The Weight of a Snowflake

On December 10 the Nobel Peace Prize will be awarded. In honor of this day I offer you some stories, curriculum connections and crafts to share in the classroom and beyond.

The Weight of a Snowflake

"Tell me the weight of a snowflake." A mouse asked a wild dove.

"Nothing more than nothing," the dove answered.

"In that case I must tell you a marvelous story," the mouse said. "I sat on the branch of a fir, close to its trunk, when it began to snow,not heavily, not a raging blizzard, no just like in a dream without any violence. Since I had time, I counted the snowflakes setting on the twigs and needles of my branch. Their number was exactly 3,741,952, when the next snowflake dropped onto the branch- "nothing more than nothing" as you say-the branch broke off."

Having said that the mouse went away.

The dove, thought about the meaning of the story for a while and finally said to herself, "Perhaps there is only one person's voice lacking for peace to come about in this world."


MORE STORIES

Learning to Give - Stories, lesson plans and parent resources to involve students in philanthropy and serving their communities. http://www.learningtogive.org/

Peace Corp World Wise Schools – From Africa to the Pacific Islands, stories collected by Peace Corp volunteers around the world. http://tinyurl.com/ye5u3wf


CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS

Peace Corp World Wide Schools – Lessons plans to fit a variety of subjects from Grades 3 – 12.
http://tinyurl.com/c3ktlq

Anti-Bias Lesson Plans and Resources for K-12 Educators
A good place to start if you are planning a program or lesson on anti-bullying. Discussion guides, extension plans, statistics and an annotated bibliography of
children’s fiction. http://tinyurl.com/66kyjp

Race Bridges
The artists associated with this organization are accomplishing amazing work and offer free lesson plans and resources. Take a moment to cross the bridge and envision a brighter world!
http://www.racebridgesforschools.com/

Teaching Tolerance - Promoting Peace
This is a collection of resources I have gathered over the years.
http://www.storybug.net/links/peace.html

CRAFTS

Peace on Earth - Handprint Craft
http://tinyurl.com/yknakrv

Origami Peace Crane http://www.planetpals.com/IKC/peacecrane.html

Peace Lantern http://www.planetpals.com/IKC/peacelantern.html


"If we are to teach real peace in this world, and if we are to carry on a real war against war, we shall have to begin with the children." Mahatma Gandhi