

Complete the Snow Removal pre-literacy mini book to learn about all of the different ways snow is removed, such as snow blowers, airport runway snow plows, snow lifts, and more. (Included in the Snow Day Unit Study Bundle)

Phonics

In the book, snow plows are used to clear the streets. Show your child how the letters ‘ow’ can make two different sounds when at the end of words, as in snow and plow. You can use the -ow family worksheets for this: words that rhyme with snow, and words that rhyme with plow. (Both are included in the Snow Day Unit Study Bundle)

Snow Art

Make a free-style art snow picture. Use dark blue construction paper and white liquid shoe polish (the kind in the bottle with the foam applicator). Let them paint snowflakes by pressing the foam applicator onto the construction paper.

Memory Work

Have your kids learn either Psalm 147:16 or A Sledding Song by Norman C. Schlichter. Get the full text for both in the Snow Day Unit Study Bundle. Either of these texts would work for copywork or narration if that is something your family does.

Sensory Fun

Let your kids plow snow with their toy trucks or this Diecast Snow Plow Truck and some real or fake snow. My boys loved this (easy to clean up) scoop-able fake snow and I show how simple it is to make it over on our sister site, Whole Child Homeschool.

Both of my boys would play with this fake snow for hours (literally!). It only cost $3 to make it and it entertained them for so. many. days. I gave it to them on a big cookie sheet to help contain it and they used a small brush and dustpan to clean up any that fell over the edge, so it really wasn’t even that messy.

Transportation

Several different modes of transportation are discussed in Snow Day. Discuss with your child all of the different forms of transportation: airplanes, trains, ships, and automobiles.

Use the Transportation Sort Cards (included in the Snow Day Unit Study bundle) to sort vehicles into either 3 (easy version) or 5 (harder version) different categories such as land, air, water, field, and road.

Your early elementary kids may also enjoy these transportation skip counting puzzles over at Royal Baloo.

Science

Read the non-fiction book, Snow is Falling, with your child. This book explains how all snowflakes are different and how snow is beneficial. If possible, go outside while it is snowing and catch some snowflakes on a cold sheet of dark construction paper. Examine the snowflakes closely to see how they are different from each other.

Read the book, Snowflake Bentley.

Complete the Snow Estimation Melting Experiment (included in the Snow Day Unit Study bundle) to learn about the elements of an experiment and practice their measuring and estimation skills as they discover that matter can change states.

Fine and Gross Motor Skills

Show your child how to cut a snowflake. Decorate a room with snowflakes!

If your kiddo’s fine motor skills aren’t ready for cutting snowflakes with scissors, check out these alternative snowflake fine motor skills printables from 3 Dinosaurs. Or let them use a hole punch to create holes in a snowflake shaped piece of paper.

To get in a good gross motor workout, use these instructions to have an indoor snowball fight.

Practical Arts

Make Snow Cones. There are snow cone syrup recipes here on our sister site, or if snow is currently falling, you can make snow ice cream. My family loves to make homemade hot fudge sauce to go with our vanilla snow ice cream. Recipes are included in the Snow Day Unit Study Bundle.

Extend your study and learn about city garbage trucks, fire trucks, and more in the Community Helpers Unit Study for PreK and Kindergarten