Animals in Winter
Lesson Planning: Animals in Winter
Winter animals have some unique adaptions for the winter months in many parts of the country. Teaching young children about some of these animals is exciting and this blog post is a primer for kids between the ages of five and eight, give or take on where children are academically.
Topics covered here will include migration, hibernation and adapting concepts based on the book Animals in Winter written by Henrietta Bancroft & Richard G. Van Gelder.
Book Overview
Animals in Winter
Animals in Winter is a wonderful addition to any home or classroom library. The introductory science forward books are a wonderful primer to getting children excited to learn more about the wonderful world of science. Children will read this book over and over again.
Animals in Winter focuses on ten animals as they prepare or survive during the winter months. Some animals migrate like birds, bats and butterflies. While others like the woodchuck hibernate. The book introduces the concepts of migration and hibernation in a very generic way, as to help children build upon information they might have already obtained. Check out this online reading of the book.
The Animals in Winter
There are ten animals featured in the lovely book. Here are some videos that can be used with the 5E Model as you plan your lessons. Every year kids have different interests. Based on your classes individual wants and needs I have included some resources from all the animals. In addition, if you have access to a computer the videos can be used as an extension for the Fact Web pages included in the Animals in Winter download.
Woodchuck / Groundhog
The woodchuck has many names including groundhog and whistle pig. Woodchucks are part of the squirrel family. The most famous groundhog lives in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. He lives in Gobblers Knob and every February 2 he predicts if spring will come early. The legend began in 1886 and has continued to this day. Read more about Groundhog Day on the Groundhog Day Club website. Check out these videos to share with your students.
Fun Facts About Groundhogs
The first video is from SciShow Kids. Jess and Squeaks are entertaining and informative. This is a wonderful video to share with students as an intro to alliteration and the woodchuck tongue twister. I have included a fun sheet in the download. Check out the color version for FREE in the Sample Download.
Groundhogs for Kids
This is a video to use as kids learn more about woodchucks. If you downloaded the free sample woodchuck poem and think your kids would have fun memorizing this and trying to say the tongue twister faster and faster, there is a black and white version in the full version. This is excellent for a homework assignment where the parents can get involved in practicing with their kids.
Sesame Street: How Much Wood Can a Woodchuck Chuck?
This is a cute counting video for young learners, and I just love the Count, too.
How to Draw a Cartoon Groundhog
This a Rob from Art for Kids Hub. He is super cool for engaging kids in drawing. I personally have used his videos with my students. Depending on the ability level of children, you might need to pause the video to allow children to follow. Older children can just roll with him effortlessly.
Alliteration
How much wood would a woodchuck chuck? Use this FREE download to share alliteration and the tongue twister.
Fox
The fox is pretty cool as he adapts to the winter.
Fox Dives Head First Into Snow
This video is a small snip from a longer video produced by the Discovery Channel. Kids will enjoy watching the fox hunt for its food. It is amazing how a fox uses their instincts and amazing hearing ability to catch its prey.
Fox: Animals for Kids
This video gives a little more general information about the fox.
Animal Template Patterns (FREE)
Are you looking for a way to extend using an art project? Check out this free download from Bethany Ray. These patterns are easy to implement with your students. I love my TpT peers, they offer such cool products! Includes butterfly and a fox which can both be used with Animals in Winter.
Mice
Mice are also animals that adapt to the winter weather for survival. Here are a few resources you might consider using in your lesson planning.
Animal Facts – Mouse
This quick video shares simple facts about mice and is in cartoon form.
Seven Blind Mice
This is a cool way to add some language arts to any mice unit. Here is a reading of “Seven Blind Mice written by Ed Young. Here is an online reading of the book.
Ordinal Numbers with Blind Mice
Brandy Withers with Firstie Kidoodles has created this FREE ordinal numbers activity and worksheets that pairs perfect with Seven Blind Mice reading.
Squirrels
Let’s learn a little more about squirrels with these resources.
Why Do Squirrels Dig?
The first video is from SciShow Kids. As you can probably tell they are one of my go to video resources. This video elaborates the content that is in the book Animals in Winter.
A Squirrels Day
Next, video is cute and more for entertainment. It is produced by the Sesame Studio (same makers of Sesame Street). It is a song sung with squirrel/chipmunk voice and has some neat footage of squirrels kind of a day in the life of a squirrel.
Pika
Pika (Pike-Ah) is a cute animal, and one that I was unfamiliar with until I read Animals in Winter. The Pika is a pretty amazing animal and the fact that it gathers 50 pounds of grass to survive in the winter is amazing. Fifty pounds is about what a student weighs in the first grade. That’s a lot of grass, for such a little guy!
