Christmas is around the corner and snowflakes are everywhere! Snowflakes are fascinating, and not just for their beauty. Did you know that studying snowflakes can help with STEM concepts such as coding? Learning about the structure of snowflakes and how they form can provide insight into coding techniques. By examining the geometry and patterns of a snowflake, students can gain a better understanding of coding concepts. Snowflakes can also teach us about variation and randomness in code, as well as problem-solving techniques. So, next time you look at a snowflake, think about how it could help you with coding skills! Snowflakes might just be the perfect way to engage students in STEM this holiday season.
Introduction to Snowflakes
Snowflakes are unique snow crystals that form in the atmosphere due to a combination of temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure. As they fall toward the ground, these snow crystals are either captured in a web of intricate patterns or melted into plain water droplets. Snowflakes have long been studied and admired by scientists and engineers alike, as they provide a great opportunity to explore the concepts of engineering and computing.
The Snowflake Effect is a unique technique of engineering, computing, and mathematics that is used to identify and replicate the patterns of snowflakes. By studying the microscopic details of snowflakes, engineers and computing experts can use this data to create precise replicas of snowflakes on a computer. This Snowflake Effect technology is used to study how snowflakes form, their shapes and sizes, as well as the physics behind them.
Snowflakes are beautiful creations of nature that can help us learn and practice Science and Math!
STEM insights with Snowflakes
SkoolOfCode provides STEM-based learning through its computer science curriculum. Snowflakes, due to their intricate patterns, can be used as a tool to explore STEM concepts. Snowflake activities are a great way for students of all ages to learn about the basic principles of computer science, such as coding. With Snowflakes, kids can experiment with coding various shapes and sizes of snowflakes and see how the pattern changes.
Also, we attempt to work on the holistic development of the child by integrating real-life observations with kids coding.
Snowflakes are a great way to teach kids the basics of coding, while also helping them understand the wonders of nature. Let’s explore Snowflakes through the STEM angle.
Math with Snowflakes
- Snowflakes are made of six-sided shapes, which makes them a great starting point for learning about geometrical shapes.
- Snowflake patterns can teach us a lot about numbers and shapes while helping kids to understand the concept of symmetry.
- Snowflakes also provide a great way to teach about angles and shapes, as each snowflake has six sides and a unique shape.
- The snowflake shape evolves as it travels through the air, therefore, each snowflake is unique i.e., no two snowflakes are the same.
Snowflake Math can be the perfect way to make learning fun while exploring the wonders of winter!
Science with Snowflakes
- Snowflakes are unique as each one is made up of billions of tiny ice crystals that take on a hexagonal shape when they freeze.
- The shape and size of the snowflake depend on many environmental factors, such as temperature and humidity.
- Snowflakes can also form different shapes depending on the way moisture moves in the atmosphere and how it interacts with temperature.
- Snowflakes can also have different shapes depending on the type of crystal they form, such as Plate, Needle, or Column crystals.
- Snowflakes also provide a fun and engaging way to learn about physics, such as the different sizes and shapes they take on depending on the wind speed.
All of these factors make snowflakes truly unique and fascinating to study! Snowflake Science can teach us a lot about environmental conditions and the properties of ice crystals!
Engineering with Snowflakes
Snowflakes can also be used to explore engineering concepts with kids.
- Snowflake structures can teach us a lot about balance and stability – how do we build a structure that won’t collapse when the snow starts to fall?
- Snowflake engineering can also teach us about heat transfer and insulation – how do we design a structure that will keep us warm in the cold winter months?
Technology (Computing) with Snowflakes
Snowflakes can also be used to explore computing concepts with kids.
- Snowflake patterns and shapes can teach us a lot about algorithms and coding – how do we write code to create a unique snowflake pattern?
Snowflakes can help us explore a wide range of STEM subjects in an engaging way that’s perfect for the winter season! Let’s create snowflakes with code and explore the wonders of winter!
Code a Snowflake
We will be using Scratch 3.0 programming language to create Snowflakes. Get creative and have some Snowflake fun with kids coding!
Let’s start coding Snowflakes!
Open Scratch 3.0 (online or offline) and let the Snowflake coding begin!
Step 1: Choose a sprite and click on Paint.
Use the rectangle tool to create the shape of one strand of a snowflake. The images are shown below for your reference
Now one strand of Snowflake is ready.
Starting with the basics – Snowflakes are six-sided shapes, so you’ll need to write code that will draw six sides of the snowflake
Note: One thing to make sure of is that the bottom of the created strand of snowflake should be at the center of the canvas.
Step 2: Coding Snowflakes.
Now go ahead and code your Snowflake
Code for Snowflake
The Snowflake appears as shown in the picture
Step 3: Now we can work on the size and color of snowflakes.
Change the color of the sprite to white and add a set-size block to reduce the size of the snowflakes.
Code
Output Snowflake
Step 4: Make a custom Block to create Snowflakes
Add the code to draw Snowflakes on the stage. You can create multiple snowflakes. Also feel free to add your own twists or changes with Snowflake patterns.
Code for multiple Snowflakes
Our students are already making different projects related to Snowflakes in different programming courses. One of our students created a Snowflake game in App inventor.
Challenge: Create a Snowfall effect through a Snowflake’s sprite
Conclusion
Snowflakes provide a great way to explore Science, Math, and Computing concepts! From exploring snowflake shapes and patterns to coding Snowflakes, there are many ways for kids to have fun in STEM while learning about the world around them. Snowflake Science can teach us a lot about the environment and properties of ice crystals – get creative this winter and explore Snowflake Science!
Have Fun Exploring Snowflakes! 🤗👏✨☃️⛄️❄️
By –Dr. Kadam Bhambari, an Educator at SkoolofCode with Ph.D. and MTech in Electronics. She is an expert in Microbit, Arduino, and Artificial intelligence.