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hands-on

Fun Groundhog Facts For Kids and Free Printable Games

January 22, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have some fun groundhog facts for kids and free groundhog printable games. Also, look at my Quick Groundhog Day Unit Study and Fun Cupcake Activity for Kids.

We’re learning about the groundhog or as some people say “woodchucks.”

Learning about these furry creatures makes for a great unit study to do this time of the year.

Fun Groundhog Facts For Kids and Free Printable Games

Add a few cool books, learn some facts, play games and bake cupcakes is my kind of learning day.

Besides, groundhogs are about so much more than just predicting the weather.

They are part of the squirrel family, and they spend most of their time on the ground.

Next, look at some of these books about groundhogs.

BOOKS ABOUT GROUNDHOGS FOR KIDS

5 BOOKS ABOUT GROUNDHOGS

Add some of these fun books to your home library. How far away is spring?

Brownie Groundhog and the February Fox

Happy Groundhog Day! But when Brownie steps outside, there's not even the slightest sign of spring—just her shadow, a frosty field, and a hungry fox who wants to munch her for lunch. Determined not to become a meal, Brownie finds a clever and tasty way to melt the ice and turn Fox into a friend…and make the wait for winter's end a little warmer.

Groundhog Gets a Say

here’s so much more to being a groundhog than just putting on a show once a year, and Groundhog has decided it’s time to tell the world the Hog truth. With the help of a few of his fans, Groundhog is ready to tell everything about himself, from how loud he can whistle (loud), to how fast he can run (not fast), to how many things he uses his teeth for (a lot).

Wake Up, Groundhog! (Little Golden Book)

Anxious to know if spring will soon be sprung, the friends of Gregory Groundhog arrive one by one to rouse him from his cozy burrow on Groundhog Day, with very surprising results.

Punxsutawney Phyllis

Phyllis is not like other groundhogs. She loves to splash in the cold river in springtime, roast in the summer sun, tromp through the winter snow. Every kind of weather makes her happy. This year on February 2, she is excited because she can feel that an early spring is in the air. But how will she get Uncle Phil out of bed to make his official Punxsutawney Phil Groundhog Day prediction?

Groundhog Day! (New & Updated)

Every year on February 2nd, people all across the United States watch groundhogs come out of their burrows-- especially in the town of Punxsutawney-- trying to figure out if the weather will stay cold, or begin to warm up.In Groundhog Day!,
children's nonfiction master Gail Gibbons delves into the history behind this unusual holiday, and examines the ancient traditions that evolved into our modern holiday.

Next, look at these groundhog facts for kids.

GROUNDHOG FACTS FOR KIDS

  • They create amazing underground homes called burrows.
  • They can dig burrows that are 30 feet long and go deep underground.
  • Groundhogs have strong claws that help them dig through soil.
  • Groundhogs are herbivores, which means they only eat vegetables, grasses, and flowers.
  • Too, they are one of the few animals that truly hibernate in winter.
  • During hibernation, their heartbeats slow down, and they don’t need to eat much.
  • Groundhogs can run as fast as 10 miles per hour.
  • Besides they are good swimmers and climbers.
  • After waking up in the spring, a female groundhog will have a litter of baby groundhogs called pups.
  • They can live up to 6 years but with many predators they live only two or three years.

MORE ACTIVITIES ABOUT GROUNDHOGS, HIBERNATION & WINTER

  • Quick Groundhog Day Unit Study and Fun Cupcake Activity for Kids
  • Fun Winter Craft Ideas for Middle School Homeschool
  • Fun and Easy Preschool Hibernation Science Activities to Nurture Learning
  • Create an Easy and Fun Pine Cone Snowy Owl Winter Craft for Kindergarten with a pinecone harvested from your own backyard.
  • 5 Facts About Icicles | Beautiful Icicle Swag Craft
  • Winter Craft Ideas for Kids Animals in Winter Fun Snow Slime
Fun Groundhog Facts For Kids and Free Printable Games

Finally, look at how to get the free groundhog day printable games.

HOW TO GET THE FREE GROUNDHOG DAY PRINTABLE GAMES

Now, how to grab the freebie. It’s a subscriber freebie.

That means when you sign up to follow me, you get my emails in your inbox and you get this freebie.

1) CLICK HERE ON THIS LINK TO SIGN UP ON MY EMAIL LIST & TO GET THIS FREEBIE.

2) Grab the freebie now.

3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me!

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: elementary science, groundhog, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, life science, science

Make Science Exciting: Free Human Body Homeschool Unit Study

January 21, 2025 | 15 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

When we started our human body homeschool unit study we were excited to learn about all the free resources. Also, look at these other pages Best Homeschool Unit Studies and Fun Human Body Crafts for Kids Who Love Hands-on Learning for more ideas and topics for hands-on learning.

Too, our human body is an amazing and wonderful complex system.

And everyday it does amazing things like running, eating and healing.

Make Science Exciting: Free Human Body Homeschool Unit Study

However, all these free and wonderful human body homeschool unit study resources can be an unwieldy beast to tame as they took over my page.

That is unless they are organized of course so we can use them.

Plus, I don’t want you to miss out on any super duper ideas when you start your human body unit study.

