Snowflake Life Cycle Types of Snowflakes Snow Life Cycle Bentley Winter Printable

In this post, we are excited to share a snowflake themed printable pack designed specifically for preschool, kindergarten, Grade 1 and 2 students. This comprehensive pack includes 3 part cards, information cards, student booklets, and diagrams to teach about different types of snowflakes, the snow life cycle, and the snowflake life cycle. Not only will students learn about these concepts, but there are also hands-on activities included to make the learning experience fun and engaging. Get ready to dive into the magical world of snowflakes with these educational resources!

About snowflakes

Snowflakes are one of the most magical things about winter! Have you ever seen a snowflake up close? They are delicate and beautiful, just like you!

Did you know that each snowflake that falls from the sky is unique? No two snowflakes are the same. Just like you, each snowflake is special and different in its own way.

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Snowflakes are formed high up in the clouds when water vapor freezes into ice crystals. These ice crystals then stick together and form a snowflake. They come in different shapes and sizes, just like the ones you might make when you cut paper snowflakes!

Sometimes, you can catch snowflakes on your tongue. Have you ever tried that? Snowflakes taste like little drops of cold, refreshing water.

Life Cycle of Snow:
The life cycle of snow begins when water vapor in the air condenses around tiny particles like dust or salt, forming ice crystals. These ice crystals then grow larger as more water vapor freezes onto them. Eventually, the ice crystals become heavy enough to fall from the clouds as snowflakes. Once they reach the ground, snowflakes can melt and turn into water if the temperature rises above freezing point.

Snow Life Cycle:
The snow life cycle starts when the temperature drops below freezing and moisture in the air begins to crystallize. These initial crystals can take various forms, such as flat hexagonal plates or needle-like structures. As more moisture freezes onto these crystals, they continue to grow and develop into more complex snowflake shapes. Finally, gravity pulls the snowflakes down to Earth, where they blanket the ground until they eventually melt.

Types of Snowflakes:
Snowflakes come in various shapes and sizes, creating a wide range of patterns. Some common types of snowflakes include:

Hexagonal Plate: These snowflakes have a flat, six-sided shape similar to a plate. They often form in temperatures close to freezing.
Stellar Dendrite: These snowflakes have a star-like shape, with branches extending from a central nucleus. Stellar dendrites typically form in temperatures around -15 to -22 degrees Celsius.
Needle: Needle-shaped snowflakes are long and thin, resembling tiny ice needles. They often form in high-altitude clouds where the temperature is below freezing.
Column: Column snowflakes have a long, cylindrical shape with flat sides. They tend to form in clouds with temperatures between -5 and -10 degrees Celsius.
Irregular Snowflakes: Some snowflakes don’t have a defined shape but instead appear irregular and asymmetrical. These irregular snowflakes can be a result of temperature fluctuations or environmental factors.

Snowflake themed activities

Snowflake themed hands-on learning activities for students can be a great way to engage students and make learning more interactive and enjoyable. By incorporating snowflakes into various activities, students can explore scientific concepts like symmetry and crystalline structures, practice fine motor skills through cutting and crafting, and even learn about the cultural significance of snowflakes in different parts of the world. Such activities not only make learning more fun, but also encourage creativity and critical thinking, allowing students to apply their knowledge in a practical and hands-on manner.

Snowflake Crystal Growing:

Provide students with materials such as pipe cleaners, borax, hot water, and jars. Guide them through the process of creating their own snowflake crystals by shaping the pipe cleaners into snowflake designs, suspending them in the jars, and allowing them to grow into intricate crystal structures.

Snowflake Art:

Introduce students to different snowflake designs and patterns. Encourage them to create their own unique snowflake art using various materials such as paper, scissors, glue, glitter, and markers. Display their creations in the classroom for a winter-themed art gallery.

Snowflake Science Experiment:

Set up a science experiment to explore the uniqueness and symmetry of snowflakes. Fill a glass plate with ice cubes and provide students with magnifying glasses. Ask them to observe and draw the shapes and patterns they see on the melting ice cubes. Discuss how each snowflake is different, yet exhibits geometric symmetry.

Snowflake Math:

Create a snowflake-themed math center where students can practice various math skills. Provide them with snowflake-shaped manipulatives or cutouts to solve addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division problems. You can also challenge them to create symmetrical snowflake patterns by using geometric shapes.

Snowflake Poetry:

Engage students in a creative writing activity by asking them to write snowflake-themed poems. Encourage them to explore sensory details, such as the sound of snowflakes falling or the feeling of snow on their fingertips. Allow students to share their poems with the class or create a winter poetry anthology.

Snowflake Geometry:

Teach students about the different types of geometric shapes found in snowflakes, such as hexagons and triangles. Provide them with rulers, protractors, and paper to measure and construct their own snowflake designs using these shapes. Discuss the concept of symmetry and how it relates to snowflakes.

Snowflake Sorting and Patterning:

Create a hands-on sorting and patterning activity using snowflake-themed materials, such as foam or paper snowflakes of various colors and sizes. Ask students to sort the snowflakes based on different attributes, such as color, size, or shape. They can also create and extend patterns using the snowflakes.

Snowflake Sensory Bin:

Set up a sensory bin filled with fake snow. Add snowflake-shaped objects and utensils such as scoops, cups, and spoons. Encourage students to explore the bin, feeling the texture of the fake snow and practicing fine motor skills by scooping and pouring the “snowflakes.”

Snowflake Book Club:

Choose a collection of winter-themed or snowflake-themed books for students to read independently or as a group. After reading, facilitate discussions and activities related to the books, such as summarizing the plot, identifying main characters, or comparing snowflake descriptions in different stories.

Snowflake Music:

Introduce students to winter-themed music or songs about snowflakes. Encourage them to create their own snowflake-themed songs or instrumental compositions using available musical instruments or by using online music creation tools.

Snowflake printable

This Snowflake Pack with learning printables is great for preschool and kindergarten children. Use this resource with clear true-to-life images and photographs to create hands-on snow and snowflake activities for your students or for exploring winter science and preparing work for your Snow Unit in the classroom.

Children will learn the stages of the snow and snowflake life cycles, and types of snowflakes, practice sequencing skills and work to improve their concentration and fine motor skills.

This resource contains snow and snowflake life cycle diagrams, worksheets, 3-part cards, information cards, and Bentley snowflake printable.

Here is what’s included

Snowflake life cycle poster
Snowflake life cycle 3 part cards
Snowflake life cycle information cards
Snowflake life cycle coloring, cutting, and pasting worksheet
Snowflake life cycle tracing strips
Types of Snowflake Diagrams
Types of Snowflake information cards
Types of Snowflake booklet (independent writing)
Types of Snowflake student activity page
Types of Snowflake labels
Types of Snowflake tracing & independent writing
Snowflake Bentley color poster
Snowflake Bentley drawing & coloring student booklet
Snow life cycle poster
Snow life cycle 3 part cards
Snowflake life cycle coloring, cutting, and pasting worksheet

Age: Preschool ages 3 – 8 years

Subjects and uses in the classroom: Snowflake, Winter Unit, Snow Unit, Nature Table, Science Centers, Fine motor, Prewriting

How to use this resource:

Types of snowflakes – Gather books about snow and snowflakes for children to explore. Print posters and label cards on cardstock and laminate. Cut individual label cards. Attach clear velcro to the poster without labels and label cards.

Present the poster – name different types of snowflakes. Then read each label and invite the student to match it to the correct groups.

Life cycle poster – print on cardstock and laminate. Present all stages of the life cycle. Invite the children to retell them or tell their own story that features all the stages.

Snowflake and snow life cycle 3-part cards – Print on cardstock and laminate if you wish to preserve colors and card quality for future use. Place picture cards in a column and invite the children to match the picture to the picture and the word to the word. Present control cards and ask the child to lay the stages of the cycle in the correct order.

Life cycle line art – supply scissors, glue, and coloring pencils. Invite the student to color and cut cards and glue them into the correct sequence.

Tracing/labeling and coloring worksheets – print on cardstock and laminate. Supply an erasable pen. Invite the child to trace the words and color corresponding images. Alternatively, print pages on regular printing paper and invite the child to trace or label the stages of the life cycle.