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Hands-On Math: Fun and Easy Snowflake Geometry

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I have an easy snowflake geometry activity.

With the onset of winter weather, we’ve experienced the first few snow flurries in our area.

Just the mention of the word snow and kids of all ages get into a tizzy that brings delight and happiness.

I really wanted to bring that feeling of magic into our lessons, so I began hunting for ideas for my older kids.

Hands-On Math: Fun and Easy Snowflake Geometry. With the onset of winter weather, we’ve experienced the first few snow flurries in our area. Add a bit of math and science together to make these easy snowflakes and study a bit of geometry too. CLICK HERE to make this easy hands-on math craft!

When my kids were younger, we did a lot with crafts.

Crafts are a great way to make lessons hands-on and fun.

The more ways you can make math an art activity, the more kids can connect with the concept.

It’s also nice to connect other subjects and make lessons more efficient and engaging.

Because my kids are older, we’ve fallen away from crafts. However, it had become my goal to find a learning craft to tie into both math and science for the winter season.

Easy Snowflake Geometry

The following craft was the perfect lesson to review angles and geometrical shapes.

To get in our science skills at the same time, we learned a little about the science of weather.

Winter can be a hard time to keep focused with lessons, so this activity can be a great way to keep up your schooling stamina.

Hands-On Math: Simple Snowflake Geometry

Break out the smocks, paint, and craft sticks!! It’s time to get crafty! Here is a fun DIY decoration for your kids to make for their rooms, for a friend, or for a party.

For this craft, you will need the following materials:

  • craft sticks
  • protractor
  • liquid glue or a hot glue gun
  • any color of paint
  • paper to cover work space
  • paint brushes
  • decorative ribbon
  • double stick foam tape

We began this lesson by reviewing the different types of angles. We measured out and drew a 30 degree angle using the protractor.

Making a Simple Math Geometry Craft

Then we used 6 craft sticks to glue together a star shape. We were careful to make sure our angles measured at 30 degrees.

Winter Snowflake Geometry Craft

Next we added the points to our star in the form of diamonds or rhombuses.

At this point, a few of the kids got off of their measurements which resulted in the creation of their own shapes.

Painting a Geometric Snowflake

The kids then chose a color of paint to paint their snowflakes.

Making a Geometric Snowflake

You’ll love these living books for winter which bring learning alive when your kids hit the doldrums.

Winter NaturExplorers 940x788 (Facebook)


There are many ways to extend this activity:

  • Use the book Snowflake Bentley to learn about the man who studied snowflakes and invented the photomicrographic technique.
  • Research the science of snowflakes. Learn how snowflakes are made and what determines the shape of snowflakes.
  • Learn the seven shapes of snowflakes and then identify all of the shapes found in each snowflake type.
Hands-On Math: Fun and Easy Snowflake Geometry. With the onset of winter weather, we’ve experienced the first few snow flurries in our area. Add a bit of math and science together to make these easy snowflakes and study a bit of geometry too. CLICK HERE to make this easy hands-on math craft!

Add more math learning fun to your winter studies with these hands-on activities!

STEM: Build a Da Vinci Parachute Activity

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a fun stem build a Da Vinci parachute activity. Also, look at my unit study and lapbook Renaissance 1300 to 1600.

This year I’ve developed a whole year of STEM activities to go along with our science standards.

We study a new inventor each month. This month it was Leonardo Da Vinci!

Studying about Leonardo da Vinci can combine two subjects kids usually don’t consider as similar: art and science.

When you can tie the arts, engineering, math, and science into a project; you’ll have kids who are going to be able to creatively solve problems their whole life.

Combining many different facets of learning keeps kids engaged and focused in their schoolwork.

Physical Science STEM: Build a Da Vinci Parachute Activity. Studying about Leonardo da Vinci can combine two subjects kids usually don’t consider as similar: art and science. Click here to add this fun hands-on science activity to your unit study!

When kids begin to understand there is a creative aspect to science, they become more interested and excited to dive into deeper science concepts.

These activities are perfect to use with a Leonardo da Vinci study. You can combine them with an art study, and have a whole Leonardo da Vinci unit!

