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Winter

As the temperature begins to fall and you hope for the first snow fall, do some investigation about what actually makes winter winter.

• Teachers: Winter is a season that allows you to bring in all sorts of fun math and science projects that can be done at home or school. Encourage your class to explore this site to establish some background information that they mold into 2 essential questions for more in-depth study.
• Parents: Chilly evenings give you time to cuddle up in front of the computer to share your knowledge of old man winter.

Indiana Academic Standards
English/Language Arts

Standard 4: Writing Process/Research and Technology

English/Language Arts

Standard 7: Listening and Speaking

Science

Standard 4: Living Environment

SnowSchool

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SnowSchool is a non-commercial, science based education program. SnowSchool's mission is to provide science based lessons and life experience to classrooms.

Suggested Activities for Students

Visit SnowSchool Links from home and complete the following: :

1. Find a link that tells you something you didn't know.
2. Prepare an interesting way to share your new knowledge with your class. Don't forget to give the web site credit for your new facts!

Tips for Teachers

1. Preview the student links listed above, make sure you know if there are any broken links to avoid wasted time. Have the students create a list of favorite links.
2. Select "Science" from the top left corner of this site. Review the 2 for possible use in your classroom.

Tips for Parents

Explore this site with your child and discuss the idea of snow shoes. Visit the public library and find some books to share on this topic.

Winter Storms

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This site has winter storm content resources, an interactive weather maker, winter storms timeline, and an interview with a weather expert. The site also links to a teacher resource guide, a recommended book list, an extreme weather research starter, and a weather lab.

Suggested Activity for Students

1. Visit the link titled "All About Winter Storms" for an introduction to winter storms.
   1. What weather elements contribute to cold-weather events like blizzards and ice storms?
   2. Can you figure out those confusing "Winter Storm Terms"?
   3. What is a "Wind Chill Factor"?
2. Next, use the Interactive Weather Maker to turn a sunny day into a windy day, or create a rainy day or cause a blizzard!
3. Using the Winter Storm Timeline explore famous winter storms throughout American history.
4. Read student questions about winter storms and the answers provided by a weather expert. Submit your own question when you visit the link "Ask Our Weather Expert."

Tips for Teachers

1. Visit the "Teacher's Guide" for background information on introducing this unit to your class.
2. Have students work in small groups to research this site and find new information about winter storms.
3. Create a class slide show about winter weather facts the students have learned.

Tips for Parents

1. Before exploring this site with your child, discuss and record all the winter weather facts you know. Share any winter weather stories you have personally experienced.
2. Visit this site and add any new facts about winter weather you learn to your list.
3. Create a poster or a slide show about the winter weather facts you've learned from this site.

Additional Winter Activities

DLTK's Winter Crafts for Kids

Interested in making a snowman, a wreath, penguins, or a mitten? This site has the patterns and instructions you need, plus coloring pages and e-cards. visit this site

Billy Bear's Winter Holidays

Want to play winter or arctic animal games? Test your skills and learn to make a snowman snowflake or a snow globe. Print coloring pages, download screen savers, wallpaper and jigsaw puzzles, and more.... visit this site

Winter Fun at Kaboose

Looking for clip art and icons, printable activities, coloring pages, Mac and PC software with a winter theme, Java and Shockwave games, or links to other fun winter sites? Try this site! visit this site

Winter Sites

Online games and activities for winter fun! visit this site

Suggested Activity for Students

Visit one or more of the sites listed above. Select 5 of your favorite activities. Now ask your friends to visit each of these sites and to vote on each. The top site gets 5 points, the next gets 4, then 3, 2 and 1. Create a spreadsheet to track the votes each activity gets from your friends. At the end of the voting, plan a winter party to celebrate !

Tips for Teachers

Help the students hone their essential questions and choose one to do more in-depth research involving some hands-on experimentation that will require scientific thinking and practical math.

Tips for Parents

• Engage you child in some experimentation, observation and measurement around winter activities.
• Some basic suggestions include observing and comparing the rate of thawing of an ice cube:
  • in a glass by itself
  • in a glass of pop on the desk
  • in a glass of pop in the refrigerator
• Have your child collect the length of time it took in each case, and to explain the results.

Buddy² Resource Links

Visit additional resources that are on our site as you develop your winter thematic unit:

Winter Computer Capers