Master Cause and Effect Writing with a Cute Melted Snowman Craftivity

Here in Ohio, if there’s one thing I can guarantee each winter, it’s snow. Lots and lots and LOTS of snow…which makes snowmen the perfect (long lasting!) bulletin board theme. Build your students' cause and effect writing skills with this fun melted snowman craftivity! Don't have enough time to read all about it? Scroll down to the bottom of this post for a video that shows this project in action.

One of my favorite snowy read alouds is Maureen Wright’s Sneezy the Snowman. In the book, Sneezy gets too cold out in the snow, and tries – hilariously but unsuccessfully – to warm himself up. Each time he tries something new to get cozy warm, he melts! This book, of course, is the perfect inspiration for cause and effect writing.

Before reading, the kiddos build their own snowman head using a white paper bowl, a half sheet of black construction paper, and a scrap of orange construction paper. I do not provide them with a pattern for this because I think their snowmen turn out much cuter and more unique this way! (Don't worry, pattern lovers...I've still included patterns in my TpT set. ;D) We set our snowmen aside to enjoy our read aloud by the Netflix fire.

After, we work together to build a “cause” list...all leading to the effect of, “My snowman melted!” We first start with the examples from the book: He drinks hot cocoa. He sits in a hot tub. He stands by the fire. We then start building the list using our own imagination. I encourage my students to think outside the box and pretend their snowman is alive like Sneezy, Frosty, or Olaf. This gets them thinking more creatively, and also stirs scientific discussion. What makes cold things melt? Heat! What produces heat? The sun! A hair dryer! A volcano! We then record more of our own causes individually with the help of a graphic organizer (included, see top image).

As kiddos brainstorm, I circle around, helping each student choose their most creative idea for their final product. Once we're ready to write, I give my littles a print out of a melted puddle. Some have a blank sheet and others get a sentence starter (see above) depending on their needs. Students have just enough room to write three to five sentences, explaining how their snowman (or snowwoman!) melted. We trace our writing with a marker so it's easy to read on our bulletin board. Finally, I add a few staples or tape loops to attach the head to the puddle and boom! Our melted snowmen are ready to be displayed.

Your bulletin board (mine stayed up from late November to February, no shame) is a snap to put up thanks to the low ink, low cut bulletin board letters included in this TpT product. Multiple messages for your bulletin board are included! Personally, I think this craftivity pops on a black background. I also like to use Astrobrights in cool colors for the letters.

Don't forget to scroll down to the bottom of this post to see this cause and effect writing craftivity in action and be sure to tag me in all your melted snowmen posts on Instagram @fromsept2mrsmay! Happy melting!

Shop this lesson:

(Please note: These are affiliate links. This means I earn a small commission with your purchase. I have used all of these products in the past, and am confident you will love them too!)

• Melted Snowman Craftivity and Bulletin Board Set
• Sneezy the Snowman by Maureen Wright
• White paper bowls
• Astrobrights "Cool" Colored Paper

 Tried and True Teacher Reviews:

"I can not say enough wonderful things about this resource! My first graders LOVED this writing topic, and we had so much fun thinking about ways our snowmen could melt. This was engaging and I loved how the writing templates were differentiated for my various levels of writers. One of my favorite purchases from TPT for sure!" - Kaitlyn Z.

"If you haven't read "Sneezy the Snowman," I highly recommend it! This craftivity goes along with the story perfectly! Received lots of compliments on the finished products in the hallway!" - Jessica H.

"My kids did not even realize they were writing so much! Love this" - Breana W. 

"This was such a great product! My students loved listening to the story that was paired with this craftivity and had so much fun coming up with different ways there snowman could melt. The directions were very easy for my students and I to follow and the end result was adorable! We got lots of compliments on our melted snowman bulletin board! Thank you!" - Cynthia V.

"These make an adorable display and my kids got very creative when writing about why their snowman melted! Liked the different writing options offered." - AnnMarie M.

  

See it in action:

Classroom Careers: A Hassle Free Alternative to Classroom Jobs

Like many of you, I'm very active on various Facebook groups geared specifically to teachers. Time and again, I see other educators post the same question: "What do you do for classroom jobs?" This seemingly simple classroom staple has educators all over the globe stumped, and for good reason. Which jobs are appropriate for my students? How often should I rotate? What if I keep forgetting to assign new jobs? What if a kid isn't able to do his/her job? How do I keep things fair? Early in my career, I even found myself wondering, Is all this effort even worth it?

Mike Kemp, Getty Images

Of course, you know the answer is a resounding YES! Classroom jobs build a community of learners and teach valuable traits like responsibility, leadership, and independence. Even though I realized this, my traditional, weekly-rotating classroom jobs set up was flat out not working for me. Some jobs were too boring; there weren't enough roles for each student every week; I couldn't keep track of who held which job; and of course...I never remembered to rotate, leaving kids in the same job for weeks on end! I needed a change. In the middle of a Pat Quinn RTI seminar, it finally hit me...my classroom didn't need jobs. It needed careers!

