Snow White Day: Fairy Tale STEM Activities

My son loves Snow White. I think it’s from when we did an impromptu dinner at Storybook Dining to see Snow White when visiting Orlando (not for a Disney trip). He also has the Snow White story on Bun-bun (aka Leapfrog On-the-Go Story Pal), which he loves listening to. So, after doing Winnie the Pooh Day, Pigeon Day, and Jack-and-the-Beanstalk Day, I asked him what he wanted to do next, and he said Snow White Day. It took me a moment to figure out how to turn Snow White Day into STEM Activities, but then I thought of apples and gem mining!

Hint: Peter Rabbit Day and Beauty and the Beast Day are on the horizon, so be sure to subscribe!

Target Audience

My son is in pre-K, and his friend is a riding first grader, so these activities are perfect for preschoolers and early elementary school, but they can also be used up to 5^th grade based on the alignment of math and science standards by state. They work for both homeschool and traditional classroom settings. Feel free to pick and choose the activities for your Snow White Day. You can do them all in a day or spread them over the course of a week. Since apples are one of the themes, you can also use some of these activities in your fall apple-themed units.

Outline of Day

Here is how we structured our day. We didn’t get to everything in the outline, so pick and choose what’s important for your students.

1. Compare and contrast the two versions of Snow White
2. Apple fractions
3. Apple symmetry
4. Apple browning experiment
5. Sink or float
6. Magic mirror craft
7. Poison apple
8. Lunch
9. Devotional (option for Christian homeschooling families or parochial schools)
10. Gemstones and mining
11. Drama
12. Movie

ELA

Comparing and Contrasting Two Stories

There is a plethora of Snow White stories that you can check out of your local library. Choose two and have your students compare and contrast the two stories. You can stick with the Golden Books Disney version or try two new stories for fun! Comparing and contrasting fairy tales aligns perfectly with Grade 2 ELA standard RL.2.9, but it is appropriate across various grade levels. Although, the littles may compare the illustrations more than the actual story and that’s ok. As you read pull in other grade-level appropriate ELA standards.

Standards

This activity is aligned to the following Common Core ELA Standard:

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.2.9: Compare and contrast two or more versions of the same story (e.g., Cinderella stories) by different authors or from different cultures.

Math

Apple Fractions

Materials

• Apples
• Knife
• Cutting board
• Fraction Area Model and Set Models worksheets from Snow White STEM Activity Packet
• Crayons or pencil

Activity

Cut apples in half. Describe the shares as halves and then talk about each share being half of the whole. Cut the halves in half and talk about how the apples are fourths and each share is a fourth of the whole apple. If kids are understanding the concept you can talk about how a fourth is a half of a half of an apple, but you don’t need to push it. You can also give them circles and partition them into halves and fourths. This helps kids move from the concrete to the pictorial stage of representations. (See Brunner’s Stages of Representation.)

Even though this is a first-grade standard, my preschooler was able to understand the concept of ½ and ¼. We kept it simple, but he was also able to partition shapes into halves and fourths.

See my blog post on Mouse Shapes for related standards 1.G.2.

Note: You can make your own circle and shapes fractional worksheets or purchase my Snow White Day STEM Activity Packet!

Standards

This activity is aligned to the following Common Core Math Standards:

• CCSS.Math.Content.1.G.A.3: Partition circles and rectangles into two and four equal shares, describe the shares using the words halves, fourths, and quarters, and use the phrases half of, fourth of, and quarter of. Describe the whole as two of, or four of the shares. Understand for these examples that decomposing into more equal shares creates smaller shares.
• CCSS.Math.Content.2.G.A.3: Partition circles and rectangles into two, three, or four equal shares, describe the shares using the words halves, thirds, half of, a third of, etc., and describe the whole as two halves, three thirds, four fourths. Recognize that equal shares of identical wholes need not have the same shape.

Symmetry and shapes (apples)

Materials

• Seeing Symmetry by Loreen Leedy
• Symmetry cutouts for each student
• Crayon or pencil
• Geomirror
• Apple cutouts (lengthwise and halfwise)

Activity

Symmetry

Read pages 1-13 in the book Seeing Symmetry by Loreen Leedy. Then cut the apple in half lengthwise and discuss if the apple has symmetry. Give students the cut-out and have them fold the cutouts in half to find the line of symmetry. You can have kids hold their folded piece up to a Geomirror to see how a half of symmetrical shape makes a whole. (This activity follows perfectly after the apple fraction activity about halves above!)

Cut the apple halfwise. Ask them where the lines of symmetry can be. Give them a cutout of an apple halfwise and have them see that there are five different places where you can draw a line of symmetry.

For older or more advanced students read pages 14-19 in Seeing Symmetry by Loreen Leedy and discuss rotational symmetry.

