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: Wind socks will be created to measure a. Identify different types of weather and the wind direction. 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 (thermometer, wind vane, rain gauge), 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 weather station 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