Weather STEAM Lesson Brief

Students use knowledge from across the disciplines to strengthen their understanding of each subject’s content and its related careers through topic or theme oriented realistic problem-based activity-rich lessons.

Theme that this lesson would tie to: Weather

Specific Topic Concept within that theme: Weather Patterns and Conditions.

PROJECT IDEA + brief notes & supplies BASIC CONCEPTS

Concept: Science –Weather patterns and conditions • Concepts – The measurement of weather and Throughout the project the students will how it affects our daily lives. measure weather and how it affects our daily • Goal / Objectives – lives. Weather instruments will be designed, • Standards - S1E1. Students will observe, constructed, and tested to collect weather measure, and communicate weather data to data. see patterns in weather and climate. Art: socks will be created to measure a. Identify different types of weather and the . characteristics of each type. P.E.: Wind will be created using parachutes b. Investigate weather by observing, measuring and balls. with simple weather instruments Language Arts: Informative writing will occur (, wind vane, ), and about the four season. recording weather data (temperature, Music: Weather sounds will be created using precipitation, sky conditions, and weather recordings of weather sounds, musical events) in a periodic journal or on a calendar instruments (xylophone, rain stick, drums, seasonally. etc.). c. Correlate weather data (temperature, precipitation, sky conditions, and weather Basic Plan: events) to seasonal changes • Careers – meteorologist, air traffic controller, In this unit we will be learning about weather. boat captain, navy, pilot, educator Students will watch a clip from the opening • Project – The teacher will discuss the different scene of The Wizard of Oz and discuss the types of weather typical of each season. The weather conditions observed. The teachers students will use informational texts to learn will assist the students in listing the impacts of more about the different types of weather. The the weather on Dorothy’s life. The students teacher will introduce concept of monitoring will then share their experiences based on sky conditions and temperature by using a how weather has affected their lives in the calendar. Students will record the sky past. conditions (cloudy, partly cloudy, and sunny) The teacher will explain that the students will daily by drawing a picture for each day on their begin a unit on weather. Each subject will be calendar. Students will also use either a addressed throughout the unit in the thermometer or an online resource to following ways. In Science, students will determine the temperature in our area for observe and record sky condition data,

CC. 2013 STEAM Education Lesson Brief

temperature data, rainfall levels, and wind each day. The temperature will be recorded in conditions in their weather journals. In each cell for the calendar as well as the sky Technology/Engineering the students will condition. plan, construct, and implement weather • Assessment – to see if students can observe stations to measure and predict the weather. and record sky condition data, temperature In Math, the students will record data, data, rainfall levels, and wind conditions in complete a bar graph, and analyze weather their weather journals. data. In Language Arts, an informative writing • Extension - piece will be completed to describe weather throughout the four seasons. In Social Studies, Technology & Engineering – the students will make a real world • Concepts – designing, constructing, and testing connection to weather that occurred in their weather instruments. community. In Art, students will plan, create, • Goal / Objectives – to use them to collect data. and test their windsock for accuracy. In P.E., • Standards - students will have a chance to create different • Careers – mechanical engineer, environmental wind conditions using gym materials. In geologist Music, students will create weather sounds • Project- When viewing other subject areas for using their bodies and musical instruments. In this project, it can be noted that students will Science Lab, students will plan, create, and be creating various weather measurement test their rain gauge for accuracy. tools using materials of their choice. They will The final product will be a have to choose their materials wisely by that will consist of a rain gauge, thermometer, determining the best medium for the specific and wind sock. Students will have their data task. During the construction process, students recorded in the form of a weather journal. will be required to defend their choices by using background knowledge combined with predictions they will make for the future. Students will collect and discuss data by Skill level (Grade Range): Grade 1 comparing and contrasting findings. Some technological tools the students will be using Timing of Lesson: Aprox. 45 mins for each are: scissors, glue, ribbon, paper towel tubes, subject area markers, water bottles, and more. • Assessment – To see if the students can effectively plan, construct, and implement the weather stations to measure and predict the weather. T = constructed so that they work and meet the basic parameters – E = accuracy of instruments and creativity in designing and Basic Supplies: creating them All Subjects: • Extension -

