Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. How does snow form, and what are some different types of snow?

Teaching Suggestion: This prompt challenges students to learn about the theme of The Power of Nature at the beginning of the unit. The novel takes place in intense, snowy conditions. Students can begin with what they know about snow and then study the resources here to learn more. If time allows, the class can brainstorm questions they still have about snow and research answers. This extension might be more meaningful if it is conducted in the middle of reading the novel. This activity could provide background knowledge for the before reading activity, and students might return to their research as they complete the after reading activity.

• This 2-minute video from Discovery Place Science explains the difference between snow and other types of precipitation.
• “Science of Snow” from the National Snow and Ice Data Center at the University of Colorado Boulder includes information on how snow forms, different types of storms, forecasting, and more.