Description

This activity was born from the need for students to carefully read instructions while also reviewing content area material for midterm exams. This Build a Snowball Launcher has what you need to complete this cycle:

• Step 1. Students complete a review activity of your choice (whatever your students need!). Type in the instructions for this on the editable page /slide, included.
• Step 2. Students receive a card that explains one step of building the launcher.

Repeat those two steps (up to 5 review activities total) until snowball launcher is complete.

Students are not given a model or a picture (unless they become stuck and frustrated, and then they must use their one Snow Fairy to ask for a hint), so reading carefully is a must. If students do not, natural consequences occur (such as not being able to launch their snowballs!). If students guess instead of reading – or if you just need to slow them down – give them a Yeti card!

Designed to be played two ways:

1. Students complete against themselves for launching their snowballs for distance or accuracy – such as in a bowl, OR

2. Teams launch snowballs (pom-poms or small Styrofoam balls) in a snowball fight!

This challenge includes PDF (slide-sized for using electronically, too) of these pieces:

• Detailed instructions for preparation and implementation
• A poetic introduction
• Rules of play
• 5 Editable page / slides for inserting instructions for your review activities
• 7 Detailed Launcher building cards
• Snow Fairy and Yeti cards for helping or slowing a team down
• Editable page / slide for partners or teams
• Pictures of each step to help, just in case!

To build the launcher, each student will need:

• 12 tongue depressors
• 5 rubber bands
• 1 piece of double-stick tape
• 1 water bottle lid

To launch the snowballs, you’ll need:

• Pom-poms or small Styrofoam balls
• A target area or bowls for landing, if students are competing against themselves
• Tape for the floor as a shooting line

You’ll also need your review activities, whether they are worksheets, Pixel Art pages, manipulatives, sorts, task cards, etc. This activity’s length is dependent on the length of the review tasks and can easily fit within one class period.

**All of this can be used as a staff development activity as well. Simply replace review activities with staff tasks, such as organizing data, sorting curriculum items, etc., then have participants build their launchers along the way! A “snowball fight” will add levity to your trainings!

Safely purchase on this site or on Teachers Pay Teachers.