Snowflakes, Winter Birds, Evergreens and Extra – Elevating Up Wild Issues
The vacations are gone, and whereas the times are beginning to develop longer, many people have a great little bit of winter nonetheless forward. It may be a battle to maintain going with nature research when the world appears frozen and asleep exterior – however there are nonetheless SO many issues to discover even within the lifeless of winter. From ice, to snowflakes, to the sky, to the animals that thrive within the winter woods, take a look at these concepts to maintain nature research alive this month!
Take a look at these nature research concepts for the winter month of January! (and look out for plenty of enjoyable Freebies!)
1. Snow Crystals
Have you ever ever checked out a snowflake up shut? It all the time amazes me how intricate and distinctive each could be. There are such a lot of issues to find out about in the case of snow – how do snowflakes kind? What causes the completely different shapes? What different molecules apart from water can snow crystals comprise?
Science Experiment: What’s in Snow?
In case your children eat snow like mine, you could be a bit of grossed out by the outcomes of this experiment!
You will have:
Three clear cups or jars, one stuffed midway with water, one with snow, and one with ice cubes.
- Put the jars in your counter aspect by aspect and word the time. See how lengthy it takes for the ice and snow to soften.
- What does the ice seem like whereas it’s melting? How in regards to the snow?
- Which one melted quickest? Why?
- How do the melted ice/snow ranges evaluate to one another? Which one is increased and why do you assume that’s?
- Now, take the jar of melted snow and look carefully. It is best to see a lot of little particles. We couldn’t establish them however learn that they’re most certainly bits of filth, grass, and even ash and animal waste. See, I instructed you – gross.
Look at Snow Crystals Up Shut (and a FREE Snowflake Printable!!)
(Notice: This exercise must be executed whereas it’s truly snowing.)
- First, get a chunk of black development paper and put it exterior for a bit to get chilly. When you’re at it, seize a magnifying glass and put it exterior along with your paper.
- Go exterior and maintain the black paper up towards the sky to catch some snow. It is best to get a mixture of snowflakes (the bigger clumps) and particular person snow crystals which have damaged off from their teams.
- Have your children look at the snow crystals (not the clumps) with the magnifying glass.
- Listed here are some inquiries to ask:
- What shapes do you see?
- Are there some with damaged sides?
- Do all of them have 5 sides or do some have extra?
- Are all of them completely different?
- And so forth.
- Once you’re executed, go play within the snow because you’re all bundled up anyway!
We additionally used this enjoyable little snowflakes unit research included within the Winter Journal (you could find out extra about that right here).
Or, take a look at this little Snowflakes FREEBIE!
Our Favourite Image Books about Snow
2. Winter Birds
Winter can really feel particularly lengthy in January, which is only one motive I’m particularly grateful for our beautiful, feathered winter associates. In case you’re seeking to maintain nature research going in the course of the winter months, birds are an excellent matter of research. There are various birds that both don’t migrate, or migrate very quick distances – which implies you could find winter birds in virtually each space of the world.
Maintain a Winter Birdwatching Diary (FREE Hen Log Printable!!)
One among our favourite issues to do within the winter is to cozy up on our window seat with a pair of binoculars and watch the winter birds within the yard. We maintain a number of feeders and love seeing who comes to go to (normally blue jays, northern glints, downy woodpeckers, chickadees, home finches and juncos!)
Get this FREE Printable Hen Watching Diary (And it’s additionally included in my Birds of Winter nature research!)
Make Easy Do-it-yourself Hen Feeders
Birds that stick out the winter typically must struggle to outlive. We might help out our feathered associates with some additional energy within the colder months. These little DIY hen feeders are straightforward to make and string up in your yard timber.
You’ll Want:
- Apples
- Peanut Butter (We just like the pure peanut butter, with no vegetable oil)
- Birdseed
- Twine
- Crocheting needle or one other pointy object (for poking holes)
- Paring knife
- Lower apples into slices.
- Use a needle or one thing pointy to poke a gap within the slices. Thread twine by way of the outlet.
- Unfold peanut butter onto the apple slices.
- Press the peanut-butter apple slice into the birdseed.
- Dangle from tree branches and watch the birds go to!
Simply because it’s winter, doesn’t imply nature research has to finish! One among my favourite elements of the winter season is watching the winter birds that grace our yard, come snow or sunshine. We use this little printable winter birds nature research as a nature research useful resource.
Image Books About Winter Birds
Yard Birds of Winter by Carol Lerner
Snow Birds, by Kirsten Corridor
Oh, Chickadee! by Jennifer Richard Jacobson
3. Evergreen Timber and Cones
Winter is the proper season to discover evergreen timber – timber that don’t lose their leaves in winter – and their cones. Take a stroll and see what number of evergreen timber you’ll be able to establish. And don’t neglect – “comfortable fir, spiky spruce, pine needles develop in bunches.”
Make Evergreen Paintbrushes
These DIY Nature Paintbrushes are a enjoyable method to discover evergreen branches and needles, and play with paint on the identical time.
Experiment with Pinecones
This pinecone science exercise had my children oohing and aahing regardless of its simplicity and tremendous straightforward setup and cleanup. Find out how and why pinecones open and shut with this straightforward experiment.
