PURPOSE:  To compare the effectiveness of snowshoes versus boots in winter weather, relating human data to foot size of northern mammals.

MATERIALS (per pair of students):  Suitable winter clothing, snowshoes, set of three numbered marking stakes, metric tape measure or meter stick, index card and pencil, watch with second hand or stop watch; whistle or other noise maker for teacher.

INTRODUCTION:  Animals that live in cold, snowy climates have evolved special features that help them keep warm, find food, and avoid predators.  For example, many northern animals have thick fur, and store food in the form of fat for use in winter.  Northern animals are often white in winter, which makes hunting or hiding easier.  Another curious fact is that northern animals like snowshoe hare, caribou and lynx have much bigger feet than the cottontail rabbit, white tail deer or bobcat found further south.

Are bigger feet always an advantage in moving through the snow?  In this activity you will compare how far you can walk in the snow in boots to the distance you can cover on snowshoes.  You will relate your class data on humans with and without snowshoes to the abundance of snowshoe hare or cottontail rabbits where you live.

PREDICTION: Consider the snow conditions (wet, fluffy, or crusty; deep or thin) that might favor big feet on an animal or snowshoes on a person.  Then consider the actual snow conditions you expect to find outdoors to make a prediction:

1.  Do you think you will be able to walk farther in boots or on snowshoes in this activity? Explain your ideas

PROCEDURE:

A.Work with a partner.  Make a data card like the one shown below to take outdoors.  Your teacher will show you where to start your walk outdoors. 

B.  Describe the snow conditions (wet, fluffy, crusty) on the back of your data card. Record the snow depth in cm.

C.  Pick up three numbered stakes and a pair of snowshoes and go to the starting point.  Mark your starting point with one stake.  Your partner (or teacher) will time your boot and snowshoe walks from this point. 

D. Do a boot walk as follows:

E.  Do a snowshoe walk as follows:

F.Measure the distance between the stakes at the end of your boot and snowshoe paths, being careful not to step on fresh snow.  On the data card, record the distance between the stakes. Record whether snowshoes or boots were best for you.

G.  Change places with your partner and repeat steps C-F.  Your partner should do the SNOWSHOE WALK FIRST, then the boot walk.

H.  Back in the classroom, share your data with the class. Summarize the class data on the table above.

CONCLUSIONS:

2. Were boots or snowshoes better for moving through the snow in this activity?  Use class data to support your answer.

3. How do the class results for boots and snowshoes compare to your prediction? 

DISCUSSION:

4.Use your data on snow conditions to explain the results of this activity.

5. What kind of rabbit is most common in your area?  How is the size of its feet related to the kind of snow you usually have in your area?  Use your data and your experience outdoors doing this activity to support your ideas.

6. Why was it important to the activity that half the class started with boots and half started with snowshoes?

7. In your opinion, how deep must the snow be to make snowshoes better than boots?

SNOWSHOES TO GO CLASS DATA SHEET