Chapter 1: Notice the Cold

Chapter Introduction

This chapter is for a grown-up to read aloud with a child. Many first graders can read some words. If it is winter where you live, look outside together at the cold.

---

The window has frost on it.

Outside the world is white.

You breathe out, and a small cloud appears.

You are bundled up. Your hands are in mittens. Your hat covers your ears.

Hi. I am the Penguin.

You may remember me from Kindergarten.

I taught you about cold. About goosebumps. About shivering. About staying cozy. About the never-on-ice rule. About the kids-and-water-with-trusted-grown-ups rule.

I am still the Penguin. I still teach about cold.

This year, in first grade, we are going to notice.

Notice cold earlier. Notice your hands and feet. Notice when you need to go inside. Notice your body responding. Notice the cold around water — that is the most important one.

The Penguin walks slowly across the snow. The Penguin is glad you are back. Let us begin.

---

Lesson 1.1: Notice the Cold Signals

Learning Goals (for the grown-up to know)

By the end of this lesson, the child will:

• Notice cold signals earlier in the body
• Recognize that hands, feet, ears, nose, and cheeks usually feel cold first
• Begin to act on early cold signals (more clothes, going inside)
• Continue to honor that every body handles cold in its own way

Key Words

• Notice — to pay attention to something. (G1 skill.)
• Cold — when the air or something touching you is colder than your body. (You learned this at K.)
• Goosebumps — tiny bumps on your skin when you get cold. (K.)
• Shiver — when your body shakes a little to make warmth. (K.)
• Warm — when your body feels cozy and just right. (K.)
• Layer — a piece of clothing on top of another. (K.)

Cold Sends Signals — Notice Them Earlier

Your body sends signals when it gets cold. You learned this in kindergarten — goosebumps, shivering, cold hands and feet.

This year, notice cold signals earlier.

Early cold signals are:

• Hands feeling a little chilly
• Feet feeling a little chilly
• Ears feeling tingly
• Nose feeling cold
• Cheeks feeling a little stiff
• A small shiver
• A small goosebump
• Wanting to pull arms close to your body
• Breath looking like a cloud (in really cold air)

When you notice early signals, you can do something:

• Put on a hat or mittens you forgot
• Pull your scarf up over your nose
• Add a layer
• Move around (warmth from moving)
• Go inside to warm up
• Ask a trusted grown-up for help

Early noticing is helpful. Late noticing — like waiting until you cannot feel your fingers — is harder to handle.

The Penguin watches winters for many, many years. Kids who notice cold early stay cozier.

Notice Your Hands, Feet, Ears, Nose, Cheeks

Your body keeps the most warmth around your important inside parts — heart, tummy, brain. It does this by pulling blood away from your hands, feet, and other ends of you.

That is why your hands, feet, ears, nose, and cheeks get cold first.

It is your body protecting your inside parts. It is smart.

This year, notice which parts of you feel cold first.

• Fingers? (Many kids feel fingers first.)
• Toes? (Many kids feel toes first.)
• Ears? (Some kids — especially without a hat.)
• Nose? (In very cold weather.)
• Cheeks? (In wind.)

Your trusted grown-ups can help you protect these parts:

• Mittens or gloves for fingers
• Warm socks and waterproof boots for toes
• A hat covering ears
• A scarf or face covering for nose and cheeks

Every Body Still Handles Cold Differently

The Penguin taught you in kindergarten: every body handles cold in its own way.

This year, notice your own way.

Are you a kid who gets cold easily?

Are you a kid who does not get cold often?

Are you a kid who hates cold?

Are you a kid who loves cold?

Are you somewhere in between?

Your way is your way. None of these is better or worse.

If you get cold easily:

• Wear more layers
• Bring extra mittens
• Spend less time in the very coldest places
• Drink warm drinks
• Trust your body when it says "I'm cold"

If you do not get cold easily:

• Still pay attention
• Cold can sneak up
• You still need clothes in winter
• Trust your trusted grown-ups about how to dress

The Penguin sees every kind of kid. Every kind belongs in cold weather (with the right gear and grown-up support).

Lesson Check (for grown-up and child to talk about)

1. Why is noticing cold early helpful?
2. Which parts of your body usually feel cold first? Why?
3. What helps protect those parts?
4. What kind of cold-handler are you? Easy-cold? Hard-cold? Somewhere in between?

