When implementing a themed-based approach, you want to use activities that incorporate the words related to the theme as much as possible. It gives your students context with how to process the knowledge of the theme and the vocabulary used with the theme. In many ways, you are building stronger knowledge of the vocabulary because students can categorize and attach word associations to the words being used. Today, I wanted to share with you some ways to use snowman sequencing activities to build language. Plus, I will be sharing some different ways to talk about building a snowman so your students stay engaged!
Hands-On Activities for Building a Snowman
With students that have a shortened attention span or need to be activating their sensory system, there are some hands-on activities that you can do and still incorporate sequencing.
Using white playdough with items such as dried black beans, buttons, sticks, and a foam hat to build a snowman. Students can work on sequencing the steps for making a snowman while building their own. Similarly, you can find a felt snowman building set on Amazon or possibly Dollar Tree. Students can follow directions for the steps to make a snowman.
For more ideas on how to use snowman toys and props in your therapy sessions, check out this blog post.
If you don’t want a mess, but need a hands-on activity, why not build a snowman as a file folder activity!? You can target sequencing as well as requesting, CORE words, turn taking, and describing. To buy the printables for this activity, head to my TPT store.
Target Sequencing with the Snowman Life Cycle
You can also work on sequencing while talking about the snowman life cycle. This also is a great theme smashing opportunity to incorporate how we get snow! Check out this YouTube video for discussing snow. As you work on the snowman life cycle, you can target verbs, adverbs (i.e. slowly, quickly), antonyms (i.e. hot, cold), basic concepts (i.e. before, after), and speech sounds such as with s-blends, you can target snow, snowman, scarf, stare, slow, stack, and smile.
What other words with your student’s sounds could you target? If you need some visual supports for the snowman life cycle, these are in the snowman language lesson plan guides for K-2 students.
Snowman Sequencing Activities with Short Stories
Discussing the steps for building a snowman in the context of a short story can help your students relate to the vocabulary when used in context.
You can find snowman short stories on GetEpic such as “Make a Snowman” by Pam Holden. If you need short stories that also have picture sequencing cards, check out the winter short stories set in my TPT store. It not only comes with picture sequencing cards but also has short stories with an answer key and visuals to help you guide the instruction during your sessions.
For more ideas on using short stories with different winter themes, check out this blog post.
Digital Materials to Build a Snowman
If you are looking for some digital materials to work on building a snowman, check out ABCYa. They have a free build a snowman activity that you can work on sequencing the steps for making a snowman. Additionally, you can also target describing, requesting, CORE words (i.e. more, want, look, done, here, etc.), transition words, and grammar structures. For SLPs that love using Boom Cards™, you can use this snowman sequencing activity set to work on tier II vocabulary related to the sequencing activity. Plus, there are 3, 4, and 6 picture scenes to practice the steps for build a snowman. In all of the sequencing Boom Cards™ sets, there are extension activities to work on other language skills related to your snowman theme.
What tips do you have for working on sequencing skills?
What is working for you when teaching sequencing with your students? I would love to know any tips or strategies that have been helpful, especially for your language impaired students. Share you tips in the comments!