Free Resources for Human Body Homeschool Unit Study

So I have organized the resources by grade where possible just to give you an idea of where to start and then by topic like craft or teacher guides.

Prek/K/Elementary

First, look at some resources for the elementary kids.

Besides, you know how I feel about grade levels, they’re just a guide but not what defines our kids.

  • Your Brain and Nervous System – Audio too.
  • Learn About Your Brain Activities by Ticia at Adventures in Mommydom
  • Free Printable Skeleton Game
  • Spelling by Picture – Fill in the blank spelling for human body
  • Free body minibook
  • Human Anatomy Notebooking for upper elementary to middle school
  • Muscular system hand craft 
  • Human Body T Shirt by Everyday Graces.
  • Sensory Touch Activity
  • Paint Your Organs T Shirt
  • Idea to print Doctor’s Bag
  • Human Senses Prek to 2 . 9 page .pdf Teacher’s Guide
  • Free Organ Cards
  • Skeletal System Unit Study
  • Learning About The Human Body Part 1: The Skeletal And Muscular Systems
  • Digestive system craft 

Middle School

Next, look at these middle school resources for the human body unit study.

  • Human Body Systems by Cindy at Our Journey Westward. Hands- on activities for studying the bones, circulatory system and blood compatibility.
  • Black and white printable life sized CHILD skeleton
  • Anatomy unit study
  • Circulatory System Game by Ticia at Adventures in Mommydom
  • Color printable life sized child skeleton – So cool.
  • Black and white printable life sized ADULT skeleton
Mega List Free Resources for Human Body Homeschool Unit Study. Crafts, Lesson Plans,Teachers Guides for Elementary, Middle and High School @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus


High School

Lastly, I gathered up some high school resources too.

  • Advanced Matching Human Body Organs Worksheet.
  • Human Reproductive System (again be sure to look over before you hand this to your teen).
  • Study of the Skin
  • Atlas of Human Skeletal Anatomy Ebook – 68 page .pdf super helpful
  • Cervical Dilation Illustration. Remember to look over these sites first. This illustration was super helpful in understanding labor and delivery. The illustration starts with a cheerio and goes up to the size of a bagel.
  • The Endocrine System Teacher’s Guide.

Additionally, look at these hands-on activities. After all, this is how learning sticks.

MORE HUMAN BODY HOMESCHOOL UNIT STUDY ACTIVITIES

Hands-On Activities (All Grades)

  • Kids Stethoscope Activity
  • Major Organs of The Human Body Labeled Fun Felt Anatomy Activity
  • 8 Eye Facts & Human Body Activities Middle School & Fun Eye Model
  • Human Anatomy
  • Edible Skin Project 
  • Resources and Books About The Human Body For Preschoolers
  • 12 Human Body Games For Middle School & High School
  • Printable Paper Doll Human Body Together
The Basement Workshop Store
  • Brain Fluid Activity
  • Eye Anatomy
  • Circulatory System with licorice pull and peel
  • Printable Label Human Eye
  • Build a sticks and stones skeleton outside
  • 7 Human Body Facts and Kids Human Body T-Shirt Project
  • Making Blood + What Are the Components of Blood
  • Making a Lung
  • Bend a Bone
  • Drawing Artistic Anatomy the arms, legs and torso
  • Free Human Body Coloring Pages from Dover
  • Build An Edible DNA Model
  • How to Turn a Pizza Into a Fun Edible Human Cell Model
  • 9 Free Major Organs Of The Human Body Printables Dot to Dot



  • Manipulatives showing bacteria and virus. Using pipe cleaners and pom-poms
  • Printable pdf lung
  • Label the Bones of the Arm X-Ray Simple Activity
  • Rigid versus Flexible Bone Activity.
  • DIY Heart Pump
  • Simple and Easy Circulatory System Hands-on Activity for Kids
  • Basic Steps in the Digestive System and a Fun Digestive System Craft
  • Craft a Fun Hand Straw Model to Explore Human Anatomy Muscles & Tendons
  • Spinal Cord with lifesavers
  • Make a heart from recyclable plastic
  • How To Make A Fun Bones Of The Hand Labeled X-Ray Craft
  • How to Make a Human DIY Heart Model Easy Craft for Kids
  • Hands-on Playdough Brain Activity
  • 7 Human Skull Facts and Cool Human Skull Anatomy Activity
  • 8 Facts About the Respiratory System & Fun Lung Craft for Kids

Edible Projects

  • Eyeballs.(Pinterest image)
  • Eye Cake Balls
  • Eatable Skin Mold
  • Eyeballs cream cheese and life savers. Link is not on site, but Pinterest image is great.
  • Fun Edible Spine
Make Science Exciting: Free Human Body Homeschool Unit Study. When we started our human body homeschool unit study we were excited to learn about all the free resources. Also, look at these other pages Best Homeschool Unit Studies and Fun Human Body Crafts for Kids Who Love Hands-on Learning for more ideas and topics for hands-on learning. Your human body is an amazing and wonderful complex system. Human body lapbook for kids.
  • Candy Spine by Ticia at Adventures in Mommydom
  • Another Edible Skin Layers
  • Components of Blood Experiment
  • Edible Bone Model
  • Edible Skin Layers Cake

Interactive Content, Media, Images Human Body Homeschool Unit Study

Also, your kids will enjoy some of these interactive games and pictures.

