The Story of Snow by Mark Cassino celebrates the magic of snow through science, math, language arts, music, and visual art activities. The Story of Snow uses a brilliant balance of incorporating photographs of crystals, pen & ink drawings, text for 3 different reading levels, and uncovering the mystery of snow. It serves equally as both a fascinating non-fiction journey and an inspiring nature art book. For those who love snow, The Story of Snow opens the door of awe and wonder of the magnificent wet stuff and takes us on a personal journey.
Something To Do
Paper Snowflakes
When I think of snowflakes, I think of being a small child and cutting my very own out of paper. As a family we’ve spent countless hours doing the very same thing.
A Resource of snowflake patterns:
For small children who are learning how to use scissors or have just learned how to use scissors go to the snowflake creator here.
Here are eight simple snowflake patterns for ages 7 and up.
Here are 5 snowflake patterns good for ages 8 and up.
Here are 10 complex snowflake patterns for ages 9 and up.
Affirmation Snowflakes:: Letters from the Sky
The Story of Snow ends with a quote from Japanese scientist Ukichiro Nakaya: “A snow crystal is a letter from the sky.”
Scientifically this is a true statement. Each snowflake will tell you what the temperature was when it was formed. How much moisture is there, and how it grew as it froze etc. All of the these great details are in The Story of Snow.
The ides of messages or letters from the sky got us thinking,wouldn’t it be great if we could catch snowflakes and save them for later ?
If we could, what would our messengers from the sky tell us?
Cut a few snowflakes from the instructions and templates above. Open up each snowflake and write a little message on it. I’ve given you some ideas below. Next fold them back up and put them in a jar. Each day pull out a snowflake and read it’s special message. You can also do this in reverse. Each day cut a snowflake and write a message then put it in the jar to pull it out again one day.
Affirmation Ideas:
- I am awesome
- I am very intelligent.
- Learning is fun and exciting.
- I have many gifts and talents.
- I am unique and special.
- My family, friends, and teachers love me for who I am.
Telling Time With Snow
- 12 x 12 white or off white scrap book paper or a paper plate.
- Pencil and Ruler
- Puffy Paint
- If using the scrap book paper, trace a dinner sized plate onto the paper.
- Starting with the number 12 and then moving onto 1, draw the numbers like a clock in the circle.
- To make a 6 sided snowflake we need to draw 6 guide lines. Draw one line from 12 to 6, another from 10 to 4, and the last line from 8 to 2.
- Using puffy paint in the color of your choice. Draw over the guide lines. Cover the ends of the lines in the center by making a little circle of puffy paint. Make a triangle at the top of each one and then some snowflake like designs working towards just under the triangle.
- Let dry.
- Hang on the wall, bulletin board, or fridge. Now we can honestly say it’s snow time.
Catch Your Own Snow Crystals
“Once a snow crystal lands, it starts to wither away. Snow crystals can’t keep growing after they fall from the clouds and soon breaks down. This means if you want to see a snow crystal, you need to catch it in the air,….”
You will Need:
- A piece of dark cardboard of foam board. It should be about 8 x 10 inches. Make sure the cardboard is stiff enough to stay flat when held by one edge.
- A magnifying glass so you can see the snow crystals better.
During the Snow Crystal Catching
- Put the cardboard or foam outside for at least ten minutes before catching snow. The board needs to be cold or else the snow will melt the second it hits the board. Make sure the board stays cold and dry.
- Gripping the board by one edge, hold the board out flat and watch as snow lands on it. If it’s snowing hard stand under a porch or patio so less snow falls on the board.
- Look at the smaller pieces of snow that land on the board. This is where you’ll find individual snow crystals. Use your magnifying glass to look at them closely.
- Once you’ve looked at them, shake off the board and try again.
Snow Storm in a Jar
What happens when you get a lot of snowflakes? A snow storm. Doing all of these snowflake activities had a wishing for a very large snow storm. Since one isn’t in the neighborhood, we decided to make one in the kitchen instead.
What you’ll need:
- A tall or fat glass jar or something similar
- Baby oil
- White paint
- Water
- Iridescent glitter
- Alka Seltzer
Fill the jar 3/4 of the way with baby oil. In a bowl mix together very warm water and white paint to make white water. In a bowl place enough warm water that will almost fill the top of the jar. Add white paint to the warm water and stir well. Once mixed pour the white water into the jar. Sprinkle in the glitter. Then wait for the glitter and water to settle at the bottom of the jar.
Once the water is settled it is time to make a snow storm! This is our favorite part !!! Take an Alka Seltzer tablet and break it into pieces. Have the kids drop the pieces into the jar and watch what happens
DON’T FORGET! There’s only a few days left of the Audrey Press Holiday Book Sale! (ends 12/31/14)
A Year in the Secret Garden (inspired by the classic children’s book Secret Garden) is on a wonderful sale until December 31st. Books always make an excellent gift for anyone in your life and it’s not too late to get your copy of A Year in the Secret Garden book for the special holiday price of $15.00 (ends December 31st) if you use the secret code word secret garden at checkout.
This guide uses over two hundred full color illustrations and photos to bring the magical story to life, with fascinating historical information, monthly gardening activities, easy-to-make recipes, and step-by-step crafts, designed to enchant readers of all ages. There’s also a link to a free download website for all of the wonderful paper toys that Marilyn Scott-Waters has created. Each month your family will unlock the mysteries of a Secret Garden character, as well as have fun together creating the original crafts and activities based on the book. This book also includes month-by-month activities as well INCLUDING fun book-related fun for the colder months of the year!
Get your copy here.
**some of these links are affiliate links
The post Snow Festival Day 4: The Story of Snow (and some Affirmation Snowflakes!) appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
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As a teacher, I loved reading your reccommendations! I can’t wait to find the Groundhog’s day book you suggested at the top. It’s always a fun holiday to celebrate because, frankly, we’re all just looking for something fun to celebrate between Christmas and Easter! Thanks!
You’re very welcome! It does seem as if spring is far away, doesn’t it? I’d love to hear how this goes over with your students.