red-roko: Winter

Showing posts with label Winter. Show all posts

Showing posts with label Winter. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

15 Minutes : Play It : Bubbles

image via psychologytoday.

My kids--even the school-age ones--love blowing, catching, stomping, and clapping bubbles. I don't know what happens when you blow bubbles on a cold winter day, but scholastic.com recommends trying it.

As for the random bubble questions that are bound to be posed, Bubblesphere provides more information about bubbles than I ever needed to know--and possibly enough facts for my curious kindergartener. For instance: What is the biggest bubble ever made? Why do bubbles pop? What is the best bubble solution?

We're going to be bubble experts after this activity.

Monday, January 11, 2010

15 Minutes : Make It : Snowmen on Sticks

image via familyfun.com

We like to make these seasonal snowmen for snack-times. Healthy and fun: that works for me. (I will not be giving a skewer to my almost-three-year-old; instead, I will arrange his snack on his plate. Still fun, yet no potential for danger in the hands of that little tornado.)

Find the easy instructions here, at familyfun.com.

Friday, January 8, 2010

15 Minutes : Know It : Bentley's Snowflakes

image via snowflakebentley.com

The above image was taken by Wilson Bentley, the first person to photograph a snowflake. His first successful photo was taken in 1885, and by the time of his death in 1931, he had taken over 5ooo photographs of snowflakes. You can see some of that collection in the book, Snowflakes in Photographs. Or, examine them closely by visiting SnowflakeBentley.com.

Interesting facts about snowflakes:

*Snowflakes always have six sides.

*The largest snowflake on record fell in Montana in 1887; it measured 15 inches in diameter and 8 inches thick.

*A blizzard occurs when you can't see more than 1/4 mile; the winds are at least 35 mph; and the storm lasts at least 3 hours. If any of these conditions are not present, it is only a snowstorm.

*Stampede Pass in Washington state receives the most snow in the USA: an average of 430 inches annually.

*A snowflake falls at an average speed of 3 mph.

Facts via suite101 and here.

Want more information about snowflakes or their photographer?

*Read the Caldecott Award-winning book about Wilson Bentley, aptly entitled, Snowflake Bentley.

*Learn more about Wilson Bentley here: Highlights Gallery of Bentley's Snowflakes

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

15 Minutes : Read It : Snowflake Bentley

image via bn.com

We discovered Snowflake Bentley when we were looking for a Caldecott non-fiction book. It was a surprising instant winner with my kids. The book tells the story of Wilson Bentley, a young man who lived in snowy New England during the late 1800s. He became fascinated with both snow and photography, and he experimented for years to capture pictures of snowflakes Bentley overcame failure, teasing, and many hours of working in the cold to create a collection of amazing, detailed photographs. Besides being so interesting, the woodcut illustrations in this book are simultaneously stunning and downright homey.

Find a copy at Barnes & Noble.

Monday, January 4, 2010

15 Minutes : Make It : Paper Snowflakes

image via Martha Stewart Kids winter 2002

So Simple. So Fun.
Makes for a great activity for those snowy and cold days.

Friday, December 4, 2009

Quick Share : Printable Hidden Pictures

image via here

My kids love those hidden pictures, and I like the printable ones from Highlights because they have illustrations of the hidden items at the bottom of the page. Here are some good ones for winter:

Snow Time
Snowy Days

And many more for any holiday or just any day.

Friday, January 23, 2009

1 Hour : Make It : Igloo

image via familyfun

Making igloos from sugar cubes: an oldie, but a goodie. This activity not only helps building skills, but also counting and small motor coordination. I'm going to try to include all three of my oldest children in the construction, so we'll be working on teamwork as well.

Instructions:
Start by laying a base row of sugar cubes around a 7-inch-diameter cardboard circle, leaving space for the entrance. Using a mortar of 2 egg whites mixed with 3 cups confectioners' sugar, add subsequent layers of cubes, one row at a time, decreasing the circumference gradually as you go. Apply the mortar to the top cubes, not to those already in place. Be sure to work alternately left and right from the entrance toward the back of the igloo and stagger the cubes the way a builder lays bricks. Build a total of 10 layers, stopping halfway through the construction to let the igloo dry. Make the arch and roof separately, working on a flat surface. When they are dry, glue them in place. Allow the igloo to dry completely, then sprinkle with a blizzard of sugar.
from FamilyFun.com

Monday, January 19, 2009

15 Minutes : Read It : A Winter Concert

image via education-world

A Winter Concert, by Yuko Takao, is a short, sweet, imaginative story of a mouse who attends a piano concert. As she walks home the music she heard gradually changes her surroundings from black and white to full-blown color. This simple book absolutely delights my four-year-old.

(This book is available used at several sites, such as alibris.com and half.com. I found a copy at the local library as well.)

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

15 Minutes : Make It : Icicle Painting

image via flickr.com

Draw a thick line of glue across the top of a black piece of construction paper (with the paper turned landscape style). Pick the paper up and let the glue run down the page. Sprinkle with irredescent glitter. Let dry

Saturday, January 10, 2009

15 Minutes : Know It : Snow

image via flickr

Did you know...the greatest North American snow storm in history occurred on Feb. 13–19, 1959 when 15 feet, 8 inches of snow fell in a single snow storm at Mt. Shasta Ski Bowl in California.

Snow crystals are born in the clouds when water vapor freezes on a particle of dust, a floating bit of bacteria, or another solid material. While no two snowflakes are alike, they can be generally classified into six basic patterns. Each type of flake is a result of unique atmospheric conditions. Think of them as a kind of "cloud diary" or a record of weather conditions when the crystal was formed.

Star: Star crystals are born at temperatures near -15 degrees C, and are among the most common type of snowflakes. They are as delicate as they look, and superstars are rare, because large flakes tend to become broken by wind and midair collisions with other crystals. Under ideal conditions several stars my join to form a larger snowflakes. The largest snowflake on record was reported to be a whopping 8" by 12" (about the size of a sheet of typing paper). It was reported to have fallen, probably with a thud, in Bratsk, Siberia in 1971.
Dendrites: Dendrites are stars with attitude. Essentially, they are three dimensional star crystals with branches growing on more than a single plane. Branches (or arms) connect randomly to a central structure. These complex critters form under extremely cold conditions (-20 to -25 degrees C) when high levels of atmospheric moisture are present.

Columns: Columns are produced when the air is dryer. They are generally smaller, have a higher density than star crystals, and form over a wide range of temperatures (15 to -25 degrees C).

Plate: Plates are wanna-be stars that are essentially moisture starved. They form at temperatures of -10 to -20 degrees C when there isn't enough atmospheric water vapor available to form the delicate arms of a classic star.

Column capped with plates: Capped columns are composite flakes formed when the particle of snow passes through different temperature and moisture zones on its journey to the ground. The columns form first, usually at higher and dryer regions of a cloud, and combine with star flakes as they fall through lower and wetter cloud elevations.

Needles: Needles are formed at the upper end of the temperature spectrum, usually when ground temperatures are at or near the freezing point. To grow, these crystals need an air temperature in the -5 to -10 degrees C range. Needles tend to produce a dense, stiff snow pack which can produce an avalanche under the right conditions.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

15 Minutes : Play It : Snowman Song

image via here

My little girl is at the perfect age to sing songs with actions. Right now we sing this song about a snowman several times a day.

"Once there was a snowman, snowman, snowman.
Once there was a snowman, tall, tall, tall.
(Move hands higher each time you sing tall and reach as high as you can.)
Once there was a snowman, snowman, snowman.
Once there was a snowman, small, small. small."
(Get smaller each time you sing small until you are on the floor.)

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

1 Hour : Play It : Snow Chateau

We're getting dumped on here in the Rocky Mountains and my kids are loving playing in our little winter wonderland. I think we'll try building these snow castles from FamilyFun. I love that you simply use the outdoors as your own personal freezer to set these structures the night before.

Craft Material

Plastic Containers

Food Coloring

Natural Materials

1. Fill containers (pails, gelatin molds, plastic storage containers, cups) with water. Then add food coloring (about 20 drops of color per cup of water) and freeze outside overnight.

2. Before building, bring the ice to room temperature. When you see a bit of water on top or when the ice turns in its container, that means the ice is ready to slip out.

3. Build away. Decorate the completed castles with sticks and mini pine boughs, if desired.

Tips: If the ice shapes aren't sticking when you stack, add snow between to "glue" them together.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

15 Minutes : Make It : Q-Tip Snowflakes

image via ehow.com

Lay a sheet of wax paper on a table. Use Q-tips to make a snowflake on top of the wax paper. Squirt glue on any spot where 2 Q-tips meet. Let dry completely and peel off of the wax paper. Don't forget, you don't have to use whole Q-tips, you can break them up and use pieces too!

Monday, January 5, 2009

1 Hour : Play It : Snow Sports

image via greenerloudoun.

Beyond angels and snowmen...I want to try some unusual "snow sports" with my kids.

--Play snow "basket"-ball. Scoop out a large bowl-shaped area in the snow and make a ton of snowballs, then see who can land the most into the basket.

--Try snowball catch for variation.

--Team up for snow hockey or golf. Use a broom for hockey, or bring along a toy club for golf.

--Have fun with outdoor tic-tac-toe. Use a long stick to draw the grid and the Xs and Os. Or color snowballs (use a spray bottle filled with watered-down food coloring) and throw them into the grid to play - red against blue, for example, instead of X vs. O.

--Go snow bowling. Line up inverted pails of snow, then try to knock them down with snowballs.
(via scholastic.com)

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

15 Minutes : Know It : The North Pole

image via wagglearena

Did you know that the North Pole is the most northern place on the Earth? That's why it's called the North Pole. Makes sense doesn't it! Besides knowing that Santa Clause and his elves live there, did you know that there are no trees at the North Pole because the ground is made entirely of ice? It's true.
Here are five more cool facts about the North Pole that you might not have known...

* The average temperature at the North Pole is zero degrees- about thirty-seven degrees colder than the inside of you refrigerator.

* The North Pole is not as chilly as the South Pole. Water underneath the icy North Pole helps keep the temperature warmer.

* The first explorer reached the North Pole in 1909. Now it has about 200 visitors each year.

* It's light out twenty-four hours a day in summer, and dark all winter.

* The North Pole gets so little rain or snow that it is actually a desert.

facts via Martha Stewart Kids 2004

Saturday, November 29, 2008

15 Minutes : Read It : Sleep, Black Bear, Sleep

image via bn.com

Sleep, Black Bear, Sleep is a wintery bedtime book written in rhyme. Each page says goodnight to a different animal in a different habitat, each drawn with a combination of human and animal details (for example, the gopher rests in an English cottage burrow). I am particularly impressed by the variety of words used for "sleep".

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