Anatomy of the Human Body by Henry Gray The Bartleby.com edition of Gray’s Anatomy of the Human Body features 1,247 vibrant engravings—many in color—from the classic 1918 publication.
Paper Mache Body Images.
Anatomy Arcade – Beats worksheets.

3 D Brain Anatomy A virtual 3-D
You Tube How the Heart Pumps

Journey through the Digestive track infographic
Video about Skin

HUMAN BODY LAPBOOK FOR KIDS

Make Science Exciting: Free Human Body Homeschool Unit Study. When we started our human body homeschool unit study we were excited to learn about all the free resources. Also, look at these other pages Best Homeschool Unit Studies and Fun Human Body Crafts for Kids Who Love Hands-on Learning for more ideas and topics for hands-on learning. Your human body is an amazing and wonderful complex system. Human body lapbook for kids.

  • Dynamic and Fun Human Body Lapbook for Multiple Ages

    Dynamic and Fun Human Body Lapbook for Multiple Ages

    $5.00
    Add to cart

History

Finally, look at this cool history of medicine.

A Civil War Surgeon’s Diary Transcribed. Great way to tie in history with science. Read a Civil War Surgeons Diary.

What is blood hands on activity and free blood components minibook for a human body homeschool unit study @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus featured
Making Blood
Homeschool Unit Study Human Body. Hands-on Activity 5. Edible Skin + Skin and Major Body Systems Minibook @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus Featured
Edible Skin
Mega List Free Resources for Human Body Homeschool Unit Study @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus featured
Mega List Free Resources
Body Part Labeling and Human Skeleton Quiz Free Minibooks - Free Human Body Unit Study @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus FEATURED
Body Part Labeling 
Human Body Unit Study. Rigid versus Flexible Bones Hands-on Activity @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus featured
Rigid versus Flexible Bone Activity
Human body unit study DIY Heart Pump @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus featured
DIY Heart Pump
20 Human Body Books for Middle and High School Homeschooled Kids @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus featured
Human Body Books for Middle and High School
Human body unit study DIY Stethoscope. Hands-on Learning @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus featured
Kids Stethoscope Activity
Free Human Body Lapbook and Unit Study @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus featured
Beautiful Human Body Lapbook and Fun Unit Study
Make Science Exciting: Free Human Body Homeschool Unit Study

This blog hop is organized by iHomeschool Network, a collaboration of outstanding homeschool bloggers who connect with each other and with family-friendly companies in mutual beneficial projects.

15 CommentsFiled Under: 1. My FREE Learning Printables {Any Topic}, Hands-On Activities, Lapbooks, Middle School Homeschool, Science, Science Based Tagged With: hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, homeschoolscience, human body, lapbook, lapbookresources, life science, science, sciencecurriculum

How To Go From Phonics To Reading With 20 CVC Wheels

January 16, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Helping a child to transition from phonics to reading is a natural flow for a budding reader. Also, look at my page Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum for more fun ideas and activities.

First, you teach a child letter sounds not necessarily letter names.

A strong foundation in phonics can be taught through natural conversations, games, hand play, music and storytelling.

How To Go From Phonics To Reading With 20 CVC Wheels

Too, it’s not necessary that a child masters all the sounds as he will continue to learn them and reinforce them with the use of a CVC wheel.

Next children need to put sounds together to form words. That is how we learn to read.

Sure, teaching sounds in isolation is important but then again children are smart and want a reason to use them.

Learning CVC words is the next step. Consonant-vowel-consonant words gives your budding reader immediate satisfaction. They are now seeing how the sounds come together to form words.

EASY BOOKS FOR BEGINNER READERS

Also, strengthen their reading skill level by these beginning books.

12 Books For Beginner Readers

Bob Books Sight Words: Kindergarten

The set of Bob books have been keepers for years in the homeschool world and there are several reasons.

One is because it normally takes only about 10 to 15 minutes a day.
The second reason is that the books hold your child’s attention and are
short.

Go, Go, Go (Read with Dick and Jane)

You’ll get mixed feedback on the Dick and Jane series that so many parents remember from their childhood.

Although what may seem as funny repetition, the books works for budding readers.

New readers need the constant repetition found in these series of books.

Too, it’s been my experience that struggling readers do well with this series since the text is predictable.

Maisy Mouse Collection 10 Books Set Series 2 Lucy Cousins Early Learner Children

Then, Mouse Mouse book series hails from England and your kid gets a nice influence to other cultures.

While reading about everyday things like bedtime, your beginning reader is entertained while his reading skills are sharpened. It’s just a fun and sweet series which entertains your kids.

A story of visiting the bookshop for the first time from the multi-award-winning Lucy Cousins. Maisy goes to the bookshop to buy a new book, and she also wants to get one as a present for her friend Tallulah. Titles in this Set Includes Maisy goes to Bookshop, Maisy Goes by Plane, Maisy Sports Day, Maisy Plays Football, Maisy Goes To The Cinema, Maisy Goes To Nursery, Maisy Goes To Hospital, Maisy Goes To The Library, Maisy Goes on a Sleepover, Maisy Charley and The Wobbly Tooth.

