LOW PREP WINTER READING & WRITING RESOURCES

Winter is the perfect season to incorporate engaging, themed activities into your classroom while keeping prep time to a minimum. When temperatures drop, and students are dreaming of snow days, it can be challenging to keep their focus. That's where low prep winter reading & writing resources come in handy! 

Winter-themed reading passages, writing prompts, and videos can captivate students’ attention and make learning more enjoyable. Here’s a roundup of three low-prep resources you can use to make your winter teaching both easy and effective.

WINTER READING PASSAGES

Short, focused reading passages are a fantastic way to build comprehension skills while integrating seasonal fun. Winter-themed reading passages are a great way to focus on specific skills like theme, main idea, summarizing,g and more without adding a lot of prep work to your already busy schedule.

These reading passages were perfect for independent work during centers. There’s so many different skills which allows me to differentiate for students based on the skills they need practice. I also added them to our early finishers bin. The themes are getting the students super excited for winter!

Tips on how to use Winter Reading Passages in your classroom…

• Small Groups or Centers: Assign passages to reading groups and let students collaborate.
• Close Reading Activities: Have students highlight key details, annotate the text, or identify unfamiliar words.
• Integrate Across Subjects: Use passages on topics like arctic animals or winter weather to tie into science and social studies units.

WINTER VIDEO OF THE DAY

Incorporating a short, themed video with writing and discussion prompts can be a refreshing change for students. Videos on topics like polar bears, icicles, and sledding just to name a few can grab student attention for higher engagement and understanding.

Tips on how to use Winter Video of the Day in your classroom…

• Daily Warm-Up: Kick off your day with a short video and follow it with a quick discussion or writing time.
• Turn and Talk: Pair students with partners and let them discuss the topics or even complete the writing together.
• Stations: Allow students to complete the winter video of the day as a station. After watching the short, soundless videos, give students time to write. A visual for students to look at can open up a whole new world when it comes to writing!

WINTER WRITING PROMPTS

Get your students’ creativity flowing with winter-themed writing prompts. These can be used for journaling, creative writing assignments, or even quick daily warm-ups. The best part…they are digital or printable, making them super easy to assign and use!

Tips to use Winter Writing Prompts in your classroom…

• Daily Writing Time: Offer a variety of prompts and let students pick the one that inspires them the most. The real images give students a starting place for writing.
• Partner Work: After writing, have students share their work with a partner or small group for peer feedback.
• Centers: Winter writing prompts are perfect for students to work on during centers.

Using seasonal themes in your reading and writing lessons creates a sense of excitement and relevance for students. Winter topics feel timely and relatable, helping students stay engaged and motivated. Plus, these low-prep resources mean you can spend more time focusing on your students and less time planning and prepping.

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