Integrated Science Education

Unit Overview

Provide a snapshot of the Unit by addressing each item
below. Use a separate piece of paper if necessary.


Unit Title: Wild About Weather

Collaborating
Authors: Young Kim,
Erin Quigley, Jennifer
Thomas

Curriculum Area(s):
Science, Math, Language Arts

Grade Level(s):
Fourth Grade

Summary of Context & Challenge:
Once students have gotten to fourth grade, they havent
studied weather since second grade. In second grade, they
learned basic information like different types of storms and how
to measure weather using thermometers, weather vanes, and
rain gauges. In fourth grade students are building on these
lessons and going more in-depth to build a deeper
understanding at a higher level.

Students studying weather every other year, so there are not
objectives that they need to be prepared for going into fifth
grade.

From earlier grades, in order to move forward with weather
students need to understand the water cycle as well as the
states of matter: solids, liquids, and gases. They also need to
understand that light travels faster than sound. In order to read
the weather instruments, students need to have prior
understanding of measurement and how to read those tools,
which carries over into what they have learned in math.

In fourth grade, students are expected to be reading and
understanding non-fiction texts, working on their oral
communication or presentation skills, and conducting research.




Time Requirements:
How many Weeks or Days are necessary to implement
the Unit? 2 weeks (1 week for the weather research
project, and 1 week for the other 2 lessons)
What is the typical amount of instructional time
necessary to implement a lesson? 45 minutes to one
hour


Overall/Main Learning Objectives Know, Do, Be

Students will understand that weather changes
constantly.
Students will be able to measure rain, wind speed, and
temperature.
Students will make weather predictions.
Students will understand what causes certain types of
weather (thunder, lightning, storms/rain, wind, snow,
etc).
Students will be able to explain how the water cycle
works through the process of creating their own water
cycle.
Students will understand that weather is all around them
and be able to prepared to deal with certain weather
types.


Lesson Titles

Lesson 1: How to Use Weather Tools
Lesson 2: What is the Water Cycle?
Lesson 3: Weather Storm Research Project



Lesson 1

Provide details by addressing each item listed below.
Use a separate piece of paper if necessary. Refer to
the Lesson Plan Suggestions and Lesson Plan
Sample for clarification/details of items.


CURRICULAR DETAILS

Lesson Title:
How to use Weather Tools


Learning Objectives (SWBAT):
Students will be able to use weather tools,
such as thermometers, weather vanes, rain
gauges, and barometers to measure and
interpret the weather conditions happening
outside and around them.
Students will be able to read and take
accurate measurements using proper units.
Students will be able identify each weather
tool and explain what it is used for.




Assessment:
Students will use a thermometer, weather vane,
and ran gauge every day during this unit to go
outside and measure the weather conditions,
then record their results on charts using the
proper units when applicable. They will look for
patterns and compare the results.
Students will demonstrate their ability to read
the weather tools correctly, using correct
terminology and wording when each child is
asked by the teacher to share results over the
course of the week.
Students will take a quiz in which they must
match the different weather tools to the job that
the tool does.


Prerequisites:
Students need to have skills in reading and
recording measurements as well as what the
proper units for these measurements are.
Students will need to know how to create and
and record on a graph, so they will need to
know things like the x- and y- axis as well as
how to plot data. They should know how to use
a bar graph as well as a line graph.
Virginia Standards of Learning
(SOLs):
Science 4.1 The student will
demonstrate an understanding
of scientific reasoning, logic,
and the
nature of science by planning
and conducting investigations
in which
k) data are communicated
with simple graphs, pictures,
written statements, and
numbers

Science 4.6 The student will
investigate and understand
how weather conditions and
phenomena occur and can be
predicted. Key concepts
include
b) weather measurements
and meteorological tools; and
c) use of weather
measurements and weather
phenomena to make weather
predictions.

Math 4.8 The student will
a) estimate and measure
liquid volume and describe the
results in U.S. Customary
units

Math 4.14 The student will
collect, organize, display, and
interpret data from a variety of
graphs.

INSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS

Suggested Materials and Resources:
Weather Vane
Thermometers
Rain Gauges
Graph Paper
Paper
Large, laminated graph
Markers
Data collection sheets


Instructional Strategies:
Class discussion
Hands-on exploration
Assessment: Quiz
Tracking data for comparison


Teacher Preparations:
Beforehand the teacher needs to ensure that all
of the weather measurement tools are available
for the students to use. The tools need to be
easily read and functioning properly, so they
should have clear markings that are legible.
The teacher should make a large graph
template in order to present the graphs created
to the class or for the class to work on together
based off of the data collected.
The teacher should make a data collection
sheet for students to record the data collected
every day on so that they can track patterns
and make comparisons.



TEACHER VS STUDENT ACTIONS

Explain What Teacher Does
(Include time needed)

Explain What Student Does
(Include time needed)
ENGAGE: Introduction/Attention Grabbing
Activity
(5 minutes)
Ask students, How do you decide
what to wear everyday? Do you
wear shorts and tank tops in the
winter? What about thick jackets in
August?
Then ask students to clarify what
they mean by checking the
weather.


Shows interest
Students will respond and say,
You check the weather to decide
what you should wear everyday.
Students may respond with a
variety of answers, but you will be
looking for answers like, What the
temperature is or If it is rainy or
sunny or How windy it is
outside.


EXPLORE: Concept Development
(15 mins)
The teacher asks, What is the
method we have for finding the
answers to the questions? How can
you figure out the answers
yourself?
What tools do we use to measure
the weather?
What do these tools look like?:
How do we use them? This will
also lead to discussion about what
units we use when taking
measurements with each tool.
Teacher then allows for hands-on
exploration time, allowing the
students to look at the different
measurement tools and then taking
a class trip outside to test the tools.

Demonstrates concept development
The students will offer predictions
about what kind of tools are used
and what they believe they are
called. Before being shown each
tool, the teacher will ask them to
describe the tool and students will
have the opportunity to describe
what they believe the tool looks
like. Then, students will be able to
look at the tools and make
predictions or see how much they
can remember about how each
tool works.
Students will get to go outside and
work together in groups to test out
each instrument. The students will
take note of their observations on
a data collection sheet and include
proper units in their
measurements when necessary.



EXPLAIN: Check for Understanding
(15 minutes)
The teacher will ask for students to
Evidences understanding
The students will share their
results using proper units and
share their findings with the rest of
the class, especially for temperature.
The teacher will create a class graph
to record the findings, allowing the
students to decide what kind of
graph they think would show the
temperature data best. The teacher
will also provide graph paper for
students to use to create their own
graph to put in their science
notebooks.


terminology.
The students will take all of the
groups temperature readings and
find the average, then decide what
kind of graph would be best for
plotting that temperature. They will
use this graph for the rest of the
unit to measure the temperature
every day.
Then students will share what they
found from the weather vane. This
will not give an exact
measurement, but the students
will be able to discuss what they
observed.
The rain gauge cannot be used
immediately, so the students will
discuss how they can use the rain
gauge and the best solution to
being able to use that tool.


EXTEND: Going beyond
Allow the students to make their own
weather tools and compare the
readings they get from their
homemade tools to the premade
ones.



Applies knowledge
Use previous info to ask questions
Draw reasonable conclusions



EVALUATE: Determining gains
(This will be long-term, over the course of
the rest of the unit)
The teacher will facilitate this
activity, allowing the students to take
more control over this activity to
allow the students to feel like they
are looking for this data for
themselves, not as an assignment.
The teacher will provide support
throughout this part, but allow the
students to find the data on their
own.
Demonstrates knowledge gained
Every morning, students will take
the tools they have to go outside
and measure the weather. They
will take the temperature, look to
see if there is wind, and observe
the rain gauges. Then they will
record the data.
Students will also note what the
overall weather is each day to
record on their data sheet.
Students will look at their data
each day and compare it to the
The teacher will also keep the main
classroom graph going during this
time, and in the end collect the
students graphs to see progress.
The teacher should look for all
things needed for a graph (title, key,
both axis labeled) as well as look to
see that the graph was done
correctly and that proper units were
used.

previous data they have collected.