Usborne My First Phonics Reading Library Collection 12 Books Box Set (Phonics Readers) (WITH FREE AUDIO ONLINE)

Usborne My First Phonics Reading Library Collection 12 Books Box Set (Phonics Readers) (WITH FREE AUDIO ONLINE):Titles In This Ape's Great Escape (Phonics Readers)Chimp with a Limp (Phonics Readers)Hyena Ballerina (Phonics Readers)Giraffe in the Bath (Phonics Readers)Goat in a Boat (Phonics Readers)Bug in a Rug (Phonics Readers)Kangaroo at the Zoo (Phonics Readers)Mole in a Hole (Phonics Readers)Lizard in a Blizzard (Phonics Readers)Flamingo plays Bingo (Phonics Readers)Raccoon on the Moon (Phonics Readers)Phonics Llamas in Pyjamas

Usborne Very First Reading Boxed Set Collection Pack with 16 books

The beauty of the phonics readers is that text is still predictable and rhyming. Decoding which is the common thread with phonics readers makes the Usborne phonics readers a keeper.

Remember the power of little lessons done often creates a master reader.

The Cat in the Hat

I remember using the Cat in the Hat series to teach my first reader and every kid after him.

However, I had no idea how this series of books set up all my kids for reading success lifelong. Maybe Theodor Geisel didn’t have a clue either.

Whatever the case, building stories around sight words is not easy. Building a silly story with sight words is what worked for all of my kids. Too, this series is great for many ages, not just beginning readers.

I remember reading how Dr. Seuss was trying to kill the 1950s Dick and Jane series which some viewed as boring

Beginner Books are fun, funny, and easy to read! Launched by Dr. Seuss in 1957 with the publication of The Cat in the Hat, this beloved early reader series motivates children to read on their own by using simple words with illustrations that give clues to their meaning. Featuring a combination of kid appeal, supportive vocabulary, and bright, cheerful art, Beginner Books will encourage a love of reading in children ages 3–7.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

Additionally, filling my bookshelves and yes floor with books with repetitive texts like Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See was something else I did right.

Little did I know then that repetitive text in fun books in how kids learn to read.

Multiple exposures to text encourages mastery..

Know that readers are nurtured by reading nursery rhymes at the newborn to preschool ages turns to repetitive text in books in the early years of reading. That equals mastery and brings meaning to reading.

Elephant & Piggie: The Complete Collection (Includes 2 Bookends) (An Elephant and Piggie Book)

Although the Elephant and Piggie series is classified closer to a first grade level, grade levels are subjective; we know that as home educators.

Besides you need a variety of levels as your child repeats and reads higher level books. Then he backs up and reviews basic concepts from lower grade levels.

Reading well is accomplished by pushing the boundaries to the next level without your child feeling any pressure.

Photo Credit: www.happyhomeschoolmom.com

McGuffey’s Eclectic Readers Free PDF Downloads

Here are the six McGuffey Eclectic Readers free PDF downloads in one convenient location! Plus, I’ve also included the McGuffey Speller free PDF download as well.

Splat the Cat: I Scream for Ice Cream (I Can Read Level 1)

One of the best things about the I Can Read series is the multiple levels. From prek to level 4 you have many choices of fun stories to go up and down in level to repeat texts as your budding reader needs it.

Splat can barely sit still during the bus ride. He's imagining the mountain of ice cream he thinks he'll get to eat! But when Splat gets there, that mountain becomes more of an avalanche. It's up to Splat and his classmates to save the day!

Beginning readers will practice the –eam sound in this easy-to-read addition to the Splat series.

I Can Read It! Book 1

Next, like the other readers listed with controlled vocabulary which means that a handful of words are repeated, the I Can Read It Series does the same.

What I also love about them as a parent is not just the predictable text, but in the fourth volume there is a word list which is helpful to me.

Controlled-vocabulary stories, with real plot, action, and humor, engage your childs attention and interest. Reading lessons move your child through a natural progression of phonetic and spelling patterns. Easy to use. Includes I Did Read It! diplomas. Fun!

Buzz Said the Bee, Grade 1 (Hello Reader)

Lastly, I used the Hello Readers from Scholastic to not only teach my new readers, but the sight word practice found in each book was needed for my kids

know some of these books will work for you because they have worked for homeschool families for years. Our needs at home vary because we want to teach phonics, love of reading, and sight words all in a natural way.

Also, look at how rhyming and learning cvc words form a strong foundation for reading.

HOW TO STRENGTHEN CVC SKILLS BY RHYMING

For instance, rhyming is not just a fun child’s game. When a child rhymes he can hear shared sounds.

And recognizing those sounds helps a child to learn to group word families together.

Blending is what a child does when he puts the letters sounds he learned together.

And when a child learns one rhyming pattern he increases his vocabulary with more similar words

Hands on is the best way to teach reading.

HOW TO USE CVC WHEELS TO TEACH READING

For example, one of the tools I love to use are cvc wheels.

It takes just a few minutes to put therm together.

But once they’re together and fastened a child can read and review the cvc words repeatedly.

