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Hi, Everyone -

I hope you are enjoying today's surprise snow day! If you've already gone out to play and are inside with nothing to do, try these cool websites:

1. Create a snowflake - http://snowdays.me
     Can you find my snowflake? Hint - It's called AmandaL...  

2. Watch this movie on Brainpop about how snowflakes are made.   
      https://www.brainpop.com/science/weather/snowflakes/

3. Print and cutout snowflakes from these templates. Bring them into school tomorrow and we'll hang them up!
    http://www.firstpalette.com/tool_box/printables/snowflake.html

4. Look at pictures of real snowflakes that were grown in a lab. They are beautiful!
    http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/photos/photos.htm

What have you been doing today? Add a comment and let everyone know how you spent this fun day.

I wonder how many of you drank hot chocolate today. Fill in this poll and let us know!

This post has been brought to you by our New Year's Spotlight Blogger - Jessica.

You will find the information she has reported on so interesting; please comment generously. Jessica gets extra points for writing this post over winter break!

Happy New Year! I’m going to teach you about some New Year’s Eve traditions in different countries or states.

Some of us have seen the famous ball drop at midnight in New York City or on TV. The ball is 11,875 pounds and is 12 feet across. The ball drop has been held since 1907.

But in other cities and states, they drop or raise lots of other things. Here are some that I found interesting:

·       A glowing pineapple is dropped in Sarasota, Florida.

·       An eight-foot long five-foot high wood and plastic foam lit duck is dropped in Havre de Grace, Maryland.

·       A ball of popcorn is dropped in Marion, Ohio.

·       Two pickles are dropped in Dillsburg, Pennsylvania (Get it? A dill is a kind of pickle!).

·       A 100-pound stick of bologna is dropped in Lebanon, Pennsylvania.

·       A red rose is dropped in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

·       A giant Hershey kiss is raised in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

·       A strawberry is dropped in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

·       Ping pong balls are dropped in Strasburg, Pennsylvania.

·       A French fry is dropped in Ickesburg, Pennsylvania.

To read about more things dropped on New Year’s, check out this website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_objects_dropped_on_New_Year%27s_Eve.

On New Year’s Eve, a lot of people in America go to parties or watch fireworks. Here are some funny ways New Year’s is celebrated in other countries:

·       In Mexico, people eat a grape for every chime of the clock at midnight. They make a wish with each one.

·       In Estonia, some people think you should eat seven, nine or 12 times on New Year’s Eve because those are lucky numbers.

·       In Greece, children sing New Year’s songs and are given money.

·       In Italy and Spain, people wear new red underwear on New Year’s Eve for good luck.

·       In Venezuela, they wear yellow underwear for good luck. They also pull suitcases around the house if they are traveling in January.

·       In the Philippines, many people wear colorful clothes with circle patterns, like polka dots, or they make centerpieces with 12 round fruits or candies to attract money and fortune and a sweeter year ahead.

Also on New Year’s Eve, some people make resolutions. Resolutions are things that you try to do throughout the New Year. My resolution is to try to read at least 10 chapter books in 2015. What is one of your resolutions? How do you celebrate New Year’s?