Weather Group Unit Plan

Summary

This Weather unit fosters a fundamental development of the Water Cycle with vocabulary, experimentation, data collection, movement, and online activities. This will be developed with exploration stations that create interdisciplinary learning throughout the fourth grade curriculum.

Materials

Background for Teachers

-Types of Weather (especially in the state of Utah) -Different types of clouds -Use of Computer and internet skills for student guidance -Classroom Maintenance for Science experiments

Student Prior Knowledge

-Basic Internet navigation skills -Following Directions -Third Grade Science Curriculum -What is a cloud? -Where does water come from? -What is evaporation? -Exposure to weather reports. -Temperature extremes.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to describe and label the different stages of the water cycle. The student will be able to know where our drinking water comes and how it relates to them in their daily lives. They will begin to know the importance of how important water is in our lives and in the world we live.

Instructional Procedures

Language Arts: Students will complete an internet hotlist on "Its raining cats & dogs" Math: Students will use math skills from the fourth grade math core curriculum to complete Weather Bingo. Science: Students will do an experiment of creating a cloud in a bottle. Through doing this experiment they will learn the different names of cloud formations. They will learn to observe by writing down or drawing pictures of what they saw while doing or observing the experiment. Science: Students will do creative writing about their favorite type of weather. First discuss to activate prior knowledge & then give handout with keywords about different weather types as scaffolding for paper.

Strategies for Diverse Learners

Each part of this unit can be adapted to the needs of the struggling students or the challenged. It will differ for each concept that is being taught. For example the lesson "Creating a Cloud in a bottle" is easily adapted to reach everyone. This experiment is a group effort. Everyone can take an active part. A student with special needs can hold the bottle while someone else puts the ice on. He can draw pictures of what he observed. He can also answer simple and direct questions through voice instead pen. The advanced student can help the others by leading them in the discussion or by being the group leader. He can write an essay about clouds and what each represents along with his observations. Getting all involved is the key to learning. As those that are involved communicate with each other all are valued and grow in knowledge by collaboration of what they share together in a group situation.

Extensions

*Social Studies - using an atlas and globe, students will explore weather around the world and determine how it affects peoples' lives. *Field Trip - students will visit the public utilities or water division, to see how water is pumped into our homes. *Weather School - students will watch various Channel 5 weather school experiments and come up with one of their own to submit.

Bibliography

"Weather Jingo" by Ellen Martin. A Bingo style game used for our math/weather bingo game.