Individual Subjects: Math – Science/Science Lab: • Concepts – Students will graph weather data • Plastic Bottles based on sky conditions and temperatures. • Permanent Markers • Goal / Objectives – Students will be able to • Ruler notice trends and or differences between

CC. 2013 STEAM Education Lesson Brief

• Exacto Knife weather patterns. • Tape • Standards - MD.4- organize, represent, and • Thermometer record data Math: • Careers – Statistician, Meteorologist, and • Blank graph templates Researcher LA/SS: • Project – The teacher will introduce concept of • Computer monitoring sky conditions and temperature by • ActivBoard using a calendar. Students will record the sky Art: conditions (cloudy, partly cloudy, and sunny) • Paper towel rolls daily by drawing a picture for each day on their • Ribbon calendar. Students will also use either a • String thermometer or an online resource to • Paper determine the temperature in our area for • Coat hanger each day. The temperature will be recorded in each cell for the calendar as well as the sky • Paper bags condition. After a month of data collection, • Crayons students will create a tally mark chart and bar • Paper graph showing the sky conditions and P.E: temperatures for each day that was recorded. • Parachute Students will answer questions regarding the • Balls data that was graphed (i.e., “How many more • Beanbags sunny days were there than cloudy days?” • Other small objects • Assessment – the students will be assessed on Music: their ability to record data accurately and complete the bar graph in order to reflect data

collected. The students will be graded on their ability to answer the questions after the graph has been created (graph analysis).

• Extension - Data collection will occur on one

weekend throughout the project.

LA –

• Concepts – Online research tools to gather IT Resources: www.weather.com, information about weather in our world. http://www.wunderground.com/, • Goal / Objectives – Students will know where http://www.wunderground.com/wundermap/ to find information about weather around the

world and in our seasons.

• Standards – ELACC1W7 Participate in shared

research and writing projects (e.g., explore a

number of “how-to” books on a given topic and

use them to write a sequence of instructions).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.1.2 Write

informative/explanatory texts in which they Other Resources: name a topic, supply some facts about the

topic, and provide some sense of closure.

• Careers – Reporter, researcher

CC. 2013 STEAM Education Lesson Brief

• Project – The teacher will introduce the genre of writing called informative texts. Students will be informed that they will write about the Misc: Students will find a way to put all their four seasons they learned about in science. weather tools together to make one weather The teacher will review the four seasons that station (I.E. shoe box, wooden post, etc.). they learned in science with the students by creating a web on the board/chart paper using key vocabulary to aid as a reference to guide the students during their writing. The teacher Photos: will give the students the informative graphic organizer. The teacher will spend time introducing the organizer by going over/creating anchor chart for key words the students might not know (i.e. topic, introduction, fact, and conclusion). The students will use their graphic organizers to guide them on writing their informative piece about the four seasons. They will be descriptive in their writing about the weather that is typically experienced during each season. They will use a peer-review process to edit their writing. They will then publish their final piece once all the details and necessary components are included. • Assessment – A writing rubric will be used to asses print concepts, details, writing mechanics, organization, and writing style. • Extension – Write about an extreme weather condition that is occurring in our world.

SS – • Concepts – How does weather affect the conditions of where we live • Goal / Objectives – The students will be able to explain how weather affects their lives and the world around them. • Standards – SS1G2 The student will identify

and locate his/her city, county, state, nation, and continent on a simple map or globe. • Careers – Fire fighter, Emergency Personnel, Farmers, Truckers • Project – Teacher will review neighborhoods and communities with the students. The students will all provide descriptions of the types of neighborhoods. They will then

CC. 2013 STEAM Education Lesson Brief

compose a writing piece regarding various weather conditions they have observed in their neighborhood most recently. They will be required to refer to their weather calendar in their science journals to document dates of the specific weather occurrence. They will also be encouraged to use descriptive language and directions in their writing piece (i.e., “On August 29, 2014, I noticed that the weather was windy and warm. I could see the leaves blowing on the trees while looking out my window. The house across the street had puddles in their driveway, so I think it had rained the day before.”) • Assessment – Students will be able to make sense of the information found in their weather calendar and how it relates to the weather around them. • Extension –visit real weather station or watch videos of them