How To Go From Phonics To Reading With 20 CVC Wheels

And once you put the cvc word wheels together you can use them for your next reader.

Using the cvc wheels in conjunction with a reader nurtures your child’s desire to read.

MORE READING ACTIVITIES

  • How to Choose a Phonics Program Like a Pro (& recommendations)
  • How To Get Your First Homeschooled Child Reading
  • 12 of the Best Books For Beginner Readers Being Homeschooled
  • 5 Easy Steps to Putting Together Your Own Homeschool Phonics Program
  • 10 Best Homeschool Phonics Curriculum For Kindergarten
  • How to Make A Fun ABC Flip Book Fingerprint Activity for Kindergarten
  • Shark and Oceans for Kindergarten Fun Sight Word Activity
  • How To Determine The Best Beginner Reading Books For Kindergarten & Recommendations
How To Go From Phonics To Reading With 20 CVC Wheels

Additionally, look at the word wheels included in this .pdf download.

  • -at family
  • -ab family
  • -ag family
  • -am family
  • –an family
  • -ap family
  • -ar family
  • -ed family
  • -en family
  • -ig family
  • -in family
  • -ip family
  • -ot family
  • –ob family
  • -og family
  • -op family
  • –it family
  • -ug family
  • -un family
  • -ut family

HOW TO GET THE 20 CVC WORD WHEELS

You can get it now!

TOS
Important: READ THIS FIRST.

Before you email me asking where your download link is or tell me that it is not working, read this to ensure that you get your pretties timely and that you don’t pay for something and not get it.
• All my products are digital. You will not receive a physical product for anything in my store. A digital physical year calendar does not mean a physical product or calendar.
• Downloads are INSTANT. When you pay, you will receive an email with a download link INSTANTLY. Depending on your internet connection, the email could be just 30 seconds or so, or a bit longer. The point is it will be soon, not a week later,etc.
• The email with the download link will go to the email you used for paypal. If you used your husband’s paypal, your downloads will go to that email. Please check that email and your spam before emailing me telling me you can’t find it.
• Please put my email tina @ tinasdynamichomeschoolplus dot com (of course substitute the right symbol for dot) in your address/contact list so that your product does not go to spam.

  • 20 CVC Word Wheels for Budding Readers

    20 CVC Word Wheels for Budding Readers

    $4.00
    Add to cart

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Teach Kindergarten Tagged With: CVC, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschoolreading, kindergarten, language arts, languagearts, phonics, reading

How to Make an Easy Build a Snowman Kid’s Game (free printable cube)

January 14, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a build a snowman free printable game. Also, look at my pages Winter Season Unit Study Free Lapbook & Hands-On Ideas. 

Whether you’re looking for a fun activity to do indoors to keep you the kids from going stir crazy or looking for an easy activity to go with a winter unit study, you’ll love this build a snowman kid’s game.

How to Make an Easy Build a Snowman Kid's Game (free printable cube)

Also, reading aloud while your kids play is a great way to add in some facts about winter.

For example, we love living books.

When possible, we prefer to read them over how to books.

And for this theme of snowman, you’ll want to add a few story books.

BOOKS ABOUT WINTER FOR KIDS

13 Snow, Snowman, Animals, and Winter Books

Add one or more of these books to your learning day if you're learning about snow, snowflakes, winter or just for fun.

Winter Cottage

Immerse Yourself in This Story of Love and Companionship Amidst Deprivation

It is the fall of 1930, and America has plunged into the Great Depression. On a remote dirt road deep in the snowy woods of northern Wisconsin, misfortune forces the impoverished Sparkes family to take desperate measures.

A wayfaring quartet consisting of thirteen-year-old Araminta (nicknamed Minty), her recently unemployed father-a poetry-quoting widower called Pops-and her younger sister, Eglantine (known as Eggs-a dreamer like Pops), and their dog, Buster, are on their way to Minneapolis to live with the curmudgeonly Aunt Amy. When their car breaks down and they are unable to fix it, the homeless four stumble upon a vacant summer cottage by a lake. In desperate straits, they decide to settle in.

1. The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter's Wonder

How do snow crystals form? What shapes can they take? Are no two snow crystals alike? These questions and more are answered inside this exploration of the science of snow, featuring photos of real snow crystals in all their beautiful diversity. Perfect for reading on winter days, this book by a nature photographer and a snow scientist will inspire wonder and curiosity about the marvels of snow. 

2. Sneezy the Snowman

B-R-R-R-R! AH-CHOO! Sneezy the Snowman is cold, cold, cold. To warm up, he drinks cocoa, sits in a hot tub, stands near a warm fire–and melts! But the children know just what to do to build him up again–and make him feel “just right”.

3. Snowmen at Night

Have you ever built a snowman and discovered the next day that his grin has gotten a little crooked, or his tree-branch arms have moved? And you've wondered . . . what do snowmen do at night? This delightful wintertime tale reveals all!

4. The Biggest Snowman Ever

When the mayor of Mouseville announces the town snowman contest, Clayton and Desmond claim that they will each make the biggest snowman ever. But building a huge snowman alone is hard! They work and work, but their snowmen just aren't big enough. Soon they have an idea. As the day of the contest approaches, Clayton and Desmond join forces to build the biggest snowman ever.