---

Lesson 1.2: Notice Cold and Water — The Most Important Rule

Learning Goals

By the end of this lesson, the child will:

• Repeat the kids-and-water rule (preserved from K)
• Add the never-on-ice rule (preserved from K, deepened at G1)
• Understand that cold + water + no grown-up is one of the most dangerous combinations
• Know to tell a trusted grown-up if they ever see kids near unsafe water

Key Words

• Pool — a big container of water for swimming.
• Lake — a big natural water place, surrounded by land.
• Pond — a smaller lake.
• River — moving water that goes from one place to another.
• Ice — frozen water that is hard and slippery.
• Trusted grown-up — a grown-up who takes care of you.

Kids and Cold Water — Trusted Grown-Up Close

In kindergarten, the Penguin taught you the most important Penguin rule.

Kids and water are always with a trusted grown-up close.

This year, notice all the kinds of water the rule applies to:

• Pools (warm or cold)
• Lakes (warm in summer, very cold in spring or fall)
• Oceans (always serious; cold-water shock is real)
• Rivers (currents)
• Ponds (look quiet but can be deep)
• Streams (small but can be slippery and cold)
• Big puddles (after rain or snowmelt)
• Bathtubs (especially for younger kids; G1 kids: grown-up close)
• Hot tubs (water + heat + grown-up close)

The rule is the same for all of them: trusted grown-up close.

When the water is cold, the rule is even more serious. Cold water can shock the body fast. Even kids who can swim can struggle in cold water. The Penguin is firm about this.

Never Play on Ice — Ever

The Penguin taught you in kindergarten: kids do not play on frozen ponds, lakes, or rivers.

This year, the Penguin says it again because it matters that much.

Never play on natural ice.

• Not on a frozen pond in the park.
• Not on a frozen lake near grandma's house.
• Not on a small frozen puddle that looks easy.
• Not on river ice.

Ice in nature can look hard but break. People have fallen through ice and drowned in cold water under it.

Skating rinks are different. Ice rinks are made and checked by grown-ups whose job is to keep the ice safe. Skating at a rink with grown-ups is fine.

A frozen pond in your neighborhood is not safe. Ever.

If you see kids playing on natural ice — tell a trusted grown-up right away. Right then. Loud.

The Penguin lives on ice. The Penguin knows ice. Kids stay off natural ice.

If Someone Falls Through Ice or Into Cold Water

The Penguin needs to teach you something serious.

If someone falls through ice or into cold water:

1. DO NOT GO IN AFTER THEM. The water is too cold and too dangerous. You could drown too.
2. Yell for a trusted grown-up. Loud. Run if you have to.
3. If a grown-up is right there, they will handle it.
4. If no grown-up is around in this real emergency, call 911. (You learned about 911 from the Bear.)
5. Stay near where you can see the person but on safe ground.

This is the rule. You signal for help. You do not go in.

The Penguin is firm because kids who try to save other kids in cold water often drown too. Cold water is too serious.

If you ever see someone fall through ice or into water — yell for a grown-up. Always.

Why Cold Water Is So Dangerous

You are old enough to know more.

Cold water can:

• Make a person gasp and breathe in water
• Make swimming much harder (even for strong swimmers)
• Make a person cold inside fast
• Make a body lose strength quickly

This is why your trusted grown-ups have to be close — and watching — around any cold water.

This is why the Penguin says no ice play. Ever.

This is why the rule is the same for pools, lakes, oceans, rivers, ponds, streams, puddles, bathtubs, hot tubs. All water = trusted grown-up close.

The Penguin lives in cold water. The Penguin knows.

Lesson Check

1. What kinds of water does the kids-and-grown-up rule apply to?
2. Why is cold water extra serious?
3. What do you do if you see kids playing on natural ice?
4. What do you do if you see someone fall through ice or into cold water?
5. What is 911 for?

---

Lesson 1.3: Notice Being Cozy in Cold

Learning Goals

By the end of this lesson, the child will:

• Notice what cozy feels like
• Notice what helps stay cozy (clothes, food, warm drinks, going inside)
• Notice winter mood patterns (light-touch — Penguin-Turtle partnership)
• Know to tell a trusted grown-up if winter feelings get hard

Key Words

• Cozy — warm and comfortable. (K.)
• Hat — covers your head and ears.
• Mittens — soft gloves for your hands. (K.)
• Scarf — wraps around your neck and face.
• Hot drink — a warm drink, like hot chocolate or warm milk.

