Winter Weather Wonders

In temperate climates, winter brings rain, sleet, freezing rain, hail, and snow. How is water changed into so many different forms of precipitation?

• 1.

  Why can it rain, freezing rain, sleet, hail, or snow all in one day? What causes precipitation to change within minutes? Find out, and then create a chart to show the information. Here are some ideas to get you started.

• 2.

  Cover your art area with newspaper. Using Crayola® Watercolors and a Watercolor Brush, paint a large sky-blue area. To show warmer air, leave part of the space white.

• 3.

  On another sheet of paper, use Crayola Fine Line Markers to write the titles and explanations you need for your chart. Sections might be Warmer Air, Colder Air, Rain, Sleet, Freezing Rain, Hail, and Snow. Cut these out with Crayola Scissors. Attach them to your poster with Crayola Glue Sticks.

• 4.

  On another sheet of paper, use Crayola Colored Pencils to draw and color raindrops, snowflakes, and dots to signify freezing rain or sleet. Cut them out and glue them to your chart.

• 5.

  Explain your findings to other students or your families.

Benefits

• Students learn that precipitation comes in many different forms such as rain, freezing rain, sleet, snow, or hail.
• Students research when and why different forms of precipitation fall in temperate climates.
• Students demonstrate their knowledge of precipitation forms by creating a chart to show weather and temperature conditions.

Adaptations

• Use this chart and student presentations in lieu of a written test.
• Further research the subject by learning about acid rain. Study its causes and effects on the environment.
• Invite a meteorologist to speak about changes in precipitation and how weather is forecast.
• Build containers and draw charts to measure, record, and analyze amounts of precipitation received over time.