5. Over and Under the Snow

Over the snow, the world is hushed and white. But under the snow lies a secret world of squirrels and snow hares, bears and bullfrogs, and many other animals making their winter home under the snow. This beloved nonfiction picture book exploring the subnivean zone reveals the tunnels and caves formed beneath the snow but over the ground, where many kinds of animals live through the winter, safe and warm, awake and busy, but hidden beneath the snow.

A Hat for Minerva Louise

"Stoeke's second book about that intrepid screwball, Minerva Louise, is a rare find."—The Horn Book, starred review. The other chickens hate snowy mornings. But not Minerva Louise! To her a snowy day—like everything else—is an adventure. But this chilly, chipper hen needs something to keep her warm. What she finds—and how she finds it—will keep young readers cackling.

6. How to Catch a Snowman

Our heroes' entry for the snowman contest has magically come to life―and ran away! Can YOU help catch it? Get ready for snow much fun as you travel through a winter wonderland with running, skating, and bouncing through trap after trap to catch the snowman and claim the winning prize. Will the snowman teach our heroes a lesson they'll never forget?

The Big Snow

When the geese begin to fly south, the leaves flutter down from the trees and the cold winds begin to blow from the north, the animals of the woods and meadows, big and small, prepare for the long, cold winter ahead when the countryside is hidden under a deep blanket of snow. They gather food and look for warm, snug places in the ground, trees, caves or thickets, where they can find protection against the icy winds.It might have been hard for the birds and animals of the hillside to survive when the Big Snow came if their good friends, who lived in the little stone house, had not remembered to put food out for them.Here, in many beautiful pictures, the Haders show how winter comes to the woodland as the busy animals make their preparations.

7. Curious About Snow (Smithsonian)

The Smithsonian does things right and this Curious About Snow book is a
great introduction for curious kiddos with real images and simple explanations.

8. Animals in Winter

This is a clear and appealing book for early elementary age kids, both at home and in the classroom. Introduce kids to basic science ideas as part of discussions about the seasons and animals.

9. Arctic Figurines, Including A Harp Seal, Husky, Caribou, Arctic Rabbit, Killer Whale, Walrus, Arctic Fox, Beluga Whale, Igloo, And Polar Bear

SET OF 10 FUN AND FRIGID FIGURES – It’s hard to stay warm at the North Pole, but you can discover its wonders in your home with these frigid friends. This TOOB includes a Harp Seal, Husky, Caribou, Arctic Rabbit, Killer Whale, Walrus, Arctic Fox, Beluga Whale, Igloo, and Polar Bear.

10. Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the Natural World

See the world in a whole new way! Acclaimed illustrator Julia Rothman combines art and science in this exciting and educational guide to the structure, function, and personality of the natural world. Explore the anatomy of a jellyfish, the inside of a volcano, monarch butterfly migration, how sunsets work, and much more. Rothman’s whimsical illustrations are paired with interactive activities that encourage curiosity and inspire you to look more closely at the world all around you.

Next, look at ways to play the snowman game.

BUILD A SNOWMAN GAME PLAYING IDEAS

This game can actually be done many different ways depending on the ages of your kids.

Look at these suggestions below on how to do this latest fun activity I have for you.

  • Roll the cube, and have an older child cut out cardboard and draw, color or paint each piece as he builds the snowman.
  • Roll the cube, and have a younger child cut out card stock and draw, color or paint each piece as he builds the snowman.
  • Print two pictures of the cube or die on card stock. Have your child cut out the pictures on one cube and glue the pictures on cardboard or paper. Use another cube for game playing.
  • To teach a preschooler shapes, make the snowman parts different shapes. Octagon for the body, circles for the buttons and cone for the nose will have him practicing geometry skills.
  • Of course, you can just have the child color the picture as he rolls that part of the snowman on the cube.
  • Another easy tip is to cut out the snowman on the download below and put him back together as your child rolls the cube.
Grab this FUN and FREE How to Make an Easy Build a Snowman Kid's Game (with free printable cube). It’s a great activity for a winter unit study to keep the kids busy.

Next look at more snowman fun.

MORE SNOWMAN ACTIVITIES

  • W Is For Winter Craft Easy Snowman Oobleck Activity
  • Fun Paper Cup Snowman Game Matching Upper and Lowercase Alphabet Letters
  • Cute and Simple Snowman Story Stones Winter Art Activities For Preschoolers
  • How to Make an Adorable Q Tip Painting Snowman
  • 8 Cool Winter Crafts for Middle School | Craft a Snowman Bead Necklace
  • Fun Styrofoam Snowman Art Activity & 5 Facts About The Wonders of Winter
  • How to Make an Adorable Toilet Roll Snowman for Winter Crafts
  • Snow and Snowflake Facts for Kids and Fun Hands-on Exploding Snowman

Snowman Kid’s Game

Although a game like this is fun, it also teaches many skills. 

Preschoolers strengthen fine motor skills by both coloring and cutting.

In addition, you can expand this game by writing down words that correspond to the pictures on the cube.

And children learn to take turns as they play together.

Another way to make this game fun for your artsy kids is to have them roll the cube and draw their own parts for the snowman and build it as they go along. 