Discover extra winter timber within the Winter Journal!
Image Books About Evergreen Timber
Why Evergreens Maintain Their Leaves
The place Would I Be in an Evergreen Tree?
4. Ice
January is the coldest month for a lot of areas within the Northern Hemisphere, which implies it’s an excellent month to study all about ice. From icicles to icebergs, to pancake ice and hoarfrost, there are tons of alternatives to find out about ice within the winter.
Make an Iceberg
Do you know you may make an iceberg proper in your individual kitchen? Fill a balloon with water, tie the top tight and place it inside your freezer for at the very least 24 hours. As soon as the water has utterly frozen, rigorously lower away the balloon, leaving the frozen sphere – your iceberg.
Now fill a big container with water (it needs to be large enough in order that the iceberg can float). Place the iceberg into the container – you simply made a freshwater iceberg. Notice how a lot of the ice is above the water. You may measure the quantity with a ruler, if you want. How a lot of the ice stays under the water?
Most icebergs are freshwater, together with the one liable for the sinking of the Titanic. Nevertheless, you’ll be able to repeat this exercise utilizing salt water, and word how the salinity (saltiness) of the water impacts how the iceberg floats.
Play With Frozen Bubbles
Who doesn’t love enjoying with bubbles? On the coldest of days, attempt making frozen bubbles! Take a look at this tutorial for step-by-step directions.
Discover ice, icebergs and extra with the Arctic Journal!
Image Books about Ice
Ice Cycle: Poems in regards to the Lifetime of Ice
5. The Moon
On a chilly, clear winter night time, the moon shines additional shiny. I like learning the night time sky in winter, when there’s not a lot happening down right here on Earth.
Examine Moon Lore
Over the centuries, completely different cultures have given names to the total moons throughout the lunar calendar (January’s full moon is called the Wolf Moon, by the way in which). The cycle of moon phases had been an essential technique of protecting time for his or her lifestyle. Take a look at some books and articles on full moon lore (e book suggestions under!), or discover uncommon and particular moons, just like the blood moon, supermoon, and blue moon.
Make Moon Sand
Have your college students ever puzzled why the floor of the moon is filled with craters? As soon as one thing hits the moon or alters its panorama, that occasion turns into frozen in time as a result of the moon has virtually no erosion or environment.
Erosion occurs when a floor will get worn down by pure parts like water, wind, and even ice. As a result of the moon has no environment, it has no wind, transferring water, or climate to take away marks on its floor as soon as they’re made. The dusty footsteps of astronauts who walked on the moon a few years in the past are nonetheless there at this time, and will stay for tens of millions of years!
To make fluffy moon sand, you’ll need:
- 8 cups of flour
- 1 cup child oil (or one other oil)
- Pie pan or round tray
- Mixer
- Marbles, small pebbles or beads
Combine flour and oil collectively in a mixer for 10 minutes. Unfold the moon dough out evenly right into a round pie or cake pan. Gently toss marbles, beads or small rocks into the moon sand to make craters. You may even use collectible figurines to make
“footprints.” Easy the moon dough out and start once more!
Need extra on the craters of the moon, moon phases, full moon folklore, and extra? (plus a enjoyable moon phases flipbook!) Take a look at my Moon Nature Examine!
Our Favourite Image Books In regards to the Moon
A Huge Mooncake for Little Star
If You Had Your Birthday Social gathering on the Moon
The Astronaut Who Painted the Moon: The True Story of Alan Bean
6. Tree Bark (and a FREE bark ID printable!)
Though many timber are dormant this time of yr – and the leaves have come and gone – a tree’s bark is an effective way to find out about timber and establish them. Take this free bark viewer with you on a nature stroll and see what number of timber you’ll be able to establish (even with out their leaves!)
Bark Rubbings
Bark rubbings are one other enjoyable method to experiment with various kinds of tree bark. Merely connect a chunk of printer paper (we tied it to the tree with a chunk of yarn), and use an unwrapped crayon held sideways (or a charcoal stick) to create rubbings. Retailer the bark rubbings in your nature journal together with the identify of the tree species.
7. Wolves
The January full moon known as the wolf moon, as a result of wolves in January are very energetic. They use the chilly, snowy circumstances to hunt prey like elk and bison. This time of yr they’re on the transfer, touring in packs and speaking with howls.
There are many image books about wolves (see booklist under!), and in case you reside in a area wolves inhabit, you may need to search for tracks within the snow. (Use the reference under to establish wolf tracks!)
Make Wolf Silhouette Artwork
I completely love this artwork mission from Arty Artful Children, test it out right here!
Our Favourite Image Books About Wolves
Journey: Primarily based on the True Story of OR7, the Most Well-known Wolf within the West
**I’m an affiliate of Amazon, which implies I obtain a small fee from purchases by way of product hyperlinks, which helps maintain this web site going. I solely write about issues I’m actually keen about, and merchandise I truly suggest and use for our household.**
Uncover extra from Elevating Up Wild Issues
Subscribe to get the newest posts despatched to your electronic mail.
