Martin, Jacqueline, 1998 "Snowflake Bentley" Houghton Mifflin Company
Snowflake Bentley is a great book to use when teaching about the water cycle and precipitation. It takes a deeper look into the structure of a snowflake and is a fun book to read if you are from Vermont!
Materials:Snowflake Bentley
White Paper
Scissors
Tape
Crayons/Markers
Pencil
Classroom: The lesson will begin by reading Snowflake Bentley to the class, since the man is from Vermont and the story takes place there it should draw the students attention right away. This should take approximately 10 mins. Next each student will be handed a piece of plain white paper and told to fold it in half (hamburg style) and then once more. They will then take the left corner and fold it over so the edge is lined up with the right side. It should now look like a triangle with a flap at the bottom. This flap can now be cut off. The students can decide to either fold their paper again or start cutting. They can cut as much or as little as they would like. Once they are finished and don't want to cut anymore, they can open it up. They will then be given a piece of tape to tape their snowflake onto the window.
This activity will show them that even though there are (however many number of kids in the classroom), that each and every snowflake looks a little bit different than the rest. There will not be two that look the exact same.
Homework: The students will make a story about a snowflake and it's journey through the water cycle with illustrations. For example how it was first rolled into a snowball and then made into the body of a snowman. The sun came out and it floated up into the air where it hung out in the clouds for awhile. Later how it started snowing again and the snowflake landed on the mitten of a young boy waiting for the bus. They will then come into class the next day and break into partners and share their story with their partner.
Blooms Taxonomy
Knowledge: The students will build on previous knowledge of the water cycle and learn that water can come in many forms such as snow.
Comprehension: The students will be given a chance to show that they have an understanding of the water cycle by creating their story about the snowflake. They will also have to share their story with their partner and see the water cycle from another perspective.
Application: By writing the stories the students will show that they have enough knowledge about the topic to create something completely their own.
Analysis: The students will learn about each individual part of the water cycle and what happens at each stage and that all stages have an important role.
Synthesis: The students will be able use information they know as well as add new information to create a story.
Evaluation: The students will be assessed on how well they understand the water cycle which is shown through their stories.
