Wintertime in my classroom

This school year has mostly been about young learners for me. I still teach two groups of pre-intermediate students but most of my students are ages 6–10. This also means my classroom is stacked with pictures, posters and other projects from my students.

This is how I approached the topic of winter with my first graders:

• We listened to The Little Magician story and acted it out. I made the story up myself and it goes something like this:
  
  
  Once upon a time there was a little magician. He had no mother, no father, no sisters, no brothers and no friends to play with. The little magician was sad and lonely.
  
  
  One winter's day the little magician was sitting in front of his house when suddenly it started to rain. (RAINDROPS!) The raindrops were very friendly to the little magician. »Let's play!« they said. So he played with the raindrops.
  
  
  After a while the little magician thought of something fun. He waved with his magic wand and turned the raindrops into snowflakes. (Abracadabra, one, two, three - SNOWFLAKES!) The snowflakes were very friendly to the little magician. »Let's play!« they said. So he played with the snowflakes.
  
  
  After a while the little magician thought of something fun. He waved with his magic wand and turned the snowflakes into a snowman. (Abracadabra, one, two, three - SNOWMAN!) The snowman was big and white and fun! He was very friendly to the little magician. »Let's play!« he said. So the little magician and the snowman played together.
  
  
  After that day, things were different for the little magician. Whenever he wanted company, he just waved with his magic wand and he had friends. The little magician was never sad and lonely again. The end.

• We sang the Snowman song. As for the snowman puppet, I made it myself while attending the course on puppets (see ZGUČAN).

I'm a little snowman, short and fat,

here's my scarf and here's my hat.

(melody: I'm a Little Teapot)

• As a CLIL activity, we made paper snowflakes. I'm sure you know how to do that but just in case you forgot, here's a Youtube tutorial.

We had lots of fun doing it. All that's left for us are some Christmas activities next week and then, finally, winter break!!!