Jennifer Scholl

Date: November 5, 2014 11:10-11:50

A.

TITLE/TYPE OF LESSON Weather Maps

B.

CONTEXT OF LESSONIn the lesson presented on Monday, students learned

about fronts, and the air masses that create them. This lesson is meant to build
upon that knowledge and seeing how the weather is shown on a map. They will
talk about how the types of pressure cause the fronts we were talking about, and
how to use their knowledge of fronts to predict the weather.

C.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

D.

Understand- what are the broad

generalizations the students
should begin to develop?
(These are typically difficult to
assess in one lesson.)

Know- what are the facts,

rules, specific data the
students will gain through
this lesson? (These knows
must be assessed in your
lesson.)

Do- what are the specific

thinking behaviors students
will be able to do through this
lesson? (These will also be
assessed in your lesson.)

Students will be able to

describe why weather changes
because of air fronts.

Students will be able to

interpret the weather by
looking at a weather map and
its symbols.

Students will be able to read a

weather map.
Students will be able to
experiment with the symbols
used on a weather map.

ASSESSING LEARNINGWhat will your students do and say, specifically, that

indicate every student has achieved your objectives? Remember every objective
must be assessed for every student!
Students will read and interpret a weather map when they complete the Weather
Watch Worksheet at the end of the lesson.
Students will experiment with the weather map symbols as they report the
weather while playing a game on the SMARTBoard. If the technology is not
working, this objective will not be assessed during this lesson, and will instead be
assessed in a future lesson.

E.

RELATED VIRGINIA STANDARDS OF LEARNING (and NATIONAL

STANDARDS if required)
Science: 4.6 The student will investigate and understand how
weather conditions and phenomena occur and can be predicted.
Key concepts include

Jennifer Scholl
Date: November 5, 2014 11:10-11:50

a) weather phenomena;
b) weather measurements and meteorological tools; and
c) use of weather measurements and weather phenomena to
make weather predictions.
Reading: 4.6 The student will read and demonstrate
comprehension of nonfiction texts.
a) Use text structures, such as type, headings, and graphics,
to predict and categorize information in both print and
digital texts.
d) Identify the main idea.
e) Summarize supporting details.
i) Use prior knowledge and build additional background
knowledge as context for new learning.
j) Identify new information gained from reading.
k) Use reading strategies throughout the reading process to
monitor comprehension.
F.

MATERIALS NEEDED
Science Book
Weather Watch Worksheet
Word Bank Words
SMARTBoard to get onto
http://www.edheads.org/activities/weather/.

G.

PROCEDURE(Include a DETAILED description of each step. Write what you

will SAY and DO.)
D 1. Start the class by asking them if they remember what a front is. Ask them
about the different air masses (cold and warm) and the differences in the
molecules. Make sure they remember that a front is the boundary between the
two air masses. They may also remember that storms are brought on because of
fronts. Be sure to use the Word Bank Words as a visual to help them talk. (5
minutes)
D
D 2. Have the students open their Science Book to page D82. Together read pages
D82 and D83 by having students read aloud. (15-20 mins)
1 A.) When it says Read the map key stop and look at the map key. Have the
students tell you what each of the symbols mean and where they see it on the
map.
2 B.) When it says, How might this help you predict the weather? have the
students take a guess. Allow them to say wrong answers as they are just
thinking about what it means to have low pressure. Point out the other symbols

Jennifer Scholl
Date: November 5, 2014 11:10-11:50

3
4

around the low pressure to see if that helps their predictions.

C.) Stormy weather is likely where the cold front is going ask the students
where the stormy weather is in the US.
D.) After the reading, ask the students if they can make a prediction about what
will happen on Day 4. Discuss the different days and how they changed, to see
if they can decide where the cold weather is going next.

3. Split the class in half, one half will be working on reading a weather map at
their desk while the other half will be at the SMARTBoard play a weather game,
then they will switch. (20 mins, 10 mins at each station)
A.) The group at their desk will be given the Weather Watch Worksheet. They
will be asked to follow the directions and answer the questions. If they need
help, they can work with one partner as long as they do not get too loud.
B.) The group at the SMARTBoard will be with me. We will go to
http://www.edheads.org/activities/weather/ and play Report the Weather. The
students will take turns finding the symbol being described at the bottom and
placing it in the correct spot. There are 3 levels they will play. If they complete
the levels, and there is still time, we will move on to Predicting the Weather.
D
H. DIFFERENTIATION
This lesson is playing off of many different learning styles. It works with visual
and aural learning as well as reading and playing games. For the ELLs in the
class, everything will be read aloud while they are reading along, so they will
have the opportunity to interact with the material both ways.
This lesson also works with students who learn better in either whole group or
small group. It starts out in a whole group, but ends in small group. This will
help if students have questions to pinpoint exactly where to help and can take care
of that right away.
I.

WHAT COULD GO WRONG WITH THIS LESSON AND WHAT WILL YOU
DO ABOUT IT? Think about this! It may help you avoid an embarrassing
situation.
The technology could not be working. If this happens, we will not
separate into two groups. Instead we will do the Weather Watch
Worksheet together. I will still have them work on it by himself or
herself or with a partner, but in the extra time, we will go over
the map and explain why the answers are what they are.
The students could forget about fronts and what they are. If this
happens, I will focus on the Word Bank Words and talk about
what each one means. Hopefully this will trigger their memories
for how these words relate to fronts. If not, I will explain again

Jennifer Scholl
Date: November 5, 2014 11:10-11:50

about what a front is and have them repeat it back to me

through a TPS.