Teaching Ideas

Explore jumping-off points that deepen discussions, inspire reading interest, and support connections to books and authors. Easily share and include in your instructional plans, newsletters, and social media.

Spring Splendors

The official first day of spring in 2026 is Friday, March 20th. This date marks the “spring equinox” in the Northern Hemisphere. Celebrate the changing of the season with this titles and resources.

Activity Ideas:

Use Your Voices

  • Create and perform a cumulative song or rhyme based on a local walk using this video book reading of Spring in the Woods as inspiration. Challenge readers with the book cover jigsaw puzzle to start.

  • Sing along to the Fleetwood Mac song with this complete video reading of Don't Stop by Christine McVie and Nusha Ashjaee.

  • Move and sing along to this book song for First Notes of Spring!

  • Watch this video book trailer for Wake Up! together, then discuss ways animals in nature wake up and compare the daily lives of animals to the daily lives of humans.

Use Your Senses

  • Practice observing, describing, patterning, and sorting using activities in this lesson plan for Sorting Through Spring. You can also try our book cover jigsaw puzzle.

  • Head outside to observe birds and draw or write notes of what they see after viewing this video book trailer for Once, a Bird.

  • Observe seasonal changes and write poetry using ideas from this guide for On a Snow-Melting Day: Seeking Signs of Spring.

  • Look for wildlife in your school’s immediate neighborhood and try other ideas from this lesson plan for Cold Little Duck, Duck, Duck.

Use Your Imagination

  • Make a puzzle of the colorful book cover of Spring Hare, then have students draw their own springtime scene.

  • Explore the joys of springtime through this Meet-the-Author Recording for Happy Springtime! Then guide students through the author’s Invitation to Imagine on the TeachingBooks blog.

  • Watch this video book trailer and listen to the Meet-the-Author Recording for And Then It’s Spring. Ask students to share, write about, or draw things they notice about seasonal change. Print and share this activity kit for more drawing, poetry, and explorations.

  • Share these coloring pages for First Notes of Spring and play Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons: “Spring” for students. Have them paint, create art, or write while listening. Find this and additional ideas in this educator's guide.

  • Create displays, go on backyard science adventures, and more with this activity guide. Watch this video book reading of Snowman - Cold = Puddle: Spring Equations, then have students write their own equation poems using this guide.