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using Blizzard in speech therapy
Frequent Speech Sounds:

/bl/ (blizzard)
/sn/ (snow)

Themes:

winter
kindness

Book Details:
Diverse Characters: N/A
Age Recommendation: Elementary, Late Elementary, Middle School

Blizzard

By John Rocco

Blizzard is based on John Rocco’s childhood experience during the now infamous Blizzard of 1978, which brought fifty-three inches of snow to his town in Rhode Island. Told with a brief text and dynamic illustrations, the book opens with a boy’s excitement upon seeing the first snowflake fall outside his classroom window. It ends with the neighborhood’s immense relief upon seeing the first snowplow break through on their street. In between the boy watches his familiar landscape transform into something alien, and readers watch him transform into a hero who puts the needs of others first. John uses an increasing amount of white space in his playful images, which include a gatefold spread of the boy’s expedition to the store. This book about the wonder of a winter storm is as delicious as a mug of hot cocoa by the fire on a snowy day.

This vivid winter book can be used in speech therapy to address character analysis and social/emotional concepts such as kindness. It is also great for problem solving and sequencing! Discover more of the speech and language teaching concepts for using Blizzard in speech therapy below: 

Key Teaching Concepts

Narrative Structure:

complete episode

Narrative Concepts:

vocabulary
theme/message
problem solving
character analysis
sequencing
illustration study
inferencing
social/emotional
adjectives
verbs (regular past tense)

Sequencing:

sequence of events throughout the days the blizzard lasted

Vocabulary:

blizzard, snowdrifts, quicksand, subzero, igloo, tense, equipment, landmarks, perilous, civilization

Character Analysis:

The boy shows initiative, determination, and kindness when he delivers groceries to those around him.

Social/Emotional:

What are some things you like to do in the snow?
How would you react if you had some type of dangerous weather?
Would you have gone to the store?

Grammar:

adjectives
verbs (regular past tense)

Text Features:

speech bubbles

Inferencing:

How does the boy feel about the blizzard? What clues in his room support your response?
What is the boy concerned about? How do you know?
What is the boy thinking about when he is reading his book?
How does he feel when he finally get to the store?
How do the neighbors feel when they see him at their door?

Problem Solving:

The boy realizes the snowplows aren’t coming. He has to take action and get to the grocery store so that his family and neighbors have food to eat.

If you are interested in seeing other winter books to use in therapy, then check out the Seasonal Teaching Points Book List for a printable copy.