This winter has been a bizarre one in Minnesota and much of the country. This week, we've seen downright springlike temperatures in the 60's and it's the beginning of January.
While it's been pretty nice to be able to walk outside with short sleeves in a month that's usually known for bitter cold, there could be all sorts of implications if the weather continued this way.
This is a great opportunity to mix some creative writing, science and research skills for your homeschoolers.
Challenge your kids to write a story about a winter that stayed warm like this and what could happen as a result. Encourage them to research online and also dream up their own consequences for this wacky weather.
For instance:
- What effect could a lack of cold have on fruit trees? If they started budding now, could that interfere with the year's fruit crop? Would it help or hurt the trees?
- How would it affect migrating birds? Hibernating animals?
- What industries could suffer and how could it affect the state employment rate?
- What else would change in our state if we had spring-like weather for winter? What would the real spring and summer be like?
- Would people be happy by the end of the year without winter?
Kids can illustrate their stories, turn them into poems, make up pretend news casts and videotape themselves reporting on the imagined results, you name it.
Have fun!
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