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It’s Snowing Primary Sources at the Library of Congress

Posted by: Danna Bell

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Winter scenes. Snowflakes, three rows of four. Theodor Horydczak
Winter scenes. Snowflakes, three rows of four. Theodor Horydczak

It’s winter in the United States and many sections of the country are blanketed in a coverlet of white. Primary sources can enhance learning about snow, and here are a few resources for getting started, especially in science and technology classrooms.

Is it true that no two snowflakes are alike? Explore the work of scholars who studied snowflakes and learn how they answer that question.

Study historical tools and weather instruments featured in our Weather Forecasting Primary Source Set.

How were urban streets cleaned before mechanized snow plows? Read It’s Snowing: Plowing Ahead with Primary Sources from the Library of Congress for some examples.

Snow plow, [between 1856 and 1857]
Snow plow, [between 1856 and 1857]
Snow can also spark creativity. Folklife Today shows how creating snowballs can lead to creating snow sculptures. Ask your students about the community traditions and folklore in your area that relate to snow and its uses.

Need to find more primary sources on snow? This blog post leads to primary sources students can use to study how people survived snow storms in the past.

Snow even has literary connections! From the Catbird Seat provides information and teaching suggestions about poems on winter and snow.

How will you and your students study snow and the impact of snow on communities? Let us know in the comments.

 

Comments (2)

  1. Teresa says:

    Great suggestions! I especially love the idea of letting snow inspire poetry and writing!

  2. Sherrie Galloway says:

    Love following all these links while I’m a passenger in a car driving through a blizzard in the Colorado mountains. Looking forward to sharing with students.

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