Snow is starting to fall outside or maybe it’s simply piling up! This creates a perfect opportunity to read a little about snow while reviewing old concepts. As the new semester starts, you’re going to want to review some of the reading skills that you have previously covered. While it doesn’t seem like long, a winter break can do a lot to students’ memories. Therefore, it’s always good to give them a little refresher course. These four books along with the picture book pals are easy reading activities to start the new semester.

Picture Book Pals: Easy Reading Activities
A picture book pal is a simple lesson plan with activities that you can use in your classroom. Each book comes with lesson plans, worksheets, and printables for all four stories in this blog. With the lesson plans, you will get vocabulary to focus on as well as activities that feature various story elements like characters, setting, plot and more!
Learn About Friendship with Bear Snores On
Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson is a poetic story that not only goes into some detail about bears and hibernation, but also about friendship. While Bear is hibernating, a big storm comes and his friends need a safe place. Knowing Bear won’t mind, they go into his cave. Since they are all there though, they decide to throw a party! Your students will love this funny tale that will teach them about friendship and inclusivity.
While you’re reading Bear Snores On, have your students take notes about the different characters in the story with the Picture Book Pal! You can even use the easy reading activities like coloring pages and comprehension questions as well to help students make connections to their own lives!
Discover Animals with Easy Reading Activities Over and Under the Snow
Do your students always want to know what things we can’t see are doing? There are so many animals that make their homes underground especially when the snow blankets the ground. Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner takes a look at the life of animals underneath the snow using pictures to illustrate what you might see. In this story, students will learn real facts about animals like squirrels and even bullfrogs.
While you’re reading about what animals do under the snow, you can teach your students the importance of sequencing. What do the animals do first, second, and last? Then challenge your students with an easy reading activity and finger puppets! In table groups, have students replay the events of each animal for the rest of the class to see.
Keep Warm with Sneezy the Snowman
Sneezy the Snowman by Maureen Wright and Stephen Gilpin is a silly little story all about a snowman who is very cold! What do you do when you feel cold? Asking your students what they do and what they think the snowman in the story should do is a perfect easy reading activity start with this silly book. Throughout the story, the students will see all the things Sneezy does to get warmed up as well as the results!
With this fun book, you can use easy reading activities with the book companion package. You’ll find coloring, sequencing, comprehension activities and more that students will love. To add a little more fun, you and your students can compare Sneezy to another silly snowman: Olaf!
Imagine the Possibilities with Snowmen At Night
What do snowmen do after you go to bed? Well one little boy has a few ideas after he sees his snowman looking a little different one morning. He decides to image what the snowmen do after their creators go to bed for the night. Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehener is a magical tale full of imagination.
When you read this fun book with your students, you can encourage easy writing activities that correlate with your own snowman. Build a class snowman and every day before you leave, change something about him. Then, as a starting activity, have your students write down what made your snowman look different than the night before. This would be an easy activity to add to your interactive notebook or to your Picture Book Pal activities!
As you work your way back into the classroom, don’t make things harder for yourself! These easy Picture Book Pal activities are low prep and perfect for centers and read-alouds just like the books I featured for the Fall. You can even pair them up with your science unit on animals for some cross curriculum fun!
If you want to try out a free week of Picture Book Pals, just fill in the form below!
