Sparkly, glistening, wonderous snow! When watching the snow fall from the sky on a cold night, children always marvel at the experience. Snowflakes are each unique and make for a perfect Snow Science Unit Study!
Most kids fully enjoy playing out in the snow. They like building snowmen, sledding, snowball fights, and digging tunnels and igloos. Why not take this as an opportunity to discover that fluffy fun white stuff on a new level?
Related: 7 Tips to Handle Your Kids Wet Snow Gear
Snow Science is a terrific chance to sneak in some learning and discovery, all while having fun!
It is another great way to get your kids outdoors too! They can breathe in that fresh air and run and laugh while climbing a HUGE snow mountain.
So let’s pull together a simple and fun Snow Science Unit Study!
What to Study about Snow
There are a few ways to study snow and the science behind it. I have pulled together resources that are pretty generic with a focus on snowflakes.
When you start to consider how to prepare a Snow Science Unit Study, you should consider the area where you live. Winter is obviously a very perfect time to do some snow science, but only if you live in a region where it snows!
IF you do not live in a snowy region you can replicate some snow with a few of these fun items.
Instant Snow Powder or Quick Snow Powder: Instant Snow
In New England, we have a full winter season and get snow every year.
BOOKS & RESOURCES
Snow and snowflakes are so fun to discover with books. These that I have selected each have beautiful pictures and activities to learn more about snow.
The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter’s Wonder
Snowflakes in Photographs (Dover Pictorial Archive)
Stories about Snowflakes are also a fun addition to a unit study! Kids enjoy the personification of animals and snowflakes, which really brings the experience to life.
The Tiny Snowflake is a book that I have read countless times to my girls. They love Lacy and her discovery of her beautiful purpose. Lacy is fearfully and wonderfully made!
Snowflake Bentley is another great book about a scientist who longed to photograph and discover snowflakes. This is a TOP read!!
“Of all the forms of water the tiny six-pointed crystals of ice called snow are incomparably the most beautiful and varied.” — Wilson Bentley (1865-1931)
Here are a few other fun read aloud book that you can buy or borrow from your public library!
PRINTABLES
When doing a unit study on snow science, you will want to spend time observing and creating.
- First Palette has some cute and simple Snowflake Coloring pages
- Here are their snowflake templates to cut your own to hang up. I love these since they are print and cut!
- Mama’s Learning Corner has this great Life Cycle of a Snowflake Book
- Here is a Writing Prompt I created for you to have the kids write their own little story with a picture. Just click for an instant download.
Snow Science Hands-On Activities
There are lots of options for hands on activities in a Snow Science Unit Study.
We also love our little Snowman Stones that we made. The kids mix and match them for fun.
TRIPS OUTSIDE
Heading out to your own yard on a snow day is certainly going to give you lots to explore and discover. Bundle up your kids and head out.
You can also go for a short hike through the woods to see snow drifts and look for animal tracks in the snow.
Ask your kids to engage their senses when out in the snow. Have them close their eyes to listen, smell, and feel their surroundings. Have you ever noticed how quiet it is in the snow? Reconnect with Nature explains it perfectly.
“But there’s science behind the silence as well. That’s because snow absorbs sound, so when a fresh blanket of snow covers the landscape it absorbs many of the sound waves, making it seem quieter outside, according to AccuWeather.”
Related Post: Pinecone Birdfeeders
Measure Water Content of Snow
Did you know that 4 inches of snow is NOT the same as 4 inches of rain? Measure it!!
Using the Scientific Method you can walk through this super fun activity. Simply collect your supplies, create a “hypothesis”, and execute the experiment. Here is a simple worksheet from Half Hundred Acre Woods
Supplies:
- 1-3 Glass mason jars or cups
- Dry Erase Marker
- Ruler
- Snow
- Paper & pencil
- Clock or timer
- Collected these items, fill up your jar or jars with different measures of snow.
2.Draw a visible line to indicate where the snow was filled.
3. Bring the jar in a warm spot, set a timer, or write the time down, and allow the snow to melt. I like to measure the SNOW line at this point.
4. Have the kids make “educated guesses” or “hypothesis” on what amount of water they think the snow will be once melted.
5. Once you have a jar with only water, draw a second visible line to indicate the water line.
6. Using a ruler, measure the snow line and the water line to compare. WOW!!!
You can do a few different jars with varying amounts to do a comparison and contrast.
Snow Treats
SNOW Ice Cream
Activities that you can eat always seem to be a HUGE hit with my kiddos.
This treat is super easy and fun to eat and it is only 3 ingredients.
- 8-12 cups of fresh snow
- 10 oz. can of Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Mix these up in a large bowl and enjoy with toppings. My kids like to add chocolate chips, sprinkles, caramel, and nuts.
SNOW Candy
Making Snow Candy is an old-fashioned method that is great when reading about Little House on the Prairie or Westward Expansion.
Check out this recipe and step-by-step to make Maple Syrup Candy on MyRecipes.com.
Online Resources
Websites
Check out these websites and let your kids see and discover all of the incredible ways to explore SNOW.
- National Snow and Ice Data Center has so many fun facts on snow! You can learn about different types of snow, how snow forms, and even about avalanches!
- Snowcrystals.com has some great links and facts specific to snowflakes.
- At the National Severe Storms Laboratory, you can find many FAQ’s that are fun to discuss with kids. Questions like: Can it be too cold to snow? What is Thundersnow?
YouTube
You can find lots of clips on YouTube about birds and nests.
- Where do Snowflakes Come From? by SciShow Kids is a PERFECT short clip with fun characters that will teach your kids quick facts.
- How a Snowflake is Formed from Wild Kratts on PBS is a clip that is great for young viewers.
- Here is one by Tabitha Elkins that shows the uniqueness of each snowflake and divines creation by God.
Movies
After all that fun playing in the snow, you might want to snuggle in with some warm hot cocoa and a few SNOW themed movies that kids enjoy.
Here are a few we love:
- “Chronicles of Narnia” classic with a great understory of Christ’s love for us
- “Frozen” & “Frozen 2” for those who love Disney
- “Balto” for your animal lovers
- “Happy Feet”
- “Snow Buddies”
- “Ice Age”
- “March of the Penguins” is great and you can combine it with my birds and nests unit.
If you want to see why I prefer a Simple Unit Study Plan you can check out this post.
Get started TODAY! Grab my Simple Unit Study Plan FREE printable. This is the outline that I have used to pull together this Weather Unit Study.
I really hope that you enjoy the different ways to discover Snow and Snowflakes in this Unit Study.
Try making your own Snowman Stones with this tutorial too.
Leave me a comment on how it went in your home!
Best,
More Snow and Winter Ideas
CHECK OUT OTHER THE UNIT STUDIES
Wiggly Worms Unit Study
Weather Unit Study
Ocean Shore Unit Study
Butterfly Unit Study
Bird & Nests Unit Study
Snow Science Unit Study
Clouds Unit Study
Changing Leaves Unit Study