Snow is Frozen Water: Learning with Winter

It's cold. 

Of course, I'm pretty sure in January, for most of us that live in the US, we know this. This is the longest I've seen snow on the ground here in the desert. I'm not from here, but the last few years I think it's all melted off relatively fast. Or, I could have just blocked it all out.

I am the type of person who actually likes snow though. If you read my post about Shoveling Snow (and then thought I was absolutely crazy), you'll know I enjoy snow. I don't particularly care for the cold, windy days. Also, I'm of Scandinavian descent. A Heritage I claim proudly. I can't help it if I'm more designed for cold weather. It's genetics!

OK, the learning lab--my son thinks the shovel is pretty cool in the snow. He can't quite operate it, though. He tries. Some day, too soon, he'll be a shovel wielding young man.

Until then, he's content to walk around in it and go sledding, and do other winter time, snow time activities.

Today, I thought he would like to learn what happens to snow, when it gets warm.

Obviously, it goes away eventually. But, I wanted him to actually see it.

What you'll need:
Snow
Clear Cup/Bowl
Mittens (It's snow and it's cold! Keep those hands warm!)

We took the clear glass outside and filled it to the brim with snow. I tried to pack the snow in tight.

After the snow was in clear cup, we brought it inside and began to watch it. (If you're expecting instant results, you'll have to do something with more heat to make it go quick.)

We just set ours on the window sill and every 20 minutes or so, checked back to see what was going on.

Slowly, it started to disappear!

When it melted down pretty far, I let him stick his hands in side and tell me what he felt.

I also asked him what he saw. He saw...Water!

I pointed outside and said, "So, snow, gets warm and turns into water. Which means, snow, is actually frozen water."

He thought that was pretty cool. I am not a scientist. But, it is still pretty cool and amazing to see how nature is so simple, yet beautiful and complex.

If you're looking for a reason to run outside quick with the kids, or just looking for a simple learning activity to help pass the time, this might fit both needs!


"All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."
John 1:3 (KJV)


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Shoveling Snow for Money, Another Tradition Lost?

It snowed a big snow here, over night. For some people, that's probably not news. You probably get a lot of snow over the course of the winter. Here, on the sunny side of the mountain, we rarely experience this.

As I was out shoveling our sidewalk (I really enjoy doing this! Seriously.), I remembered that as a kid I DREAMED for snow.

Partly because of school being cancelled for one reason, but the other part of it was the tradition that if you woke up early to a snow day, you woke up to the prospect of earning some cash.

My brothers and I used to dress as quickly as possible on these days. We'd grab a shovel (sometimes it would be a huge fight) and out and off we'd go. 

We went all through town, hoping to shovel someones freshly covered sidewalks and drive ways for money.

We wouldn't be the only ones in town doing this-there would be lots of others out there we'd compete with. 

I remember there would always be a few "good" paying houses that everyone in town would vie for. If you weren't up early to get that worm, you were outta luck until the next big snow.

But, each and every time, we shoveled someones sidewalk, we were doing more than just a public service, or the small odd job for money. We were carrying on a tradition. A tradition that we had learned from our parents, who had learned it from their parents and so on.

There were some people we just did for free, because you knew that was the right thing to do.

By about mid-late afternoon, almost all the houses in our small town had been done. We would all take our little money stashes, and head down to the local gas station to splurge our frozen bodies on warmth of the inside and some hot cocoa.

It's these childhood memories, that I treasure. It's these childhood memories that also make me sad. Since I've lived in a LARGELY snowy state, I have NEVER had the pleasure of having a little, overly eager face, knock on my door, and offer to shovel my side walk. Not once, in my eleven years of living here.

Perhaps it's just something that happens in each person's state. Or, perhaps, it's because, it is the death of a tradition, from my generation. I hope and pray it's not the last one.

As I started shoveling snow this morning, I noticed there were several sidewalks that still had yet to be done. I know it's a school day, so most of the kids didn't have that opportunity to do their own.

As I finished my own side walk, I started in on two of the neighbors' side walks. I usually do this, because like I said, I do ENJOY shoveling snow. There's a peacefulness about it. Plus, it's just another simple thing to do, to show others, that you care.

But, again, as I put away my shovel, and looked over my kids, I wonder if they'll ever get to experience the joy, of those cold mornings. Those days when they're out earning that "cold" cash, as we did. I hope so. Even if they're doing it for free, I want them to experience that at least once in their life times.

Did anyone else remember doing this as a kid? Do your kids now carry on this tradition? 



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The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one that seeks him.

Lamentationa 3:25

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