Identifying Clouds

Jennifer Nieters, Twin Cities German Immersion School, St. Paul, MN, K Teacher

Swantje Haeusler, Twin Cities German Immersion School, St. Paul, MN, 3 Teacher

Summary

In this hands-on activty, 3rd and Kindergarten students will work together to learn how to identify clouds. They will take pictures, create and identify various forms of clouds. Since this is an immerson setting the children will also learn the names of the clouds in the German language.

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Learning Goals

Shapes of clouds.
Names of clouds.
Identifying clouds.

Vocabulary:
Cirrus: Federwolken, Schleierwolken
Cumulus: Schoenwetterwolken
Stratus: Regenwolken, Gewitterwolken

Context for Use

This will be part of a Kindergarten and 3rd grade unit on weather and seasons. You should plan on a total of 2 days spread out for this activity. We have a Kindergarten class of 22 children and a 3rd grade class of 23. This will be at the beginning of our unit preferably in the spring.

Description and Teaching Materials

Introduce the classes to each other and pair a 3rd grade student with a K student.
1. Explain to the children that they will be learning about clouds.

2. Ask the following questions:
-What is a cloud? Was ist eine Wolke?
-What do they look like? Wie sehen Wolken aus?
-Where are clouds? Wo kann man Wolken finden?
-What color are clouds? Welche Farben haben Wolken?

3. Pass out a camera to each pair of students and go outside to have them take pictures of clouds that they see.(If clouds are not present use a few days to get pictures of clouds.)

4. After cloud pictures have been taken, develop and display around the room.

5. Explain with children and discuss the characteristics of clouds and have them group their pictures accordingly.

6. Talk about the names of the clouds and how they can be identified.

Teaching Notes and Tips


Assessment

Expectations: All children will participate in taking pictures of clouds, describing them, going outside and grouping them.

Did each student:
-take pictures of clouds?
-learn and recall the names of the clouds?
-participate in the discussion of cloud types, names, shapes, color...
-group the cloud pictures correctly?
-did the 3rd graders aid the Kindergarten in the various activities?

Standards

Standard: The students will observe/investigate weather conditions.
Strand: III Earth and Space Science
Sub-Strand: B. The water cycle, weather and climate.
Benchmarks: The student will describe daily and seasonal changes in weather.
The student will identify cummulus, cirrus, stratus clouds.