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English Language Arts Phonics & Reading Foundations Letter Identification Learn Letters A-Z Lowercase and Uppercase Letters Consonants and Vowels Letter-Sound Associations Letter-Sound Associations: Lowercase Letter-Sound Associations: Uppercase Beginning and Ending Sounds Rhyming Blending And Segmenting Short Vowels Short Vowel Sounds Consonant Blends Consonant Digraphs Blends, Digraphs, and Trigraphs Digraphs, Blends, and Silent Letters Long Vowel Sounds Long Vowel Patterns Short and Long Vowels Short and Long Vowel Patterns Silent E Vowel Sounds Vowel Teams R-Controlled Vowels Diphthongs: Oi, Oy, Ou, Ow Variant Vowels Variant, Diphthong, And R Vowel Patterns Soft G And C Sight Words Irregular Words Word Recognition Syllables Syllable Types Two-Syllable Words Multisyllabic Words Phoneme Manipulation Decodable Texts Vocabulary Action Words Question Words Nouns and Adjectives Classify Words Compound Words Synonyms and Antonyms Homophones Homophones and Homonyms Shades of Meaning Context Clues Prefixes and Suffixes Greek and Latin Roots Analogies Idioms and Adages Foreign Words and Expressions Word Choice and Usage Reference Skills Reading Comprehension Read-Along Literary Texts Read-Along Informational Texts Reality vs. Fiction Story Elements Character Sequence Main Idea Cause And Effect Compare And Contrast Reading Strategies Text Structure Author's Purpose Author's Purpose And Tone Author's Perspective Point Of View Theme Inference And Theme Inference And Analysis Poetry Elements Literary Devices Analyzing Literature Analyzing Informational Texts Comparing Texts Audience, Purpose, And Tone Business Documents Novel Study Nonfiction Book Study Grammar & Mechanics Sentences Nouns Verbs Adjectives Pronouns Capitalization Punctuation Contractions Conjunctions Prepositions Articles Adjectives And Adverbs Verb Types Verb Tense Pronouns And Antecedents Pronoun Types Subject-Verb Agreement Direct And Indirect Objects Sentences, Fragments, And Run-Ons Phrases And Clauses Commas Semicolons, Colons, And Commas Dashes, Hyphens, And Ellipses Spelling Abbreviations Formatting Verb Tense And Mood Misplaced Modifiers Writing Descriptive Details Creative Writing Opinion Writing Topic Sentences Organizing Writing Linking Words Sentence Variety Introductions And Conclusions Persuasive And Opinion Writing Expository Writing Persuasive Strategies Developing And Supporting Arguments Topic Sentences And Thesis Statements Summarizing Research Skills Editing And Revising Active And Passive Voice=Writing Clearly And Concisely Debate & Public Speaking Public Speaking Basics Persuasive Techniques Claims and Evidence Types of Arguments Reasoning Types Logical Fallacies Topic Research Organizing Evidence Debate Speech Organization Attacking and Defending Arguments Clash and Engagement Impact Calculus Questioning and Cross-Examination Critical Thinking Informal Logic Formal Logic Inductive Reasoning

Holiday Countdown Adventure

A two-day festive holiday countdown unit designed for the last two days before winter break. Day 1 centers on Jan Brett's Gingerbread Baby with a phonics word bakery and gumdrop math, while Day 2 celebrates Caralyn Buehner's Snowmen at Christmas with s-blend snow hunts and snowball math games.

KKRISTEN.VANVLEET

Gingerbread Gala

A full-day holiday learning journey anchored by Jan Brett's Gingerbread Baby. Students analyze story characters and sequence, decode rhyming word families in a bakery phonics workshop, and solve gumdrop addition and subtraction challenges.

Snowman Soiree

An enchanting winter-themed day anchored by Caralyn Buehner's Snowmen at Christmas. Students explore whimsical story details and creative writing, master winter s-blends in a chilly phonics hunt, and practice fact families and snowball math games.

