Incorporating State and Seasonal Themes into Classroom Learning

Winter brings a fresh opportunity to explore new themes and activities in the classroom. In my classroom, we embrace the winter months with a dedicated unit that highlights the many things that make our state of Minnesota special. From learning about state symbols and local sports teams to exploring outdoor activities and legends, this unit offers a rich, engaging way to connect students with their community and environment. If you’re in a different state, you can tailor these themes to focus on your own state’s unique features and local pride!

Winter Activities

Because we live in Minnesota and our winters are cold and snowy, we explore both outdoor and indoor winter activities that are popular in our state. If you’re in a warmer climate, you can adapt this by highlighting seasonal activities like hiking, beach outings, or sports like baseball or soccer that are more popular during the winter months. Outdoor adventures in Minnesota include sledding, skiing/snowboarding, ice skating or playing hockey on ponds, ice fishing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling on trails. Discussing where to enjoy these activities, such as local parks, sports arenas, or large hills, adds a practical element. For those who prefer staying warm indoors, we discuss cozy activities like drinking hot cocoa, baking holiday cookies, and snuggling by the fire. Every state has its own set of seasonal activities—whether it’s apple picking in the fall or enjoying nature trails year-round—these can easily be adapted to your location.

Animals in Winter

This also a perfect time to discuss how animals in your state adapt to the winter. We explore how some animals in Minnesota hibernate, some migrate, and others stay and endure the cold weather. In warmer climates, you can discuss how animals adapt to different seasons, or focus on local wildlife that stays active year-round. Learning about how animals store food and prepare for the cold can be fascinating. Plus, there are plenty of captivating stories about animals and humans in winter (or seasonal changes in other states), making it easy to stock your classroom library with theme-related books, no matter where you’re located.

Learning Centers

These winter topics can be integrated into various learning centers. Here are some of my favorite ideas that work especially well in cold weather states, but can be adapted for any classroom:

Transform your block area into an igloo-building zone, or in warmer states, a “beach hut” or “desert shelter” with different materials for construction.
Your dramatic play center can become a warming house in cold weather states, or a campground, summer beach, or outdoor retreat in warmer climates, complete with appropriate props like cocoa, skate rentals, or sand toys. Create buildable snowmen using white paper-covered cardboard boxes, paper towel tubes for arms, and hats and mittens, or for warmer states, create a sun-themed art project with materials like sunglasses, beach hats, and sunscreen.
The science center can focus on ice and snow experiments or a game matching animal footprints in the snow in cold climates, or focus on animal tracks, weather patterns, or plant growth in warmer climates.
The art and writing centers can feature coloring sheets and vocabulary cards related to winter themes, or incorporate local symbols, sports teams, and seasonal activities, no matter where you’re teaching.

I also like to extend this learning to include our town, encouraging students to explore local places and events they might not be familiar with. To make it more engaging, I invite families to send in pictures of themselves enjoying various outdoor activities or visiting state landmarks. These photos, whether of camping, fishing, or visiting special places, help connect families to their child’s learning. Students love seeing their pictures displayed on the classroom bulletin board or SMART board!

The opportunities to extend your students’ learning during winter—or any season—are endless! Whether you’re in a state with snowy winters or one with sunny weather year-round, you can adapt these activities to connect students to their environment and create an engaging learning experience.