Are all snowflakes truly unique? What are the physical forces that drive snowflakes to come in so many shapes and sizes? In this lesson with great resources from PBS LearningMedia, students build an apparatus that creates conditions similar to a winter cloud and produce their own snow crystals indoors. By watching the snow crystals grow, they learn about the molecular forces that shape ice crystals, and gain a deeper understanding of the states of matter. By exploring these media resources, including microphotographs of real snowflakes, students also learn about molecular forces, the particulate nature of matter, and condensation. Start enjoying the winter season!
Why Do Snowflakes Come in So Many Shapes and Sizes?
Grades 6-8| Lesson Plan | Science
Are all snowflakes truly unique? What are the physical forces that drive snowflakes to come in so many shapes and sizes? In this lesson, students build an apparatus that creates conditions similar to a winter cloud and produce their own snow crystals indoors. By watching the snow crystals grow, they learn about the molecular forces that shape ice crystals, and gain a deeper understanding of the states of matter. By exploring media resources, including microphotographs of real snowflakes, students also learn about molecular forces, the particulate nature of matter, and condensation.
Snowflake Physics
Grades 6-12 |Interactive | Science
In this interactive activity adapted from SnowCrystals.com, learn about snowflake formation. Explore the molecular structure of ice and learn how the typical six-sided shape of snowflakes is due to the arrangement of water molecules in a hexagonal crystal lattice. Discover how snowflakes form and how different conditions affect their growth and morphology.
Particulate Nature of Matter
Grades 6-12 |Interactive | Science
In this interactive activity from ChemThink, learn about solids, liquids, and gases at an atomic level. Investigate how the behavior and interaction of atoms and molecules account for the states of matter. Important terms such as elements, molecules, compounds, and mixtures are also reviewed.
Molecular Shapes
Grades 9-12 |Interactive | Science
This interactive activity from ChemThink explains the valence shell electron pair repulsion (VSEPR) theory. Understand why, within a covalently-bonded molecule, areas with a higher concentration of electrons repel each other to be as far apart as possible. See how Lewis structures can be used to predict the shape of a molecule, and learn about common molecular geometries such as linear, trigonal planar, bent, tetrahedral, and trigonal pyramid.