One of the most important things we do as teachers is prepare our students for the "real world." I'm always trying to keep this in mind as I plan my lessons, and in this case, my classroom structure. As an adult, I don't rotate to a new job each week...I chose to become a teacher because it's a career I fell in love with. More than that, I was trained to be an educator, and had the natural skills to make a pretty darn good one (if I do say so myself!). I wanted to apply this same idea to my classroom jobs. Assigning littles to a job they are best fit for - rather than rotating - allows students to realize that each of us has specific skills, interests, and talents.

During the first week of school, I introduce our Classroom Careers with a brief PowerPoint. We talk about the traits of each career person and start to recognize those skills in ourselves. In the meantime, I keep an eye out for each of my babes' special talents, characteristics, and interests. I'm sure to compliment them, too: "I love how you greet everyone each morning with a smile, Jacinta! Have you thought about applying to be our classroom door person?" Sparks begin to fly as students hurry to apply to their dream job.

Caution: Too-big-for-your-face grins ahead

You know that goofy face kids make when they're way too excited? Yep, that's exactly what you'll see once you start the hiring process! Over the span of a week or two, each student is hired and presented with a certificate at morning meeting. Their name is very ceremoniously added to our Classroom Career bulletin board. As you can imagine, this is a Very Big Deal in Room 11. I hire the kids one, two, sometimes three at a time. This builds the anticipation! Who will be hired next? What will my job be? How can I show my teacher that I'm ready to start my career?

 

My animal lover trains to be our Veterinarian. One of my tidy friends becomes the Custodian. The child obsessed with our computers and tablets is named our Technician. Each student is matched to a job that fits their special skills and must complete (very informal) job training. I use morning work time or the few minutes before dismissal to show students how to correctly complete their job each day by modeling the job myself or simply showing them where certain supplies are kept. This is a simple task that usually only needs done once or twice at the start of the year. Remember, we keep these jobs all year...after all, they reflect each child's special skill!

I've found that my students take more pride in their job knowing they were picked especially for it. They also come to rely upon themselves and each other more quickly. Instead of asking me how to draw a cat, my students consult the Artist. When we turn on our projector, the Electrician silently gets up to turn out the lights. In the chaos of a child falling and scraping their knee, my Doctor knows to quickly fetch a band-aid or ice pack from my desk. If the ringing classroom phone interrupts my lesson, my Secretary knows to answer and direct the call, allowing me to continue teaching. And yes...this all happened with six and seven year olds in my first grade classroom...this year, I'm making a few tweaks, but expect the same results with my fifth graders!

With their roles established and permanent, my classroom runs more smoothly. No longer do I waste time picking an eager volunteer to run a paper across the hall, for this is the job of my Delivery Person. My standard end-of-the-day chores, like shutting the windows, emptying my under-the-desk garbage can, and passing out papers are now taken care of by my Widow Specialist, Garbage Person, and Mail Distributor. These minutes saved give me more time to work one-on-one with students or plan for the next day, while also instilling a sense of responsibility in my students. Better yet, subs absolutely love having assistants to help guide the daily routines without being prompted. My classroom runs so smoothly, and it's thanks to Classroom Careers! 

Back in 2015, I said 'tootle lou' to traditional, rotating classroom jobs and I haven't looked back since! Interested in trying Classroom Careers for yourself? Check out my Classroom Careers starter kit on TpT! In addition to learning about 20 Classroom Careers, you'll be able to download the four sets of job cards with matching name cards and headers to make your Classroom Career bulletin board. You'll also earn access to pre-made, editable certificates for your newly hired students. The entire set is editable, and includes various sizes of print outs in color and B&W. 

Do you have a larger class size? I've expanded my Classroom Careers set and added 18 new jobs with three different expansion packs! I will continue to add more expansion packs (featuring six new careers each) as more clip art becomes available. More careers means more customized jobs to fit YOUR classroom needs. 

Want to snag everything at a lower price? If the starter pack, job applications, expansion packs, and intro PowerPoint are all calling your name, you'll want to snag my Classroom Career growing bundle. It will be updated annually with new CC products. Buying early ensures the lowest price on this bundle, so click HERE to get started!

Not quite ready to take the plunge yet? Download my Getting Started Guide for FREE on TpT. You'll get to check out a full list of the careers and two sample student applications!

⇢ Shop Classroom Careers on TpT by clicking here ⇠

What do your classroom jobs look like? Is there a career I've missed? Sound off in the comments below. I always love to hear from YOU!