TEC Lesson Plan

Contributor Information |Standards |Lesson Plan

Contributor Information
Name: Sherry Detraz
email address: Sherry_Detraz@places.pinellas.k12.fl.us
School: Fuguitt Elementary School, Pinellas County, Florida

Standards
Sunshine State Standards for Weather
Click on the link above to see the alignment of this lesson to the Sunshine State Standards.

NET Standards
Click on the link above to see the alignment of this lesson to the National Educational Technology Standards.

Lesson Plan

Title: Weather: Words-Water Cycle-Forecasting

Technology Resource Requirements:

• Computer with internet connection
• PowerPoint
• HyperStudio
• digital camera
• video camera
• word processing program such as AppleWorks, ClarisWorks, or Microsoft Word
• draw program such as AppleWorks, ClarisWorks, Kid Pix, or Microsoft Word
• printer
• projection devices such as televisions and LCD projectors
  

Subject Area(s): Science, Mathematics, Language Arts, and Social Studies

Grade Level: First Grade

Short Description:
Students will learn weather vocabulary, how to observe and record daily weather, and what the water cycle is. With this knowledge, the students will construct their own weather forecast and share it with their peers and parents.

Approximate Time Required: 2 to 3 weeks

Gain Attention:

• Begin the unit by reading Storm in the Night by Mary Stolz. Discuss what weather is. Use a PowerPoint presentation to introduce weather words and definitions. In the following days, complete tasks that include: observing and recording daily weather, researching on the internet, learning about the water cycle, and preparing a weather forecast.
  

Tasks:

• Review the weather words and definitions that were presented in the PowerPoint presentation. Discuss what types of weather we see around us.(e.g.- sunny, cloudy, rainy, windy, etc.) Take students outside for a weather walk, and discuss how weather can change throughout the day. Upon returning to the classroom, ask students to describe what type of weather they observed. Introduce the daily weather chart that the students will use to record the daily weather for one week. Then, have students make their first entry under Monday.

• Students will complete their weather charts daily for the rest of the week.

• Temperature and thermometers - discuss and provide thermometers for students to practice reading. Compare readings from inside the classroom and outdoors.
  

• Rain measurement - review what a rain gauge is and show the students a gauge. Students will construct rain gauges using plastic bottles, masking tape, markers, and rulers. Place rain gauges in a safe, undisturbed area.
  

• Discuss thunderstorms. Have students draw pictures showing the components of a thunderstorm.
  

• Cooperative Learning Groups - Make a large weather chart for each group. The chart is for five days. Groups will record a weather word for the day (sunny, cloudy, rainy, windy), what the temperature is, and how much rain fell.
  

• Water cycle - present a HyperStudio stack about the water cycle. To run a HyperStudio stack, you will need a HyperStudio plug-in. Click Here for plug-in. Discuss how it works. Have students use the internet to find further information about the water cycle. Use the KidsConnect website to ask questions about the water cycle. Students will then draw a picture that shows the water cycle.
  

• Weather Forecast - visit the Weather Channel website to see just what a forecast is and what it looks like. Students will work on their own weather forecast. They will use the digital camera for pictures to present during their forecast. The pictures can be placed into a HyperStudio presentation also. This presentation can be presented to their peers. When the final weather forecast presentations are ready to be made, record the presentations with a video camera. This tape can be shared with parents.

Interactions:

Lessons and learning will be teacher facilitated and directed. Students will be active participants in all lessons and activities. Teacher will supervise internet use, and provide support for other technology tools and applications. Cooperative learning groups will also be used.Tools:Computer with internet connection, PowerPoint, HyperStudio, digital camera, video camera, word processing program such as AppleWorks, ClarisWorks, or Microsoft Word, draw program such as AppleWorks, ClarisWorks, Kid Pix, or Microsoft Word, printer, projection devices such as televisions and LCD projectors, paper, markers, masking tape, plastic bottles, rulers,rain gauge, thermometer, and Storm in the Night

Assessments:

Graphing Rubric

Forecast - Presentation Rubric