CLOSE: Vertical & Horizontal alignment
(This will happen at the end of the unit, or 2
weeks after the original lesson so that
students have time to collect plenty of
data.)
Teacher will give a quiz about the
weather measurement tools.
Teacher will ask students how tools
like these can be used to predict the
weather and storms that are coming.
In order to set the stage for the
water cycle lesson, we will refer
back to the rain gauge and talk
about how much water it has
collected, or if there is no rain talk
about why there is no rain, where
else there might be water in the
world, and predictions about what
happens to the rain after a storm.


Makes connections
Students will take a quiz matching
each measurement tool to its use
and function.
Students will think about how
these tools can be used on a
much larger scale to track and
predict weather. They will think
about how meteorologists use
tools like these.
Students will also think about how
they can use the patterns they
tracked to predict what the
weather will be like during that part
of the year, every year and how
that is used as an indicator for
average temperatures.
Students will look at the final
product of their graphs that they
created and interpret what the
data means.

Helpful Hints?




Helpful Hints?





Lesson 2


Provide details by addressing each item
listed below.
CURRICULAR DETAILS

Lesson Title:
What is the Water Cycle?


Learning Objectives (SWBAT):
Students will be able to draw and
label the different parts of the water
cycle (precipitation, evaporation,
condensation, and runoff).
Students will be able to explain that
water does not have to follow a set
path through the water cycle, but
instead water can take many
different paths through the cycle.
Students will be able to identify the
sun as a source of energy, causing
water to evaporate from earth.
Students will know that there are
many different forms of water and
that water can come from many
different places (i.e. oceans,
glaciers, icecaps, freshwater lakes,
etc.)
Students will know that the water
cycle is constantly in motion and
that water can go through the water
cycle in many different ways.



Assessment:
Students will track their path
through the water cycle and record
how they went through the water
cycle. The student will be able to
identify that they could have taken
multiple paths through the water
cycle. They will answer this
question on their worksheet.
Students will explain their water
cycle chamber and how it works,
using the proper terms when the

teacher comes around to talk to
their group (checklist--contains the
categories: explains what is
happening in the water chamber
using the correct terms
[evaporation, condensation, water
vapor, and precipitation], explains
what is happening using 2-3 terms
correct, explains what is happening
using 1 term, cannot explain what is
happening at all).
Students will draw and label the
water cycle given the terms:
precipitation, evaporation,
condensation, and runoff. (Quiz)

Prerequisites (optional):
Knowledge of what streams, rivers,
lakes, seas, and oceans are.

Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs):

4.6 The student will investigate
and understand how weather
conditions and phenomena
occur and can be predicted. Key
concepts include
a) weather phenomena;
Earth Patterns, Cycles, and
Changes 4.8 The topics
developed include noting and
measuring changes, weather
and seasonal changes, the
water cycle, cycles in the Earth-
moon-sun system, our solar
system, and change in Earths
surface over time
Math 4.14 The student will collect,
organize, display, and interpret data
from a variety of graphs.

English 4.1 The student will use
effective oral communication skills in a
variety of settings.
a) Present accurate directions to
individuals and small groups.
b) Contribute to group discussions
across content areas.
c) Seek ideas and opinions of others.
d) Use evidence to support opinions.
e) Use grammatically correct
language and specific vocabulary to
communicate ideas.
f) Communicate new ideas to others.
g) Demonstrate the ability to
collaborate with diverse teams.
h) Demonstrate the ability to work
independently.

English 4.2 The student will make and
listen to oral presentations and reports.
a) Use subject-related information and
vocabulary.
b) Listen to and record information.
c) Organize information for clarity.
d) Use language and style appropriate
to the audience, topic, and purpose.

NGSS Standards:
MS-ESS2-b. Develop models to
describe mechanisms for the cycling of
water through Earths systems as water
changes phase and moves in response
to energy from the sun and the force of
gravity. [Clarification Statement: Water
changes its state as it moves through
the multiple pathways of the hydrologic
cycle, through transpiration,
evaporation, crystallization, and
condensation; these processes are
largely driven by energy from the sun.
Models can be conceptual or physical.]
[Assessment Boundary: The latent
heats of vaporization and fusion are not
assessed.]
ESS2.D: Weather and Climate
Weather and climate are influenced by
interactions involving sunlight, the
ocean, the atmosphere, ice, landforms,
and living things. These interactions
vary with latitude, altitude, and local
and regional geography, all of which
can affect oceanic and atmospheric
flow patterns.

INSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS

Suggested Materials and Resources:
A 2 liter water bottle (4)
Scissors (4)
Flashlights (4)
Ice
Warm tap water
Copy of water cycle worksheet (20
copies)
Directions for water drop path (1
copy for each station)
Dice (10)
Water Wonders Worksheet (20
copies)


Instructional Strategies:
Lecture (visual) through a prezi
Hands-on through activity
Game (provides movement) that is
hands on
Closure Discussion to bring all
ideas back and wrap up the
activities--pulls together all of the
ideas from both days.


Teacher Preparations:
Collect the supplies for the water
cycle chamber activity
Create prezi with information
researched on the water cycle and
water sources statistics
Make copies of all materials needed
Stations set up for the students
Pairs or groups predetermined



TEACHER VS STUDENT ACTIONS

Explain What Teacher Does
(Include time needed)

Explain What Student Does
(Include time needed)
ENGAGE: 3-5 minutes
Ask students Where does our water come
from?
Ask students Where does the water come
Shows interest
Students respond with I
dont know!? or The sink!
or numerous other
from before we turn the sink on and fill up a
glass of water? Where does the water on
Earth come from? Where is it locate?

responses.
Students respond The
ground!, The lake!, Deer
Park!, The Ocean!, or
many other answers.


EXPLORE: 30 minutes
Ask students What are some of the
sources of water on Earth?
Ask students Where do you think most of
the water on Earth is located?
Show students the statistics/data about the
water sources on the prezi. Show a picture
of Earth from space. Ask students What is
the blue area on the Earth?
Explain that the 3% left of water is divided
among rivers, glaciers, lakes, the Earths
atmosphere, etc.
Ask students What happens to water in a
puddle once it dries up? Does it just
disappear?
Has anyone heard of the water cycle?...if
yes: Can you explain the water cycle?. if
no: What do you think the water cycle is?
Go over terms involved with the water
cycle on the prezi.
We are going to do an activity.
o Pass out materials. Go over
instructions for the activity.
Allow students to conduct activity.
Walk around and ask questions:
o What is happening on the side of the
bottle? What is that stuff called?
o What do you notice happening on
the inside around the inverted top?
Why do you think there are big
water droplets forming?
o What do you think the lightsource is
doing to this process? What would
happen if you did not have the
flashlight?
Demonstrates concept
development
Students will respond with
answers like In the ocean,
In the lakes, From
streams, etc.
Students will respond and
make predictions such as
oceans, lakes, rivers,
streams, etc.
Students will answer with
Oceans, which will show
them why most of the water
is located in the ocean.
Students will answer: It
disappears. It turns into
rain. It goes into the sky.
or many other answers.
o Teacher response:
How might it get to
the sky? or It does
not disappear, even
though that is what it
looks like it is doing.
Students will make
predictions about the water
cycle and what they think it
is.
Students will learn the
terms involved in the water
cycle.
Students will conduct the
activity to see what
happens in the water cycle.
They will record their
observations on the
worksheet and explain what
is happening in the water
cycle simulation.


EXPLAIN: Check for Understanding
Walk around and ask questions:
o What is happening on the side of the
bottle? What is that stuff called?
o What do you notice happening on
the inside around the inverted top?
Why do you think there are big
water droplets forming?
o What do you think the lightsource is
doing to this process? What would
happen if you did not have the
flashlight?
Asks for explanation
Asks for evidence/clarification
Draws on prior knowledge/experience


Evidences understanding
Presents plausible solutions
Re-states
Things that students should
be saying should be that
there is fog on the side of
the bottle, there is
condensation.
Evaporation is happening
because of the heat from
the warm water and the
light source. Because of the
evaporation the
condensation shows up on
the side.
There are water droplets
forming on the side and the
water droplets get bigger
and fall.
Water droplets are forming
because of the
condensation. It gets cooled
by the ice in the top.
The light source helps the
water cycle to work. Without
a proper light source, the
water cycle would not
happen. (meaning no
weather).