You can make your own cutouts or purchase my Snow White Day STEM Activity Packet on my website!

Note: I am not participating in Amazon’s affiliate marketing program at this time.

Shapes

Have students look at the star inside the apple. Ask them what they notice and what they wonder. Have students connect the lines of the points of the star and ask them what shape it makes. Discuss how this connects to lines of symmetry.

We tried this activity but it was a little too advanced for my preschooler even though he did fine with the fractions and the symmetry.

Optional: Read the Waldorf Apply Star story.

Standards

This activity is aligned to the following Common Core Math Standard:

• CCSS.Math.Content.4.G.A.3: Recognize a line of symmetry for a two-dimensional figure as a line across the figure such that the figure can be folded along the line into matching parts. Identify line-symmetric figures and draw lines of symmetry. (Note: the pre-standard for this standard is 1.G.2).

Science

Apple Browning Experiment

Materials

• Baking soda
• Lemon juice
• Vinegar
• Water
• Salt water
• Small bowls
• Apples
• Recording sheet from Snow White STEM Activity Packet

Activity

Fill several small bowls with various mixtures: water, salt water, baking soda water, lemon juice, and vinegar. Take 6 piece of apples and dip them into the various mixtures. Leave one apple out in the air as a control. Ask them what they predict will happen. Let the apples sit for at least an hour. Ask students how the properties of an apple change as it interacts with the various solutions. Then record what happens to each apple on the recording sheet (if age appropriate).

Note: A recording sheet is part of my Snow White Day STEM Activity Packet.

Standards

This activity aligns to the following Ohio Science Standards:

• 1.PS.1: Properties of objects and materials can change: Grade 1 Concepts Materials can be exposed to conditions that change some of their properties, but not all materials respond the same way. The properties of a material can change as it interacts with other materials. Heating and cooling changes some, but not all, properties of materials. Emphasis is placed on observations. Concepts of thermal energy, atoms and heat transfer are not appropriate at this grade level.

Sink or Float

Materials

• Large bowl
• An apple and other objects
• Clay or playdough
• Apples to bob
• Dot makers
• Sink or Float Recording Sheet from Snow White Day STEM Activity Packet

Activity

Note: We didn’t have time for these activities on Snow White Day, so we had to move them later in the week.

Part 1

Experiment

My son like to discuss whether things sink of float. Recently, he kept wanting to test marshmallows, so for this experiment gather a collection of things that sink or float (including an apple and a marshmallow). Have students make predictions about which objects sink or float and why. Then read Sink or Float: A Sesame Street Science Book.

Density and Particle Drawings

After reading the book, Sink or Float: A Sesame Street Science Book, talk about how density affects whether something sinks or floats. Discuss how the particles in dense objects are closer together than less dense objects. Give students dot markers and have them draw picture of dense objects versus less dense objects.

Snow White Connection: Do you think the poison apple would sink or float? Why?

Note: The student handout is part of my Snow White Day STEM Activity Packet, but you can easily make your own circles.

Part 2

Give students balls of clay and play dough or clay. Discuss that clay has the same density no matter which shape it is in. Then have students make different shapes of the play dough and determine whether the object sinks or floats. Have them make predictions about how an objects shape affects whether is sinks or floats in the water.

I used playdough and this activity did NOT work for me! Everything sank. 😒So you may need to use real clay if you do the experiment.

Part 3

Have student bob for apples! Because why not?!? 😊

Standards

This activity aligns to the following Ohio Science Standards:

• 1.PS.1: Properties of objects and materials can change. Objects and materials change when exposed to various conditions, such as heating or cooling. Changes in temperature are a result of changes in energy. Not all materials change in the same way.
  • Plan and implement an investigation to test various clay shapes (e.g., a clay ball, a clay block, flattened clay with edges) to determine how shape affects the ability of a material to float or sink in water.

Crafts

Magic Mirrors

For this craft, I just purchased princess mirrors on Amazon and had the kids decorate their “magic mirrors.” The kids had a blast, and my son even carried his mirrors around the next day.

Note: I am not participating in affiliate marketing at this time.

Poison Apple Activity

My son requested an activity where we made a poison apple. So, I decided to use a UV light and marker. Discuss visible and invisible light. You can keep it very basic for the preschoolers and just show them an image of a light spectrum. Have students decorate a “poison apple” with an UV marker. Then have them shine their UV light on their apple to show the invisible poison. For older students discuss what UV light is and where it is on the spectrum.

Standards

This activity aligns to the following Ohio Science Standards:

• 5.PS.2: Light and sound are forms of energy that behave in predictable ways. Light travels and maintains its direction until it interacts with an object or moves from one medium to another and then it can be reflected, refracted or absorbed. Sound is produced by vibrating objects and requires a medium through which to travel. The rate of vibration is related to the pitch of the sound. Note: At this grade level, the discussion of light and sound should be based on observable behavior. Waves are introduced at the middle school level.

