Build a Snowflake Game

Materials

• oak tag for making labels
• yarn or ribbon (it doesn’t tangle)
• large playing area

Make 5 labels with “dust” on one side and “ice-crystal” on the other.
Make labels for the rest of the class with “water vapor” on one side and “ice-crystal” on the other side.

Laminate the labels. Punch a hole in the middle and string a piece of yarn so that the labels can be placed around the children’s necks.

Teach

Snowflakes are formed when water vapor bumps into dust particles and becomes an ice crystal. (sublimation= gas to solid without going through the liquid state) Ice crystals grow by bumping into more water vapor. When the ice crystal becomes heavy, it falls as a snowflake.

To Play

Explain to the children that they will be playing a game that will help them learn how a snowflake is formed.
Pass out the labels. Split the children into the two groups, “water vapor” and “dust”.

Round One

Children pretend to drift around slowly and quietly. When they bump into their opposite they join hands. There will be five pairs. You will need a signal to stop the round and get the children’s attention. Tell the paired children to turn their labels over so that they read, “ice crystal”.