What Cozy Feels Like

Cozy is one of the best feelings.

Cozy feels like:

• Warm body (not too warm, just right)
• Comfortable hands and feet
• Maybe a warm drink to hold
• Maybe a blanket
• Maybe someone you love near you
• Quiet inside feeling
• Safe

After being out in cold, coming inside to cozy is one of the best parts of winter.

This year, notice cozy.

When are you cozy? With your family in the morning? After school under a blanket? At bedtime with a stuffed animal? On a winter weekend with a hot drink?

Cozy is a feeling worth noticing. The Penguin loves cozy.

Layers Help Stay Cozy

The Penguin taught you in kindergarten about layers. Layers trap warm air close to your body.

This year, notice your layers.

A common winter outfit:

• T-shirt (base layer — close to your skin)
• Long-sleeve shirt (middle layer)
• Sweater or fleece (warm layer)
• Coat (outer layer)
• Snow pants (in deep cold or snow)
• Warm socks
• Boots
• Hat with brim or ear covering
• Mittens or gloves
• Scarf
• For really cold places: face covering for nose and cheeks

That is a lot of stuff. Your trusted grown-ups help you put it all on. That is part of their job in winter.

Some kids your age are getting good at putting layers on themselves. Notice your layer skills. Can you put your own coat on? Zip it? Find your mittens? Most G1 kids are learning these skills.

Warm Things Inside

After being out in cold, warm things inside help you get cozy.

Warm things include:

• A warm bath
• Warm soup (the Bear loves soup in winter)
• Warm drinks (warm milk, hot chocolate, herbal tea — your family decides which)
• A warm shower
• A blanket
• A hug
• Being in a warm room
• Soft socks

The Bear has more to say about food in winter. The Penguin just adds — warm things inside are part of cozy after cold.

Notice Your Winter Feelings

The Penguin and the Turtle work together on this. (You met the Turtle in G1.)

Some kids feel different in winter than in summer.

Many kids:

• Sleep a little longer
• Want to stay inside more
• Move less than in summer
• Feel calmer or quieter

Some kids:

• Feel a little sad in long dark winters
• Feel less energetic
• Want to be alone more
• Don't love things they usually love

This is normal. Winter has less sunlight. The Rooster will tell you more about light when you meet the Rooster in G1. Less light can affect how some kids feel.

If you ever:

• Feel sad and the sad does not lift in a few days
• Feel really tired all winter even with good sleep
• Don't want to do things you usually love
• Feel really hard about winter in general

Tell a trusted grown-up.

Your trusted grown-up:

• Will listen
• Will help figure out what you need (more outdoor light, more movement, time with people you love, maybe a doctor or counselor visit)
• Will not be mad

You are not alone with winter feelings. The Penguin sees you.

When Something About Cold Feels Off

Most of the time, cold is part of life — bundle up, stay cozy, follow the rules.

Sometimes something feels off:

• You are really cold and cannot get warm
• A part of you feels numb (you cannot feel a touch on it)
• Your skin looks very pale or very red
• You are shivering so much you cannot stop
• You feel very tired or weird after being in cold

When something about cold feels off — tell a trusted grown-up right away.

Your grown-up will help. They will get you inside. They will warm you up slowly. They will watch you. They may call your doctor or 911 if it is serious.

You are not in trouble for getting too cold. Bodies sometimes get too cold. Your grown-ups know how to help.

A Quick 911 Reminder

The Bear introduced 911 in your G1 Food chapter.

911 is for real emergencies.

Most cold problems are not emergencies. They are tell-a-trusted-grown-up things.

But sometimes — rarely — a cold emergency happens. Someone falls in cold water. Someone is so cold they are confused or sleepy. Someone has stopped shivering even though they are still cold.

For real cold emergencies, grown-ups call 911. Kids your age tell trusted grown-ups first. If no grown-up is around and you have been taught how, you can call 911 yourself.

(The Penguin will go deeper on these signals in higher grades. For G1, the rule is simple: something feels really off about cold → tell a grown-up right away.)

Lesson Check

1. What does cozy feel like to you?
2. Can you name three layers of winter clothes?
3. What is the Penguin-Turtle winter partnership about?
4. What do you do if something feels really off about cold?
5. What is 911 for?

