5th Grade Earth Science: Weather Unit Cover photo credit: Lauren Greene Developed for Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools Northside Elementary School Outdoor Wonder & Learning (OWL) Initiative Unless otherwise noted, activities written by: Toni Stadelman, Dana Haine, Lauren Greene, & Sarah Yelton Center for Public Engagement with Science UNC Institute for the Environment In collaboration with 5th grade teachers at Northside Elementary School: Michelle Gay, Daila Patrick, & Elizabeth Symons ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many thanks to Dan Schnitzer, Coretta Sharpless, Kirtisha Jones and the many wonderful teachers and support staff at Northside Elementary for their participation in and support of the Northside OWL Initiative. Thanks to Chip Konrad, UNC Professor and Director of the South East Regional Climate Center for sharing his time and resources during the development of this unit. Thanks also to Shelby Brown for her invaluable assistance compiling, editing, and proofreading the curriculum. Instructional materials and supplies to promote STEM-based outdoor learning were instrumental to the successful implementation of this curriculum. The purchase of these materials was made possible with funding provided by the Duke Energy Foundation to Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. Curriculum developed June 2018 – July 2019 For more information, contact: Sarah Yelton, Environmental Education & Citizen Science Program Manager UNC Institute for the Environment Center for Public Engagement with Science [email protected] 5th Grade Weather Unit Northside Outdoor Wonder & Learning Initiative th 5 Grade Weather Unit Overarching Unit Question What is weather and how does it affect us? Essential Questions Arc 1: What is weather and what factors influence the weather? Arc 2: How does the ocean affect our weather? Arc 3: How does weather affect our lives? Transfer Goals o Use scientific thinking to understand the relationships and complexities of the world around them. o Identify real-world dilemmas and opportunities and apply scientific thinking to develop solutions for them. Enduring Understandings (Science) . Weather impacts our lives and living conditions. Forecasting weather allows us to make decisions that influence the quality of our lives. Target Science Essential Standards 5.E.1 Understand weather patterns and phenomena, making connections to the weather in a particular place and time. 5.E.1.1 Compare daily and seasonal changes in weather conditions (including wind speed and direction, precipitation, and temperature) and patterns. 5.E.1.2 Predict upcoming weather events from weather data collected through observation and measurements. 5.E.1.3 Explain how global patterns such as the jet stream and water currents influence local weather in measurable terms such as temperature, wind direction and speed, and precipitation. 5.P.2.1 Explain how the sun’s energy impacts the processes of the water cycle (including, evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation and runoff). Secondary Target Standards (ELA, Math, Social Studies) ELA RI.5.1 Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. RI.5.4 Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 5 topic or subject area. RI.5.9 Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably. W.5.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. 5th Grade Weather Unit 1 Northside Outdoor Wonder & Learning Initiative W.5.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. Math NC.5.MD.2 Represent and interpret data. • Collect data by asking a question that yields data that changes over time. • Make and interpret a representation of data using a line graph. • Determine whether a survey question will yield categorical or numerical data or data that changes over time. Unit Overview This unit is divided into 3 Arcs. Arc 1 answers the essential question, “What is weather and what factors influence the weather?” The learning activities included in this arc guide students to use observation skills in order to describe, explain, and predict weather patterns. Students will learn that the sun’s energy is the driving force of our weather. They will complete activities to learn about wind, clouds, precipitation, temperature, and the role the water cycle plays in our weather. In Arc 2, students examine the essential question, “How does the ocean affect our weather?” Students will complete activities to help them describe and explain the gulf stream, El Nino, La Nina, Sea and Land Breezes as well as hurricanes. Arc 3 allows students to investigate the essential question, “How does weather affect our lives?” Students will complete activities to help them explain why our choices are based on the weather, as well as the impact that climate change as on ecosystems. During the culminating activity in Arc 3, students research how to prepare for extreme weather. Students have several opportunities to use their observations skills while working on their nature journals. Duration 14-19 days of 45 minute learning activities Vocabulary* atmosphere, air mass, air pressure, condensation, evaporation, high pressure system, humidity low pressure system, precipitation, prevailing winds, troposphere, water vapor, wind, weather, season, seasonal, cloud, cirrus, cumulus, nimbus, cumulonimbus, stratus, fog, anemometer, barometer, cold front, fronts, warm front, occluded front, stationary front, rain gauge, thermometer, wind vane, El Nino, Gulf Stream, Jet Stream, land breeze, La Nina, meteorologist, meteorology, sea breezes, climate, climate change, convection, radiation, conduction * Definitions of vocabulary words can be found on the arc overview pages. Relevant vocabulary is listed on each learning activity page. 5th Grade Weather Unit 2 Northside Outdoor Wonder & Learning Initiative Go Outdoors! Tips & Tools Taking your class outside for science or any lessons can be rewarding and challenging. Along with behavior and materials management tips with each lesson, this section is intended to help you have the tools you need to successfully take your class outside. Before You Go Outside • Create ground rules with students for all outdoor lessons. Post the rules for students to be able to easily see. • Ask for parent volunteers. Extra help can make an outdoor learning experience much more manageable. • Teach students proper use, including safety, of the science tools they will be using. • Set expectations before go. Give instructions both inside and repeat once outside. • Have a clear objective for going outdoors. This will help focus students’ attention. • Be flexible. Structure lessons to take advantage of opportunities and challenges. • Establish a meeting spot and emergency plan. Have a signal for emergency situations. • Take students outside for short exercises to practice rules before longer outdoor lessons. • Use same door to always go outside for learning. Emphasize this is different than going outside for recess. While You Are Outside • Model the activities and outdoor skills for students. Show them what you expect them to be doing. • Participate in the activity. Get down on your students’ level. Get your hands dirty. • Model respect for nature with your students. • The outdoors is full of teachable moments. Use “I wonder” statements to engage students in questioning the experience. Have students write down questions to be researched back in the classroom. • Allow students to be leaders in the activity. Ask students to volunteer as teacher assistant or materials manager. • Acknowledge that students want to explore and can do so once the assigned task is complete. Safety First! • Scout outdoor areas ahead of time if possible, to note potential hazards such as poison ivy. • Students should never be alone. If a student needs to go back to the building, send 2 students. • Take a first aid kit and phone/walkie-talkie. Consider bringing along staff trained in first aid/CPR. • Let office staff know where you and your class are going if headed out on a walking field trip. • Stay on the trail/path, unless otherwise directed. On the greenway, stay on the right side of path. • Do not eat wild plants, unless harvesting in the garden with a teacher. • Set boundaries for the students to stay within. You have to be able to see me and I have to be able to see you! A Note on Nature Journaling Nature journals that you use with your class should be small composition books or other blank books that students use to make outdoor observations, including writing, drawing, and painting. Students can use colored pencils, watercolor pencils, or other materials to remember details of plants, animals, and habitats they are investigating around the schoolyard. This is different from a science notebook. However, some teachers may choose to have students paste blank pages into their science notebook to use for nature journaling pages. 5th Grade Weather Unit 3 Northside Outdoor Wonder & Learning Initiative Arc 1 What is weather & what factors influence the weather? Essential Questions What is weather and what factors influence the weather? NC Science Essential Standards – Unpacked Content 5.E.1.1 Students know that weather can change from day to day and that many factors are measured to describe and predict weather conditions. (e.g.,