Classroom Activities
In the introduction to weather, students will use visual vocabulary words from our curriculum, and will engage in well-researched and traditional activities connecting meaning to words and pictures. They will also, however, learn science standards by participating in three main projects to connect personal experience to key vocabulary: 1. Create precipitation in the science lab; the objective is "I can explain evaporation using newly acquired vocabulary and images." 2. Create snow in the science lab; the objective is "I can explain the process of Investigation and Experimentation, using newly acquired vocabulary and images." 3. Create a weather report using technology; the objective is "I can tell you about the weather and how it affects us using new vocabulary and images."
In small groups before our discussion of weather, I will assess students' prior knowledge of weather by using cards with basic iconic images (sun, fog, cloud, wind, rain, storm) without text. This assessment will reveal if any extra scaffolding and differentiation is necessary in my teaching throughout the unit. All students will have access to fun weather activities and learning opportunities, and some will have extra support to comprehend weather content.
I hope you will use the links to fun weather songs, finger plays, and videos throughout the unit, for instance, "How's the Weather?" on You Tube. 17 These resources will light-heartedly engage the students and enhance their learning experience. I've included several links to websites in the Teacher Resources and Student Resources. This is an important note: all the activities and lessons can fit in a variety of places in the unit, and should be repeated as often as time allows as it fits your needs.
Classroom Activity 1
The readings for this week come from big books called "A Rainy Day" by Robin Nelson and "What's the Weather?" from the Success For All curriculum to display kinds of weather. I will also use the trade book "What Makes The Weather?" by Danilo Palazzo.
Students will engage in activities connecting meaning to words and pictures with kinds of weather in visual literacy centers. They will use iconic representations for each common type of weather to practice vocabulary words: sunny, foggy, cloudy, windy, rainy, stormy. Using visual aids is key in vocabulary instruction and reading comprehension as indicated by research in "Using Visuals to Develop Reading Vocabulary" by Bazeli and Olle.
With help from their buddy class, students will use technology to create and discuss a class graph showing their favorite type of weather. We will use the Mentimeter website for creating this class graph in real-time.
Students will also get to explore with the Precipitation science experiment. The objective being, "I can explain evaporation using weather vocabulary and images." This will use jars (some covered, some uncovered) filled partially with water. The vocabulary words to connect with experiment are: weather, rain, air, vapor, evaporation, precipitation, accumulation, heat, warm, and cool.
Make It Rain!
Objective: "I can explain the water cycle using my new weather words." Students will learn through the Precipitation experiment about water and weather. They will be able to use key vocabulary words to explain the process of the water cycle and the reasons for rain.
Materials: 2 clear jars, 1 cover, hot water
Procedure: In the science lab (or classroom), students will be divided into groups. Everything must have an intentional and easy-to-see text label. Each group will observe their two jars of water: one is covered; the other is uncovered. Students will discuss their observations to try and describe what is happening to the water. Remember that Project-based learning allows for exploration and questioning from the start. Next, the teacher will review the experiment with the large group by encouraging and modeling inquiries, going through the process again, and introducing key vocabulary words, including everything labeled. Students will repeat sentence frames using key vocabulary words. Students will regroup and do the experiment a second time, discussing their observations by using key vocabulary words and sentence frames. Finally, students illustrate their experiment collaborating with their group. Students will practice presenting their experience using key vocabulary to explain this mini-water cycle. The teacher will monitor and coach students through the process to ensure correct vocabulary and sentence frame use.
Assessment: Use the presentation as assessment of students' comprehension. Engage in conversation about their experience to see if they can connect this to other ideas or concepts.
Beyond the science lab: Play the links for the Water Cycle song and Water Cycle animation found in the Teacher Resources section of this unit. Students can present their work to their older buddies. Buddies can work with students to create a recording on Screen Cast. Students can also present their knowledge to their global buddies with whom we communicate using the online visual program called Skype.
Classroom Activity 2
The readings for the second week will come from the big book called "In the Yard" by Dana Meachen and the trade book "David's Drawings" by Cathryn Falwell. Students will compare a tree through the seasons of the year.
