This lesson is adapted from Using Caldecotts Across the Curriculum available from Scholastic Professional Books.

Part of the Ezra Jack Keats Author Study

In The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats, Peter awakens to a world of snow. He makes tracks and snow angels, goes sliding, and packs snowballs - saving one in his pocket for the next day. Keats' simple story and collage illustrations capture a child's natural wonder for the world in a book that charms readers of all ages.

Materials:

• Snow
• Pans or dishes
• Pens/paper

If you've got snow on hand, let students scoop some up to make some snowballs. See how long they last in your classroom under different conditions. Have students measure the amount of snow that they use so each snowball is the same size. Set each snowball in a pan or dish to catch the drips and then place them in different places around the room - a sunny windowsill, under a cover, in the closet, or in a pocket - like Peter did in the story!

Place paper and pen beside each snowball and ask students to record observations every 30 minutes. Which snowball do they think will last longest? Which will melt first? Why?