Lesson Plan : The Wonders of Weather
Teacher Name: | Caitlin Delaney |
Grade: | Grade 4 |
Subject: | Science |
Topic: | The study of weather patterns and how they differ throughout the United States. |
Content: | The students will study the weather patterns found in a particular area of the U.S. for 3 weeks. They will chart their information, journal their daily observations/findings, and broadcast their weather report on video. |
Goals: | For the students to understand that weather varies throughout the United States. For the students to understand how climate affects daily living and activities in different parts of the country. For the students to observe weather patterns typical of a particular area. For the students to see how predicting weather in one area helps to predict weather in other areas as well. |
Objectives: | TSW be able to describe the different climate zones found throughout the United States. TSW chart chart daily weathing findings in an excel spreadsheet. TSW present their information in a weekly video broadcast. |
Materials: | The materials need for this lesson include: a video camera, access to a computer lab, internet, e-mail contacts, excel, and inspiration 8. Optional: news paper, TV access |
Introduction: | I would begin this lesson with KWL activity in order to assess what my students know about this topic and to keep track of their progress. After that has been established we we begin by discussing what is weather, what is climate and how they are different. We will disscuss and learn about different climate zones found throughout the United States and how that affects the people living in that area. Before beginning the project I would plan a field trip to take the class to a local weather station. This way they can see first hand how the weather is broadcasted. |
Development: | The students will be divided up into groups of four. Each group will be assigned different climate zone: Arid/Semiarid, Temperate, Cool Humid, and Arctic. As a group they will choose a specific city found within that climate zone to do their project on. We will discuss the requirements for the project and I will pass out a rubric that will explain how the project will be scored as well as a specific set of guidlines that need to be met for each area of the project. |
Practice: | There will be four differnt roles that the group members will have to preform. They will rotate through these different roles each week. Role 1: Statistics - This person is in charge of finding the daily highs and lows, the winds speeds, and the amount of precipitation for each day. They will be responsible for taking this information and charting in a graph. Role 2: Journalist - This person will be responsible for typing up a summary of the groups daily activities. They should also journal any new observations made by the group. If possible, the journalist should correspond by e-mail to someone in that city to get a first-hand report. Role 3: Multimedia - This person will be responsible for finding pictures, movies, maps, etc...that describe the weather pattern for that week. Role 4: Broadcaster this person is responsible for presenting news forcast for that week on video. (Each group will take turns presenting on a different day of the week. Ther will be a map of the U.S. a desk and several props they can use to present the weather.) |
Accommodations: | Accomodations will be made as necessary based on the needs of each individual child. These accomodations will be specified once I know the needs/abilities of my students. |
Checking For Understanding: | Throughout the course of the four weeks, we will have class discussions to talk about the groups finding, to compare information, and to get an update on the progres each group is making. I will ask them questions to find out what they know and how much they have learned. |
Closure: | At the end of the four week period, we will wrap up the lesson by completing the KWL activity, by comparing information among groups and determining what patterns or trends were apparent. Each group will also present their inspiration 8 chart to the class. |
Evaluation: | The students will be evaluated based on the following: How well they worked together as a group, if they have completed the chart fully and accurately, if they have a completed summary for each day, if they provided relevant and appealing grapics, and completion/creativity of the weekly broadcast. They will also be evaluated based on their chart whether or not it covers each of the specified areas. |
Teacher Reflections: | To be completed after the lesson. =) |
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