All About Maple Syrup
The change to Daylight Saving Time coincides with the saving grace of the end of winter, the start maple syrup season! The days are getting a little longer and the sun is a little higher in the sky during the day. That increased daylight and warmth the sap in maple trees is starting to run. Some […]
“Dad, It’s Still Autumn” – Corrections from My Daughters
Those of you who have been following my blog with regularity over the last couple of years have probably seen my informal series of posts titled Questions from My Daughters. Those posts have been about answering the questions that my daughters (now ages five and six) ask me. Questions like “what do worms eat?” and […]
Why Does the Road Crack? – Another Question from my Daughters
One of my favorite things to do these days is to ride bikes with my daughters. Sometimes I even record those rides on Strava because my older daughter now wants to keep track of how fast she can go down a little section of road in our neighborhood (current record 10.5mph). When we were riding […]
Winter Scavenger Hunts and Bingo
The sun is shining longer in the northern hemisphere these days. We’re really starting to notice here in Maine where the sun is still shining when we’re having supper. That means it’s slightly warmer in the afternoon and we have more time to play outside after school. In other words, it’s perfect for going on […]
Groundhog Day Explained
On Friday my youngest daughter came home from preschool and informed me that Wednesday is Groundhog Day and tell me all about it. It’s the day, according to legend, that a groundhog will predict how much longer winter will last in the northern hemisphere. Your students might be wondering where this tradition originated. The following […]
21 Activities and Lessons That Have a Winter Theme
Today is the first day of winter in the northern hemisphere. To mark the start of winter I’ve put together a list of twenty-one activities and lessons that have a winter theme. Snowy Outdoor ActivitiesI enjoy winter and my kids do too. We like to sled, ski, snowshoe, and just play outside in the snow. […]
Why is Snow White?
On my phone I keep a list of questions that my daughters (ages 4 and 5) ask me. The questions are about things that I haven’t thought about for a long time, if ever. For example, last week my youngest asked me why snow is white. If you have kids who are wondering about the […]
Five Short Lessons About the Start of Winter
Even though it has been cold and snowy here in Maine for the last week or so, the start of winter is still eleven days away. The winter solstice is always welcomed as it does mean the shortest day of the year (in terms of amount of sunlight) will be behind us. If you’re looking […]
Why Do We Have Winter? – Another Question from My Daughters
Yesterday afternoon I was playing outside in the snow with my five-year-old daughter when she asked, “why do we have winter?” She didn’t ask in a complaining way (she loves playing the snow), but in a genuinely curious way. My short answer was that where we live on Earth is tilted away from the sun […]
Why the Moon Seems Brighter in Winter
We had our first coating of snow this week. (It’s unusual to go this late into fall without having a snowfall). As I was putting my daughters to bed last night my oldest asked why it was so bright outside. My short answer was that the snow reflected the street lights and the moon light. […]
Fun Activities for Snowy Days
We’re finally starting to see snow accumulation here in Maine that is typical for our winters. We had a big storm last week followed by a few inches of snow last night. Today, it is a beautiful blue sky day! As I wrapped up my last Zoom class of the day I encouraged all of […]
Five Interesting Lessons About Winter Weather
There is no doubt that winter has arrived here in Maine. The temperature was in the single digits (Fahrenheit) most mornings this week and we had our second significant snow fall this week. The chill in the air and the snow on the ground prompted me to look back at some of my favorite videos […]
Why the Moon Seems Brighter in Winter
During lunch today one of my colleagues mentioned that he had trouble falling asleep a couple of nights ago because the moon was exceptionally bright. His comment reminded me of a great Minute Physics video that I found years ago. Why the Full Moon is Better in Winter explains how the combination of the position […]
Five Short Lessons About the Shortest Day of the Year
The winter solstice is about a week away. I always like to go outside to snowshoe or ski on the solstice just to say to the world that a lack of daylight isn’t going to ruin my fun. Not everyone feels the same way about the shortest day of the year. And if you’re looking […]
How Do Trees Survive Winter
It has been a long, cold winter here in Maine. Some of the snow storms have taken their toll on the trees including the one that had my daughter’s swing in it. But many trees are making it through the winter just fine. It makes you wonder why some trees survive the winter and others […]
What is Groundhog Day?
Today is Groundhog Day. Today is the day that, according to legend, a groundhog will predict how much longer winter will last in the northern hemisphere. Your students might be wondering where this tradition originated. The following two videos provide brief explanations of Groundhog Day’s origins. This video from Storm Shield explains a bit of […]
Sundials and Snowflakes – How to Make Your Own
SciShow Kids recently published a new video that explains to students how a sundial works and how they can make their own sundials. The video could be the basis for a fun, hands-on lesson about learning to tell time. For those in cold, northern climates creating and taking sundials outside with your students might not […]
How Is Wind Chill Calculated?
Here in Maine it snowed all day yesterday. I like the snow. What I don’t like is the bitter wind that follows the day after a snow storm. Today’s daytime forecast for my area has a high temperature of 1F and the wind chill down to -31F. If you live in a cold climate, your […]
The Shortest Day of the Year
Good morning from chilly Paris Hill, Maine where my thermometer reads 11F, but it feels more like 0F. Not only is it going to be cold all day, it’s also going to be the day that we have the least sunlight all year. That is because today is the winter solstice. Here’s a small collection […]
The Science of Snowflakes
Here in western Maine we’re expecting our second real snowstorm of the winter to arrive tonight. This has reminded me of a couple of educational videos that explain the science of snowflakes. The Science of Snowflakes is a TED-Ed video lesson that explains how snowflakes are formed, why they’re all different, and why seem to […]
Resources for Learning About the Iditarod and Dogs
These guys are not running the Iditarod. This weekend the Iditarod sled dog race begins. If you’re looking for some materials to use to teach about the Iditarod or dogs in general, take a look at some of the resources below. Mushing Explained is a series of videos produced by Alaska Public Media. In the […]
How Igloos Can Keep You Warm – And Winter Phys Ed Activities
How an Igloo Keeps You Warm is a new video from It’s Okay To Be Smart. The video does a great job of explaining how an igloo provides insulation and stays relatively warm when people are inside it. The video also explains the engineering concepts used in the creation of a strong and warm igloo. […]
Quick Lessons About the Winter Solstice
The winter solstice is today in the northern hemisphere. Should you need some short explanations of solstices to share with your children or students, take a look at the following resources. On National Geographic’s Education page you will find this hands-on activity designed to help students understand the changes in intensity and duration of sunlight on their […]
How Trees Survive The Winter
It was a crisp -10F at my house this morning. When it’s that cold everything seems crisp, brittle, and well…frozen. It makes you wonder how anything survives for long outside. I know that I’m always amazed when my lilac and blueberry bushes bounce back to life every spring. How do they do that? The answer […]
Brrr…Lessons on Winter Weather
The weather forecast for my town calls for a temperature of -5F and a wind chill of -33F tonight. I’ll be bundling up when my dogs need to go out tonight. The cold forecast made me think about some resources for teaching lessons about winter weather. The following video explains how wind chill is calculated. […]