Winter Trees

        ''All the winter things,'' said daddy, ''such as the cold Winds, the Snow and the Ice told the Pine Trees and the Fir Treesand the Spruce Trees how much they liked them.

       ''I will tell you a secret,'' said the Pine Tree.

       '' 'Yes,'' said the Snow, as it nestled closer to the branches of the big tree.

       ''Years and years and years ago, I talked to my family about dropping off in the Winter-time. We never got any further than talking about it, for just as I had said, ''Well, and what do you think of the scheme?'' some of the Snow Flakes came and rested on our branches.

       '' 'Oh,'' they said, ''you're so much nicer than the branches without any leaves. There we have to fill up the corners, but with you we can nestle down.''

       '' 'The North Wind told us,' continued the Pine Tree, 'that it was such a joy to have a good strong tree around that wouldn't feel hurt if he played about and had a good time. And so we discovered how much the North Wind liked us.

       '' 'Then,' said the Pine Tree, 'we heard the Grown-Ups. They said what a comfort it was to have some green trees in the Winter and they said how horrible it would be if every tree were quite bare and ugly. And then came the Children. They walked through the woods one snowy day and they stopped to look up at us. 'Ah, how tall those trees are. And how warm it is in these woods. Our favorite trees are the Winter Trees - the Spruce Trees, the Fir Trees, the Pine Trees.''

       '' 'Now do you understand how we have to be as fine looking in the Winter as in the Spring?' And the Snow understood.''

The Snow Storm

 The Snow-Storm
by Anne M. Cooper

It is fun to sit in the window-seat,
When all outdoors is snow and sleet,
For everywhere I look I see
Things that are n't what they seem to be.

The fence-posts, each with a cap of snow,
Look like soldiers all in a row;
While just over there, the kitchen pump
Looks like a rabbit about to jump.

Down by the gate, that tall white ghost
Is really only the hitching-post;
While under the tree, that polar bear
Is only our rustic chair.

Windy Poems

Little Wind

by Kate Greenaway

Little wind, blow on the hill top,
Little wind, blow down the plain;
Little wind, blow up the sunshine,
Little wind, blow off the rain.

The North Wind Doth Blow

 a Nursery Rhyme
The north wind doth blow
And we shall have snow,
And what will poor robin do then?
Poor thing!

He'll sit in a barn,
And to keep himself warm,
Will hide his head under his wing.
Poor thing! 

Blow Wind Blow

Author Unknown

Blow, wind, blow!
And go, mill, go!
That the miller may grind his corn;
That the baker may take it,
And into rolls make it,
And send us some hot in the morn. 

Winter Night

by Mary F. Butts

Blow, wind, blow!
Drift the flying snow!
Send it twirling, whirling overhead!
There's a bedroom in a tree
Where, snug as snug can be,
The squirrel nests in his cozy bed.

Shriek, wind, shriek!
Make the branches creak!
Battle with the boughs till break o' day!
In a snow-cave warm and tight,
Through the icy winter night
The rabbit sleeps the peaceful hours away.

Call, wind, call!
In entry and in hall!
Straight from off the mountain white and wild!
Soft purrs the pussy-cat,
On her little fluffy mat,
And beside her nestles close her furry child.

Scold, wind, scold!
So bitter and so bold!
Shake the Windows with your tap, tap, tap!
With half-shut dreamy eyes
The drowsy baby lies
Cuddled closely in his mother's lap.

Rotating Library for Winter Book Themes

Here's a look at some of the recent titles that have rotated into our class library for these chilly winter days...

Sugar Snow by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The delightful tale of Laura and Mary eating sugar snow cakes in the big woods after pa's long day making maple syrup.

Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin. The true story of William Bentley who photographed snowflakes, thus contributing to the scientific community's knowledge on these beautiful winter crystals. The book has charming woodcut illustrations that correspond with the story by illustrator Mary Azarian. 

The Little Polar Bear by Hans de Beer. A simply sweet story of a polar bear cub who finds himself on an iceberg, floating away from his father after hunting one day--and the adventures that follow.

Trouble with Trolls by Jan Brett. A small girl journey's up a snowy mountain, but trolls keep thwarting her as they attempt to kidnap her beloved dog.

Do Like Kyla by Angela Johnson. Join Kyla as she follows her older sister around on a snowy day filled with many sister memory making moments.

Brave Irene by William Steig. Sent on a mission from her dressmaking mother, little, but brave, Irene weathers a snowstorm to deliver a package to the duchess.

Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner. This certainly has been one loved book by my students and as soon as I put it out, it's checked out and gone into the hands of a student. Not only is it a fun tale of snowmen playing at night while the world sleeps, but part of the fun is spotting the pickle-nosed snowman on each page if you can! 

Snow-Flakes

Snow-Flakes

by Mattie Bell

Are the snow-flakes pearly flowers

That in the skies have birth,

And gently fall in gleaming showers

Upon this barren earth?

Or, are they fleecy locks of wool,

From sheep that wander by

The silver streams, that, singing, roll

Through valleys in the sky?

Or, are they downy feathers, cast

By little birds above,

And hurried earthward by the blast,

Bright messengers of love?

No, they are pearly blossoms, flung

From heaven's airy bowers,

To recompense us for the loss

Of summer's blooming flowers.

When Winter Comes

Two squirrels gather nuts beneath a large oak in the forest.

When Winter Comes

by G. H. L.

When winter comes, the squirrels find

Some shelter from the winds unkind;

Some hollow tree where nuts they store,

Enough to last 'till winter's o'er;

There, safe from harm, they build their nest

And settle down to take a rest,

Their larder full of nuts and wheat,

All that they do is sleep and eat;

When winter comes, Ah me! I find

Some thoughtless ones of humankind,

Who never build a cozy nest, 

Prepare for time to take a rest;

Who when they strong north wind blows cold

Are friendless, helpless, hungry-old.

The Snow-Bird

Snowy pine or fir trees and a squirrel eating nuts.

The Snow-Bird 

by Williams Cullen Bryant

The snow-bird twittered on the beachen bough,

And 'neath the hemlock whose thick branches bent

Beneath its bright cold burden, and kept dry.

A circle, on the earth, of withered leaves,

The partridge found a shelter. Through the snow

The rabbit spring away. The lighter Track

Of fox, and the raccoon's broad paths were there,

Crossing each other. From his hollow tree

The squirrel was abroad, gathering the nuts

Just fallen, that asked the winter cold and sway 

Of winter blast, to shake them from their hold

This version was shortened and illustrated for school children. Read the original in it's entirety at the poetry foundation.

How Teachers Can Craft a Giant, Recyclable, Snowman for Their Classrooms

       I just happened to come across the following video for building a snowman from 700 plastic cups. This is the kind of recyclable "prop" that a school teacher can use and loose without much hassle. You will also need a bit of transparent tape and a loaded stapler!

Tutorial how to make a snowman out of plastic cups

More Fun Video About Building Winter Structures:

• Building an ice fort with colored bricks made from milk cartons and here as well.
• Build your own milk jug igloo
• How to Build a Milk Jug Igloo - Midland Christian School
• How to Build An Igloo: An actual igloo that is.
• The World's Largest Igloo!!
• The Ice House of 2010
• The World's Largest Snowfort Built in Keystone Colorado
• How to build a quinzee or "snow hut"
  

The Snowman Song

Original Poem By W. W. Ellsworth (verses of song)

Chorus lines by Kathy Grimm

One day we built a snowman.

We made him out of snow;

You'd ought to see how fine he was--

All white from top to toe!

we built a little snowman, as soon as it grew cold!

we built a little snowman, he'll melt as he grows old!

We poured some water on him,

And froze him, legs and ears;

And when we went indoors to bed

I said he'd last two years.

we built a little snowman, as soon as it grew cold!

we built a little snowman, he'll melt as he grows old!

But in the night a warmer kind

Of wind began to blow,

And winter cried and ran away,

And with it ran the snow.

we built a little snowman, as soon as it grew cold!

we built a little snowman, he'll melt as he grows old!

And in the morning when we went

to bid our friend good day,

There was n't any snowman there--

Everything had runned away!

we built a little snowman, as soon as it grew cold!

we built a little snowman, he'll melt as he grows old!

Students can sing this poem to the "The Dreidel Song." Read more about dreidels here. Listen to the original tune below and learn about the little Hannukah game.

More Little Snowman Songs on Video:

• I'm a Little Snowman Song for Children
• "Frosty The Snowman"
• The Snowman Song by Phil Keaggy
• The Mitten Song
• Snowflakes: Winter Action Song for Kids
• Little Snowman - Nursery Rhymes by Little Fox
• Snowman Songs for Children