Icicles Inquiry

One day a few weeks ago, we went outside the day after it had rained. The weather had turned very cold again and the students noticed the icicles that were hanging. We began to look more closely and saw icicles hanging from the roof, from the ledge and even under the cars!













As usually happens when we are outside, students started to ask "I wonder" questions. A common question that arose was, "I wonder how icicles are made?"

Students also started comparing icicles, "I wonder why this one is big and that one is small?" - F. A.

Students then began developing theories about how icicles are made:

 

"When the snowflake falls then it hang and then it freezes." - A. P.

 

 "The icicle maker, he make the icicles and hang it." - G. F.

 

 "I know how icicle is made. I can see some snow inside. When the snow gets over there then it freezes. Then it makes an icicle. With the snow we make icicle when it freezes." - F.A.

 

 "Somebody take the ice, they put water and they hang it."- A. H.

 

 "When snow and rain mixes together it makes icicle." - R. R.

 

As students develop their theories about how icicles are made, as an inquiry group we decided that we wanted to create our own icicles.