EXTEND: Going beyond 2nd day about 30-45
minutes
Open with discussion of the water cycle.
What happened when you made your
water cycle chamber?
WATER CYCLE DANCE AND SONG from
this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eirysjEIV
p4
Ask students Does all that water come
Applies knowledge
Students will explain what
happened the day before.
The sun evaporates the
water from the water. The
water turns into water
vapor, and when it cools, it
condenses into small water
droplets (the fog that
clouded the side of the
from the same water source?
Introduce and explain the game.
o Students will be in pairs. They will
get a die and a Water Wonders
Scorecard.
o There are 7 stations: Cloud, Glacier,
Ocean, Stream, Groundwater,
Animal, and Plant.
o All the pairs will be evenly
dispensed at all stations to begin.
They will go to a station.
o At the station, the pair will record the
station that they are at. Then, they
will roll the die. They will record what
happens to them and the next
station they will go to.
o They will continue this activity until
all students have been to almost
every station.
Teacher will go through one time on the
cycle to demonstrate what to do for the
game
Class discussion: (Could do a class talley
here on the board with a show of hands
how many went to it with the number of
fingers showing the amount of times they
went or having students come up and write
tally marks under each station to represent
how many times that group went there.
You could make a bar graph to cross
discipline with math).
o Who can tell us their path through
the water cycle? Does anyone else
have the exact same path?
o Which stations did you visit most?
Why do you think those stations
were visited the most?
o Which stations did you visit the least
amount of times? Why do you think
these were the least visited
stations?


bottle). Fog is what makes
up clouds. As many small
droplets combine and make
bigger/heavier water drops,
gravity allows them to fall
back to earth. This is
precipitation.
Students will do the dance
at the beginning of the
lesson along with the song
Student Responses: No,
the water does not all come
from the same place
because there are oceans,
streams, rivers, etc.
o Teacher Response:
Okay, it does not all
come from the same
source. Do you think
that each water
droplet follows the
same path through
the water cycle
then?
You will do an
activity to see
if you all go
through the
same path
through the
water cycle.
After discussion, students
will understand that not
every water droplet follows
the same path through the
water cycle.
A volunteer will read what
he/she has on his/her
scorecard. Maybe one or
two will have the same
exact path through the
water cycle.
Response: go to cloud,
go to ocean, go to
stream/river were the most
visited. They were the most
visited because those are
the most likely places a
water droplet in the water
cycle will go through.
Response: go to glacier
and go to plant. There
were the least visited
because they are the paths
that are least likely to be
traveled by a water droplet
going through the water
cycle.


EVALUATE: Determining gains 15 minutes, 10
minutes, 25-30 minutes
Students will fill out a worksheet while
making their water cycle chamber that will
help them make observations and keep
track of what is happening. They will
explain on the worksheet what is going on
in the water chamber when teacher walks
around to ask questions and on the
worksheet.
Students will take a quiz on the water cycle
at the end of two days.
Students will fill out the water wonder
scorecard when they make their way
through the water cycle game.


Demonstrates knowledge gained
Students are able to
properly describe what is
happening in the water
chamber on their worksheet
using the correct terms.
Students will be able to fill
out the water cycle quiz
correctly.
Students will demonstrate
that they understand that
they all took many different
paths through the water
cycle and that certain parts
are more likely to occur
than others--through
discussion.
Asks follow on questions

CLOSE: Vertical & Horizontal alignment 5
minutes, 10 minutes
Present water cycle diagram after the
water cycle chamber discussion/activity on
day 1.
At the end of the 2 days, the students will
get a blank copy of the water cycle
diagram, and they will fill it out as a quiz.
Students will research many different types
of storms in the next lesson.
Sets stage for next lesson/topic
Makes connections
Students will fill out the
quiz. They will be graded to
see if the students
understand the steps of the
water cycle.


It helps to transition into the next lesson
because without the water cycle and the
sun, there would be no weather.


Sources
Grant, T. (2009). Wild and wacky
weather [PDF Document]. Retrieved
from
http://www.slideshare.net/TashaGrant/fo
urth-grade-worksample-weather-unit.
A water cycle chamber. (2004).
Retrieved from
http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview
?LPid=9835.

Helpful Hints?





