Here are some great ways to incorporate weather in your class.

1. Create weather flip books.

2. Track a storm and follow it from start to finish.

3. Make predictions about storms and compare it to what actually happens.

4. Precipitation graphs for your area.

5. Make windy things- windsocks, pinwheels, weather vanes.

6. Check out a cloud cam live.

7. Create a weather station.

8. Moods with weather- track and graph.

9. Get a barometer.

10. Should your school get a lightning rod?

"Biology Careers" Maryanne Porter, Science Teacher

"My tenth graders are required to research a career that depends on the knowledge of their different subject area classes. I had them read the Sunday Job section of our area newspaper to identify the jobs they could check. Many of them had never read this section and needed instruction relating to the phrases and symbols used in the paper. It also helped point out possibilities because many firms use a single large ad to list all of their positions. We talked about why the companies might be interested in accountants who had a good background in science even though the accountants are not responsible for "doing" scientific work."

Semantic Mapping to Teach a Concept Paul, 3rd Grade Teacher: San Jose, CA

"Semantic mapping can be used for teaching a new concept or for reviewing a chapter in a science textbook. Select a chapter and makes notes on the major topics and points including vocabulary terms to be learned. Place the chapter topic in the central box that begins the map and draw lines to represent the main topics or key concepts to be covered. You can also add details about each topic and vocabulary terms. Use this to introduce topic to your class or to review the important topics. You can use this over and over again when teaching any topics that will come up year after year. Works great for science when trying to develop hard concepts. Also helps you to internalize the knowledge more effectively."

Always Build Scientific Attitudes Kerri, 5th Grade Teacher: Seattle, Washington

"The key to learning science is not only having a positive attitude toward science, but to develop a sound scientific attitude toward the discipline. Characteristics include objectivity, willingness to suspend judgment, skepticism, respect for the environment, and a positive approach toward failure. The best way to develop these characteristics in children is to model them as teachers. With every science activity you assign, you should model the behaviors you would expect your students to demonstrate by participating in group experiments or asking questions that probe more investigation, or discussing why something did not work according to plan. The most important thing is to always be the role model and share your own enthusiasm for science as a discipline."

Use Discovery to Teach Concepts Kathleen, Primary Grade Teacher: Denver, Colorado

"A discovery approach to science is more interesting and meaningful to young chidden. A great activity that works with young children is discovering if ice cubes melt at the same rate in hot and cold water. They can do this with slight variations like the amount of water, size of containers used, if stirring the water makes a difference, the number of ice cubes in the water, etc. Just think of how many skills are being developed: observation, comparison, classification, prediction, and interpretation. Kids love it because they are so familiar with ice cubes!"

Using the Real Thing Brianne, Elementary School Teacher: Rhinebeck, NY

"Get permission to take your students on a walking field trip to an area near to your school that has fields where various plants grow. Identify the plants that the students may dig up and allow them to dig the plants and place them into a plastic bag (make sure they dig up the root systems.) Once you get back to the class room, ask the students to place the plant on a sheet of paper and trace it as best they can. Provide a variety of resources showing different plants with labeled parts. Instruct them to label the parts of the plant that they traced. They can also see if they can identify the name of the plant by finding it in the resources that you provide."