Lunch

Here is the lunch I planned for our Snow White Day:

• Apple and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
• Soup-because the dwarves ate soup
• Applesauce
• Donauwelle Cake (aka snow white cake because the layers resemble Snow White)

We ended up skipping the soup as it was a warm day and no one was in the mood for soup. So feel free to change up the menu and make it your own. You could make an apple pie of course (or gooseberry pie as they mention in the movie). You can also find an old Disney cookbook online with various Snow White recipes.

Devotional (option for Christian homeschooling families or parochial students)

If you are a Christian homeschooling family or teach in a parochial school, I have a Snow White Devotional for kids to bring Jesus into the day. The theme of the devotional is jealously and contentment. You can find the devotional for sale on my website if you are interested. If you’ve seen Disney’s Snow White movie, be sure to make connections between the Queen’s desire and Snow White’s prayer.

More Science

Gemstones (and Rocks perhaps)

We’ve been talking a lot about mining with my son the past few years. Last summer we stopped by an old coal mine in Beckley, West Virginia and took a tour. This year we stopped by Ohio’s Big Muskie bucket and learned about big mining machines. (My son is a truck-loving kid.). Now my son is really getting into rocks. Our neighbor has a rock tumbler, so he’s been taking him the rocks he finds in our yard, and our neighbor is taking him through the process. We’ve also been reading some books about gemstones and mining.

So, on Snow White Day we decided to take him to Olentangy Caverns where they have gemstone mining for kids. It’s not exactly the same as going in a cave with a pickaxe or driving a strip-mining truck, but it’s still fun for kids! He came home with a lot of semiprecious gemstones! You can get a gem classification book from the library and have students sort the rocks. Or you can talk about how stones change over time. Feel free to go wild and buy a rock tumbler if you don’t have a neighbor that will tumble the rocks for you! 😉

Standards

This activity aligns to the following Ohio Science Standards:

• K.PS.1: Objects and materials can be sorted and described by their properties. Objects can be sorted and described by the properties of the materials from which they are made. Some of the properties can include color, size and texture.
• 1.PS.1: Properties of objects and materials can change.
  • Grade 1 Concepts Materials can be exposed to conditions that change some of their properties, but not all materials respond the same way. The properties of a material can change as it interacts with other materials. Heating and cooling changes some, but not all, properties of materials. Emphasis is placed on observations. Concepts of thermal energy, atoms and heat transfer are not appropriate at this grade level.

Mining

We checked out several age-appropriate books about mining and we read about it. Here are some websites that might help you talk about mining:

• The Colossal BIG MUSKIE – Largest Dragline in the World
• The BIGGEST INDUSTRIAL MACHINES ever built by mankind — MUST-SEE!
• mining-factsheet-ks3.pdf
• Activity and Coloring Sheets | U.S. Geological Survey
• General Information – Coal Mine – City of Beckley

Standards

This activity aligns to the following Ohio Science Standards:

• 2.LS.1: Living things cause changes on Earth. Identify ways humans have changed the Earth to provide food and energy for our bodies (e.g. farming, mining, creating dams).

Outdoor Learning

Drama and Physical Activity

We intended to act out Snow White as it’s always good for students to act out the stories. However, the gem mining park also had a petting zoo (Snow White’s creatures???), some fire truck playground equipment, and a Bigfoot path, so we got a little distracted. On the way home, my son was disappointed though that we forgot to act out the story. So be sure to include the pretend play as part of your day!

Movie

Disney’s Snow White

We had to end the day watching Disney’s Snow White of course. It was the first time I let my son watch the movie, and he really loved the dwarves! Although, I fast-forwarded through some of the extra scary stuff.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a fun STEM lesson for kids, I hope you try out Snow White STEM Day! It’s a great way to integrate so many scientific concepts. We did ours in the summer, but it’s the perfect fall apple activity as well. Although we did our Snow White Day with a preschooler and rising first grader, the activities ranges from first through fifth grade with the majority of the activities being perfectly aligned to first or second grade standards. This is the perfect way to encourage math and science to your fairy tale loving kid or students!

More Fun Lessons!

If you like this STEM activity, check out some of my other K-2 math and STEM activities:

• A STEM Activity on Roller Coasters and the Pigeon;
• Jack and the Beanstalk Day STEM Activiites
• Winnie the Pooh Day: Incorporating Literacy with STEM;
• All I Want for Christmas is a Good STEM Lesson | The 12 Sleighs of Christmas;
• Use Knuffle Bunny and Corduroy to Incorporate Literacy into your STEM Lesson; and
• Using Pete the Cat to Teach Subtraction

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