Art – • Concepts – Students will explore their creativity and art media in designing a wind sock. • Goal / Objectives – The students will be able to observe wind direction and intensity of . • Standards - • Careers – Architect, Artist, Environmental Art, Environmental Design • Project – Teacher will introduce concept of windsock by showing images and videos of real life windsocks. Students will discuss its purpose, and how it can be used to measure wind direction and speed. Students will then plan a windsock design with their team. They will discuss which materials will be ideal for their windsock design. Students will be asked to defend their material selections to determine whether they will be effective tools in measuring wind. Students will be given materials of choice to complete construction of the wind sock. Teacher will then take the students outside to test windsock to see if it is

CC. 2013 STEAM Education Lesson Brief

effective or not. Students will explain why their windsocks are or are not working correctly. • Assessment – Students will create a wind sock that works efficiently while communicating their reasoning behind their design. • Extension -

PE – • Concepts – Students will create wind using various tools. • Goal / Objectives – Students will be able to observe characteristics of weather (wind) patterns. • Standards - • Careers –Soldier, sky diver. • Project – Teacher will discuss different properties of wind. Students will describe the way wind feels and how they could possibly create it using gym materials. Students will have a chance to defend their reasoning by modeling how wind was created (i.e., running quickly past someone). Then, students will use a parachute and other items to make and observe ’ effects on various items in the gym. Teacher will allow the students to make fast, hard-blowing wind and slow breezes with a parachute. Students will notice what happens when balls are placed on the parachute for the different types of wind. Teacher will call out an environmental scene, and the students will have to move the parachute to match the type of wind condition typical of that area (i.e., Teacher: “a hurricane on a beach,” and students will flap parachute wildly). • Assessment – Students will be assessed on participation in parachute activity. Teacher observation • Extension -

Music – • Concepts – The students will explore weather sounds. • Goal / Objectives – Students will create their own weather sounds. • Standards -

CC. 2013 STEAM Education Lesson Brief

• Careers – Boom Engineer, Musician • Project – Teacher will ask student volunteers to pretend to make sounds associated with weather conditions. Then teacher will play various recordings of weather sounds. Students will have to brainstorm how these sounds can be created using either their bodies, the instruments, or both. Students will experiment with creating music using their bodies, the instruments, or both. The teacher will then have the students play a “weather song.” She will allow student volunteers to pick which weather sound they would like to represent, and together they will all harmonize to form a weather song (i.e., one student can play a rain stick to make sound of rain, one student can play a deep drum to make sound of thunder, etc.) • Assessment – Students will be assessed on participation in music activity. Teacher observation • Extension – Create an instrument that represents weather sounds.

Science Lab- • Concepts- The students will understand the purpose of a rain gauge. • Goals/Objectives- Students will be able to measure rain fall using a rain gauge. • Standards- S1E1. Students will observe, measure, and communicate weather data to see patterns in weather and climate. a. Identify different types of weather and the characteristics of each type. b. Investigate weather by observing, measuring with simple weather instruments (thermometer, wind vane, rain gauge), and recording weather data (temperature, precipitation, sky conditions, and weather events) in a periodic journal or on a calendar seasonally. c. Correlate weather data (temperature, precipitation, sky conditions, and weather events) to seasonal changes • Careers- Meteorologist, Air Traffic Controller,

CC. 2013 STEAM Education Lesson Brief

Boat Captain, Navy, Pilot, Educator • Project- The teacher will introduce the concept of a rain gauge. Students will use prior knowledge to determine the use of a rain gauge, and how we might be able to use one on our school grounds. The teacher will show students pictures and video examples of real- life rain gauges. The students will then discuss with their teams how they could create a rain gauge of their own using materials that are familiar to them. They will have to defend their material selections to predict whether they will withstand the environmental conditions of our area. The students will then create their rain gauge as a team, and set them outside for data collection. Students will observe rain fall throughout the duration of the project, and students will decide whether their gauges were successful in properly measuring rain levels. • Assessment- Students will create a rain gauge that works efficiently while understanding how to read the gauge and record its data in their weather journals. Students write dates and measurements in their journals to record rain fall levels. • Extension- The students will measure rain fall at Shoal Creek and how it compares to rain fall at their house.

CC. 2013 STEAM Education Lesson Brief