Your family can create a snow gauge to measure the fresh snowfall this winter with just a couple of materials and some snowflakes in the air! This STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) activity is fun for the whole family. While building your own snowman measuring stick, you can practice measurement, talk about related careers, and get creative and crafty!
Materials
- Paint stir stick
- White craft paint
- Ruler
- Permanent marker
- Plastic tablecloth
- Assorted decorations for the snowman's accessories- ex. foam shapes, pipe cleaners, yarn
Directions
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Paint your stick white with the craft paint and let it dry completely. |
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Using the bottom of the stick as zero, use the ruler to measure one-inch increments and mark them with the permanent marker. Older students can include smaller increments for more accurate measurements. |
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Give your snowman all the accessories- hat, scarf, nose, face, and arms! |
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Keep your snowman measuring stick near the door for easy access when the flakes start to fall! Happy measuring! |
Extensions to discuss and do while you create your measuring stick
- How do you measure using a ruler? What are some careers that rely on measurement?
- What is a meteorologist? How do you think they forecast the weather?
- What accessory materials will resist the elements most effectively? What characteristics are important when designing cold-weather attire?
- Make a prediction: How much snow will we get this winter? Keep track of everyone's guesses and declare a winner!
- Collect data: During the next snowfall, measure every hour. Students can then create an age-appropriate graph of the data points using each measurement.
Reach Cyber Charter School values each student's creativity, ability, and passion for learning. Our integrated STEM and Career Readiness curriculum allows students to explore their interests and prepare for the future. These experiences start in elementary school with the WeatherSTEM club. Students explore forecasting and make predictions about the upcoming weather. High school students can choose Meteorology as an elective. They discuss current weather events, develop winter weather outlooks, and explore potential careers in the industry. Meteorology is one of our many courses with real-world applications that help prepare students for life after graduation.
Visit Reach Cyber Charter School's information session to learn more about our programming! Dates, times, and registration can be found at https://reachcyber.org/reach-resources/information-sessions. We cannot wait to see your students reach their potential!
