How does weather change?
Initial Publication Date: August 3, 2009
Summary
In this lesson the students will learn that the weather and temperature change daily and throughout the day. It is also the first step in working toward the understanding that the sun provides warmth and that it changes with the seasons. Students will observe the weather conditions and outdoor temperature twice a day, both a.m. and p.m., and record it in their science notebook on a chart. Then on a class graph, continue to record daily morning temperature each month for the students to predict and draw conclusions from how the morning temperature will change throughout the seasons.
Collapse
Learning Goals
The activity is designed for the students to learn about the the changes in day to day weather and to get them to pose questions about changes in daily temperature. The students will gain experience using thermometers by measuring temperature. The students will use the scientific method to ask questions, predict, observe, collect data and make conclusions. Vocabulary words that will be covered are: sun, change, condensation, precipitation, water cycle.
Context for Use
This lesson is appropriate for grades 1-2 classrooms. Students need to have had prior instruction in reading a thermometer. The lesson is designed to continue over a weeks time and a class graph of a.m. outdoor temperature be recorded and graphed throughout the remainder of the school year. It is important to record the a.m. and p.m. temperature at the same time each day.
Description and Teaching Materials
After reading The Sun Our Nearest Star by Franklyn M. Branley, the students will list what they know about the sun in their Science notebook and share their ideas with the class. Then have the students draw a 'line of learning' to come back to at a later time to list what they have learned about the sun and how it affects the change in temperature. On the next page in their notebook, model a chart where they will draw what they observe and record the temperature for a week listing at the top Mon. Tues. Wed. Thur. Fri. Divide page in half horizontally for A.M. and P.M. temperature and weather observation. They can draw a sun for sunny, cloud for cloudy and so on. You may want students to partner up so that they can help each other read the thermometer. This activity should take about 10 minutes each time.
Teaching Notes and Tips
This lesson could be done at any time in the day. If you only have time to do it once a day, you would see weather changes over time, you won't see the temperature warm or cool during a single day, but it will still lead to predicting temperatures as the seasons change. This is also where I would then go on to teach about clouds, and the water cycle. One safety guideline is to teach your students to not look directly into the sun.
Share your modifications and improvements to this activity through the Community Contribution Tool »
Assessment
Using the student's notebook you will be able to assess the student's understanding of how temperatures and weather change. They record their data, and journal what daily changes in weather and temperature they saw. You will also be able to assess their understanding through discussion.
Standards
Earth and Space Science 2.3.2.2.1 measure, record and describe weather conditions using common tools
Nature of Science 2.1.1.2.1 scientific inquiry is a set of interrelated processes incorporating questions about the natural world and investigate
Nature of Science 2.1.1.2.1 scientific inquiry is a set of interrelated processes incorporating questions about the natural world and investigate