I chose to build and test da Vinci’s parachute. After studying his sketches, we used math concepts such as perimeter and isosceles triangle constructions.

This also uses physical science such as gravity, mass, and air resistance.

Da Vinci Parachute STEM Activity

What You’ll Need:

  • 1 piece of graph paper
  • Four ⅛ inch dowel rods; 12 inches long (Don’t pre cut these)
  • Four ⅛ inch dowel rods; 16 inches long (Don’t pre cut these)
  • 4 pieces of string; 18 inches long
  • masking tape
  • thin paper for the covering
  • 5 paper clips per parachute
  • ruler

We began this project by doing a bit of research on Da Vinci as an inventor. We researched his sketches and found out many of his sketches were ideas of inventions that we use today.

Then we began the project.

Making a Hands-On Da Vinci Parachute

The first step was to sketch out the blueprints. To get in a little math, I gave the kids the following problem to solve:

The square base of the pyramid will be 144 sq feet. Each square represents 2 inches. How many inches will each side of the base be? Draw it out on your graph paper.

After checking to see if the kids had drawn a 12 x 12 square, it was time to cut the dowel rods into 4 12” pieces.

Da Vinci Parachute Activity

You may need to use craft scissors to cut through the dowel rods.

Next, we used as little masking tape as possible to connect the 4 dowel rods into a square base.

Make a Da Vinci Parachute

Then it was on to the triangular sides.

By presenting another math problem, the kids were able to find out how long the isosceles triangle had to be. Here’s the math problem:

Renaissance Inventor Da Vinci Parachute

The total perimeter of the isosceles triangular sides is 44”. Since we already know the base is 12”, what will be the length of the other sides?

To solve the problem the kids had to subtract 44 from 12 to get 32.

Then they would divide 32 by 2 to get 16. The triangular sides will be 16” long.

The remaining dowel rods should be cut to provide 4 16” rods. These rods are then carefully taped onto the base of the parachute.

When the triangle pieces are all taped together and lying flat, it’s time to cover the sides of the parachute with very light paper.

To do this, we traced around the outside of the triangles and then used as little tape as possible to attach the paper.

Making a Da Vinci Parachute

Then it was time for the strings. This was the hardest part. You must cut four 18” strings.

To keep them from getting tangled, tie all 4 strings together at one end and then make a little loop and tape up each individual string at the other end.

You will then loop a paper clip through each loop. Use one more paper clip at the top of the strings, to connect all of the strings to the top of the parachute. The strings should be hanging down the middle of the parachute.

Model of Leonardo’s Parachute

Constructing a Paper Parachute

To test out our design, we connected each individual string onto a washer.

We used the school playground castle to drop our parachute and to see how long it would hang in the air. We tested different weights to see how we could achieve the longest hang time.

Launching a Da Vinci Parachute

Here’s a recap of the project:

Step 1: Cut and tape together 4 12” dowel rods to form a square.

Step 2: Cut and tape onto the square 4 16” dowel rods to form 2 isosceles triangles. Lay flat.

Step 3: Trace the triangles with light paper to cover the parachute. Use tape to attach the paper

Step 4: Cut 4 18” pieces of string and tie together at one end. Then make a small loop at the end of each string and use a little tape to keep the loop.

Step 5: Attach a paperclip to each loop and and one at the top where the strings are tied together. Use that paper clip to attach the strings to the middle of the parachute.

Step 6: Attach a washer to the 4 paper clips and then find a spot to test your parachute.

This was a highly engaging activity that my kids loved. They learned a lot about Leonardo Da Vinci, a lot about mass, gravity, and air resistance, balance, and a little about perimeter and shapes.

STEM: Build a Da Vinci Parachute Activity

I’m so glad that we took on the challenge of designing Da Vinci’s parachute!

Share more hands-on history learning below!

Easy Hands-On Science: Label the Atom Playdough Activity

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, I have an atom playdough activity.

This year, we’ve been learning some introductory physics with our fourth-grader. And you can’t talk about physics without mentioning the atom.

