Have Fun with Skiing History: Making Snowflakes and Fairy Ladders
Making Snowflakes and Fairy Ladders

They say that “no two snowflakes are alike.” If you look closely at snowflakes you will see that they are right. You will also notice that snowflakes are beautiful and wonderfully detailed. Next time you are riding the lift, take a minute to look closely at the snowflakes falling on your sleeve, and you will discover a wonderful world of beauty and mystery.

Each snowflake begins as a tiny speck. You can’t even see it. Little bits of water attach themselves to the speck to form branches. While the crystal grows, the branches grow together and trap little bits of air. The air temperature, wind, and moisture all affect how the branches will grow. That is why no two snowflakes are alike.

You can make your own unique snowflakes very easily! Here is how you do it.
This is what you need:

• very thin paper, like onion skin or erasable bond

• Scissors

• The size of the snowflake depends on the size of the paper you use.

 This is what you do:

1. Fold your paper like an accordion with 3/4-1 inch folds. Try to begin and end with the fold facing the same way.

2. Take a sharp pair of scissors and cut shapes into the accordion fold. Don’t cut all the way to the edges of the accordion because it won’t stay together if you do.

3. Staple through the accordion in the middle.

4. Open up the accordion and fan it out.

5. Glue the ends together to make a complete circle.

—and here's how to make Fairy Ladders
This is what you need:

• 9 by 12 construction paper

• Sharp scissors

. This is what you do:

1. Fold the paper into a triangle by folding the bottom right corner to meet the left edge of the paper.

2. You will have approximately two extra inches. Cut this part off.

3. If you open up the paper, you should have a square.

4. Keep it folded as a triangle.

5. Take the bottom left hand corner and fold it over so that it meets the top right corner.

6. You should still have a triangle.

7. Then take a pair of scissors and start cutting almost through to the other side at the peak of the triangle.

8. Turn the triangle around, and make a similar cut about 1/4 inch below your first cut.

9. Continue doing this until you reach the bottom, but never cut all the way through.

10. Carefully open the paper and take it by the center and bounce it up and down.

11. Now you will have a fairy ladder!