To celebrate the first Winter storm today, December 23, 2022, we decided to spend some time studying Wilson Alwyn Bentley who was born February 9, 1865 and died on December 23, 1931. It is rather a unique coincidence that today was the day of his death in 1931. He was an American photographer who was the first person to take photographs of snowflakes by developing the concept of microphotography. Through his photographic work he was able to discover the hexagonal shaped designs of snowflakes meaning no two snowflakes are the same. Like the snowflakes he adored and the pictures he shared he and his talents were a gift to the world.
A very kind homeschool unit creator offers a free unit to download: https://www.thewaldockway.com/product/wilson-bentley-unit-study/ which we will share some snapshots and some sheets we selected to complete.
You can listen to the book should you not be able to obtain a copy like us, which is called Snowflake Bentley By Jacqueline Briggs Martin and Illustrated by Mary Azarian: https://youtu.be/rtyLpo3cWic
This is a neat documentary video on the gentleman: https://youtu.be/ptLmA263hlk
For more detailed information about his life we have shortrned up the information gathered from the above sources to produce our summary:
Wilson A. Bentley belonged to a family of farmers and was born February 9, 1865 in Jericho Vermont. He had a brother named Charlie and he like to play the piano. He loved snowflakes He was homeschooled by his mother until he was 14 years old. At that age his mother gave him a microscope and he used it to look a variety of things in nature as he adored nature, however he mostly used it to look at snow. He enjoyed studying the ice crystals. He learnt that snowflakes had 6 branches sometimes 3 and none were alike. He truly believed that snowflakes each were a masterpiece design that had intricate patterns. Through his research he discovered that each snowflake was unique and not a copy of each other. He often wondered how he could capture the beauty of a snowflake to share with others.
At the age of 15 he began to draw snowflakes for three years however they always dissolved before he could finish his drawing. When he was 17 years old he asked his parents for a camera and they bought him one although his father felt he should be doing farm work and not his passion. The family spent what would cost them 10 cows The first pictures he took were failures simply shadows however he continued to work hard through every storm. Whenever the snowflakes created jumbled broken crystals he would gather some new ones and use a turkey feather to move the snow around to try to capture their beauty with the camera. When he was 19 years old he was finally able to figure out how to photograph the snowflakes. He worked through skepticism of the community who claimed snowflakes were not special and common as dirt and laughed at his endeavors. He never quit because this was going to be his gift to the world and on February 14, 1928 for two days he was able to capture 100 pictures which he believed was a gift from the King of Winter. He studied snow storms held onto a black tray to collect the snowflakes and discovered many fascinating elements of snow. Each snowflake begins as a spec and little molecules of water attach to the spec to form branches. As the crystals grows branches come together and trap small quantities of air. The way a snow crystal grows is affected by the air being a little more colder or a little less wind or even if more moistures is involved. These factors generate different shape branches which is why no two snowflakes are alike.
He was able to get a book published on his snowflakes however he did not make much, he spent more than 15,000 only to make a sale of 4,000 however his passion was priceless. Shortly after this accomplishment of becoming a published author as he was walking six miles home during a blizzard he caught pneumonia and struggled two weeks with the disease only to end up dying on December 23, 1931.
There are different kinds of snowflakes such as branched star, needles, dendrite, radiating dendrite, plate, stellar dendrite, simple star, star, stellar plates, triangular forms, rimmed, and column.
A lovely artist has for 1.42CDN an anatomy of a feather in her item shop, perhaps not the very same he used however the design is beautiful: https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/720853715/anatomy-of-a-feather-printable?click_key=2d96a0607c86d9da62c9d8cd8cdf11837d41d8ab%3A720853715&click_sum=da8aded8&ga_search_query=feathers&ref=shop_items_search_1
This is also a nice resource: https://westonwoods.scholastic.com/products/westonwoods/study_guides/snowflake_bentley.pdf you could also download the same source called the Study Guide on this webpage:https://jacquelinebriggsmartin.com/book/snowflake-bentley/ from this resource we discussed where snow is found in the world and why some places do not get snow, we also talked about biographies and elements of such, and we tried to think of what objects are found in nature that are hexagons. This is truly an appreciated resource, thanks to everyone who gives so generously so others can learn, you are true teachers. We referenced this video: https://youtu.be/Pypd_yKGYpA to generate discussion and understanding and learnt that beehives, honeycomb cereal, rocks, bassalt columns like giant's causeway, devil's postpile, plains of catan, insect eyes, and marine skeletons have hexagon (6 sided) shapes.
A unique math resource for free regarding snowflakes can be downloaded at: https://gallery.mailchimp.com/27b3edc7614f7c1546aaf4664/files/Snowflake_Freebie.pdf We referenced the sheet on a hexagon when reflecting upon hexagons in society. We did not have any chalk to do this activity as it is however we were able to learn how to create a beautiful snowflake from it: https://yourbesthomeschool.com/snowflakes-chalk-art-tutorial/
From this webpage: https://homeschoolingtoday.com/blogs/blog/snowflake-bentley-unit-study we were encouraged to locate Vermont on the map to note where Wilson Bentley was from, we were directed to a webpage showing the photographs he created: https://snowflakebentley.com/resources Some neat facts about snow can be found: https://www.factsjustforkids.com/weather-facts/snow-facts-for-kids/ A truly unique map can be purchased from a lovely artist for no more than 2.00CND at: https://www.etsy.com/dk-en/listing/921348568/digital-detailed-north-america-map-and?click_key=32ffff4bc1ad11d4b7b3f6f3b525d09563e5f726%3A921348568&click_sum=a0568e65&ga_search_query=map&ref=shop_items_search_1&pro=1
If you have a passion for weather like Bently and Barron this lovely free weather package may be enjoyable, we found it at: https://www.treevalleyacademy.com/checking-the-weather-forecast-for-kids/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=grow-social-pro
We were finally able to read this book from the wonderful Toronto Librarians who selected it as part of the library collection, although the youtube books were delightfully read there is value in reading it and holding a book yourself:
Also a cute little treat for those of you who do not have snow yet and would like some please follow these simple instructions and enjoy this book read beautifully at: https://youtu.be/2Md4e_X7Opg or find a copy at your local library or favourite book shop: Willow and the Snow Day Dance By Denise-Brennan Nelson and Illustrated by Cyd Moore. Some neat activities can be enjoyed at: http://www.willowlovesart.com/willow-and-the-snow-day-dance/
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