It's a Snowy Five For Friday (0n Monday)

It's funny how when you get out of the habit of doing something, how difficult and scary it can be to start again.  That's me.  I can't believe how nervous (and excited) I am to be blogging again.

I love linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching and Five For Friday...so this is a great place to start (even if it is Monday)!

Is it snowing where you are?  After two no snow winters we have snow that doesn't seem to want to stop.  We have been taking advantage of it and having some great fun and learning too.

On Tuesday we had cold frost coming out of the air forming perfect crystals.   We went out right away with little magnifying glasses and black paper to see if we could catch some....and WE DID!!

My best advice is to take advantage quickly.  If you wait, the flakes may be gone, or as the day warms up, turn into rain.  The colder the better (they don't melt as fast on the paper or your clothes) and you don't have to be out for a long time.  Be sure to write, draw, and talk about what you discovered.

If you have lots and lots of fresh snow try this recipe for snow cream:

You can keep the ingredients on hand if you use canned milk (for that surprise snowstorm)

Of course it is not a good snowstorm if you can't make a snowman.  But it was, so we did!

After making snowmen I got sooo much good writing!!!  My students were motivated!

We also reenacted The Snowy Day (good chance to talk about why we don't through snowballs).  No pictures, but lots of giggles when I knocked snow onto my own head.

No snow where you live??  I have a solution for that too.  Try this recipe for snow.  My kids went crazy over it.

You could also have a little snowball fight during math.  Try this game for practicing missing addends. 

You can pick up a copy of my recording sheets, instructions, and a Math Talk workmat in my TpT store for FREE!  Just click right here or on the picture.

Don't be afraid to bundle up and take your students outside in the snow....or if that is not possible, bring some snow into your students and have some FuN (and learning too).

Snowflakes and Sandy Hook

Yesterday I was spending some quality grandma time with my first grade grandson making snowflakes. 

I wanted to remember how to fold the paper to make some really cool snowflakes, not just the lame fold it twice ones that 6 year olds love to make (I seem to always forget and need a quick refresher).  So of course I googled for directions and came across this article: 

Schoolchildren Send Thousands of Handmade Snowflakes to Sandy Hook

I first thought what a fun idea...then, is this real?  The answer is yes...and no.  There are snowflakes being sent to Newtown from around the globe.  I checked out several other sources and it seems that even though they have many, many snowflakes, they thought they could accept them until the 12th of January.    But no....not any more, they have too many snowflakes.  However they still want everyone to feel they can participate, so the Connecticut PTSA has asked you to make your own awesome winter wonderland and send a picture.  You can read their statement here.  They will share the picture with the families of Sandy Hook and participating communities.  Send your picture to:

Connecticut PTSA

60 Connolly Parkway, 
Building 12,  Suite 103,
 

Hamden, CT 06514.

So now...how do you make a blizzard in you classroom?

I start with a little science lesson on snow...I like using this book:

and this applet from from the University of Wisconson and CIMSS

 along with great pictures and information from NOAA and Snow Crystals.com

Then if we are lucky enough to have a snowy day (and I often save this for just such a day, but not this time if we are going to send off snowflakes) we go out and collect snowflakes.  Cold dark paper works well, but dark fleecy clothes work better.  This is also a good time to break out the magnifying glasses.  I have a classroom set of cheap ones that I keep handy.

I like to read Snowflake Bentley, the biography of the man who photographed snowflakes.

Then it is time to create....

start with a square

fold it diagonally

then again

then in thirds

and cut across the top.

Martha Stewart has better pictures than mine....here.

Keep track of the center, and don't cut away all of any folded edge.  Remember the more you cut, the lacier and more delicate your snowflake will be.


Is this too tough for 5-6 year old fingers?  Try this:

Take your square, fold it in half

fold it in half again

fold it into a triangle and cut across the top.

Now start cutting little shapes and squiggles.  Once again remember don't cut away all of the folded sides.

You could add to your these books reading list: