Design for Learning

Instructor: Emily Lavender Grade Level: 3rd

Lesson Title: Intro to Weather Phenomenas Date: Day 1
Curriculum Area: Science Estimated Time: 1 hour
Standards Connection:
12.) Identify conditions that result in specific weather phenomena, including
thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes.
-Identifying positive and negative effects of weather phenomena.
Learning Objective(s): When given an exit slip, students able to match the correct effect
with its cause, according to a teacher made checklist.
Learning Objective(s) stated in kid-friendly language: We starting a new unit on
weather phenomenas! Today, we are going to find out what a weather phenomena means.
Evaluation of Learning Objective(s): Students will be given an exit slip with three
different causes. Students will have read the cause and come up with an appropriate
effect. The teacher will use a checklist to grade this assessment.
Engagement: For the engagement of this lesson, the teacher will play one round of
charades. The teacher will act out being a meteorologist. The students will have three
guesses. Now that all desks are clear, I should see all of your beautiful eyes looking right
at me. We will begin when I see all eyes. (wait for appropriate action) Great, thank you. I
am passing around our mini white boards and a marker. Each table group will need one
for our funsie we are about to do. We are going to play a little game of charades!!! I am
going to act out something. Each table group will have one guess. You will write your
guess on the mini white board. Once all table groups have written their guess, we will
turn the boards around to see who is right. Everyone understand? Thumbs up if you are
good to go! (wait for appropriate action) Perfect! Alright, here we go! The teacher will
act out by pointing to the board, and acting as a meteorologist. Ok, class. Can you guess
what I am? Tables you have a few moments to decide on an answer. The teacher will give
students a few seconds to discuss. Ok 3-2-1 turn your boards around! (wait for
appropriate response) Great job! I am a weather gal or you could say a meteorologist. Do
you know what a meteorologist studies? (wait for appropriate response) Right, they study
weather. Which is exactly what we are going to be studying this week and I am so excited!
So friends, we are going to be meteorologists for the next week! We are going to be
learning about weather phenomenas! So, lets begin.
Learning Design:
I. Teaching: When I was a little girl, I carpooled to school with another family. I
remember one time when I was in fourth grade, we had a blizzard! Well, kind of. It
was almost like a blizzard. We missed six days of school. When we finally had
school again, it was time to start carpool up again! The family we carpooled with
was picking up that morning. I remember I was so nervous to walk down to the car.
We lived on a hill, and it had been snowing for days! It was slippery and our entire
driveway was ice! That morning, I can remember it like yesterday, they pulled up
and me and my brother walked down the driveway to the car. I remember thinking I
was doing so great, until.....BOOM!!! I slipped and fell. I was so embarrassed!
Lets talk about this story. It was cold, snowy, icy. Therefore, I slipped and fell.
What is the cause in this story? (wait for appropriate response) Yes! The driveway
was icy. So, what would the effect be? (wait for appropriate response) Good!
Falling! Slipping! That would be the effect. Now, lets skip a few years of Miss
Lavenders life. Let me tell you a little story about when I was in 8th grade. When I
was in 8th grade, I wanted an A in my Science class. It was hard! But I can
remember we had final exams at the end of the school year. That just means we had
a big test on all we had learned that year. I studied so hard for that exam! My mom
would quiz me. I dad would act things out for me to help me remember and make
connection. I read all of the chapters, and reviewed about a million times! I ended
up getting an A in the class! I got an A on the final exam too! I was so happy. Ok,
so Monica, can you tell me what the cause would be? (wait for appropriate
response) Perfect. The cause was me studying hard for my exam. What would be
the effect, Joey? (wait for appropriate response) Correct! I did well on the test....I
got an A! Can you think of some examples? (wait for appropriate response) Lets
hear some. The teacher will call on several students to share some examples of
cause and effect. The teacher will record student answers on a Cause and Effect T-
Chart that will be projected by the Elmo. Those are awesome! Great thinking! Now,
we are going to get into groups, and practice some more with this concept. I have a
bag of several causes. In your groups, you will read each cause and come up with a
possible effect. Make sense? Thumbs up if you are good. (wait for appropriate
response) Good! Alright, Group Thunder, here is your bag. Group Lightning, you
will be working together. Here is your bag. Group T-Storms, here is your bag!
Group Tornadoes! Rachel here is your groups bag. And last, but not least, Group
Hurricanes, Nick here is your groups bag. Everyone now has their bag. When you
hear me count down from 5, stop what you are doing, make eye contact with me
and we will talk about it. The teacher will allow time for students to work in group
to complete this activity. The teacher will walk around to make sure students are on
task. 5-4-3-2-1, thank you. Thumbs up if we are all finished? (wait for appropriate
response) Great! Lets share some of our work. I want each table to share one of
their causes that were in their bag and the effect that they came up with. The
teacher will have each group share one response. The class will talk about the
causes and effects mentioned. Awesome! You all are sure getting the hang of this
concept! You all did fabulous with that. Now, lets talk about how this relates to
weather phenomenas!! But before we can do that we have to know what a weather
phenomena is!! Right? But before I tell you a little more about weather
phenomenas, I want to see how much you already know. I have a KWL chart on the
SmartBoard, lets fill it out together. The teacher will record what students say they
already know about weather phenomenas. Great, so we know a lot about weather
phenomenas, but guess what? We are going to learn so so so much more this week!
So what are some things you want to learn about weather phenomenas? (wait for
appropriate response) The teacher will record student responses on the KWL chart.
Get so excited, my little scientists! One of the things we recorded on our chart that
we know about weather phenomenas is that weather phenomenas are big- and
they can destroy things. I know you all are patiently waiting for the definition of
weather phenomenas, but you are going to have to wait a few more minutes!! I
have a few short videos for us to watch on the SmartBoard. I am passing out a
note-taking guide. I want you to watch the videos. After each video, we will stop
and talk about what we observed. We are going to record some things we saw on
our fun little foldable. So, lets take a minute to fold our note-taking guide. The
teacher will model folding the note-taking guide. The teacher will allow students a
few moments to fill in their video note-taking guide together as a class. Got it?
Thumbs up if you are good to go! (wait for appropriate response) At this time, the
teacher will play three videos. The teacher will stop between each video to discuss
with the class. The first will be on Hurricane Katrina, the second on the Alabama
tornadoes, and the last one will be a video on thunderstorms. So, we just saw a
video on Hurricane Katrina. I can remember Hurricane Katrina vividly. What are
some things you observed in this video clip? (wait for appropriate response) The
teacher will record student responses by using the Elmo. Awesome. I agree! Lets
write that on our note-taking guide. The teacher will then play the video on the
Alabama Tornadoes. Ok, lets talk about what we just saw. Cameron, what are some
things you noticed in this video? (wait for appropriate response) Julia will you add
on to what Cameron had to say. What are some things you observed? (wait for
appropriate response) Great! Lets write some of these down on our foldable. The
teacher will model and record student responses on foldable. The teacher will allow
time for the students to record their observations. Super! Now, for our last video.
This will be a video of a thunderstorm. The teacher will play the last video. Jimmy,
what did you see? (wait for appropriate response) Awesome. Lets write down what
we noticed in this video. The teacher will record observations and allow students
time to fill out their foldable. So, we have obviously all heard of thunderstorms,
hurricanes, and tornadoes. We have all experienced a thunderstorm, and some may
have even experienced a tornado or a hurricane. We have seen video on the three
storms. All three of these storms are considered to be a weather phenomena. So,
lets go back to the three videos, what are some things you saw in these videos that
were similar? How are they different? Lets look at our foldable? Any thoughts?
(wait for appropriate response) So, based on the three videos and some of our
observations, I think we are ready for the official definition of a weather
phenomena. Here is our BIG WORD for our unit this week: Weather phenomenas-
are weather conditions that are hazardous to human life and property. Lets add
that to our Science Word Wall. Rachel, will you help me add this word to our wall?
(wait for appropriate response) Awesome, thank you. The teacher and one student
will add the vocabulary word on the wall.
