Family and Homeschool Activities: Winter

These family and homeschool activities are designed to complement the Winter topic on BrainPOP Jr.

Winter Weather

Have your child record the weather during the winter. You can purchase an inexpensive thermometer and have your child measure the temperature outdoors and keep track on a line graph or monthly calendar. Your child should also record weather conditions such as sun, wind, fog, rain, snow, or sleet. You can use a clear cup with a ruler to measure rainfall or put a yardstick in the ground to measure snowfall. At the end of a week, month, or year, look back at the weather for specific time periods and draw conclusions about the seasons. What was the coldest month? What was the hottest week? When was the coldest day in the winter? When did it rain the most? Together with your child, go online to compare these statistics to last year, and to make a prediction for next month’s weather.

Winter Animals

If possible, take a trip to a zoo with your child. Look at all the animals together and discuss how they might survive during in the winter. Remind your child that countries near the Equator stay warm all year. Would a monkey from the tropical rainforest survive in a place with freezing temperatures? Would a snake do well in a snowy climate? Why or why not? Encourage children to think of ways each animal adapts to its environment. Why might a fox’s fur turn white during the winter? How might a raccoon stay warm during the winter? You may want to ask an expert or tour guide at the zoo for more information, or have your child write his or her questions down so you can look it up at the library or on the Internet together.