Lesson 3

Provide details by addressing each item
listed below. .


CURRICULAR DETAILS

Lesson Title:
Weather Storm Research
Project


Time Requirements:
Approximately 4 class periods (1
week), with each class period
being 45-60 minutes long.


Learning Objectives (SWBAT):
Students will be able to track
the weather through research
so they understand that
weather changes constantly.
Students will be able to explain
what the different weather
storms are and how they occur.
Students will be able to create
a model of a certain weather

storm and show how it occurs
in order to understand what
causes them.

Assessment:
Students will see how the
weather changes by tracking
the weather through an
interactive website where they
will observe and draw/write
what they see.
Students will write notes on the
information they find through
their research, and create a
representation of a weather
storm by using outside
resources to look up
information.
Students will share and present
their storm, explaining to the
class what it is and how it
occurs.
Students will answer questions
through a game of jeopardy to
review the knowledge they
gained throughout the lesson.


Prerequisites:
Students should know basic
background information on the
different types of weather storms.
Students need to know how to
use the Internet to search
information online.
Virginia (state) Standards of Learning
(SOLs):
Science 4.6 The student will
investigate and understand how
weather conditions and phenomena
occur and can be predicted. Key
concepts include
a) weather phenomena
NGSS Standards:
MS-ESS2-i. Collect data and generate
evidence to show how changes in weather
conditions result from the motions and
interactions of air masses. [Clarification
Statement: Air masses flow from regions of
high pressure to low pressure, causing
weather (e.g., temperature, pressure,
humidity, precipitation, wind) at a fixed
location to change over time. Sudden
changes in weather and precipitation can
result when different air masses collide.]
[Assessment Boundary: Memorizing the
names of cloud types or the meanings of
weather symbols used on weather maps or
weather station reporting diagrams is not
assessed.]
ESS2.D: Weather and Climate Weather
and climate are influenced by interactions
involving sunlight, the ocean, the
atmosphere, ice, landforms, and living
things. These interactions vary with latitude,
altitude, and local and regional geography,
all of which can affect oceanic and
atmospheric flow patterns.
MS-ESS3-h. Analyze maps or other
graphical displays of data sets to assess the
likelihood and possible location of future
severe weather events.* [Clarification
Statement: Students could examine data
sets on the frequency, magnitude, and
resulting damage from severe weather
events (e.g., hurricanes, typhoons, floods,
droughts) to determine the geographic
regions most at risk from these hazards.
Better technologies have lead to the
development of more accurate maps and
data collection instruments.] [Assessment
Boundary: In working with weather maps,
memorization of weather map symbols is
not assessed. Graphical displays of large
data sets should be grade-appropriate.]


INSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS

Suggested Materials and Resources:
computer with Internet access
science journal
a map of the United States
materials for the project:
- bottles
- cotton balls
- string
- pieces of cardboard/
cardboard boxes
- markers/crayons

- scissors, glue, tape

Instructional Strategies:
collaborative learning
hands on learning
group discussion


Teacher Preparations:
The teacher should make groups
and assign a weather storm to
each group.
The teacher should prepare all of
the materials for the project when
the students begin working on
them.



TEACHER VS STUDENT ACTIONS

Explain What Teacher Does
(Include time needed)

Explain What
Student Does
(Include time
needed)
ENGAGE: Introduction/Attention Grabbing Activity
(10 min)
Show students the video:
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/kids/forces-of-
nature-kids/weather-101-kids/
After the video, ask students, What types of storms did
you see? Are there any other weather storms you have
heard of?
Then ask students, Why and/or how do you think these
storm occur?
The teacher will explain what the students will be doing.
The teacher should say that they will be making weather
storm models out of the materials provided. Show the
students a model of one. Tell the students that once they
are finished with the research, they can begin working on
their projects.

Shows interest
Students will
answer the
first question
by naming
various types
of storms
including:
hail, sleet,
heat waves,
sand storms,
typhoons,
tornadoes,
snow storms,
hurricanes,
thunderstorm
Students
might answer
the second
question by
saying from
the clouds,
high and low
pressure,
warm and
cold fronts


EXPLORE: Concept Development
(it will be separated into 2 class periods: 30 min each day)
The teacher will ask, How does the weather change?
How can we see how it changes throughout the day?
Tell students to use the computer and go to this website:
http://www.intellicast.com/Local/WxMap.aspxPass out
the map of the United States and explain to the students,
how to browse around the website and what each of the
colors mean.
After they have made their maps, ask the students,
Predict where the storm will go next.


