Celebrating Winter with Ephemeral Ice Architecture!

Our 3rd and 4th grade students are learning about the science and engineering principles at work at the world’s first ice hotel in the village of Jukkasjärvi, Sweden. Lower School science teacher Suzanne Beard led students' research in learning about igloos and how humans can survive in extremely cold areas, the amazing insulating properties of snow and ice, and the environmental principles of ephemeral art. (Each fall, ICEHOTEL is rebuilt from ice harvested from the Torne River, and each spring it melts and returns to the river.)

Students are now building their own ice hotel guest rooms, inspired by the designs of the real rooms. A big thanks to Suzanne’s friend, Jennie, for zooming in to share about her hometown in northern Sweden and her visit to ICEHOTEL!