Atoms are all around us.

They’re even inside us!

Easy Hands-On Science: Label the Atom Playdough Activity

When my son learned that everything in the universe is made up of atoms, he was amazed.

But that led to more questions, such as “What are atoms made of?”

Which is how we ended up learning more about the parts of the atom through this fun label the atom playdough activity!

Pick up the free printable diagram and see how to complete this hands-on science lesson with your kids too!

Hands-On Science: Label the Atom Playdough Activity

To complete this label the atom playdough activity, you’ll need the following:

  • Printer
  • Laminator
  • Assorted playdough (at least three colors)
  • Printable Atom Diagram Playdough Mat (Download this image and then print it as is to make it a full-size printable.)
  • Mini sticky notes
Atom Playdough Mat

The playdough mat shows a basic diagram of an atom, complete with three electrons moving around the nucleus.

Inside the nucleus are two protons (designated with the positive sign) and two neutrons.

Of course, this is a very simplified diagram.

Scientists now know that electrons travel around the nucleus so quickly that they actually tiny electron “clouds”!

Making a Playdough Atom Diagram

After printing and laminating the atom diagram, you can start having the kids add small balls of playdough to fill in the picture.

We started by adding three electrons with green playdough.

Learning about Parts of an Atom

Then we added two red neutrons inside the nucleus.

MORE FOURTH GRADE HOMESCHOOL CURRICULUM ACTIVITIES

Making an Atom Diagram Out of Playdough

And, finally, two protons made out of blue playdough.

Labeling Parts of an Atom

Now it’s time to label each part of the atom!

We added mini sticky notes to each item on the mat and then labeled them all.

Playdough Atom Labeling Activity

Electrons were first, then the nucleus.

Then we labeled the protons.

Labeling a Playdough Atom

And the neutrons.

Learning About Atoms with Playdough

And we’re done!

This was a quick activity that really helped the kids visualize what’s inside an atom.

It’s truly incredible to know that the movement of the atom is what makes up matter inside and around us.

It’s also neat to discover that atoms are in constant motion, even inside solid objects!

Items that appear to be stable are only stable because the atoms that make them up move super duper slowly.

Easy hands-on science: Label the Atom Playdough Activity

But they’re still moving. The chairs at your dining room table? Yep, the atoms inside are in motion.

The foundation of your house? Its atoms are moving too!

This year, we've been learning some introductory physics with our fourth-grader. And you can't talk about physics without mentioning the atom.Atoms are all around us. They're even inside us! When my son learned that everything in the universe is made up of atoms, he was amazed. But that led to more questions, such as "What are atoms made of?" Click here to make this fun and easy hands-on activity!

If you want to try this activity without playdough, you can print it out and have the kids color it in with markers and then label each item on their own.

Or you can challenge them to draw a similar design themselves!

Ready to share more hands-on science lessons with your kids? Try these fun activities!

How to Shake Up STEAM With Geography For Middle School

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Science intimidates me, but I’ve always managed to teach it through one of my other strengths. I had a chance to shake up STEAM with geography. I used a country crate about Poland and used it to teach STEAM with geography, history and hands-on activities as a unit study. I love pick up and go resources that have everything in a crate that makes teaching STEAM and geography easy. Click here to read about it and grab it!

I stalked the mailbox waiting for this country crate. For review purposes, I was given this product for free and I was paid for my time. However, paid for my time does not mean paid off. All opinions are my own and I will always tell you what is on my mind. Not every product gets a positive review. But because I carefully sort through numerous offers for reviews, it usually means that I’m giddy about the product when I do accept it. Read my full disclosure here.

Science intimidates me, but I’ve always managed to teach it through one of my other strengths. So when I had a chance to shake up STEAM with geography by receiving a country crate about Poland from STEAMworld, I jumped at the chance. I can’t wait to tell you about the country crate, tell you what you get in one, and how I used it.

First, though, I don’t want you to miss both the sweet discount and giveaway at the bottom. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway and use the discount code.

After reading recently that STEAM jobs are on the increase, I’ve been looking for easy ways to incorporate science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics in my unit studies, but that takes a lot of time.

Too, nothing takes the steam (corny pun – I couldn’t resist) more out of a hands-on project then missing items to do them with.

Knowing that the crate comes with everything that we need in it to learn about Poland is a huge time savings tip.

Right now 3 countries are available: Poland, Japan, and Morocco with more coming!

(Confession – the paper and template for the rooster are missing in the picture because Tiny couldn’t wait to get started.)

Look at what you get in each crate:

  • materials for a math project,
  • materials for a science project,
  • materials for an art project,
  • materials for an engineering project,
  • one student activity book, which includes instructions for all STEAM projects, and
  • one country scrapbook style guide, which includes back ground information, fast facts and landmarks about a country.

What you do not get in a crate are items you normally would have in your homeschool room like rulers, pens, pencils, scissors and glue.

One of the things I like most about the crate and ideas for each subject is that they were uncomplicated and not lengthy.

It has just the right amount of laid out activities without telling you what to do each day.

If you’re new to unit studies, you may want a unit study that is more comprehensive, but that can also be overwhelming.

Right now in this season of my homeschooling, I want the freedom and wiggle room to learn at our pace without day to day lesson plans.

For example, for the first week and half or so we worked on the art project.

Look at my post Polish Paper-Cutting (Wycinanki): Day 10 Hands-on Learning.

The student activity book, or guide, has one or two pages of explanation with a hands-on project.

After reading the art activity, we took our time working on the art project. After learning about the beautiful art of polish paper cutting, we researched art patterns as well as read about the history of Poland.

In addition to the 8-page student activity book, the 4-page scrapbook style country guide has background information and quick facts about Poland.

Then, we took another couple of weeks watching a few YouTube videos and reading books from the library.

Both guides are springboards if you want to research and read longer about a topic like we did.

What I also like is that each project your child can work on independently. While I love teaching my kids at the middle school and high school level, I know it’s important to choose resources that support a child’s natural desire to learn independently.

Having each day’s lesson plans laid out is not exactly the way to do that.

Instead, giving your child guidance, some background information, and bringing the information together under a geography topic gives a middle school or high school student a beginning point.

Having an idea for each subject in a geography unit study also keeps your geography study balanced. Following a unit study approach means that you normally want some starting point for subjects about a topic and it means to introduce it in a balanced way.

I know I’ve been guilty of being unbalanced while covering unit study. While there is nothing wrong with digging deep on a topic you and your kids are excited about, a few subjects could be overlooked.

Using STEAMworld, gave us not only ideas to cover more in-depth, but hands-on projects for each subject.

I’ve confessed that when the boys were little that I took a hands-off approach to teaching because it either intimidated me or sounded like a lot of work for maybe a little return.

After homeschooling longer, you learn that kids retain information better when they are engaged and through hands-on projects. However, the next mistake in learning how to teach unit studies is that you can complicate hands-on projects. It’s almost enough to make you quit unit studies.

That is another reason I’m tickled to use the the country crates. Simple, but meaningful projects while learning about Poland keeps unit studies from being either boring or overly complicated.

However, the best reason I love STEAMworld is the focus on STEAM.

When it comes to geography and history it’s our first love; I can easily add in more content. But my boys have always loved science and want more ideas when we are doing unit studies.

STEAMworld may be a good fit for your family:

►If you love STEAM and want to include a framework for geography and history with it.
►If you love STEAM and want to fold it into your unit studies.
►If you want all the important supplies for hands-on projects at your finger tips and not have to worry about gathering all of them.
►If you love in-depth geography and history and prefer to add it yourself while having ideas for STEAM.
►If you prefer to have a beginning point and an easy hands-on idea for each subject in STEAM.
►If you want to encourage your kids to work more independently in unit studies, the guides are not bulky, but helpful and simple.
►If you prefer to do your own in-depth planning and don’t need to be told what to do day to day.
►If you don’t want to come up with a hands-on idea for Science,Technology, Engineering, Art or Math. An idea is provided for each subject tied to the country you’re studying.
►If you have multiple ages of children and want them to work together on a topic, but not necessarily on the same lesson. There is enough wiggle room in the guides to allow each child to work on a sub-topic that may interest each one.

I think you’ll love these country crates and I can’t wait to see the other country crates that are released.

What I love too is when a company is generous and hosts a sweet giveaway in addition to giving you a discount.

Be sure to enter the giveaway because there will be two winners and you have several chances to win. You never know; you may win. Don’t forget to use the coupon, as well as to share with your friends.

Hope you win!

How to purchase it.

►Product Name: STEAMworld Country Crates. Includes everything needed to do the activities. Materials included for science, math, art and engineering. Basic homeschool supplies like scissors, glue, tape and pencils are not included in the country crate. There is a duo option for extra material to include siblings.
►Website: STEAMworld Learning.
►Suitable for grades: 4th to 8th, but so it’s  so flexible to include all of your children.
►Format: A physical product that will be shipped to you.
►Cost: $39.95. Remember to use the code: steam2017 for a discount.

You may also love reading 5 BEST Books to Create an Around the World Unit Study (and Hands-on Activities), Geoscavenge – A Rock and Mineral Hunt: Day 6 Hands-on Learning and 11 AWESOME Ways to Learn Geography (Other Than Labeling a Map).

Hugs and love ya,

Signature T

Don’t forget to follow BOTH of my Pinterest accounts for AWESOME pins.

Visit Tina Robertson’s profile on Pinterest.


Visit Tinas Dynamic Homeschool ‘s profile on Pinterest.

Make Zopf (Swiss Style Bread): Day 3 Hands-on Learning

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Make Zoph. Swiss style bread. Day 3 of Hands-on Learning Activities @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool PlusFor another switch in our routine, we read Cuckoo Clock Secrets in Switzerland (Case of Adventure Travel Series Book 1) and have been working our way through a fun and interactive Unit Study called Destination Switzerland by CASE OF ADVENTURE. Today, we made  Zopf (Swiss Style Bread) and you talk about delicious!

We basically followed the recipe suggested by Case Adventure, which is Zopf Bread. It required just a few ingredients and a slow morning while we did school.

Though the recipe suggested white flour, I had more whole wheat. And even though we didn’t get the combination right of white to wheat so that it didn’t become too crumbly without the gluten, it still was so delicious and a fun project.

After Tiny mixed it, we let double in size for about an hour. I think it was longer because he was doing math and we forgot about it. So I think it was closer to two hours.

Then he decided to go ahead and try the four braids instead of two and talk about challenging.

I’m not much help to Tiny because the poor kid has a spatially challenged mom (you know I have to turn the map sideways or the direction I’m facing to get it right), but he found a site that showed him how to braid 4 pieces.

Actually the Step 2 on the Instructables website was what he used because it was more helpful. So much fun for him as he loved the challenge.

The important part was to try to make the pieces even, but so not perfect is perfectly acceptable.

As you can see, he was pretty proud of himself and he should be because it was so delicious and the smell in the kitchen just permeated.

Again, it was crumbly because of the lack of white flour, but it didn’t affect the taste any.

Besides having a hot piece of buttered bread while reading the novel Cuckoo Clock Secrets in Switzerland (Case of Adventure Travel Series Book 1) and putting together our new lapbook and unit study about Switzerland was more fun this way.

I have a review and pictures about it coming up soon on our newest Switzerland unit study. But you can grab it now if you’re wanting to follow along.

Destination Switzerland CASE OF ADVENTUREAlso, grab these other hands-on ideas from Day 1: Make a Hair Hygrometer, Day 2: Desert Sand Art: Hands-on Learning (Colors of the Desert) and 365 Days Hands-On Homeschool Activities – One for EVERY Day of the Year for more ideas and look at my category for hands-on ideas for your unit studies

Hugs and love ya,

Signature T

Don’t forget to follow BOTH of my Pinterest accounts for AWESOME pins.

Visit Tina Robertson’s profile on Pinterest.


Visit Tinas Dynamic Homeschool ‘s profile on Pinterest.