Yesterday marked our first day back after Thanksgiving Break—and what a way to start the month of December! Snow arrived just in time, and the excitement was palpable. The students couldn’t stop talking about the first snowfall of the season, and it became the perfect segue into a day of hands-on learning and exploration.
After a full day of lessons, we took a quick 5-minute break to enjoy the snow outside. The students bundled up in their winter gear, eager to feel the cold. While we were out there, I challenged them to predict how long they thought the snow would stick around. This sparked a lively conversation, tying directly into one of our current literacy focuses on inferences and predictions. The guesses ranged from “it’ll be gone by morning” to “we’ll get more snow overnight.” The diversity of their predictions made for some thoughtful discussions, as they worked together to reason through their ideas.
Even though the snow was light, a few students couldn’t resist the urge to make snow angels. As they moved their arms and legs through the snow, I pointed out that they were using force to create shapes in the snow. It was a perfect, unplanned tie-in to our new Force and Motion discovery unit, reinforcing their understanding of how physical forces work.
Overall, it was a day filled with learning, laughter, and plenty of hands-on fun. It’s moments like these that remind us how seamlessly learning and play can come together, especially in a snowy backyard. What a great start to the month!
