Gather photographs from magazines and websites displaying the weather conditions in Minnesota and Arizona. As you are explaining the extreme weather differences to your children, they can glimpse a visual representation of your words. Consider printing photos of snow-laden streets in Minnesota and sun-soaked deserts in Arizona.
Research the annual lows and highs in temperature of both states. You can find this information on government websites, such as the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, which reports the annual average snowfall is 105 inches for the state and the annual average temperature in northern Minnesota during the winter is 6 degrees F. The Arizona Department of Water Resources reports that the average annual temperature of the state is 59.9 degrees F, although parts of Arizona can reach more than 100 degrees F. Long periods of drought also threaten Arizona.
Give your children a piece of paper and a pencil. Ask them to write a paragraph, a poem or just a few sentences about the differences between the two climates. One good way to spark their imaginations is to give them examples of similes. For example, you might offer the following similes for them to ponder: "The Minnesota snow is like a habitat for snowmen and women to live year round. The Arizona heat is like a boiling volcano." Be creative.