Holiday Countdown Adventure

A two-day festive holiday countdown unit designed for the last two days before winter break. Day 1 centers on Jan Brett's Gingerbread Baby with a phonics word bakery and gumdrop math, while Day 2 celebrates Caralyn Buehner's Snowmen at Christmas with s-blend snow hunts and snowball math games.

KKRISTEN.VANVLEET

Gingerbread Gala Teacher Guide

🍪

Day 1 of 2 • Holiday Countdown

Gingerbread Gala Teacher Guide

Anchor: Gingerbread Baby

Grade 1 • 3 Core Blocks (35–40m each)

Block 1: Reading

Gingerbread Baby Retell

Character chase chain, story map, problem/solution.

Block 2: Phonics

Gingerbread Word Bakery

Rhyming families (-ake, -un, -all) & CVC/blends.

Block 3: Math

Gumdrop Math Lab

Ten-frames, adding to 15, roll-and-solve chase.

Low-Prep Classroom Kit (Grab & Go)

Zero Lamination Needed

Book: Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett

Standard 6-sided dice (1 per student pair)

Printed Story Map & Phonics sheets (included)

20 counters per pair (real gumdrops, pom-poms, or cubes)

Block 1

Interactive Read-Aloud & Story Map (35–40 Mins)

Standard: RL.1.2 & RL.1.3

1. Hook & Pique Curiosity (5 min)

Show the cover of Gingerbread Baby. Ask: "We know the classic Gingerbread Man who gets tricked by the fox... look at the border illustrations. What is Matti building while everyone else runs?" Introduce the focus: pay attention to who joins the chase!

2. Guided Read-Aloud & Choral Chants (15 min)

Invite students to join on the refrain with rhythm snaps:

"I am the Gingerbread Baby, fresh from the pan! If you want me, catch me if you can!"

Stopping Point 1 (Midway): Who is chasing the Baby now? (Matti’s parents, the cat, dog, goats). Notice the side borders—what is Matti doing back home?

Stopping Point 2 (Climax): Why did Matti make a gingerbread house? Why did the Baby go inside willingly?

3. Guided Application: Story Sequence Map (15 min)

Distribute the Gingerbread Baby Story Map. Guide students in recording the 3 main parts: Beginning (baking and escaping), Middle (the hilarious animal chase), and End (Matti's clever trap/cozy house solution).

Holiday Countdown Adventure • Day 1: Gingerbread Page 1 of 2

Day 1 Lesson Details: Phonics & Math

Gingerbread Gala • 35-Minute Workshop Blocks

Block 2

The Gingerbread Word Bakery (35–40 Mins)

Standard: RF.1.3

1. Kinesthetic Word Warm-Up: "Stir the Batter" (7 min)

Tell students the bakery oven is preheating! Teach the rhyme sound families from the story: -ake (bake, cake, lake, make, take), -un (run, sun, fun, bun), and -all (tall, call, fall, ball). Have students pretend to stir the bowl when they hear a word that rhymes with bake, and pat their knees when they hear a word that rhymes with run.

2. Sound Blending & Decoding Practice (10 min)

Write onset and rime on the board: b + ake = bake, c + ake = cake, r + un = run. Point out the silent magic 'e' in -ake that makes the vowel say its name. Contrast with short vowel 'u' in -un.

3. Student Partner Sheet: Gingerbread Word Bakery (18 min)

Students complete the Gingerbread Bakery Phonics Activity. They sort bakery ingredient cookies into the matching oven trays, decode mystery CVC words to decorate the gingerbread apron, and write their own rhyming chant sentence.

Block 3

Gumdrop Math Lab: Addition & Ten-Frames (35–40 Mins)

Standard: 1.OA.C.6

1. Hands-On Concrete Model: Gumdrop Buttons (8 min)

Give each pair 10–15 counters (or colorful gumdrops). Model on the document camera: "The baker made 7 red gumdrop buttons and 5 green gumdrop buttons. How many in all?" Show filling a 10-frame first: 7 + 3 = 10, plus 2 more = 12!

2. Partner Game: "Catch the Baby" Dice Sprint (15 min)

Partners take turns rolling a die, adding gumdrops to their printed ten-frames on the Gumdrop Math Sprint Activity sheet, and writing the addition equation. The goal is to reach 15 gumdrops without getting caught by the fox!

3. Independent Practice & Fast Finisher (12 min)

Students solve the word problems at the bottom of the worksheet. Fast finishers design their own numbered gingerbread house by drawing specific quantities of candy shapes.

Differentiation Supports

Support: Provide pre-grouped ten-frame cards; pair struggling decoders with a peer for the bakery rhyme read-aloud.
Extension: Challenge students to write 3-addend equations for gingerbread decorations (e.g., 4 + 3 + 5 = 12).

Festive Classroom Tip

Keep holiday excitement channeled by using "Gingerbread Freeze": whenever the room gets too loud, call out "Catch me if you can!" and students must freeze like warm gingerbread cookies on a cooling rack!

Holiday Countdown Adventure • Day 1: Gingerbread Page 2 of 2

Gingerbread Bakery Phonics Activity

🧁

Phonics Workshop Day 1

Gingerbread Word Bakery

Name:

Date:

Baker's Mission: The Gingerbread Baby escaped! Sort the rhyming cookies into the correct baking trays to help catch him.

12 Cookie Words

Fresh Cookie Word Bank

bake run fall cake sun tall lake fun ball make bun call

Tray 1: -ake Family

Rhymes with "Bake"

Tray 2: -un Family

Rhymes with "Run"

Tray 3: -all Family

Rhymes with "Fall"

Part 2: Gumdrop Blends & Digraphs Write the missing beginning blend: ch, sh, sp, tr, gl

1. Chocolate _ _ ip

2. Sugar _ _ oon

3. Tasty _ _ eat

4. Shiny _ _ aze

Part 3: Write Your Gingerbread Chant

Use at least two rhyming words from your trays to finish the Gingerbread Baby chant:

"I ran as fast as I could by the

,

so I could eat a delicious warm

!"

Holiday Countdown Adventure • Day 1 Phonics Gingerbread Word Bakery

Gumdrop Math Sprint Activity

🍬

Hands-On Math Day 1

Gumdrop Math Sprint

Name:

Date:

Sweet Goal: Use real counters or draw gumdrops in the ten-frames to solve each festive addition problem!

Addition within 20

Part 1: Ten-Frame Gumdrop Counters

Problem 1: 8 red + 5 green = ___

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

Make a ten: 8 + 2 + 3 =

Problem 2: 7 blue + 6 yellow = ___

●

●

●

●

●

●

●

Make a ten: 7 + 3 + 3 =

Part 2: Partner Game • Roll & Decorate

Directions: Roll 1 die, add to starting number

Round 1

Start with 6

6 + [roll] =

Round 2

Start with 9

9 + [roll] =

Round 3

Start with 8

8 + [roll] =

Round 4

Start with 7

7 + [roll] =

Part 3: Gingerbread Story Problems

A. Matti decorated his gingerbread house with 9 red gumdrops and 7 green gumdrops. How many gumdrops did he use in all?

Show work (draw dots or numbers):

Equation:

B. The Gingerbread Baby jumped over 14 snowballs. The hungry fox only jumped over 8 snowballs. How many MORE snowballs did the Baby jump over?

Show work (count back or compare):

Equation:

Holiday Countdown Adventure • Day 1 Math Gumdrop Math Sprint

Gingerbread Baby Story Map

📖

Reading Response Day 1

Gingerbread Baby Story Map

Name:

Date:

Story Prompt: In Jan Brett's Gingerbread Baby, Matti opened the oven door too early! Retell the adventure below.

Story Elements

1 Beginning: The Escape What happened when Matti opened the oven door?

Draw the baby popping out

2 Middle: The Wild Chase Who tried to chase and catch the Gingerbread Baby?

Draw the chasing animals

3 End: Matti's Clever Solution How did Matti catch the baby without hurting him?

Draw Matti's sweet house

⚠️ The Big Problem

Why was the whole village chasing through the snow?

✨ The Smart Solution

Why did the Gingerbread Baby go inside the gingerbread house?

Holiday Countdown Adventure • Day 1 Reading Story Comprehension

Snowman Soiree Teacher Guide

☃️

Day 2 of 2 • Holiday Countdown

Snowman Soiree Teacher Guide

Anchor: Snowmen at Christmas

Grade 1 • 3 Core Blocks (35–40m each)

Block 1: Reading

Secret Snowman Festivities

Visual hidden images, rhyme schemes, creative response.

Block 2: Phonics

Chilly Winter S-Blends

Sn-, sm-, st-, sk-, sl- decoding, sorting & sentence building.

Block 3: Math

Snowball Showdown

Fact family triangles, roll-and-build snowman game, missing addends.

Low-Prep Classroom Kit (Grab & Go)

Zero Lamination Needed

Book: Snowmen at Christmas by Caralyn Buehner

Standard 6-sided dice (1 per student pair)

Printed Story Organizer & Phonics sheets (included)

White counters or mini cotton balls (15-20 per pair)

Block 1

Interactive Read-Aloud & Secret Party (35–40 Mins)

Standard: RL.1.4 & RL.1.7

1. Hook & Illustrator Secret (5 min)

Gather students on the rug. Ask: "Have you ever noticed a snowman looking a little bit different the morning after you built it? Its hat might be crooked or its broom tilted. What do you think snowmen do when we are asleep on Christmas Eve?" Reveal illustrator Mark Buehner's secret: hidden shapes (a mouse, cat, rabbit, and Santa face) are hidden in every picture!

2. Guided Read-Aloud & Sensory Details (15 min)

Engage students with sensory questions as snowmen gather in the town square:

"They gathered in the frosty park, with lanterns glowing bright and clear, sipping chilled iced cocoa with peppermint cheer!"

Stopping Point 1: What foods and drinks do snowmen like? Why would cold cocoa be better for a snowman than hot cocoa? (Hot cocoa would melt them!)

Stopping Point 2: Look at the games they play: snowball toss, dancing around the ice-sculpted tree, singing snowman carols. Who arrives at the end? (The Snowman Santa Claus!)

3. Guided Application: Snowmen Holiday Organizer (15 min)

Distribute the Snowmen Holiday Adventure Organizer. Students capture what snowmen eat, play, and sing, then write their own imaginative sentence: "If my snowman came to life on Christmas Eve, we would..."

Holiday Countdown Adventure • Day 2: Snowmen Page 1 of 2

Day 2 Lesson Details: Phonics & Math

Snowman Soiree • 35-Minute Workshop Blocks

Block 2

Chilly Winter S-Blends Workshop (35–40 Mins)

Chilly Blends Phonics Activity

❄️

Phonics Workshop Day 2

Chilly Winter S-Blends

Name:

Date:

Frosty Challenge: Slide the sounds together! Sort the snowball words into the matching snowman buckets.

S-Blends: sn, sl, sk, st

Snowball Word Bank

snow sled skate star snap slide skip step snack slip sky storm

sn- blend

like "snow"

sl- blend

like "sled"

sk- blend

like "skate"

st- blend

like "star"

Part 2: Blend and Write Add the correct blend: sn, sl, sk, st, sm

1. Big warm _ _ ile

2. Fast down _ _ ope

3. Cold ice _ _ orm

4. Cozy winter _ _ ug

Part 3: Winter Blend Sentence

Use at least two s-blend words to finish what the snowmen did at night:

"The happy snowman hopped on his

,

and zoomed down the hill under the bright

!"

Holiday Countdown Adventure • Day 2 Phonics Chilly Winter S-Blends

Snowball Showdown Math Activity

⛄

Hands-On Math Day 2

Snowball Showdown Math

Name:

Date:

Frosty Mission: Complete the snowman fact families and roll two dice to build your frosty champion!