Designing their own snowman builds creativity and strengthens the imagination.

A game like building a snowman is also a fun activity to do with a group of kids in a homeschool co-op.

Each kid can design their own snowman and learn to play together.

One more idea is to have your children work together to build a giant snowman on butcher block paper.

Collaboration is a skill that a child uses on to high school.

HOW TO GET THE FREE SNOWMAN PRINTABLE PAGE AND CUBE

Now, how to grab the freebie. It’s a subscriber freebie.

That means when you sign up to follow me, you get my emails in your inbox and you get this freebie.

1) CLICK HERE ON THIS LINK TO SIGN UP ON MY EMAIL LIST & TO GET THIS FREEBIE.

2) Grab the freebie now.

3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me!

What ideas do you have for building a snowman?

Grab this FUN and FREE How to Make an Easy Build a Snowman Kid's Game (with free printable cube). It’s a great activity for a winter unit study to keep the kids busy.

Leave a CommentFiled Under: 1. My FREE Learning Printables {Any Topic}, Hands-On Activities, Teach Homeschool Preschool Tagged With: hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool preschool, homeschoolinginwinter, preschool, preschool skills, winter season

The Wonders of the Great Barrier Reef: An Ecosystem Triorama

January 13, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

The great barrier reef is an amazing model for an ecosystem triorama, showing a colorful slice of the underwater ecosystem. Also, look at my pages Trioramas: How To Create Engaging Visual Narratives For Kids for more ideas and Free 4-Week Kid’s Australia Unit Study Who Love Hands-on Learning.

The great barrier reef is considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world.

So, for this triorama we took a trip to the craft store.

The Wonders of the Great Barrier Reef: An Ecosystem Triorama

What I enjoyed about this method of creating the triorama is that even younger children who can’t write or draw well can still easily make a beautiful reef display.

The Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef system, is swarming with an astounding variety of fish species.

It shows an incredible biodiversity of this underwater ecosystem, each playing their part in keeping it healthy.

Even if you’ve never experienced it up close you can see videos, pictures or books full of the wonders that can be found there.

BOOKS ABOUT THE GREAT BARRIER REEF FOR KIDS

First, look at these books about the great barrier reef to add this hands-on activity today.

5 Great Barrier Reef Books

Add some of these fun books about the Great Barrier Reef to your home library.

The Great Barrier Reef (Earth's Incredible Places)

Vibrant, dynamic illustrations illuminate this enchanting place, its animal inhabitants, and the peoples who have embraced it as a centerpiece of their cultures. Learn all about how the reef came to be, its place in the world, and perhaps most importantly, what we can all do to help ensure that The Great Barrier Reef will be around for countless future generations to discover!

The World of Coral Reefs: Explore and Protect the Natural Wonders of the Sea

Coral reefs occupy less than 1% of the ocean floor, but they support 25% of all marine species with food and shelter. In this lavishly illustrated book for ages 7 to 10, marine ecologist and underwater explorer Erin Spencer provides fascinating, scientific information in a highly accessible format, including details about the
types of coral, their anatomy and life cycle, where they live, how reefs develop, and the incredible diversity of marine animals that live among them, including aquarium favorites like clownfish, royal blue tangs, and sea turtles. Kids learn about the interdependent relationships of people and reefs and how human behavior puts reefs in danger, promising conservation work that scientists are undertaking, and solution-oriented ways kids and families can help in the effort. 

Where Is the Great Barrier Reef?

The Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Australia, is the world's largest coral reef system. Stretching more than 1,400 miles, it provides a home to a wide diversity of creatures. Designated a World Heritage Site, the reef is suffering from the effects of climate change but this fascinating book shows this spectacular part of our planet.

The Mystery on the Great Barrier Reef (Around the World in 80 Mysteries (Paperback))

It's a trip Down Under for Christina, 10, Grant, 7, and their mystery-writing grandmother Mimi! Lots of surprises and mysterious activities unfold as the group travels through the Outback, Queensland, and finally to the Great Barrier Reef. During a glass-bottom boat ride, they discover more than coral and fish under the water-scuba divers and flesh-tearing moray eel lurk beneath their boat! They shudder at the eerie screech of the Tasmanian devil and brave the awesome Australian Outback (and Aborigines!) at night. Watch and wonder as Grant ends up in the Camel Cup camel race- will he make it to the finish line? Don't miss a moment of excitement in Christina and Grant's Australian adventure! Download free activities for this book!

Coral Reef

Hardy adventurers ages 6 - 9 dive into a silent watery world where tiny coral animals grow together to form rock gardens of white, pink, and red-orange. In this action-packed undersea circus, jaws snap, tentacles sting, ink gets squirted, and fish suddenly glow while animals that look like plants sway gently and bashful clams hide the lively secrets inside their shells. Surprisingly dry and armed with a few pieces of equipment and their boundless imaginations, children explore this magical realm one small square at a time. "Science education at its best." ― Science Books and Films

Let’s look at some of these fish and the parts they play among the coral.