---

End-of-Chapter Activity: A Week of Cold Noticing

The Penguin has an activity for you and your trusted grown-up.

For the next week (during cold weather if possible), notice cold in small ways.

Each day, pick ONE thing to notice:

Day 1: Notice cold signals early today. Did your fingers get cold first? Your nose?

Day 2: Notice your layers today. Did you have enough? Too many?

Day 3: Notice cozy. What was the coziest moment of your day?

Day 4: Notice water and grown-ups. Were you near water today? Was a grown-up close?

Day 5: Notice movement in cold. Did being outside in cold make you want to move?

Day 6: Notice your winter feelings. How is your mood this week?

Day 7: Tell a trusted grown-up: "Here is what I noticed about cold this week."

That is the activity. Seven small noticings.

You do not have to be perfect. The Penguin is patient. The Penguin watches winter for many years.

---

Vocabulary Review

---

Chapter Review (for grown-up and child to talk about)

1. Why does the Penguin say to notice cold signals earlier?
2. Which parts of your body usually feel cold first? Why?
3. What is the most important rule about kids and water? About kids and ice?
4. What do you do if you see someone fall into cold water or through ice?
5. What does cozy feel like to you?
6. What is the Penguin-Turtle partnership about?
7. What do you do if cold feels really off?
8. What is 911 for?

---

Instructor's Guide

Important: this Instructor's Guide carries load-bearing parent-education work — pediatric cold-weather safety, cold-water safety guidance (load-bearing at parent level), the K-12 cold-plunge protocol-firewall at parent-only level, parent-only crisis resources (988 / Crisis Text Line / SAMHSA / NA Eating Disorders stay parent-only at G1), NEDA non-functionality flag, and pre-conversation guidance for the G1 'Notice' theme applied to cold.

Pacing recommendations

This G1 Cold chapter is the FIFTH chapter of the G1 cycle and OPENS the G1 environmental-coach arc. Third chapter in the Penguin's K-12 spiral (K Cold was first). Three lessons (G1 transition pattern). Spans six to eight class periods or read-aloud sessions of ~15-25 minutes each. The chapter works especially well during cold-weather seasons.

• Lesson 1.1 (Notice the Cold Signals): two to three sessions. Cold signals deepened from K with noticing-earlier as G1 skill. Parts that get cold first (hands, feet, ears, nose, cheeks). "Every body handles cold in its own way" preserved.
• Lesson 1.2 (Notice Cold and Water — The Most Important Rule): three to four sessions. The cold-water and never-on-ice rules are the chapter's load-bearing safety teachings — give them real time. What kinds of water need the rule. Never-go-in-after-someone teaching. Why cold water is dangerous.
• Lesson 1.3 (Notice Being Cozy in Cold): two to three sessions. Cozy feelings. Layers (G1 self-help skills mentioned). Warm things inside. Penguin-Turtle partnership for winter mood. When cold feels off → tell a grown-up. Light 911 reminder.

Approach to reading

If it is winter where you live, read this chapter and then look outside together. Have your child notice their own cold signals. Try the early-noticing skill in real time.

Lesson check answers (for grown-up reference)

Lesson 1.1

1. Earlier noticing lets you (and grown-ups) do something — add a layer, go inside, etc. Late noticing is harder to handle.
2. Hands, feet, ears, nose, cheeks. Body protects important inside parts (heart, tummy, brain) by pulling blood toward middle.
3. Mittens/gloves, warm socks/boots, hat covering ears, scarf for nose and cheeks.
4. Open-ended.

Lesson 1.2

1. Pools, lakes, oceans, rivers, ponds, streams, big puddles, bathtubs, hot tubs — all water.
2. Cold water can make a person gasp and breathe in water, makes swimming much harder, makes body cold inside fast, makes body lose strength quickly.
3. Tell a trusted grown-up right away. Right then.
4. YELL for a trusted grown-up. DO NOT go in after them. Stay where you can see them on safe ground. If no grown-up around in real emergency, call 911.
5. Real emergencies. Grown-ups call usually; kids can call directly with prior teaching.

Lesson 1.3

1. Open-ended.
2. Open-ended. Sample three: t-shirt, sweater, coat, snow pants, hat, mittens, scarf.
3. Some kids feel different in winter — sleepier, slower, sadder. If winter feelings get hard, tell a trusted grown-up.
4. Tell a trusted grown-up right away.
5. Real emergencies.

