Investigating Weather: A House of Seasons
Initial Publication Date: August 25, 2009
Summary
In this classroom activity, students will apply what they know about precipitation/water use and the seasons to create a collage. Students will begin by brainstorming ideas as a whole group and then work at science tables to cut out pictures from magazines. They will classify the pictures based on the season and create a "House" of season on a pre-formed quadrant shaped into a house.
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Learning Goals
This activity is designed for students to be able to identify sources of precipitation and water utilization/management. within pictures in magazines.
Students will also be required to classify pictures into four categories: winter, spring, summer, and autumn.
Students will use their writing skills to add an entry to their science journals at the end of the activity to tell what they discovered.
Vocabulary: seasons, precipitation, collage, classify, water management
Students will also be required to classify pictures into four categories: winter, spring, summer, and autumn.
Students will use their writing skills to add an entry to their science journals at the end of the activity to tell what they discovered.
Vocabulary: seasons, precipitation, collage, classify, water management
Context for Use
1st/2nd grade lesson Class size: 23-25 students
Institution Type: Classroom activity
Time: 45-55 minutes
Materials: Magazines with nature pictures (geared towards precipitation/water)
Students should understand the seasons and should be able to identify general water sources/uses.
Adaptability: This could be adapted to younger students by having pictures pre cut and pre-determined versus having students search for the pictures themselves.
Institution Type: Classroom activity
Time: 45-55 minutes
Materials: Magazines with nature pictures (geared towards precipitation/water)
Students should understand the seasons and should be able to identify general water sources/uses.
Adaptability: This could be adapted to younger students by having pictures pre cut and pre-determined versus having students search for the pictures themselves.
Description and Teaching Materials
A House of Seasons (taken from Project WET 2007; pg. 155-156)
Learning Target: Students will recognize the presence of water within each season
Materials: Old Children's or nature magazines, scissors, glue, construction paper, tape
Procedure:
Students will describe their ideas of each season. Identify as a group which of their responses involve water in some form (rain, snow, puddles, etc). Talk about which season they like the best. On our Morning Message I will have this prompt be their sign in to get them thinking about seasons upon entering the classroom.
At their science team tables, students will look through magazines and cut out pictures that show different seasons; students will be encouraged to look for pictures that contain water images.
Students will arrange their pictures into 4 pile, one for each season. Their will be a piece of construction paper at each table for each season (white-winter, green-spring, yellow-summer and orange-fall).
On a large piece of paper, broken into quadrants students will take the pics and create a collage for each season
Students will show the class their collages and discuss water examples. We will discuss things such as how water looks in each season, if their are different amounts during each season, if they like that water form in the season snow-winter, rain-summer, hail-summer, etc., how is water managed during each season.
Students will add pics to their science journals--they can glue a picture from the magazines or they can draw their own showing something about water in each season.
Learning Target: Students will recognize the presence of water within each season
Materials: Old Children's or nature magazines, scissors, glue, construction paper, tape
Procedure:
Students will describe their ideas of each season. Identify as a group which of their responses involve water in some form (rain, snow, puddles, etc). Talk about which season they like the best. On our Morning Message I will have this prompt be their sign in to get them thinking about seasons upon entering the classroom.
At their science team tables, students will look through magazines and cut out pictures that show different seasons; students will be encouraged to look for pictures that contain water images.
Students will arrange their pictures into 4 pile, one for each season. Their will be a piece of construction paper at each table for each season (white-winter, green-spring, yellow-summer and orange-fall).
On a large piece of paper, broken into quadrants students will take the pics and create a collage for each season
Students will show the class their collages and discuss water examples. We will discuss things such as how water looks in each season, if their are different amounts during each season, if they like that water form in the season snow-winter, rain-summer, hail-summer, etc., how is water managed during each season.
Students will add pics to their science journals--they can glue a picture from the magazines or they can draw their own showing something about water in each season.
Teaching Notes and Tips
Make sure to gear the magazines towards outdoor pictures and that each season has been portrayed.
Students can add their own drawings if they have ideas.
Students can add their own drawings if they have ideas.
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Assessment
As students are working, teacher will be walking around asking guiding questions to see if students understand the concepts being addressed.
Upon completion of the collage, teacher will collect the pictures and will assess student knowledge of the concepts.
Upon completion of the collage, teacher will collect the pictures and will assess student knowledge of the concepts.
Standards
2.3.2.2.1-Earth and Space Science: Interdependence within the Earth System- Measure, record and describe weather conditions using common tools.
2.1.1.2.1-The Nature of Science and Engineering: The Practice of Science: Raise questions about the natural world and seek answers by making careful observations,noting what happens when you interact with an object, and sharing the answers with others.
2.1.1.2.1-The Nature of Science and Engineering: The Practice of Science: Raise questions about the natural world and seek answers by making careful observations,noting what happens when you interact with an object, and sharing the answers with others.