I Can Forecast the Weather

Earl Molden, Appleton Elementary School, Appleton MN
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Summary

The students will study and be able to tell the difference between cumulus, cirrus, and stratus clouds. As they tell the difference they will be able to tell what the weather will be like.

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Learning Goals

By observing clouds the students will be able to predict the weather. I want the students to know the words cumulus, cirrus, and stratus clouds.

Context for Use

I plan to do this activity for 2 weeks. [4 days a week 30 minutes a day] As we are doing this activity we will talk about wind direction. Do the winds generally blow the same way for the same kind of clouds? I plan to do this activity in the fall before it gets too cold.

Description and Teaching Materials

The students will observe clouds in the sky for a week during science class. We will talk about what the weather is like when we see certain clouds. If we see the same clouds, is the weather the same or different? The second week the students will observe the clouds at home. The students will keep a journal of the clouds they see. They will predict what the weather will be like. For closure the students will be given pictures of cumulus, cirrus, and stratus clouds and they write or draw what the weather will be like.

Teaching Notes and Tips

I am hoping when we do this activity we have different kinds of clouds during the week. If we don't I will use the internet to show the clouds that we did not observe. In the past third grade did not observe clouds so this a new activity for them and me.

Assessment

The students will be given pictures of cumulus, cirrus, and straus clouds. They will label the clouds and write or draw what the weather would be like.

Standards

3III.B. 2 indentify clouds

References and Resources