FISH OF THE GREAT BARRIER REEF ECOSYSTEM

  • Clownfish are instantly recognizable by their bright orange and white stripes. They are small, agile fish that have a symbiotic relationship with anemones, finding protection within their stinging tentacles and, in turn, they help to keep the anemone clean and healthy.
  • Damselfish are known for their vibrant colors and territorial behavior. They play a key role in the reef’s food web, grazing on algae and providing a food source for larger fish.
  • Parrotfish have beak-like mouths and vivid hues, they also play a crucial role in maintaining the reef’s health by grazing on algae and contributing to sand production.
  • Surgeonfish are equipped with sharp spines on their tails, (which resembles a surgeon’s scalpel, hence the name). And they are known for their agility and territorial behavior.
  • Cod and tuna, also prized for their culinary value, can be found in the reef’s waters, attracting both sport fishermen and commercial fishing operations.
  • Butterflyfish, with their delicate patterns and graceful movements, are a delight to observe as they flit among the coral branches. They are specialized feeders, often targeting specific types of coral polyps or invertebrates.
  • Angelfish are adorned with striking colors and distinctive shapes, they definitely add to the visual spectacle of the reef. They are omnivores, feeding on a variety of sponges, algae, and small invertebrates.
  • Snapper and grouper are popular targets of recreational and commercial fishing.  They are important predators that help regulate fish populations, feeding a variety of smaller fish and invertebrates.
The Wonders of the Great Barrier Reef: An Ecosystem Triorama

The reef also provides habitat for a variety of sharks and rays, including the manta ray and the whale shark.

These apex predators are yet another part of maintaining the delicate balance of the reef’s ecosystem.

Also, look at more coral reef activities.

HANDS-ON ECOSYSTEM TRIORAMA CORAL REEF ACTIVITIES

  • Exciting Books About the Great Barrier Reef| Faux Coral Craft
  • Fun Hands-on Coral Reef Activities and Play Dough Invitation to Play
  • Free Coral Reef Printable Lapbook and Fun Hands-on Unit Study Ideas
  • The Geronimo Stilton Series: Make a Fun Edible Coral Reef
  • Celebrate World Reef Day with a Blow Painting Coral Reef Hands-On Activity

Also, look at these other themed trioramas.

MORE TRIORAMAS

  • How to Make an Easy Rainforest Triorama With Kids
  • How to Make a Water, Land, and Sky Animal Habitat Triorama
  • How to Make an Amazing Shakespeare Triorama Book Report
  • How to Make a Cool Greek Mythology Triorama With Kids
  • How to Make a Giant Triorama Project About Cherokee Culture
  • How to Make A Desert Triorama About the Gobi, Sahara, & Antarctica
  • Amazing Geography Landforms: An Engaging Triorama Tutorial for Kids
  • How to Make a Triorama Teaching the Primary Colors with Dollar Tree Supplies
  • How To Build A Water Habitat Triorama With Kids
  • How to Craft a Stunning Wolf Animal Triorama
  • How to Make a Biome Triorama That Explores Alaska’s Amazing Features
  • How to Make a Native American Triorama Highlighting Tribes in 3 Regions
  • How to Make A Pyramid Diorama For States Of Matter
  • The Wonders of the Great Barrier Reef: An Ecosystem Triorama

Finally, look at how to make this ecosystem triorama.

THE WONDERS OF THE GREAT BARRIER REEF: AN ECOSYSTEM TRIORAMA

You will need:

  • Double Sided tape or glue stick
  • 12×12 cardstock
  • Scrap multi colored cardstock
  • Ocean animal/plant stickers
  • Letter stickers
  • Scissors
The Wonders of the Great Barrier Reef: An Ecosystem Triorama

First, as we do with all our trioramas, we are folding our square paper into a triangle and create a nice crease.

The Wonders of the Great Barrier Reef: An Ecosystem Triorama

Next, unfold and repeat in the opposite direction.

The Wonders of the Great Barrier Reef: An Ecosystem Triorama

Then, cut from one tip to the center of the folds and mark out one side that doesn’t need to be decorated (one on either side of the cut).

The Wonders of the Great Barrier Reef: An Ecosystem Triorama

Before folding and gluing it into a pyramid add letter stickers along one side to Spell out ‘Great Barrier Reef’ along one side.

The Wonders of the Great Barrier Reef: An Ecosystem Triorama

Fold the pyramid and glue the X underneath.

The Wonders of the Great Barrier Reef: An Ecosystem Triorama

Use colorful cardstock to cut out some various types of coral to give your triorama dimension, leaving a little extra space at the bottom.

The Wonders of the Great Barrier Reef: An Ecosystem Triorama

Fold over enough of the bottom so that you can glue it onto the triorama base.

The Wonders of the Great Barrier Reef: An Ecosystem Triorama

Attach with glue, adding them to the front, middle, and back of the base, I like to use a double sided tape dispenser for projects like this.

The Wonders of the Great Barrier Reef: An Ecosystem Triorama

Now begin adding fish, putting some on the background.

Add them coming in and out of the corals and grasses as well.

The Wonders of the Great Barrier Reef: An Ecosystem Triorama

Your child can go crazy adding fish and other sea creatures to show off the brimming with life Great Coral Reef ecosystem.

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: earth science, earthscience, elementary science, great barrier reef, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschoolscience, life science, science

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