January Teaching Resources for Busy Elementary Teachers | Resources with a Winter Theme


Teaching Resources for January, Elementary
All You Need for a Snowman - Book Companion


Book Companion and Spin-Off Lesson 

to use with All You Need for a Snowman

by Alice Schertle and illustrated by Barbara Lavallee. 


This book companion provides opportunities for thinking and writing after reading this entertaining picture book. These pages facilitate diversifying instruction. Assign this book companion for an independent reader response or school-at-home.

This book companion is to be used with the book,

All You Need for a Snowman, by Alice Schertle.

36 pages include:

  • comprehension questions
  • writing prompts
  • graphic organizers
  • making new words
  • recalling story events
  • making connections
  • sequencing
  • handwriting practice
  • phonics
  • spin off lesson - snow experiment
  • ”What is Snow?” reading booklet
  • “Snow” read and review
  • pages for diversified instruction

This teaching resource provides students with an engaging way to respond to their reading. These reader-response pages offer numerous opportunities to think and write about the text.

*** Spin-Off Lesson*** is an effective way to engage students in a literacy activity. 

A spin-off lesson, a science experiment about snow, is included in this resource. In the story, the children build a giant snowman by working together. The story begins with one snowflake and expands to require eight million more. The children find this amusing, but it is a perfect place to segue into a science lesson about snow, weather, matter, liquid, and gas.

What is snow? And why does it melt? These pages include simple science lessons on snow. Your class can also make a graph. Class discussions on weather and snow follow naturally from reading this book. Students start to see the life lessons in literature when they dig a bit deeper into the text. This “spin-off lesson” is engaging and fun; there are several pages to get you started… ask and answer questions, hypothesize, make predictions, and draw conclusions. See snow melt! And if you are not in a place where there is snow… did you know you could make your own? Enjoying literature in this way teaches young readers to read and write with conviction. This book can also serve as a springboard to going outside and building your own snowman, if the weather permits.

This book companion is to be used with the book,

All You Need for a Snowman, by Alice Schertle.


Teacher Tip: Place this book companion and a copy of All You Need for a Snowman in a bin. Label this bin "For the Substitute Teacher. Your Substitute and your students will be delighted to enjoy this reading and writing activity.


More Resources for January:


 Roll and Read | Winter Theme | 

Literacy Station

literacy for primary grades, winter theme
Roll & Read - Literacy Pages - Winter Theme


Roll, Read, Write, and Color | Winter Theme

Roll the dice and read pictures, words, and sentences. Handwriting practice of winter words, phonics practice, and reading for fluency. Do you need literacy activities with a winter theme for reading groups? 

Roll and Read Pages :

  • roll, read, write, and color - winter pictures
  • roll and read words
  • phonics practice for -at, -ed, -et, -ate, -ice, cr-, -ow, -ar- words
  • roll and read simple sentences - winter theme


These pages would be perfect for a literacy station or teaching reading and fluency 

in small reading groups. Pictures and words are a winter theme. There are 16 total pages.

PreK- 3 January Teacher Resources | Morning Riddles | Book Companions




Happy New Year!  Wishing you the best year ever! 
January Teaching Resources that 
Make Your Students Smile

Engaging PreK-3 Teaching Resources for Every Subject
Click HERE

The following teacher resources will engage your classroom for the days after winter break.  They are tried-and-true resources in literacy and mathematics. 

Santa's Elves | Teach Work Ethic | Early Literacy Learning



Teach Work Ethic
with Santa’s Elves
Academic practice pages that teach the importance of a good work ethic with a Santa's elves theme. These 17 pages give practice and review for literacy.










Focus skills include:
  • keywords to understand the meaning of a good work ethic
  • writing sentences for each keyword
  • answering questions (short answer)
  • writing prompts about work ethic at school
  • Santa's elves as role models
  • designing ornaments
  • 4-square graphic organizer for the importance of work ethic
  • elf job application

All seventeen pages have an elf theme. Fun and educational!

Teaching young children a work ethic helps them build habits that support success throughout their lives. When kids learn to take responsibility, follow through on tasks, and put in consistent effort—even when something feels challenging—they gain confidence in their own abilities. It also teaches perseverance, problem-solving, and pride in doing their best work. These skills not only help them in school but also lay the foundation for positive attitudes and strong character as they grow.

Other Christmas Resources You May Want: