Get Students Outside with this Simple Snow Day Science Experiment!
Inside: Need a creative, engaging snow science experiment to get students outside on a snow day? Students will love this hands-on math and science activity!
I absolutely love snow! I grew up in northwestern PA, where our winters (sometimes fall and spring) were always white!
After college, I took a teaching job in Virginia. I have to admit, I really love having four distinct seasons here, but I sure miss the Pennsylvania snowfalls!
A few weeks ago, I had a small taste of my childhood winters when we unexpectedly got almost a foot of snow! Can you imagine how excited I was?
My excitement was stomped on pretty quickly when our district announced that our “snow days” this year would now be “at-home learning days.”
Can I hear a big fat boo????
Why use a snow day science activity?
I know I’m biased with my love of snow, but I really think that every child deserves the joy of a snow day.
Sleeping in, sledding, snow angels, and hot chocolate……. and I’m just getting started!
Well, when life gives you snow, it’s time to make snowballs….. 🙂
I had no choice but to get creative to get my students outside.
Hey, it’s for the love of science!
Don’t forget to pin this for later!
Hook students with this snow science experiment!
Start off the snow day science activity by making predictions and connections about the relationship between liquid water and snow.
Get students thinking….
Imagine a heavy summer rain storm.
We might get up to two inches of rain in a single storm.
Now, imagine that the SAME storm came when the temperature was below freezing.
How much snow would it bring? More than 2 inches? Less? The same?
Gather materials and investigate!
You need 3 easy materials for this activity!
- medium bowl
- liquid measuring cup
- snow!
This snow science experiment includes easy to follow directions that walk students through setting up a simple ratio to determine the amount of water in snow.
With some simple math calculations (no prior knowledge of ratios needed) students are able to easily find the relationship between rain and snowfall.
Snow science results
Fun fact!
According to NOAA, in the United States, one inch of rainfall equals approximately 13 inches of snow.
One of the most interesting parts of this lab is evaluating the data and seeing how close the students were able to come to NOAA’s snow to rain ratio.
Student results will vary, but this is one of the most interesting parts of the activity!
It’s the perfect opportunity for class discussion!
Why does the same amount of moisture result in different amounts of snow?
Several variables can affect the snow-to-rain ratio (how much snow is produced from a certain amount of rain). Here are some key factors:
- Temperature:
- In the atmosphere: Colder temperatures in the clouds can create fluffier snowflakes, leading to more snow accumulation for the same amount of water.
- At the surface: If it’s close to freezing, the snow may be wetter and pack down more, creating less depth.
- Humidity:
- Higher humidity levels can produce larger, fluffier snowflakes, increasing the snow depth.
- Lower humidity may lead to smaller, denser snowflakes, reducing the depth.
- Type of Snowflakes:
- Different snowflake shapes form under various atmospheric conditions, like temperature and humidity, and this can impact how much snow accumulates.
- Wind:
- Strong winds can compact snow or cause it to drift, making it harder to measure the true accumulation.
- Ground Temperature:
- If the ground is warm, some snow may melt as it lands, reducing the measured depth.
- If the ground is frozen, the snow is more likely to accumulate without melting.
- Elevation:
- Higher elevations are colder and often produce lighter, fluffier snow, which leads to more accumulation for the same amount of water.
- Snow Density:
- Light, fluffy snow (common in very cold temperatures) may have a ratio of 20:1 or higher (20 inches of snow from 1 inch of rain).
- Wet, heavy snow (common near freezing temperatures) might have a ratio as low as 5:1.
Snow day memories
Ready to get your students outside and make some snowy memories?
Check out this no-prep snow day science activity!
Why use this snow science experiment with your students?
✓ Engage Students on Virtual Snow Days:
Even without traditional snow days, this activity gets students outside and involved in hands-on learning, making it an exciting and memorable experience.
✓ No-Prep and Easy to Use:
Teachers can save time with this ready-to-go resource that includes clear, step-by-step instructions, requiring no additional planning.
✓ Encourage Real-World Connections:
Students explore the relationship between snow and rainfall using real-world materials and scenarios, helping them understand science in their everyday lives.
✓ Promote Critical Thinking:
The experiment challenges students to measure, observe, and analyze data, developing their problem-solving and analytical skills.
✓ Easily Accessible Materials:
Using simple materials found at home (like a bowl, measuring cup, and snow), this activity is easy for families to participate in, making it practical for virtual or hybrid learning.
