Sequencing - Grade 4 Reading Worksheet - What Causes Snow?

Oct 12, 2026

Uploaded by Kurz

Grade 4 reading worksheet explaining sequencing by tracing events that cause snow from first to last. The passage contrasts rain and snow, describing how warm and cold air masses interact high above Earth, how rising air cools to form clouds, and how very cold conditions produce ice crystals and snowflakes. It further explains how temperature and moisture level under the cloud determine powdery flakes, melting edges, and the formation of large sticking flakes.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages3

Reading Time8 min

AccessFree to download

Sequencing (What Causes Snow?)

Passage: What Causes Snow?

Activity 1: Number the events (1–6)

Activity 2: Second-half event and reasoning

Sequencing Grade 4 Reading Worksheet Sequencing is putting things in order, from first to last. Read about what causes snow, paying attention to the sequence of events, from first to last. What Causes Snow? We know that it's not just the cold that causes it to snow. There are many cold wintery days that don't have snow. Sometimes even when the temperature is below freezing, we have rain instead of snow. So, what causes snow? Snow starts the same way that rainstorms start. A large mass of warm air and a large mass of cold air come together high above the Earth. Sometimes the warm air is stronger, and it pushes the cold air up. Then we have warmer weather on the ground. Other times the cold air is stronger and it pushes the warm air up. Then we have colder weather on the ground. When that happens, the clouds in the warm air get colder and colder as they are pushed higher and higher. This causes something very interesting to happen. Clouds form when warm air rises into the sky and cools down. As the air cools, the water vapor in the air turns into tiny drops of water. These drops are so small that we cannot see them one by one, but together they form a cloud. When enough drops join together and grow larger, they become heavy enough to fall to the ground as rain. Sometimes the air is very cold. When this happens, the water vapor turns into tiny pieces of ice instead of water drops. These ice crystals join together to form snowflakes. When the snowflakes become heavy enough, they fall to the ground as snow. If the air under the snow cloud is cold enough, the snowflakes fall all the way to the ground. If the air is both cold and dry, the snowflakes fall as small powdery flakes that don’t stick together. If the air is cold and damp, the snowflakes begin to melt around the edges and stick together as they fall. These snowflakes fall to the ground as large flakes that stick together easily and are ideal for making a snowman! 1. Write the numbers 1 through 6 in the boxes beside the events to show the sequence of what happens to cause snow, from first to last. 1-6? | Ice crystals join together to form snowflakes. | | | --- | --- | | The cold air pushes the warm air up. | | | If the air that the snowflakes fall through is cold enough, the snowflakes fall all the way to the ground. | | | A large mass of warm air and a large mass of cold air come together high above the Earth. | | | The snowflakes get heavy enough to fall toward the ground. | | | Water vapor turns into tiny pieces of ice. | | 2. Choose one event that happens in the second half of the passage and write it here: ____________________________________________________________________________ Why wouldn't this event make sense if it happened earlier in the passage? ____________________________________________________________________________ Answers 1. Write the numbers 1 through 6 in the boxes beside the events to show the sequence of what happens to cause snow, from first to last. 1-6? | Ice crystals join together to form snowflakes. | 4 | | --- | --- | | The cold air pushes the warm air up. | 2 | | If the air that the snowflakes fall through is cold enough, the snowflakes fall all the way to the ground. | 6 | | A large mass of warm air and a large mass of cold air come together high above the Earth. | 1 | | The snowflakes get heavy enough to fall toward the ground. | 5 | | Water vapor turns into tiny pieces of ice. | 3 | 2. Choose one event that happens in the second half of the passage and write it here: Answers will vary. Why wouldn't this event make sense if it happened earlier in the passage? Answers will vary.

FAQs

What does sequencing mean in this worksheet?

Sequencing means putting things in order, from first to last, to show the correct sequence of events.

How does warm and cold air lead to snow?

Warm air rises and cools when pushed upward by stronger warm or cold air. In very cold conditions, the water vapor turns into ice crystals that form snowflakes.

Why does snow sometimes stick together and sometimes fall as powder?

If the air is cold and dry, snow falls as small powdery flakes. If the air is cold and damp, snowflakes begin to melt at the edges and stick together as they fall.

Oct 12, 2026

Uploaded by Kurz