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Cultural Lit. 8: Recording Local Weather

Summary

Students will measure, record, graph and report changes in local weather utilizing Navajo, Ute and Spanish words for weather conditions, after receiving direct instruction and taking part in cooperative group activities, over an extended time period, e.g., month, term, semester, academic year.


Materials

Attachments

1. Handout of weather conditions in four languages, paper, pencil, crayons.
2. Pre-prepared classroom graph for recording weather.
3. Graphic representations of weather conditions for graphing, e.g., clouds, sun, lightning.
4. Individual small size handouts of graph for student practice in groups.
5. Rain measuring gauge, dual inch and centimeter ruler.


Background for Teachers

Guarded Vocabulary:
New words pre-taught/sustained in lesson:

Sunshine, cloudy, rain, wind, snow, thunderstorm,
(See handout of vocabulary words)


Intended Learning Outcomes

Some vocabulary words in English, Navajo, Ute and Spanish for weather conditions:
See handout of vocabulary words.


Instructional Procedures

Introduce lesson to capture student's attention:
Teacher will disseminate multilingual weather conditions handout, and student drawings from the previous lesson and ask questions about the weather:
1. What is the weather right now?
2. What was the weather like yesterday?
3. Can you predict what the weather might be like tomorrow?
4. Can anyone tell me the name of this season?
5. What is the typical weather of this season?

Teacher will tell class that they are going to utilize the names of different weather conditions in different languages to keep track of the weather over time in a graph.

Problem/Prediction:
How can you get the students really thinking?

With students working in pairs (teacher will ask the pairs to work together) recall and name the weather conditions (in English) for the last three to five days. Teacher will call on each pair to report to class.

Teacher will compile student given information on a simple graph on the board, a projection device or on a flip chart, and discuss the answers. Teacher will ask questions about the current season in which the weather conditions are found. Teacher will ask students if they can tell the names of the graphed weather conditions in Navajo, Ute or Spanish. Teacher will write the names in Navajo, Ute and Spanish on the graph.

Teacher Instruction:
Teacher will tell students that as a class they are going to measure, record, graph and report changes in local weather, for an extended period of time, e.g., a month, a term, a semester, the remainder of the school year. Teacher will tell students that they are going to record daily weather on the graph, tell if the weather changed from the day before, and measure rain and snow with a rain gauge and a ruler, respectively.

Teacher will hang pre-prepared graph at front of class and ask students, by groups, to tell the weather for the present and last 5-7 days. Teacher will record weather in all four languages and record if it changed from the day before. Teacher will tell class that they will place their rain gauge outside and begin measuring rainfall from then forward, and record it in centimeters and inches. Teacher will tell students that snow is measured with a ruler and will be recorded in centimeters and inches.

How will you end your lesson?
Students will show/present to the whole class, their completed weather graphs.


Strategies for Diverse Learners

How will you help ELL students?

Guided Practice:
Teacher will listen to each student say the names of weather conditions in English as she/he graphs the weather conditions.

Help students' master new the concept:
Teacher will ask students to report the weather conditions in each language separately, and have students work in table groups of four saying the names for weather conditions to each other in the four different languages as they graph the weather on their individual handouts.


Extensions

Students will work in table groups of four or in pairs and graph the weather along with the teacher, while she/he graphs the weather for the present and past 5-7 days. Students will refer to the multilingual handout for the weather conditions. Students will draw weather condition, e.g., sun, raindrops, clouds, as well as words for weather conditions. Teacher will circulate among groups to direct students after she has completed graph at front of class.


Assessment Plan

Observation of student participation, student completion of weather graph with written words for weather condition, and drawings of weather condition for the present and past 5-7 days.


Created: 01/18/2005
Updated: 03/23/2022
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