The Mitten Worksheets
About Our "The Mitten" Worksheets
The worksheets centered around The Mitten offer a meaningful and layered approach to exploring Jan Brett's classic story. Each activity is designed with care to build comprehension while inviting young readers to engage thoughtfully with the narrative. Rather than treating the book as a surface-level winter tale, the worksheets dig beneath the cozy imagery to highlight important literary concepts like plot development, character interactions, and the unfolding of themes. These activities go beyond simple recall and ask students to think critically, predict outcomes, and analyze character choices-all within the warm, folkloric framework of the story.
Each worksheet brings a different lens through which to study the text. For example, "Curious Contrast" encourages comparisons between the animals or even between expectations and outcomes, pushing students to notice patterns and shifts in the story's structure. "Hidden Clues" likely leans into inferencing, prompting students to pick up on subtle textual cues to predict or explain events. These kinds of tasks train students to read actively, picking up on the nuances of tone, foreshadowing, and cause-and-effect-skills that are foundational for more advanced literacy.
The cultural roots of The Mitten, which draws on Ukrainian folklore, are also woven into some of the exercises. Worksheets such as "Folk Fun" help frame the story within its traditional origins, introducing students to the values and storytelling customs of another culture. This opens up rich opportunities for discussion about folktales in general and what they can teach us about the societies that created them. These cultural explorations are not only educational-they add emotional and historical depth to what might otherwise be viewed as a simple children's book.
Other worksheets such as "Snowy Sequence" and "Snowy Setting" challenge students to track the progression of events and understand how the environment influences the plot. These activities focus attention on the logistics of storytelling: how events unfold in time and space, and how setting can reinforce or contradict a character's intentions. This kind of structural awareness is essential for students learning to both comprehend and eventually construct narratives of their own. It also ties into visual literacy, especially important with Jan Brett's highly detailed illustrations.
The value of sharing and making space for others is another core theme highlighted through worksheets like "Silly Squeeze" and "Sharing Space." These activities use the animals' increasingly tight quarters inside the mitten to spark conversations about cooperation, tolerance, and the consequences of unchecked crowding or selfishness. Rather than stating the moral outright, the story allows students to uncover it naturally through discussion and guided reflection, which the worksheets scaffold expertly. In this way, students aren't just learning how to read-they're learning how to think, feel, and grow through story.
What is "The Mitten"?
Jan Brett's The Mitten is a beautifully illustrated retelling of a traditional Ukrainian folktale that centers around a young boy named Nicki who loses one of his white mittens in the snow. The story unfolds as a variety of woodland animals, each larger than the last, find the mitten and decide to crawl inside it for warmth. From a tiny mole to a hefty bear, each creature politely squeezes in, until the mitten is stretched far beyond its natural limits. The gentle pacing and repetitive structure allow children to anticipate what might come next while reinforcing sequencing and memory skills.
At its heart, The Mitten is a story about sharing and the unexpected consequences of generosity. Though the mitten is not offered willingly-Nicki has no idea it's missing-it becomes a sanctuary for creatures seeking comfort in the cold. The animals do not fight or compete for space; instead, they somehow find a way to coexist, at least temporarily. This quiet act of cooperation, even in cramped conditions, speaks to a deeper message about community, empathy, and making room for others. Despite their differences in size and nature, the animals show a remarkable willingness to accommodate one another, demonstrating that even in small or unlikely spaces, kindness can thrive.
Another major theme in the story is the delicate balance between nature and order. The mitten is a symbol of warmth, security, and structure, but as more animals pile in, that structure becomes strained. The eventual bursting of the mitten, triggered by the tickle of a mouse's whiskers on a bear's nose, serves as both a humorous and symbolic climax. It reminds readers that every system-whether physical or social-has limits, and that pushing those limits, even with good intentions, can lead to a tipping point. Yet the story ends on a light note, reinforcing the cyclical, forgiving nature of folk tales: mistakes happen, life continues, and lessons are subtly learned.
Through its rich illustrations and rhythmic storytelling, The Mitten imparts lessons on patience, inclusivity, and the beauty of quiet resilience. It teaches young readers to observe carefully, to value cooperation over conflict, and to understand the consequences of their actions, all within a narrative that feels both timeless and tender. Brett's artistic details add an additional layer of meaning, often hinting at what's to come or revealing side stories within the borders of each page. In this way, The Mitten becomes not just a tale to read, but a world to explore-one that leaves a lasting impression through its warmth, wisdom, and understated humor.