Lesson plan
Snowflake
of a natural snowflake A snowflake is a single ice crystal that is large enough to fall through the Earth's atmosphere as snow. Snow appears white in color despite being made of clear ice. This is because the many small crystal facets of the snowflakes scatter the sunlight between them. Each flake begins by forming around a tiny particle, called its nucleus, accumulating water droplets, which freeze and slowly form a crystal. Complex shapes emerge as the flake moves through differing temperature and humidity zones in the atmosphere, and possibly combines with other snowflakes. Because of this, snowflakes tend to look very different from one another. However, they may be categorized in eight broad classifications and at least 80 individual variants. The main constituent shapes for ice crystals, from which combinations may occur, are the base or "plate", "needle", column, and rime.
Article summary
of a natural snowflake A snowflake is a single ice crystal that is large enough to fall through the Earth's atmosphere as snow. Snow appears white in color despite being made of clear ice. This is because the many small crystal facets of the snowflakes scatter the sunlight between them. Each flake begins by forming around a tiny particle, called its nucleus, accumulating water droplets, which freeze and slowly form a crystal. Complex shapes emerge as the flake moves through differing temperature and humidity zones in the atmosphere, and possibly combines with other snowflakes. Because of this, snowflakes tend to look very different from one another. However, they may be categorized in eight broad classifications and at least 80 individual variants. The main constituent shapes for ice crystals, from which combinations may occur, are the base or "plate", "needle", column, and rime.
Key claims
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
No sources recorded.
Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.