The Weather and Four Seasons Grade Level: Kindergarten Presented by: Lisa Rawlins, Pebbles Lancaster, Trigg County Elementary, Cadiz, KY Length of Unit: 11 Lessons I. Abstract This is a two or three week unit containing graphs that describe the daily weather changes, hands-on projects dealing with temperature, clouds, rainbows, and the importance of the sun as the source of light. Students will also work in cooperative learning groups with activities involving the four seasons. They will discover different weather words by making a weather book. Students will learn safety procedures for severe weather. II. Overview A. Objectives 1.Students will be able to learn weather symbols that can be used on a daily weather chart. 2.Students will be able to learn to read and record the temperature with a thermometer. 3.Students will be able to learn to compare temperature in the morning, at lunchtime and in the afternoon. 4. Students will observe how a cloud forms. 5. Students will identify different kinds of clouds. 6. Students will be able to understand what causes a rainbow. 7. Students will create their own rainbow. 8. Students will be able to learn safety procedure during thunder and lightning. 9. Students will be able to recall facts that cause thunder and lightning. 10. Students will demonstrate a tornado. 11. Students will recall the facts about a tornado. 12. Students will learn safety procedures to follow during a tornado. 13. Students will be able to recall weather words and create a weather book. 14. Students will be able to recall the four seasons. 15. Students will be able to compare and contrast the four seasons. B. Specific Content 1. Language Arts: books, sequencing, retelling story, predicting outcomes 2. Science: seasons, weather, safety, observation 3. Math: graphing, counting, patterns, one to one correspondence, and measurement 4. Social Studies: occupation, teamwork C. Skills 1. graphing 2. comparing/contrasting 3. critical thinking skills 4. counting 5. one-to-one correspondence 6. retelling story 7. predicting outcomes 8. understanding measurement 9. organizing thoughts 10. observations 11. recall facts

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III. Background Knowledge A. What your Kindergartner Needs to Know by E.D. Hirsch, Jr. B. Several weeks prior to this starting this unit, send invitation to local meteorologist inviting him/her to come into the classroom to discuss his/her job. IV. Resources Hirsch, E.D. & Holdren, John, What Your Kindergartner Needs to Know. New York: Doubleday, 1996. ISBN 0-385-48117-9 Williams, Diane, Weather. Huntington Beach: Teacher Created Materials, Inc., 1991. ISBN 1-55734-273-3 V. Lessons A. Lesson One: Weather Chart and Weather Log 1. Objectives a. To have students learn weather symbols that can be used on a daily weather chart. 2. Materials a. Suzuki, David, Looking at Weather. New Data Enterprises, 1988. b. Glue c. Construction paper d. Weather chart (Appendix A) e. Journal paper f. Crayons 3. Key Vocabulary a. sunny b. cloudy c. rainy 4. Procedures/Activities a. Read Looking at Weather by David Suzuki. b. Discuss the different types of weather. c. Make a Weather Chart for two weeks. d. Make a booklet for a Weather Log for students to write in daily during the weather unit. 5. Assessment a. Students will be assessed through teacher observation and the ability to complete the weather chart. B. Lesson Two: Temperature 1. Objectives a. To have students learn to read and record the temperature with a thermometer. b. To have students compare temperature in the morning, at lunchtime and in the afternoon. 2. Materials a. Thermometer b. Cardboard c. White ribbon d. Red marker 3. Key Vocabulary a. Thermometer b. Mercury c. Temperature d. Fahrenheit

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e. Celsius 4. Procedures/Activities a. Introduce the thermometer to the students. b. Have students practice reading a thermometer. c. Record the temperature of air at different times of the day. d. Use cardboard, ribbon and red marker to make a thermometer in small groups. 5. Assessment a. Students will be assessed on their ability to work together cooperatively. b. Students will be assessed on their ability to read and record the temperature. C. Lesson Three: Clouds 1. Objectives a. Students will observe how a cloud forms. b. Students will identify different kinds of clouds. 2. Materials a. Paola ,Tomie. The Cloud Book b. A clean, clear bottle with a small mouth c. Small amount of very hot water (for use by teacher only) d. A large ice cube e. Kinds of clouds (Appendix B) f. Cotton balls g. Glue h. Construction paper 3. Key Vocabulary a. Clouds b. Stratus c. Cirrus d. Cumulus e. Nimbus f. Cumulonimbus 4. Procedures/Activities a. Read The Cloud Book by Tomie de Paola. b. Discuss how clouds form by showing the students a cloud in a bottle. Pour about ½ inch of hot water into a bottle. Immediately cover the mouth of the bottle with an ice cube. Ask students to observe what happens. c. Discuss the different types of clouds using Appendix B. d. Students will construct a cloud from the five described on Appendix B using cotton balls and construction paper. 5. Assessment a. Students will be assessed by teacher observation b. Students will be assessed by the ability to identify different kinds of clouds. D. Lesson Four: Rainbows 1. Objectives a. Students will be able to understand what causes a rainbow. b. Students will create their own rainbow. 2. Materials a. Freeman, Don. A Rainbow of My Own b. Paints or markers c. Art paper 3. Key Vocabulary a. Rainbow

