Hey there, friends!
If you’re anything like me, you love a good resource that can make planning easy and keep your students engaged for more than one session. That’s why Sneezy the Snowman is one of my go-to winter resources. It’s fun, interactive, and can target so many skills!
Here’s the thing: kids thrive on repetition. Research backs it up, too! Repeated readings of the same story can help kids build vocabulary, strengthen comprehension, and reinforce critical language concepts. And with a resource as versatile as Sneezy the Snowman, you can stretch this lesson plan across several sessions (or even weeks!) without feeling like you’re doing the same thing over and over.
Let me show you how to use Sneezy the Snowman to target skills like vocabulary, WH questions, comparing and contrasting, and more—all while keeping therapy fun and stress-free.
A Multi-Session Plan for Building Language Skills
This plan is flexible enough to adapt to your students’ needs and can stretch over multiple sessions or weeks. Let’s break it down:
Session 1: Meet Sneezy and Set the Stage
Start by reading Sneezy the Snowman to your students.
- Introduce Story Elements: Use the Story Map to talk about who Sneezy is, where he lives, and what happens in the story.
- Pause and Predict: Ask questions like, “What do you think Sneezy will do to stay warm?” or “What might happen if Sneezy stands by the fire?”
- Introduce Key Words: Highlight words like “melt,” “freeze,” and “cozy,” and encourage students to use them in their responses.
This session sets the stage for deeper work in later sessions while keeping things fun and engaging!
Session 2: Build Vocabulary
Dive into the “My Sneezy Words” Interactive Book to practice vocabulary.
- Label and Match: Have students label pictures or match words to images.
- AAC Support: Use the included communication board to help pre-verbal or minimally verbal students participate fully.
- Extend Understanding: Talk about what the words mean and how they connect to the story.
Pro tip: You can revisit this book in later sessions to reinforce vocabulary as students become more confident!
Session 3: WH Questions
Now it’s time to test those comprehension skills with the WH Question Cards.
- Ask questions like, “Why did Sneezy melt?” or “Where did Sneezy go to stay warm?”
- For students who need extra support, use the visual choices included on the cards to make participation easier.
- Model complete sentences as responses to help students expand their expressive language.
Session 4: Compare and Contrast
Let’s dig into some critical thinking skills with the “Sneezy Same & Different” Interactive Book.
- Side-by-Side Comparisons: Show students two items and ask, “What’s the same? What’s different?”
- Prompt and Expand: Guide their answers with phrases like, “They’re the same color, but this one is bigger.”
- Encourage Descriptive Language: Ask them to describe the items in detail for an extra challenge.
Session 5: Sensory Fun with Story Retell
Grab the Story Retell/Sensory Bin Manipulative to bring the story to life.
- Create a sensory bin with items like mini snowmen, scarves, hats, and other objects from the story.
- Have students retell the story by moving items in the bin and describing what’s happening.
- Use prompts like, “What did Sneezy do first?” or “Why did Sneezy need a scarf?”
Session 6: Wrap It Up with Play-Doh!
End your sessions with some sensory fun using the Play-Doh Smash Mat.
- Smash for Vocabulary: Ask students to smash the Play-Doh on items that match specific words from the story.
- Practice Categorizing: Group items from the story into categories like clothing, weather, or actions.
- Retell with Play: Let students use the mat to recreate parts of the story while narrating what’s happening.
Why This Lesson Plan Works
This multi-session plan is a total lifesaver because it:
- Saves You Time: Everything is already done for you!
- Keeps Kids Engaged: Each session offers something new and exciting.
- Targets Tons of Skills: Vocabulary, comprehension, WH questions, comparing/contrasting, and so much more.
- Encourages Repetition: Repeated readings reinforce concepts in a way that sticks.
Grab Your Sneezy Resource
The “Sneezy the Snowman Speech & Language Resource” is packed with everything you need to make this plan work, including:
- Interactive books for vocabulary, comparing/contrasting, and spatial concepts.
- WH question cards with visual supports.
- A story retell sensory bin manipulative.
- A Play-Doh smash mat for hands-on fun.
- A no-prep comprehension worksheet for assessments.
Grab your copy here and make your winter lessons a breeze!
What About You?
How do you like to use Sneezy the Snowman in your sessions? Share your tips in the comments or tag me on Instagram @ittybittyspeech—I’d love to see your creative ideas! And a reminder, get access to my freebie library here
