Learning Unit
Up To Our Nose In Snow

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

Declarative

• Students will understand non-standard units of measurement.
• Understand standard units of measurement
• Understand graphing
• Learn characteristics of snow through the use of their Five Senses

Procedural

• Detect patterns in snowflakes
• Create snowflakes
• Observe frost development
• Record oral observations
• Observe melting snow and ice
• Compare and contrast the melting process
• Measure with non-standard units
• Decision making on what non-standard units to measure with
• Record information in math journals
• Collect, record, graph data, and compare data while measuring with non-standard and standard units of measurement
• Measure snow fall amount in inches
• Collect and record data of snow fall amount
• Compare and contrast snow fall amount in another region
• Use a computer to e-mail a designated school in a specific region

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

• What is measurement?
• What is snow?
• What would our life be like without measurement?

INITIATING ACTIVITY

The students will help develop a K-W-L graphic organizer on chart paper about snow. The students will brainstorm what they Know about snow, Want to learn about snow, and at the end of the unit what they Learned about snow.

LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Declarative Knowledge

Snow

1. The students will know or understand:

the characteristics of snow

Experiences or activities:

Initiating Activity-teacher directed whole group brainstorming discussion

Strategies:

K-W-L Graphic Organizer

What will be done:

During the initiating activity, the students will develop a K-W-L on snow. The students will brainstorm a list on chart paper about what they know about snow, what they want to learn about snow, and at the end of the unit what they learned about snow.

• The students will know or understand:

the characteristics of snow

Experiences or activities:

"A Chilling Mystery"

Strategies:

Employing a variety of senses to figure out that snow or ice is inside a brow grocery bag.

Materials:

Large resealable bag

Large brown grocery bag

Snow or crushed ice

Chart paper

Plastic cups

The teacher prepares ahead of time the following observation chart on chart paper

Observation

Using the Five Senses

Sight

Touch

Smell

Taste

Hearing

The teacher needs to place snow or ice in a resealable bag and place this bag into a large grocery bag. Place this in a cold place until it is ready to be used.

Directions:

1. Present the large brown grocery bag to the students.
2. Have the students predict what they think is inside the bag.
3. Have a few students hold onto the bag with two hands and describe to the rest of the students what it feels like - if it is heavy or light.
4. Begin to fill in the observation chart while doing this.
5. Have a few students feel inside the bags and share what it feels like.
6. Continue to fill in the chart and observe until someone has made a correct prediction that it is snow.
7. Pass out plastic cups filled with snow or ice, so that each student has an opportunity to observe the snow individually, while finishing filling in the observation chart.

3. The student will know or understand: the characteristics of snow

Experiences or activities: Pictograph of Snow

Strategies: pictograph graphic organizer

What will be done: On chart paper, the teacher writes the word snow in the middle and draws a circle around it

1. The students brainstorm whatever they can think of about snow.
2. The teacher draws a line from the circle and at the end of the line draws a picture of what the student brainstormed about snow. For example, if the student said sledding, the teacher draws a sled or if the student said ice skating, the teacher draws an ice skate, etc.

4. The students will know or understand: the characteristics of snow

Experiences or activities: Up Close and Personal

Strategies: individual observations

What will be done:

The students observe snowflakes up close.

Materials:

A piece of dark colored construction paper, felt, velvet, flannel, or fabric

Magnifying glasses

A snowy day (the light fluffy snow is best)

Directions:

1. This can be done either outside or inside.
2. Place the dark colored material where the snow can fall right on it.
3. Observe the snow first with the naked eye then with the magnifying glass.
4. If you do this inside, the material will have to be placed several times outside of the window, because the snow melts very quickly that the students do not have enough time to truly observe it.
5. Ask the students what they have notice about the snow/snowflakes. Record observations on chart paper.

If there is no snow where you live, show the students pictures of snowflakes or even make paper snowflakes for the students to observe.

Students will observe that all snowflakes are different and no two are exactly alike.

5. The students will know or understand: the characteristics of snow

Experiences or activities: Snowflakes or No Flakes?

Strategies: patterns and vocabulary development

What will be done:

The students will find out that even though no two snowflakes are exactly alike, that they do have something in common. That is all snowflakes are six sided crystals. The teacher before this activity can draw pictures of crystals with six sides and crystals without six sides (for examples - two, three, five, seven, eight, nine, etc.) on white cards or unruled index cards.

1. Present the students with a picture of a six sided crystal and teacher explains that this is a snowflake
2. The teacher presents another picture of a crystal that is not six sided and explains that this is not a snowflake.
3. Ask the students to observe and compare the crystals
4. Observe how many sides each crystal has and discuss
5. Continue to show the pictures of crystals and reinforce that the six sided crystal is a snowflake
6. Have the students count the sides while observing the crystals
7. Continue this until the students discover that all crystals with six sides are snowflakes

Measurement

6. The students will know or understand: non-standard units of measurement

Experiences or activities : Introduction to Measurement with Non-standard Units

Strategies: vocabulary development, teacher directed whole group brainstorming discussion, sharing and constructing meaning

What will be done:

1. The teacher reads the literature book I'm Growing by Aliki and discuss.

On chart paper write the following question What do we measure (teacher's name) with?

Brainstorm a list of non-standard units to measure with (may need assistance at first)

At first, the teacher may lay on the floor for the students to measure non-standard units next to him or her.

Then, place masking tape on the floor for the students to measure non-standard units on.

Record the amount of each measurement on the chart and discuss.

This may take more than one day. On the second day read the literature book, Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni. This presents that measurement involves placing non-standard units touching each other while measuring. This is reinforcing how to measure.

7. The students will know or understand: standard units of measurement

Experiences or activities: Introduction to Measurement with Standard Units

Strategies: concept development and constructing meaning

What will be done:

1. Read the literature book Long, Short, High, Low, Thin, Wide by James Fey. This is an introduction to measuring with a standard unit. This book discusses the origins of an inch, foot, yard, and a mile. Follow up with discussion.

This is a move from measuring with a non-standard unit to a standard unit.

Learning Experiences

Procedural Knowledge

Snow

1. The students will be able to: detect patterns in their snowflakes, create snowflakes

What will be done to help students: follow step be step oral directions, teacher "talks aloud" and modeling, while students are creating snowflakes, continuation of Declarative Knowledge Learning Experience #5

What will be done: Snowflakes twirling and swirling In the Air

Before doing this activity teach the students this song.

Winter Snow (tune "Frere Jacques")

Snowflakes swirling.

Snowflakes twirling.

Winter day.

On the way.

Winter snow is falling.

Mr. Snowman's calling,

"Come and play;

Coma and play."

Materials:

9" white paper plates

White construction paper (in the shape of a square or circle)

Scissors

White yarn

Black marker

Hole puncher

1. A spiral design should be drawn with black marker on the white paper plate from the outside in
2. The students cut on the black spiral line
3. Holes should be punched in the paper plate ith a hole puncher (the teacher may want to do this)
4. The students folds the white construction paper (square or circle shape)

The teacher needs to model how to fold and cut the snowflakes out.

• The students cut the snowflakes out - keeping in mind that no two snowflakes are exactly alike and that all snowflakes have six sides.
• The students can cut out several snowflakes (anywhere from 4 to 6)
• After this, the students string the snowflakes with the white yarn and tie to the paper plates spiral design
• Decorate the classroom with this whirlwind of twirling and swirling snowflakes hanging from the ceiling

1. The students will be able to: observe frost development and collect and record oral observations

What will be done to help students: chart observations and share and reflect on observations

What will be done: The Frost Experiment

The students become scientists and discover how frost develops when moist air touches and freezes on the side of a cold can.

Materials:

Empty metal cans (size does not matter)

Spoons

Salt

Ice cubes

Water

1. Ask the students what they observe on the windows on a cold morning
2. Discuss that this is frozen ice crystals called frost
3. Have students work with a partner or alone and place two to three ice cubes in a empty metal can
4. Pour water over the ice cubes
5. Sprinkle salt onto the ice cubes and water
6. Stir with a spoon
7. Ask the students about what they notice on the outside of the cold can (Frosr will develop on the outside of the cold can).
8. Teacher records observations on chart paper.

1. The students will be able to: observe melting snow and ice, compare and contrast the melting process, and make predictions

What will be done to help students: sharing and reflecting chart for recording data

What will be done: Melting Snow

What happens when the snow melts? Have the students make this discover.

Materials:

3 large clear containers

Snow

Ice

Chart paper

Markers

The teacher writes on chart paper write the following information:

1. Go outside and place snow tightly packed and loose into two of the containers
2. Place ice cubes in the third container
3. Mark a line on each of the containers to show how much snow and ice there is to begin with
4. Predict which will melt first. Record predictions
5. Leave the containers in a place where the students can observe what is happening
6. Fill in the chart as needed until all of the snow and ice is melted
7. Mark a line on each of the containers to show how much water the snow and ice leave. Discuss the similarities and differences.
8. Write on chart paper and read the following poem following this experiment

Where Does the Snow Go?

Where does the snow go

When it slowly melts away?

All the fluffy, lovely white

I wish that it could stay.

But seasons always change

And out comes the sun.

The snow melts into water

And makes the rivers run.

List of Literature Books

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats All About Snow and Ice by Stephen Krenskey

Snowballs by Lois Ehlert Here Comes the Snow by Angelea Shelf Medearis

One Snowy Day by Jeffery Scherer Snowy Day by Betsy Maestro

The First Snow by David Christiana The Big Snow by Berta and Elmer Hader

Snow Angel by Jean Marzollo Snow Day by Moria Fain

Snowed In by Barabara M. Lucas

Fingerplays

Snow Falls on My Shoulders by Beverly Gower

Snow falls on my shoulders. (wiggle fingers in the sir and touch shoulders)

Snow falls on the ground. (wiggle fingers down to ground)

Snow falls all around me. (wiggle fingers all around)

Snow makes not a sound. (bring index finger to lips)

Snowflakes, One By One

One little snowflake with nothing to do.

Along came another, and then there were two.

Two little snowflakes playing in a tree.

Along came another, and then there were three.

Three little snowflakes looking for some more.

Along came another, and then there were four.

Four little snowflakes that finally did arrive.

Along came another, and then there were five.

Five little snowflakes having so much fun.

Out came the sun, and then there were none!

Songs

Snowflake, Snowflake (tune - "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star")

Snowflake, snowflake, fancy free.

Snowflake, snowflake, dance with me.

Touch my head, then my toes.

Land on my nose where the cold wind blows.

Snowflake, snowflake, turn around.

Snowflake, snowflake, touch the ground.

Snowflake, snowflake, fancy free.

Snowflake, snowflake, dance with me.

Touch my elbow, then my shoulder.

Land on my chin where it's a little bit colder.

Snowflake, snowflake, turn around.

Snowflake, snowflake, touch the ground.

Snowflake, snowflake, fancy free.

Snowflake, snowflake, dance with me.

Touch my ear, then my knees.

Snowflake, I'm about to freeze!

Snowflake, snowflake, fancy free.

Snowflake, snowflake, dance with me.

Wintertime is Here (tune - "The Muffin Man")

Have you seen the snowflakes fall, snowflakes fall, snowflakes fall?

Have you seen the snowflakes fall?

Wintertime is here.

Have you seen my sled and skates, sled and skates, sled and skates?

Have you seen my sled and skates?

Wintertime is here.

Have you seen my hat and scarf, hat and scarf, hat and scarf?

Have you seen my hat and scarf?

Wintertime is here.

Measurement

4. The students will be able to: measuring with non-standard units, decision making on what non-standard units to measure with, and recording with a picture in their math journals

What will be done to help students: student self-evaluation, sharing and reflecting

What will be done: Measuring Fun Around the Classroom

Allow the students free exploring time to measure with non-standard units around the classroom. This allows the students the opportunity to practice measuring and learning that in order to measure they need

To place the non-standard unit end to end.

1. Read the literature book The Line Up Book by Marisabina Russo
2. The students free explore with a non-standard unit of his or her choice (Place three or four non-standard units out for the students to choose from)
3. Record their findings with a picture and the number of the non-standard unit n their Math Journals
4. Discuss their findings and compare with the other students

5. The students will be able to: estimate how many blocks, collect and record data, and compare and contrast data

What will be done to help students: guided support, math log

What will be done: Measuring Our Tracks in the Snow

Have the students measure the distance between their tracks in the snow. Choose a non-standard unit of good size to do this activity. For example, a medium size block is a good size.

1. Take the students outside
2. Have them work with a partner
3. Make tracks in the snow
4. Estimate how many blocks the distance will be and partner records on a piece of paper
5. Measure with the blocks and record the number
6. Come back inside and record the information on chart paper and graph the number of blocks
7. Discuss the number of blocks and their estimation

6. The students will be able to: measure with non-standard units, collect, record, and graph data, and compare and contrast data

What will be done to help students: guided support and sharing and reflection

What will be done: Snow Angels

The students go outside and make snow angels in the snow.

1. After returning from outside, have the students lay down on large white butcher paper
2. Students make a snow angel with their bodies
3. Trace the students' bodies with a black marker
4. Have the students cut out their snow angels
5. Measure the snow angels with a non-standard unit (unifix cubes, link, etc.)
6. Record the measurements on the snow angels
7. Graph the measurements
8. Compare the students measurements

7. The students will be able to: measure with a standard unit of measurement, collect and record data

What will be done to help students: teacher generated ruler, teacher "talks aloud" while modeling, Step by step directions, visual illustrations, continuation of Declarative Knowledge Learning Experience #7

What will be done: Introducing Ruler and Inches

Present the students a ruler and show them the inch markings

1. Prior to this activity, the teacher makes a paper ruler for the students to use. The paper ruler should be marked with only the inches with the numbers and a different color for each inch.
2. Present the students with the paper ruler and show them how to measure with it.
3. Have the students trace their hand
4. Measure their hand with the paper ruler
5. Record the number of inches on their hand
6. Discuss their measurement
7. Make observations and generalizations of hand sizes

Extending and Refining

Comparing

The students will be extending and refining their understanding of comparing the similarities and differences of snow fall amount a different region. The students will develop an understanding that the snow fall amount could be different or the same as the snow fall at their school. The students will discover that not all places are the same even though it is the season of winter.

1. The students will be able to: measure snow fall amount in inches, collect and record data, compare and contrast snow fall amounts in other regions, to use a computer to e-mail a designated school in a specific region

What will be done to help students: oral step by step directions chart for recording data, sharing and reflection of data, compare and contrast snow fall amount, and the use of technology and computer skills

What will be done: Measuring Snow Fall Amounts

1. The students will be measuring the snow fall amount at a certain place at school. For example, by marking a tree, the side of the school building, or a fence. Whatever is chosen to use as a guide for measuring, should be marked in inches before measuring the snow fall amount.
2. The students will be measuring the snow in inches and recording the snowfall amounts on a chart at the same time once a week.
3. While the students are recording the snowfall amount at their school, they will also record the snow fall amount of the other school district from different region.
4. The students will use the Internet and e-mail to communicate with students from another school district to find out the snow fall amount at their school. (The other school will have to measure and the record the snow at their school.)
5. The students will record the other school's snowfall amount on the same chart as their own snow fall amount and compare their findings. The snowfall amounts could be recorded in different colors in order to keep track and compare.

* This should be done over 4 to 6 six weeks depending on the snow fall amount.

The students can access a weather website in order to follow the current weather conditions in their region and the weather conditions of the other school. The students will observe the map of the United States of America and see where the other school is located. The students can also observe the weather conditions on The Weather Channel on the television. This is another great visual for the students to observe the weather with and make comparisons with.

Extending and Refining

Comparing

The students will be extending and refining their understanding of comparing the similarities and differences of measuring with non-standard units and standard units of measurement. The students will develop an understanding that measurement is complete in non-standard and standard units and that measurement is never exact.

Culminating Performance

The students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of and ability to measure with non-standard and standard units. The reasoning process the students will be using is problem solving and experimental inquiry. The culminating performance is the students will measure their own foot in non-standard units and standard units of measurement.

1. The teacher will read the story The King's Foot.
2. There will be a discussion of the story and the problem that arises with the king's foot and the carpenter's foot.
3. Comparisons will be made between the king's foot and the carpenter's foot. The question should arise are all feet the same size or are all feet different sizes.
4. The task for the students is to work with a partner to trace his or her foot, measure the foot with non-standard and standard units, record measurements on teacher prepared recording sheet, and compare the measurements with his/her partner.

Recording Sheet

My foot is ____________unifix cubes.

My foot is ____________links.

My foot is ____________inches.

• Make observations and generalizations about foot sizes with his/her partner
• Teacher records the observations and generalizations

Rubrics

A score of 3 means:

1. Accurate measurement to best of ability
2. All work on recording sheet is complete
3. Observations and generalizations support the data recorded

A score of 2 means:

1. Slight inaccuracy in measurement
2. Work on recording sheet is complete
3. Observations and generalizations generally support the data recorded

A score of 1 means:

1. Some attempt made at measuring with several inaccuracy
2. Recording Sheet is incomplete
3. Observations and generalizations have no relationship with data recorded

A score of 0 means:

1. Having put down some things that really have no relationship to the problem
2. The paper is blank and no attempt was made

Teacher Resources

Backer, Barbara, Ada Hanley Goren, Lucia Kemp Henry, Angie Kutzer, Suzanne Moore, Janna Omwake, Pamela Kay Priest, Mackie Rhodes, Ann C. Saunders, and Dayle Timmons. January A Month of Ideas At Your Fingertips! The Education Center, Inc. 1996.

The Mailbox Kindergarten. The Education Center, Inc. Volume 12. Number 6. Dec./Jan. 1998-1999.

The Primary Mailbox. The Education Center, Inc. Volume 15 Number 6. Dec./Jan. 1993-1994.

Williams, Rozanne. Snow. Creative Teaching Press, Inc. 1990.

Corwin, Rebecca B. and Susan J. Russell. Used Numbers Measuring: From Paces to Feet. Dale Seymour Publications. 1990.