Materials Required: Vary

Activity Time: Varies

Concepts Taught: Numerous

Grade Level: Fourth or Fifth

Topic: Weather

Goals: The goals for this thematic unit are for the students to gain an understanding of the causes and controls of weather, as well as an understanding of the differences in climate between different nations. Additional goals are to develop listening skills, creative problem solving skills, and speaking skills.

Title: The Sounds of Weather

Objective: This lesson is intended to promote critical listening. Following the lesson, students will have learned creative problem solving skills. In addition, students will become familiar with the various audible effects of weather, that is, the sounds of precipitation and sounds related to weather.

Materials: Tape Recorder (with microphone)

Blank Tapes: Previously Recorded Sounds of Weather. These may be self made, or store bought (such as the “Nature Quest” Compact Disks and Cassettes available at Target). Some examples are:

1. To begin with, have the various sounds recorded before beginning the project.

2. Ask students to make a list of all the different sounds that can be heard from weather.

3. Have students listen to the recordings and look for clues in the sounds as to what the weather may be like.

4. Students should number their papers for each of the different sounds with a large amount of space between each. They may illustrate what they think the scene looks like and/or describe it in words. In their writings, students need to explain their reasoning.

5. After the children are given time to record their responses, ask for volunteers to share their answers and explanations.

6. Evaluation can be partially based upon the explanation of their reasoning as to what the weather scene may be.

Title: The Causes of Weather

Objective: Students will be able to demonstrate the basic causes of weather patterns as well as what causes the weather to change.

Materials: Colgren, John. (1993). Exploring Weather. Niles, IL: United.

1. After a discussion of the causes of weather, show the video Exploring Weather, which will effectively illustrate the sights and sounds of normal and extreme weather, both locally and worldwide.

2. Following the video, have students meet in groups to discuss the reasons for our own weather and its variations. They should include in their discussion what controls on weather that were presented in the video have an effect where we live.

3. Evaluation may not be needed for this lesson. If anything, look at how well groups are working together.

Title: Weather Reporters

Objective: The students will learn how to predict the weather, how information on the weather is gathered, what is involved in a typical television weather report, and gain experience in speaking in front of a group or to a video camera. In addition, the students will be able to comprehend the local weather reports on television.

Also, students will learn the limitations of and difficulty in predicting the weather.

Materials:

Recorded Television News Broadcast (weather portion) Video Camera (if money and time permits) Weather Reporter (if available)

1. After watching a typical television weather report students will have a good idea of what is involved in a weather report. This will assist in the construction of their own weather report.

2. In class the basic methods of predicting weather will be presented. If one is available, a weather reporter could come as a guest speaker to explain how weather data is gathered as well as to describe the job of reporting weather and what is involved. He or she may give some tips on how to arrange their own weather reports.

3. Groups of two, three, or four should work together to prepare their own weather broadcast. Most data should come from newspapers, the previous eveningвs news, and/or from internet weather providers. A great deal of weather information exists on the World Wide Web.

4. Depending on class size and available time, two or three groups can present their report each day, so that weather reports for several different days will be presented.

Title: If There Were No . . .

Objective: The writing of this story will cause the students to think about what weather would be like without certain normal controls on the climate. This will help them to understand how important these controls are in worldwide weather patterns.

Materials: Imagination

Topics, such as:

If there were no sun, weather would change by . . . (change in temperature, no winds, no evaporation, etc.)

If there were no winds, weather would change by . . . (no precipitation over land, etc.)

If water did not freeze, weather would change by . . . (no glaciers, elevated sea level, etc.)

If there were no ozone layer, weather would change by . . . (global warming, melting of glaciers, etc.)

If warm air did not rise, weather would change by . . . (no condensation so no precipitation, no winds, etc.)

If water did not evaporate, weather would change by . . . (no clouds, no precipitation, etc.)

If there were no volcanoes, weather would change by . . . (no water anywhere,

few gasses in the atmosphere, etc.)

Invent your own control on weather

1. Before discussing the paper, students should have an idea of what controls the weather and how each control effects the weather. Direct instruction or the movie for the listening lesson plan can serve the purpose of teaching about the controls of weather.

2. A brief paper should be assigned with the option for students to choose between the various topics given previously.

Evaluation after Writing 1:

Checklist

Yes No

____ ____ Student chooses a topic he or she understands and can competently write about.

____ ____ Writing expresses thorough consideration of what the climatic situations might be if weather controls were different.

____ ____ Understanding of the weather control itself is demonstrated, that is, the student understands what effect the control does have on the climate.

____ ____ Descriptions of what weather might be like are accurate.

____ ____ Creativity is shown in the students writing.

Title: Evaporation (Adapted from Kohlвs Science Arts (1993).)

Objective: Students will learn how evaporation occurs through an artistic activity. They will also learn how the amount of heat available controls the rate of evaporation.

Students will write up a lab report describing how evaporation occurs.

Materials:

Measuring Cups
Strainer
Water
Torn Newspaper
Spray Vegetable Oil
Candy Molds
Torn Colored Tissue Paper
Sponge
Blender