Students will experiment with Frost, Snow, and Instant Snow. The objective is "I can explain how to scientifically learn about snow." Students will use observation, investigation, and experimentation skills to draw conclusions, verbalize, illustrate, and write complete sentences conveying their understanding of the experiment. The vocabulary words to connect with this project are: observe, investigate, experiment, senses, freeze, ice, frost, snow, season, winter. Students will practice the skill of Asking Questions with our daily question: "What is the weather today?" They will use describing words for details and discussing deeper questions to help them with illustrations and writing activities in response to our daily question. Students will maintain a class and individual weather graphs to stay connected to real life data and information about daily weather. This also incorporates techniques ensuring the integrity of visual representations of data outlined in Edward Tufte's "Visual Explanations." 18
During our computer time with buddies, students will use technology to learn about and discuss weather in different parts of the world. We'll communicate online, using Skype, with children in another country and learn how they are affected by their local weather.
Making Snow!
Objective: "I can explain how to scientifically learn about snow." Students will investigate and experiment with frost, snow, and synthetic snow to observe and compare the three using their senses.
Materials:
Frost- One metal can and stirrer per group, one paper towel under each can, ice, water, rock salt.
Snow- One bowl for each group, ice, blender.
Synthetic Snow- Instant Snow Powder, water.
Procedure:
Frost- In the science lab (or classroom), students are divided into groups. Everything must have an intentional and easy-to-see label. Each group will have one metal can on a paper towel to stir water and rock salt. Students observe water vapor condensing and freezing on side of can. Students use their observation skills and senses to investigate this frost to better understand it. The teacher will encourage inquiry while stepping through the process explaining the investigation and experimentation process, using vocabulary words and sentence frames for students to repeat and practice. (For science information to explain, see the "Making Frost" link in Teacher Resources.) Students collaborate with their group to practice describing and explaining the process.
Snow- Student groups are given a bowl of snow. Students use observation skills and senses to investigate snow to compare and contrast with frost.
Synthetic Snow- Students make fake snow right in their hands. They use observation skills and senses to compare and contrast with snow and frost.
(Use the link Making Snow and Instant Snow Powder in Teacher Resources for more information.)
Assessment: Students illustrate their experience and explain the process using new vocabulary. The sequence and comparisons of experiment can be labeled and retold on large newsprint paper folded in thirds with writing lines at the bottom. Students will also present their work and knowledge to an audience.
Beyond: Use magnifying glasses to observe ice crystals of frost. I would also use the Friedlaender observation method 19 in an exercise with professional artwork depicting winter snow scenes to evoke students' deeper understanding of frost and snow. This observation method allows students to state basic observations, describing only what they see before the next steps of describing interpretations and then learning the artists' intention.
Classroom Activity 3
The readings for this week come from the books "The Snowy Day" by Ezra Jack Keats and "Bear Snores On" by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman. The hands-on activity this week is a culminating project to showcase the students' depth of knowledge at the end of the unit.
Students will create a day weather report and a week forecast report using labels, illustrations, reliable data, communication with others in different areas of the world, and technology. The objective is "I can explain how the weather affects us using new weather words and images." Students will with help create and present a weather report as meteorologists, including the type of weather, recommendations for clothing to wear, food to eat, and activities in which to participate. They will also create a forecast for the week. Finally, they will compare local weather to that in another part of the world. The vocabulary words to connect to this project are: weather, meteorology, sun, warm, cool, rain, wind, cloud, fog, frost, snow, storm, season, autumn, fall, winter, spring, summer, shelter, and clothing.
We will use more imagery techniques as students visualize and practice make -believe with experiencing the weather. Students will use their senses to help their observations, descriptions, and illustrations for their verbal and written stories. With buddies, students will use technology to create and discuss a word picture that displays what Scott McCloud describes as a "montage in which words are treated as integral parts of the picture." 20 The "Wordle" will be posted in our classroom for future reference.
Imagine the Weather!
Objective: "I can use my senses and make weather pictures in my mind."
Materials: Paper, crayons, pencils.
Procedure: Review weather vocabulary and sentence frames, engaging students with timed partner talk. Use structured sentence frames such as, "I like ____ weather because I can play ____" or open-ended frames such as "I like ____ weather because ____." The teacher leads the whole group in creating an imaginary scene that the students can relate to, for instance, either outside at their home or at school on the playground. The teacher will focus the scene on weather details, embellishing with a variety of things students can sense. Teachers should explicitly describe the scene in your mind to model the process, using weather vocabulary and incorporating what information you take in through your senses. Students share out and express their images and experiences using weather words. Be sure to practice this activity to continue building imagery, connecting vocabulary, and increasing a deeper comprehension of weather content.
Assessment: Students will illustrate their scene, embellishing with details to express their experience. They will write their own story using weather vocabulary. Students will present to class or buddies, and work will be published and displayed.
Beyond: Students can work with buddies on computers to retell their story by creating it visually with a drawing program and capturing images. Student work will be published and displayed.
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