Chapter review answer key

1. Earlier noticing gives time to do something. Late noticing is harder to handle.
2. Hands, feet, ears, nose, cheeks. Body protects important inside parts by pulling blood toward middle.
3. Kids and water = trusted grown-up close, always. Kids and ice = never play on natural ice. Skating rinks are different.
4. YELL for a trusted grown-up. Do NOT go in after them. Stay where you can see them.
5. Open-ended.
6. Some kids feel different in winter (sleepier, slower, sadder) because of less sunlight. Tell a grown-up if winter feels hard.
7. Tell a trusted grown-up right away.
8. Real emergencies.

Pre-Chapter Conversation for Parents

Before reading the chapter together:

• The Penguin returns. "Remember the Penguin from kindergarten? The Penguin taught about cold. The Penguin is back."
• Notice cold. "This year the Penguin wants you to notice cold more. Notice when you first feel cold. Notice which parts of you get cold first."
• Water rule. "There is an important rule the Penguin teaches about kids and water. We'll talk about it together. It is very important."
• Cozy. "What is your favorite cozy moment in winter?"

Pediatric Cold-Weather Safety (Parent Reference)

The American Academy of Pediatrics provides cold-weather safety guidance [1, 2]:

Dress for the weather:

• Layers: base (long underwear or T-shirt), middle (sweater), outer (coat or snowsuit)
• Hat covering ears
• Mittens warmer than gloves for G1 kids
• Warm wool or synthetic socks (not cotton if wet)
• Waterproof boots if snow or slush
• Scarf or face covering
• For G1 kids in very cold: an extra layer beyond what an adult wears

Time outside:

• G1 kids can play outside in cold weather for 20-30 minutes at a time before needing a warm-up
• Below 0°F (-18°C) or in dangerous wind chill, keep kids inside
• Listen to local school/family decisions about outdoor recess in cold

Watch for:

• Frostbite signs: skin turns pale, gray, or waxy; numbness; cold to touch
• Hypothermia signs: shivering very hard, then shivering stops despite cold; confusion; slurred speech; very tired; wanting to lie down
• Either is a medical emergency. Get the child inside, warm slowly, call pediatrician or 911 for serious cases.

(Note: at G1, the kid learns "something feels really off about cold → tell a grown-up." Words frostbite and hypothermia are parent vocabulary — G5 introduces them as kid vocabulary.)

Cold-Water Safety (Parent Reference — Load-Bearing)

Drowning is a leading cause of unintentional injury death for young children [3]. Cold water is extra dangerous because cold-water shock can cause involuntary gasping and loss of swimming ability within seconds [4].

For G1 kids:

• Always close, always watching when kids are near any water
• Never on phone or chatting while supervising water
• Never play on natural ice (frozen ponds, lakes, rivers) — ice can break
• Never enter cold water to rescue another person — even kid trying to save kid is at risk
• Bathtub: never leave G1 kids unattended in bath
• Pool barriers and door alarms for any home pool

Swimming lessons starting at age 4+ recommended by AAP. Lessons do not replace supervision but reduce drowning risk.

The Never-Go-In-After-Someone Teaching (Parent Guidance)

G1 Cold introduces a substantive G1 deepening: if someone falls in water or through ice, the kid does NOT go in after them. This is preserved from G3-G5 water-safety teaching at G1 register.

For parents:

• Reinforce this rule before any winter water activities
• Discuss the bystander-response: yell for grown-up, do not enter water, stay safe and watch
• Practice the response together: "What would you do if your friend fell in the pond at the park?"
• Make sure your child knows the rule applies to ALL water situations, not just ice

This rule has saved real kids' lives. Children who attempted rescue have often drowned alongside the original victim.

Crisis Resources (988 etc. parent-only at K-G2)

For parents:

• 911 — emergencies, including hypothermia, severe frostbite, near-drowning, breathing emergencies. NOW in kid-facing body at G1.
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988. Parent-only at K-G2.
• Crisis Text Line — text HOME to 741741. Parent-only at K-G2.
• SAMHSA National Helpline — 1-800-662-4357. Parent-only at K-G2.
• National Alliance for Eating Disorders — (866) 662-1235. Parent-only at K-G2.