II. Opportunity for Practice: For practice, students will be put into groups of 4 or 5.
They will go on a weather quest using the iPads. Students will research causes and
effects of major weather phenomenas. Students will be provided with a list of
websites that they should visit for the information. Alright, we know what a
weather phenomena is but now we are going to learn a little bit more to help us
understand before we start diving into specific weather phenomenas tomorrow.
With your table group, you are going to go on a weather phenomena quest using
the classroom iPads. I want you to research major causes and effects of major
weather phenomenas. I have a list of sites that your group can visit. Look for
interesting facts, causes and effects, and anything you find that you would like to
share with the class about weather phenomenas. You will record what your group
finds on a cause and effect T-chart. The teacher will pass the T-chart to the table
groups. Take one and pass it around. Each group will only need one copy. Put the
extras on the back table by my desk. Make sure to put everyone in your groups
name on it. Once you are finished with your web quest, one person from each
group find me. I will look over your T-chart. Once we have discussed your
findings, I will log you into our classroom website on the iPad. I want each group
to complete one student entry for their web quest. This means recording one new
thing you learned or a cause and effect found on a storm. The teacher will allow
students to work on their weather phenomena quest. When students are finished,
the teacher will log students into the classroom website to record one student entry
on their website. Alright, lets talk about what you found. Anyone find some causes
and effects? Any fun facts you would like to share? (wait for appropriate response)
(wait for appropriate response) That is awesome. You all already know so much
about these storms, this week will be exciting as we learn so much more!
III. Assessment: The teacher will give students their assessment, the exit slip at the end
of the lesson. You all have done a wonderful job today! You are all great scientists! I
cannot wait to learn more about weather phenomenas this week? Are you excited
too? (wait for appropriate response) Good! It is going to be a fun time studying
weather! Now we are going to do a quick check. I have an exit slip for you to do. I
have three causes listed on the left side. There are 5 effects listed on the right side.
All you have to do, is match which cause matches which effect. Does that make
sense? I want you to read the directions twice before starting. Remember, that just
always helps to make sure we know exactly what to do! Think back to what we talked
about today and talked about in our table groups. Remember my icy driveway story!
That will help you. When you are finished with your exit slip, place it in the science
exit slip folder on the back table. Clear your desks and we will be ready for the
next thing. Got it, get it, good? (wait for appropriate response) Great! The teacher
will pass out the exit slips to the students. When students are finished, they will place
them in the exit slip folder.
IV. Closure: To close the lesson, the teacher will ask students to share three new things
they learned today. Wow! You all were such great listeners today. Way to be awesome! I
want you to take 30 seconds, think about three new things you learned today. Share one
with your neighbor and then I want to hear one. The teacher will allow student to share
their thinking with their neighbor and then with the class. It sounds like we learned a lot.
I want to encourage you all to look at our Book Stop this week. I have put new books out,
and guess what? (wait for appropriate response) They all have to do with weather
phenomenas! Now what I need you to do is to put away all supplies and clean off your
desks for our writing time.
Materials and Resources:
Cause cards
Cause and Effect Recording Sheet
Video Foldable
Hurricane Katrina Video
Alabama Tornadoes Video
Thunderstorm Video
Teacher Computer
SmartBoard/Speakers
Elmo
Pencils
Science Word Wall
Weather Phenomena Vocabulary Word Card
Weather Book Stop books
Cause and Effect T-Chart
Classroom iPads
Classroom website
Cause and effect exit slip
Differentiation Strategies (including plans for individual learners):
High-end learners: For high-end learners, students will do a cubing activity. The cubing
activity requires students to look at a topic from six different angles: Describe it, illustrate
it, associate it, relate it to something else, and cartoon it. The teacher will have a cube
created and will have high-end learners work in groups or individually. Cubing gives
students who like to use their hands and move around a chance to feel like they are
playing, while learning.
Low-end learners: For low-end learners a mini lesson will be taught on cause and effect.
This will take place during the 15 minutes between PE and lunch. This mini lesson will
go into detail discussing the concept of cause and effect.