Facts & Addition to 18

Part 1: Snowman Fact Families (4 Related Facts)

12

7 5

7 + 5 =

12 - 5 =

5 + 7 =

12 - 7 =

15

9 6

9 + 6 =

15 - 6 =

6 + 9 =

15 - 9 =

Part 2: Roll-a-Snowman Partner Sprint

Roll 2 dice • Add sum • Check off feature

Sum: 4 or 5 Top Hat 🎩

Sum: 6 or 7 Carrot Nose 🥕

Sum: 8 or 9 Warm Scarf 🧣

Sum: 10 Coal Buttons ⚫

Sum: 11 Stick Arms 🪵

Sum: 2 or 12 Broomstick 🧹

Part 3: Snowman Story Problems

A. The snowman baseball team made 11 snowballs for practice. During the game, they threw 4 snowballs. How many snowballs were left?

Show work (cross out snowballs):

Equation:

B. Santa Snowman brought 7 peppermint sticks and 8 frozen gingerbread treats to the Christmas party. How many treats did he bring in all?

Show work (draw or add on):

Equation:

Holiday Countdown Adventure • Day 2 Math Snowball Showdown

Snowmen Holiday Adventure Organizer

📖

Reading Response Day 2

Snowmen Holiday Adventure

Name:

Date:

Story Prompt: In Snowmen at Christmas, the snowmen have a secret nighttime holiday party in the town square!

Comprehension & Response

Part 1: Secret Snowman Traditions

☕ What do they drink?

Why not hot cocoa?

🎯 What games do they play?

Name 1 fun winter game

🎅 Who visits them?

Who arrives in a sled?

Mark Buehner's Hidden Picture Hunt Did you spot them in the book? Check them off!

Hidden Mouse 🐭

Hidden Rabbit 🐰

Hidden Cat 🐱

Santa Face 🎅

Part 3: My Snowman's Christmas Eve Draw and write your story

Draw your snowman celebrating at night: 🎨 Use white, blue, & holiday colors

If my snowman came to life on Christmas Eve, we would...

Holiday Countdown Adventure • Day 2 Reading Story Response & Retelling

Standard: RF.1.2.B & RF.1.3

1. Kinesthetic Frosty Sound Warm-Up (7 min)

Introduce the magical winter blend sound /s/. When /s/ holds hands with another consonant, they slide together smoothly! Introduce target blends: sn- (snow, snack, snap), sm- (smile, small), sl- (sled, slide, slip), sk- (skate, skip, sky), and st- (star, storm, step). Practice a shivering motion when blending!

2. Blending Slide Routine (10 min)

Use your arm as a sledding hill. Start at the shoulder: /s/... elbow: /n/... wrist: /oʊ/ -> "SNOW!" Have students slide their fingers down their arms for sled, skate, and star.

3. Student Phonics Activity: Chilly Blends (18 min)

Students work on the Chilly Blends Phonics Activity sheet. They sort snowball words into the correct snowman buckets (sn, sl, sk, st, sm), fill in missing initial blends, and decode a winter sentence.

Block 3

Snowball Showdown: Fact Families & Addition (35–40 Mins)

Standard: 1.OA.C.6 & 1.OA.D.8

1. Concrete Fact Family Snowmen (8 min)

Draw a snowman with 3 snowballs on the board: Head = 14 (total), Middle = 9, Base = 5. Demonstrate the related facts: 9 + 5 = 14, 5 + 9 = 14, 14 - 5 = 9, 14 - 9 = 5. Have students explain how addition and subtraction are snowman best friends.

2. Partner Game: "Roll-a-Snowman" Showdown (15 min)

Students use the Snowball Showdown Math Activity. Pairs roll two dice, add the numbers together, and check off the matching snowman item (hat, carrot nose, button eyes, scarf, arms). If they roll a double, they get a bonus "snowball splash"!

3. Independent Math & Missing Addends (12 min)

Students complete the fact family triangles and solve the story problems at the bottom of the worksheet.

Differentiation Supports

Support: Provide tactile counters (cotton balls) for fact families; emphasize saying both sounds in the blend aloud.
Extension: Have students create their own fact family triangle with sums between 15 and 20.

Winter Break Send-Off

End the final day with a 5-minute "Snowman Melt" mindfulness cool-down: students stand tall as proud snowmen in the morning sun, slowly melting down to the rug as you count down to winter break!

Holiday Countdown Adventure • Day 2: Snowmen Page 2 of 2

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