The older NEDA helpline number 1-800-931-2237 is NO LONGER WORKING. Use the National Alliance for Eating Disorders number above instead.

What Parents Should Know About Adult-Marketed Cold Practices

You may encounter adult-marketed cold practices — cold-plunges, ice baths, the Wim Hof Method, deliberate cold-exposure protocols, cold showers as routine. None of these are appropriate for G1 kids. Kids' thermoregulatory systems are still developing; the risks (cold-water shock, hypothermia, drowning) outweigh any possible benefit at this age.

At Kindergarten and Grade 1, this firewall is held only at the parent level. Your child does not need to know about adult-marketed cold practices yet. The Library teaches the general healthy framework (bundle up, warm food and drinks, never on natural ice, kids-and-water-with-grown-ups) without prescribing or naming any specific adult-marketed protocol. When your child is older (Grade 5), the Library will explicitly introduce the framework that distinguishes adult choices from age-appropriate kid practice.

Winter Mood Patterns (Parent Guidance)

Some kids notice mood changes in winter — sleepier, slower, sadder, less energetic. This is real biology — less sunlight affects mood-related brain chemistry and body clock timing [5, 6].

For G1 kids:

• Mild winter blues are common and usually pass
• Outdoor midday light helps (even cloudy days)
• Steady sleep schedule
• Movement (the Lion-Penguin partnership)
• Staying connected with people

If winter mood becomes:

• Persistent (more than 2 weeks)
• Severe (significant withdrawal, refusing activities)
• Accompanied by sleep/appetite changes
• Includes thoughts of self-harm (rare at G1; take seriously)

Contact your pediatrician. Seasonal mood patterns in kids are real. There is help. Some kids and grown-ups benefit from light boxes with doctor guidance.

What This Chapter Does Not Teach (Full List for Parent Reference)

• Words frostbite or hypothermia in kid-facing body (parent-only at K-G2; G5 introduces as vocabulary)
• Thermoregulation technical vocabulary (vasoconstriction, brown adipose tissue, etc. — G6+ territory)
• G4 two-jobs framework (heat-making/heat-keeping) — G4 territory
• G5 three-timescales framework — G5 territory
• SHIVERING-STOPS critical signal — G4 territory
• Temperature math (Fahrenheit/Celsius, wind chill formulas)
• Cold-plunge / ice-bath / cold-immersion protocols (parent-only awareness at K-2)
• 988 / Crisis Text Line / SAMHSA / NAED in kid-facing body (parent-only at K-G2)
• Detailed drowning physiology
• Seasonal Affective Disorder vocabulary in kid-facing body (G4+ territory)
• Pandemic-era topics
• Branded protocols or contemporary popularizers

Discussion Prompts

1. What is your favorite cozy thing about cold weather?
2. What is your least favorite cold-weather thing?
3. Have you ever been really cold? What helped?
4. Have you seen ice on a pond or lake? Did you know not to walk on it?
5. What would you do if your friend fell into a pool?
6. Have you noticed winter mood feeling different for you?

Common Kid Questions

1. "Why is the Penguin not cold?" — Penguins are built for cold. Thick feathers, layer of fat, special bodies designed for ice. Humans are not built like that. We need clothes.

2. "What if I love cold?" — That's great. Loving cold is fine. Just follow the rules — layers, never on natural ice, water + grown-up.

3. "What if I hate cold?" — Also fine. Many people prefer warm. Stay inside more in winter. Find your cozy.

4. "My uncle does cold plunges. Should I?" — That's an adult choice. Adults can do many things with their bodies that kids should not yet. The Penguin's rule for kids: not for you, not now.

5. "What if I fall through ice by accident?" — Try not to panic. Get to safe ground as fast as you can. Yell for a grown-up. Get warm and dry immediately. Tell a doctor too — even if you feel okay, falling in cold water needs a check-up.

6. "Why does my nose get cold first?" — Your nose is out in the air with not much skin or hair to protect it. Cover it with a scarf in really cold weather.

7. "Do penguins ever feel cold?" — Probably less than humans, but penguins do feel temperature. They huddle together when it's very cold to share warmth. Smart animals.

Family Activity Suggestions

• Winter clothes inventory. Together go through your child's winter clothes. Make sure each item fits.
• The kids-and-water-and-grown-up rule practice. Before any water activity (even bath), briefly remind the rule. Repetition matters.
• A cozy reading nook. Set up a special cold-weather reading spot with blankets.
• Hot drink night. Once a week in winter, warm drinks together.
• Outdoor winter adventure. Once a week if possible, bundle up and go outside.
• Winter mood check-ins. Ask your child weekly how winter is feeling.

Founder Review Notes — Safety-Critical Content Protocol

This chapter is flagged founder_review_required: true because it covers safety-critical content categories:

• Age-appropriate health messaging. FK 1-2 register. No technical vocabulary. No clinical labels in body.
• Cold-water safety (light-touch at K-G2 but absolute). Kids-and-water-with-grown-ups rule preserved and reinforced. Never-on-ice rule preserved. Never-go-in-after-someone teaching introduced at G1.
• Body image vigilance. "Every body handles cold in its own way" body-positive framing.
• Ability inclusion. Diverse winter scenes with adaptive equipment.
• Crisis resources. 911 in body at G1 (light reminder + cold-emergency context). 988 / Crisis Text Line / SAMHSA / NAED parent-only at K-G2. NEDA non-functional flag.
• Parent education (load-bearing). This Guide handles pediatric cold-weather safety, cold-water safety, K-12 cold-plunge firewall, winter-mood guidance.

Cycle Position Notes

FIFTH chapter of the G1 cycle. Opens the G1 environmental-coach arc (Cold → Hot → Breath → Light → Water). Third chapter in the Penguin's K-12 spiral. Body-mind-rest-movement core complete at G1; environmental coaches now layer climate, breath, light, water context. Climate-twin character with the Camel preserved at K register; deepened at G4/G5 to structural twin.

Parent Communication Template (send home before reading)

Dear families,

This week our classroom is meeting the Penguin again — the fifth G1 chapter, opening the environmental-coaches arc. The chapter is called Notice the Cold.

The Penguin's G1 chapter teaches:

• Noticing cold signals earlier (G1 skill)
• Parts that get cold first (hands, feet, ears, nose, cheeks)
• "Every body handles cold in its own way" carryforward from K
• The kids-and-water-with-grown-ups rule (load-bearing) — all water situations
• The never-on-ice rule (load-bearing) — natural ice is never safe; rinks are different
• NEW G1 teaching: never go in after someone who falls in water or through ice — yell for a grown-up
• Cozy feelings and layers
• Winter mood patterns (Penguin-Turtle partnership)
• When cold feels really off → tell a grown-up
• Light 911 reminder

The chapter does NOT teach the words frostbite or hypothermia in kid-facing body — those remain parent-vocabulary at K-G2. The kid learns "tell a trusted grown-up if cold feels really off."

988, Crisis Text Line, SAMHSA, and National Alliance for Eating Disorders remain parent-only at G1 (in the K-G2 tier).

The K-12 cold-plunge protocol-firewall is held entirely at parent level at K-G2. The Library teaches the general healthy cold-weather framework without prescribing or naming adult-marketed cold-exposure protocols.

At home, you can:

• Read this chapter during cold weather if possible
• Reinforce the kids-and-water and never-on-ice rules
• Practice the never-go-in-after-someone teaching with a "what would you do?" question
• Check your child's winter clothes and adjust as needed
• Notice your child's winter mood

Pediatric cold-weather safety, cold-water safety, K-12 cold-plunge firewall, and winter-mood guidance are in the full Instructor's Guide.

Thank you for reading the Library with your child.

---

Illustration Briefs

Chapter Introduction

• Bundled-up child with the Penguin. Peaceful winter scene at golden hour. A child bundled up (coat, hat, mittens, scarf) stands at edge of snowy yard. Breath visible as small cloud. The Penguin, plump and warm-looking, in the snow nearby. Soft pink-gold sky. Mood: cold but cozy, warm light.

Lesson 1.1

• Early cold signals grid. Multi-panel of diverse kids with early cold signals — small shiver, hands inside coat sleeves, breath cloud, red ear tips, goosebumps on bare arms. Each labeled. The Penguin in center. Caption: "Notice cold signals early. Small signals first."
• Parts that get cold first. Friendly visual of a child in winter gear with arrows pointing to parts that get cold first — fingers, toes, ears, nose, cheeks. Each labeled. The Penguin beside child. Caption: "Your body protects your important parts. Notice which parts of you get cold first."
• Diverse cold-handling. Diverse kids in winter — one bundled in many layers, one in lighter winter gear, one in winter-adapted wheelchair with extra blanket, one with hand warmers, one with adaptive UV-protection gear. All content. The Penguin in background. Caption: "Every body handles cold in its own way."