American Pikas Calling Out
This video is just cute. Kids like cute. I love adding technology as much as I can to my lesson planning, it is important for the future and easy learning when it comes to videos like this one.
Pika: Cutest Animal Ever!
Next, is a video with a little more information. Older kids will enjoy watching the one.
Birds
Many birds migrate during the winter months. Here are some free videos and resources for lesson planning on the migration of birds.
All About Birds
This is a good introduction video about the generality of birds. It is very informative and kids will learn much about birds.
Bird Migration
This is a wonderful video for Teach the Teacher. We, as educators, need to know as much as we can to be able to answer the questions our students might have while they learn about birds.
Migratory Birds
This video is a little advanced, however, some students are fascinated with birds and might know a lot about them. This is good for differentiation for those who are a little more advanced.
Bats -VS -Birds
This is a cool freebie from Allison Palm’s TpT store. It goes well with the Animals in Winter unit study and can be used as an individual, partner, small group or entire class project as a compare and contrast lesson.
Fact Web: Birds
After watching videos about birds check out this freebie fact web. This data collection is a key for non-fiction writing.
Butterflies
The monarch butterfly is an amazing animal and is one of the animals highlighted in Animals in Winter.
Monarch Butterfly
This quick little into is nice to get our kids excited about learning more! It was produced by National Geographic.
Monarch Butterflies Great Migration
I loved watching this video, I actually am more intrigued to learn more about the monarch butterfly. This would be a good video to share with older students. However, younger kids will enjoy the visuals and the musical scoring of the video.
Kids News Break: Monarch Butterflies
Kids like watching kids. I like this video because it explains the generations of the Monarch. It makes me want to plant some milkweeds in my yard, too!
Monarch Butterfly Coloring Page
This is a good FREEBIE to have on hand. It goes great with the Animals in Winter unit. It also can be used for a center or included in sub plans for teachers. It is a free download from Mama Draws It TpT store.
Bats
Some bats migrate, some bats hibernate and some bats migrate to hibernate. The animal world is a complex reality.
All About Bats for Kids
This is a good video and general information about bats. Many young learners are not familiar with bats, other than what they are exposed to on Halloween.
Cool Facts About Bats
Next, is a video that is a little more condensed and good overview of bats in general. It was produced by National Geographic fir kids.
What Do Bats Do in the Winter?
Here is another video from a scientist explaining where and why bats leave for the winter. Good for teach the teacher or for advanced students.
Bat Hat Template
Kids love to make hats. This free template for a cool bat hat is provided by Texas Speech Mom TpT store. Check it out!
Deer
These next few resources are about deer and things you might consider implementing into your lesson planning.
Wild Kratts: Deer Power!
The Wild Kratts series is a neat show for kids. This snip from a longer episode shows what life is like through the eyes of a deer.
Animal Pattern Activity
This is a fun pattern activity that is excellent for a center or individual activity. There are deer and other animals from the Animals in Winter theme. It is a free download from the KM Classroom TpT store.
Winter With My Amazing Deer Friends
The scoring of the music and the cool videography might be of interest for young learners. I was amazed as to how this family was able to gain the trust of the deer.
Rabbit
These last few animal resources are about rabbits.
How Bunny Rabbits Stay Warm
Meet Jeff the Nature Guy as he shares some interesting facts about how the rabbit stays warm in the winter without coats and hats!
Rabbit – Animals for Kids
This quick little video is about rabbits. It is generic and young kids will enjoy this video and learn a think or two.
Rabbits – Needs, Can, Have & Are
Finally, this simple worksheet is one that you can use with any rabbit or bunny unit study. It is from the Beached Bum Teacher store on TpT and is FREE!!!
Hibernation & Migration Bonus
The following resources are about hibernation and migration.
Getting Ready for Hibernation
The first video is from SciShow Kids. It shares how and when animals start to get ready for hibernation and includes animals such as the groundhog.
Dr. Binocs: Hibernation
This video uses some additional terms and is is told in a cartoon medium.
Migration Song
Mr. R’s Songs for Teaching is a cool channel and kids love his learning songs. Check out this one about migration.
Hibernate – Migrate Song
This catchy song is a fun tune from PBS Kids. Enjoy!
Vocabulary Cards
Here is a free download of hibernate, migrate and adapt. They are perfect for a word wall, morning meeting area or a center. CLICK HERE to download.
Thank You
We appreciate you taking the time to learn about animals in winter with us. Please consider following our YouTube Channel for more read aloud books relating to academic interest subjects. Stay warm!
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