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b. Sunlight c. Raindrops 4. Procedure/Activities a. Read and discuss A Rainbow of My Own by Don Freeman. b. Have students paint rainbows using wet brush techniques. 5. Assessment a. Students will be assessed by the ability to recall what causes a rainbow. b. Students will be assessed by the ability to create a rainbow. E. Lesson Five: Thunder and Lightning 1. Objectives a. Students will learn safety procedure during thunder and lightning. b. Students will recall what causes thunder and lightning. 2. Materials a. Branley, Franklyn. Flash, Crash, Rumble, and Roll b. Inflated balloons c. Article of woolen clothing 3. Key Vocabulary a. Safety b. Thunder c. Lightning d. Static Electricity 4. Procedure/Activities a. Read Flash, Crash, Rumble and Roll by Franklyn Branley. b. Discuss with students what causes thunder and lightning. c. Discuss safety procedures during a storm. d. Demonstrate lightning. Have students work in cooperative learning groups. One student rubs the balloon rapidly ten times against woolen clothing. Darken the room and let the students touch their balloons to metal objects in the room. They should see sparks between the balloons and the metal. Explain that the flash and crackle were caused by static electricity. 5. Assessment a. Students will be assessed through teacher observation and the ability to recall facts that causes thunder and lightning. b. Students will be assessed on the ability to understand safety procedure during thunder and lightning. F. Lesson Six: Tornado 1. Objectives a. Students will demonstrate a tornado. b. Students will recall facts of what causes a tornado. c. Students will learn safety procedures to be taken during a tornado. 2. Materials a. Branley, Franklyn. Tornado Alert .Haper and Row, 1988. b. clear plastic jar c. 4 to 6 small balls of aluminum foil d. clear liquid soap e. water f. blue food coloring 3. Key Vocabulary a. Tornado b. Funnel c. Cyclones

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4. Procedure/Activities a. Read Tornado Alert by Franklyn Branley. b. Discuss with the students what causes a tornado. c. Use clear jar, foil, soap, water, and food coloring to make a tornado. First place a teaspoon of clear liquid soap in the jar. Drop small pieces of foil rolled into balls into the jar. Make sure the foil is folded so that it will sink. Fill jar to the top with water. Add one drop of food coloring. Rotate the jar in a clockwise direction. 5. Assessment a. Students will be assessed on the ability to demonstrate a tornado. b. Students will be assessed on the ability to recall facts about what causes a tornado. c. Students will be assessed on the ability to recall safety procedures during a tornado. G. Lesson Seven: Weather Book 1. Objectives a. Students will recall weather words. b. Students will create a weather book. 2. Materials a. Construction paper b. Markers c. Crayons d. Glue e. Scissors 3. Key Vocabulary a. Sunny b. Cloudy c. Rainy d. Windy e. Snowy 4. Procedure/Activities a. Discuss with students the different types of weather. b. Use construction paper, markers, crayons, glue and scissors to make a Weather Book. The title would be What is Weather? Ask Students to think of words to describe what the weather is like outside. 5. Assessment a. Students will be assessed by the ability to recall facts about weather. b. Students will be assessed by the ability to create a weather book. H. Lesson Eight: Seasons 1. Objectives a. Students will be able to recall the four seasons. b. Students will be able to compare and contrast the four seasons. 2. Materials a. Bennett, David. Season.s. Reader's Digest Kids, 1988. b. White and black paper c. Crayons d. Markers 3. Key Vocabulary a. Autumn b. Winter c. Summer

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d. Spring 4. Procedure/Activities a. Read Seasons by David Bennett b. Compare and contrast the different seasons. c. Students make a windowpane with black construction paper and four white construction paper sheets; design each season as though looking through a window. 5. Assessment a. Students will be assessed on the ability to recall the four seasons. b. Students will be assessed on the ability to compare and construct the four seasons. I. Lesson Nine: Fall and Winter 1. Objectives a. Students will be able to identify facts about fall and winter. 2. Materials a. Two blank web (Appendix C) b. White paper bags c. Clear tape d. Newspaper e. Yarn f. Construction paper g. Cloth h. Sticks 3. Key Vocabulary a. Autumn b. Winter c. Frost d. Freeze e. Snow 4. Procedure/Activities a. Brainstorm with students the different key words involving winter. Use blank web to write responses from students. b. Brain storm with students the different key words involving autumn. Use blank web to write responses from students. c. Build paper bag snowmen by stuffing white paper lunch bags with scrunched newspaper. Tape two bags together for each snowman. Decorate them with construction paper, yarn, cloth, and sticks. 5. Assessment a. Students will be assessed on the ability to identify facts about fall and winter. J. Lesson Ten: Spring and Summer 1. Objective a. Students will be able to identify facts about spring and summer. 2. Materials a. Two blank webs (Appendix D) b. Jar with wide mouth c. Masking tape d. Ruler e. Marker 3. Key Vocabulary a. spring b. summer

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c. precipitation d. gauge 4. Procedure/Activities a. Brainstorm with students different key words involving spring. Use blank web to write responses from students. b. Brainstorm with students different key words involving summer. Use blank web to write responses from students. c. Make a rain gauge so that the students can measure precipitation. 5. Assessment a. Students will be assessed on the ability to identify facts about spring and summer. K. Lesson Eleven: Forecasting Weather 1. Objective a. Students will able to understand importance of forecasting the weather. 2. Materials a. Breiter, Herta. Weather. Raintree, 1978. 3. Key Vocabulary a. Forecasting b. Meteorologist c. Weather satellite 4. Procedures/Activities a. Read Weather by Herta Breiter b. Discuss the meaning of forecasting the weather. c. Select and invite a meteorologist from one of the TV stations near your school. d. Take a field trip to a local TV station to see different weather instruments used in forecasting. 5. Assessment a. Students will be assessed on their ability to understand the importance of forecasting the weather. VI. Culminating Activity Be a Weather Wizards Let students broadcast weather forecast in the classroom. Students work in cooperative groups. Students will collect data from what they have learned about weather. It would be video so students could take it home. VII. Handouts/Student Worksheets See Appendices VIII. Bibliography A. Other Literature Selections • Santrey, Louis. Winter Discovering the Seasons New Jersey: Troll Associates, 1983 • Branley, Franklyn. Hurricane Watch New York: Thomas Y. Crowell, 1985 • Gibbons, Gail. The Reasons for Seasons New York: Holiday House, 1995 • Branley, Franklyn. Sunshine Makes the Seasons New York: Thomas Y. Crowell, 1985 • Palmer, Joy. Rain Austin: Steck-Vaughn, 1993 • Palmer, Joy. Snow and Ice Austin: Steck-Vaughn, 1993 • Palmer, Joy. Sunshine Austin: Steck-Vaughn, 1993 • Arvetis, Chris and Palmer, Carole. Why Does It Snow? Italy: Rand McNally & Company, 1986

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• • • • • • • •

Arvetis, Chris. Why Does It Rain? Chicago: Rand McNally & Company, 1983 Arvetis, Chris and Palmer, Carole. Why Does It Thunder and Lightning? Italy: Rand McNally & Company, 1985 Branley, Franklyn. Rain and Hail New York: Thomas Y. Crowell, 1983 Cole, Joanna. The Magic School Bus Inside a Hurricane New York: Scholastic, Inc. 1995 Bennett, David. Seasons New York. Reader's Digest Kids, 1988 Branley, Franklyn. Tornado Alert New York. Thomas Y. Crowell, 1988 Branley, Franklyn. Flash, Crash, Rumble, and Roll New York: Thomas Y. Crwell, 1985 Breiter, Herta. Weather Milwaukee: Macdonald-Raintree, 1978

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Appendix A

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Appendix B

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Appendix C

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Appendix D

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