Lesson 1.2

• All water = grown-up close. Multi-panel of diverse water situations with grown-ups close and attentive — pool, lake, ocean, bathtub. Grown-ups fully attentive (no phones, eyes on kids). The Penguin nearby in each. Caption: "All water = trusted grown-up close. Always."
• Never on natural ice. Clear "DO NOT GO ON ICE" sign by frozen pond. Trusted grown-up gently holding kid's hand walking past on safe path. Both bundled. The Penguin in snow nearby, firm and serious. Caption: "Never play on natural ice. Kids and grown-ups walk past — never on."
• Never go in after someone (NEW G1 TEACHING). Kid on safe ground next to frozen pond yelling for help with hands cupped to mouth. Trusted grown-up running toward them in distance. The Penguin nearby on safe ground, firm but kind. Caption: "If someone is in trouble in water or on ice — yell for a grown-up. Never go in yourself."
• Safe water with grown-up. Beach scene where kid is happily playing in shallow water with parent right next to them. Lifeguard chair visible. The Penguin watches from rock. Caption: "Cold water is serious. Trusted grown-ups close, always."

Lesson 1.3

• Cozy scene. Warm cozy scene of kid wrapped in blanket on couch with parent nearby, holding warm mug. Snow falls outside window. Soft warm lamp light. The Penguin through window. Mood: deeply cozy, peaceful. Caption: "Notice cozy. Cozy is one of winter's best parts."
• Layers in stages. Kid in different stages of putting on winter layers, with trusted grown-up helping with harder parts (zipper, mittens). Labels visible (t-shirt, sweater, coat, snow pants). The Penguin nearby proud. Caption: "Layers help stay cozy. Trusted grown-ups help — and you are learning."
• Penguin-Turtle winter mood partnership. Child curled in window seat on winter day looking thoughtful but not distressed. Trusted grown-up beside, attentive. Snow falls outside. The Penguin through window, gentle. Mood: thoughtful, accompanied. Caption: "Notice your winter feelings. Tell a trusted grown-up if winter feels hard."

Activity / Closing

• A week of cold noticing. Calendar-style multi-panel showing seven activity days each with small noticing image. The Penguin watching warmly. Caption: "A week of cold noticing."

Aspect ratios: 16:9 digital, 4:3 print. Diverse skin tones, body sizes, hair textures, gender expressions, abilities (winter-adapted wheelchairs with snow tires, mobility aids, hand warmers, varied layer counts), and family compositions throughout. G1 kids visibly slightly older than K. The Penguin's character design carries forward from K and matches G3-G5.

---

Citations

1. American Academy of Pediatrics. (2018). Winter Safety Tips for Children. AAP Healthy Children. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-play/Pages/Winter-Safety-Tips.aspx
2. American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness. (2011). Climatic heat stress and exercising children and adolescents (companion guidance addresses cold weather and exercise for children). Pediatrics, 128(3), e741-e747. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2011-1664
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Drowning Prevention: Drowning Facts. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. https://www.cdc.gov/drowning/data-research/facts/
4. Tipton MJ, Collier N, Massey H, Corbett J, Harper M. (2017). Cold water immersion: kill or cure? Experimental Physiology, 102(11), 1335-1355. https://doi.org/10.1113/EP086283
5. Rosenthal NE, Sack DA, Gillin JC, et al. (1984). Seasonal affective disorder: a description of the syndrome and preliminary findings with light therapy. Archives of General Psychiatry, 41(1), 72-80. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.1984.01790120076010 (Cited for the parent-only winter-mood guidance.)
6. Swedo SE, Pleeter JD, Richter DM, et al. (1995). Rates of seasonal affective disorder in children and adolescents. American Journal of Psychiatry, 152(7), 1016-1019. https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.152.7.1016 (Cited for the parent-only winter-mood-in-kids guidance.)
7. American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Injury, Violence, and Poison Prevention. (2019). Prevention of Drowning. Pediatrics, 143(5), e20190850. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-0850