Science Smarts: Preserve winter

By Patty Rooks on February 21, 2026.

As I was waling my dog this morning, it was snowing so gently and beautifully. Having lived in Alberta virtually my entire life, I have come to appreciate ALL of the seasons, even the cold of winter – yes, I am sorry to those that do not like the cold – even Buddy my dog who was a bit upset at the cold snow on his tiny paws! At times, I have a bit of a sadness when the seasons change as there is something to appreciate in all of them. When I look at the calendar, I see that it is almost March, which likely means that winter and snow will be leaving soon. If you are like me, you may want to preserve the beauty of the season and this activity will help you. Let’s get started!

* Remember to ask an adult before doing this experiment.

Materials

– Black construction paper

– Magnifying glass

– Snow

– Small ruler

– Warm clothes to go outside in

Procedure

1. Place the construction paper in the freezer overnight. This step is important as the paper must be very cold so the snow does not melt once it touches it.

2. The next day, dress warmly, take your paper out of the freezer, take your magnifying glass and ruler and quickly and go outside. It is best to go outside on a day when it is snowing, but as long as there is some snow outside, it will be fine.

3. If it is snowing, allow the snowflakes to fall onto the sheet of paper. If you have to find snow, find some fluffy, powdery snow. Gently place it on the paper.

4. Observe the snow with the magnifying glass. What do you see?

5. Measure the snowflakes, are they all the same size?

What is going on?

Snowflakes come in a variety of shapes and sizes. I am told that there are no two snowflakes that are exactly the same. Snowflakes can differ in their size, structure and even surface markings. If is hard to see these parts of a snowflake with just a magnifying glass, but there are very powerful microscopes in Laboratories that have shown us this.

The different snow crystal structures result from the weather conditions when the snow is falling. The temperature and even the moisture level in the clouds near the earth’s surface can all contribute to a difference in the snowflake.

Some of the more common types of snow or ice crystals structures are needle like. These types of crystals usually form a stiff snow. Column crystals are formed when there is very little moisture in the air.

Plate crystals are formed when the temperature drops down to -10 or -20 degrees Celsius. There are also dendrite crystal structures that can form. This type of crystal usually looks like a fern branch. Try to see if you can identify the crystal structure of your snowflake.

Do not forget to register for the upcoming Regional Science Fair at Medicine Hat College. The link is: https://forms.gle/YmQuZ7cEkfAtZDM99 .

Patty Rooks, senior scientific consultant Praxis Science Outreach Society. Praxis is located in the Community Futures Entre Corp Building at #202 556 Fourth St. SE, Medicine Hat, Alberta, T1A 0K8. For all your science needs, please email praxis@praxismh.ca.

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