Lesson Idea | Diary of a Snowflake

Description

This lesson helps students learn about snowflakes and weather while creating a story about a snowflake’s journey. Students begin by sharing their experiences with snow and learning how snowflakes form and why each one is unique. They then draw their own snowflake and give it a personality, using it as the main character in a diary-style story. Students plan their ideas using a simple organizer, thinking about how the snowflake forms, what happens during its journey, and what happens when it reaches Earth. They write and revise their story before turning it into a final project with pictures and text. The lesson ends with students sharing their work with others. Overall, the lesson builds understanding of snow and seasons while supporting writing, creativity, and clear expression.

Standards

Common Core Standards for English Language Arts
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.3
Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.3.A
Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.3.B
Use dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop experiences and events or show the response of characters to situations.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.3.C
Use temporal words and phrases to signal event order.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.3.D
Provide a sense of closure.

Next Generation Science Standards
2-ESS2-3
Obtain information to identify where water is found on Earth and that it can be solid or liquid.

2-PS1-4
Construct an argument with evidence that some changes caused by heating or cooling can be reversed and some cannot.

3-ESS2-2
Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.

3-PS2-2
Make observations and/or measurements of an object's motion to provide evidence that a pattern can be used to predict future motion.

ISTE NETS for Students 2016:
3. Knowledge Constructor
Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others. Students:

b. evaluate the accuracy, perspective, credibility and relevance of information, media, data or other resources.

c. curate information from digital resources using a variety of tools and methods to create collections of artifacts that demonstrate meaningful connections or conclusions.

6. Creative Communicator
Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media appropriate to their goals. Students:

a. choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired objectives of their creation or communication.

b. create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new creations.

d. publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their intended audiences.