The teacher will give each group the name of their storm
that they will be researching on. Ask the students,
Predict and write what you think your storm is about and
how it might form.
Possible sites:
http://www.learner.org/interactives/weather/storms.ht
ml

http://www.theweatherchannelkids.com/weather-
ed/weather-encyclopedia/winter-storms/types-of-winter-
storms/

http://www.weatherwizkids.com

http://eo.ucar.edu/webweather/
http://www.exploringweather.com

http://www.kidinfo.com/science/weather.html

The teacher should explain that they will become experts
on their storm and that they will use the computers to
look up information on that storm such as what its
characteristics are, how they are formed, and why they
occur.
For this activity, the teacher should reserve a spot in the
Demonstrates
concept
development
Students may
answer to the
question by
saying, the
different
temperatures
, we can see
it change
through
looking
outside, or
looking at the
weather
channel
Students will
draw what
they see from
the interactive
map and
discuss with
their groups
where they
think the
storm will go
next.






Students will
discuss their
predictions
and write
them in their
science
computer lab. If this is not available, the teacher can
bring laptops into the classroom. The teacher will walk
around the classroom to make sure the students are on
task as they research, and that they are all attended to if
they need assistance. The teacher will have a handout of
all the possible websites they can go to so they will know
what to do as soon as they get their laptop.
The teacher should tell the students that If they finish
finding all of the information on their storm, they can
begin working on their storm models.


journals.
Students will
take notes on
their research
and will keep
a record of
what
information
they found.
Students will
make their
models using
the various
items the
teacher
provided.


EXPLAIN: Check for Understanding
(1 class period- 30-40 min)
The teacher will ask each group to present their findings
and show the model to the class.
Teach teacher will tell students who are not presenting at
the time, to take notes so that they will have information
on each weather storm.



Evidences
understanding
Students who
are
presenting will
share their
findings and
explain to the
class how
their storm
works.
Students who
are not
presenting at
the time will
be taking
notes
(written/pictur
es) on each
storm.



EXTEND: Going beyond
(1 class period-30 min)
After everyone has presented, tell students to use what
Applies knowledge
Students will
play the
they learned to make a weather storm (online game).
http://www.scholastic.com/kids/weather/
Tell them to use their notes if they need to.
When everyone is finished having a chance to play
around, bring the class back together as a whole and
ask, What did you do to make the rain storm? What did
you do to make it snow?



online game
to explore
some of the
different types
of weather
storms even
further.
To answer the
question, look
for answers
along the
lines of, I
made a big
difference in
the two
temperatures
and high
humidity
levels to
make it a
blizzard or
rain storm,
When I made
a huge gap in
the
temperatures
and put the
second
temperature
to -20
degrees, it
snowed a lot.
When I
moved the
first
temperature
to 80 degrees
with the high
humidity, it
turned into a
rain storm


EVALUATE: Determining gains
(15 min)
Demonstrates
knowledge gained
Teacher may ask further questions such as, Why do
some of the weather storms occur in some places, and
not in others?
The teacher will collect the students research, notes,
and models that they have gathered throughout the
lesson and grade them on accuracy and progress
throughout the week.


Students may
answer the
question by
saying,
because
some places
are hotter or
colder than
others so the
temperature
is different.
Students may
ask further
questions
about weather
storms and
tracking
weather.
CLOSE: Vertical & Horizontal alignment
(30 min)
The teacher will present the game of jeopardy to play as
a class to review everything they have learned
throughout the week.
Questions will range from facts about the
weather storms, to how it affects us. This is
not graded, but to review and see how much
the students have gained from the week
lesson.
example: https://jeopardylabs.com/play/weather



Makes connections
The students
will answer
the different
questions on
weather
storms
through the
jeopardy
game. They
should realize
how the
weather
affects people
around the
world.










MAP FOR WEATHER TRACKING: