Measuring and recording the weather around us using a science notebook in second grade.
Initial Publication Date: September 9, 2009
Summary
In this science field investigation, students are asked to measure, record, and describe weather conditions using common tools to measure the weather, and a science notebook to record their data. As an extension, the students will continue to observe the weather each day of the school year, looking for new developments in the weather and changes due to different seasonal changes. Students will continue to record their observations in their science notebooks and identify weather conditions in the different months of the year. Students will create a calendar of each month, showing what they observed throughout the school year. They will be able to add their own observations during the summer and have the calendar to add more observations to for the next year.
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Learning Goals
This activity is designed for students to observe the weather and use weather terminology to document data in a science notebook. Students will read rain gauges, thermometers, and barometers for this data. From that, the children will continue to observe and record their weather data throughout the year. A calendar will be created, where the students will draw/explain the different data they gathered throughout the year on their calendar pages, describing the weather in each month. Students will use a calendar in everyday life, remembering the different weather of the past year.
Context for Use
2nd grade classroom, 27 children in room with 1 teacher. The lesson would occur in a Public school, where this long project will take course over a two week time frame. After we have done our initial observations and lessons, we will continue to track and observe the weather in class each morning during morning meeting for the remaining of the school year.
Description and Teaching Materials
1. Teacher will start the unit by reading the book, "Come on, Rain!" by Karen Hesse. This book will jump start our unit on weather, where we will discuss the events in the story. We will discuss what we saw, what time of year it is, and how the little girl feels during this time. We will then talk about other seasons and what weather occurs during those times.
2. From there, I will ask the children to brainstorm weather words they know or have heard before. We will write these words on the board, and discuss when they see these in the year.
3. If the students have not mentioned wind, pressure, precipitation, or sunset/sunrise, I will introduce these words and tell the children we will look for those outside.
4. The children will go outside and record their observations on the weather on a blank sheet of paper. I will ask children to write their ideas on the blackboard, writing or drawing their details. As a class, we will discuss what they gathered.
5. I will discuss with the children the information they collected is data, and we can use this data to see what weather is like throughout the year and from year to year.
6. I will introduce the rain gauge, thermometer, and barometer, describing their functions and what use scientists have for them. I will place the rain gauge and thermometer outside of our window, and our barometer in our classroom for children to read daily. I will describe that each time it rains, we need to empty the rain gauge for the next rain, and that the thermometer is used to measure the outside temperature.
7. From there, we will read our science text book. There, we will cover weather terminology, and experiments. I will ask the children to answer possible questions in their journal (listed below):
What patterns do you notice?
How would you explain them? What statements could you make?
Do temperatures (or wind direction or speed, air pressure, weather fronts) seem to occur regularly or in certain months? What's our evidence? Why do we think that occurs?
What do we predict will happen in the following months? What? Why?
8. This is an on going project, where we will check in with our journals once a week after our two week lesson is complete. The students will document on a chart paper that hangs in the classroom what the rain fall, temperature, and barometric pressure is each week of every month. As we fill in months of data, we will start to notice trends or differences depending on the time of year. This data will hang in the classroom all year long so we can see how the seasons change and it brings on different weather.
9. At the end of the year, the students will make a book that describes the weather of Chanhassen, MN in the year of 2009-2010. This is all based on their observations, where they will use their journals to gather their ideas for each page of their book. The book will have one page per month, showing what the weather was mostly like during that month. The students will read their observations and data to create a page that describes the rain fall, barometric pressure and temperature. They will use illustrations, words, and characters to build their own story book on MN Weather.
10. Students will share their books with their 4th grade PALS (students in 4th grade they are paired with all year long) and their PALS will fill out an evaluation on their information. Questions can be asked and comments can be made. This is their final evaluation.
2. From there, I will ask the children to brainstorm weather words they know or have heard before. We will write these words on the board, and discuss when they see these in the year.
3. If the students have not mentioned wind, pressure, precipitation, or sunset/sunrise, I will introduce these words and tell the children we will look for those outside.
4. The children will go outside and record their observations on the weather on a blank sheet of paper. I will ask children to write their ideas on the blackboard, writing or drawing their details. As a class, we will discuss what they gathered.
5. I will discuss with the children the information they collected is data, and we can use this data to see what weather is like throughout the year and from year to year.
6. I will introduce the rain gauge, thermometer, and barometer, describing their functions and what use scientists have for them. I will place the rain gauge and thermometer outside of our window, and our barometer in our classroom for children to read daily. I will describe that each time it rains, we need to empty the rain gauge for the next rain, and that the thermometer is used to measure the outside temperature.
7. From there, we will read our science text book. There, we will cover weather terminology, and experiments. I will ask the children to answer possible questions in their journal (listed below):
What patterns do you notice?
How would you explain them? What statements could you make?
Do temperatures (or wind direction or speed, air pressure, weather fronts) seem to occur regularly or in certain months? What's our evidence? Why do we think that occurs?
What do we predict will happen in the following months? What? Why?
8. This is an on going project, where we will check in with our journals once a week after our two week lesson is complete. The students will document on a chart paper that hangs in the classroom what the rain fall, temperature, and barometric pressure is each week of every month. As we fill in months of data, we will start to notice trends or differences depending on the time of year. This data will hang in the classroom all year long so we can see how the seasons change and it brings on different weather.
9. At the end of the year, the students will make a book that describes the weather of Chanhassen, MN in the year of 2009-2010. This is all based on their observations, where they will use their journals to gather their ideas for each page of their book. The book will have one page per month, showing what the weather was mostly like during that month. The students will read their observations and data to create a page that describes the rain fall, barometric pressure and temperature. They will use illustrations, words, and characters to build their own story book on MN Weather.
10. Students will share their books with their 4th grade PALS (students in 4th grade they are paired with all year long) and their PALS will fill out an evaluation on their information. Questions can be asked and comments can be made. This is their final evaluation.
Teaching Notes and Tips
This is a stepping stone into our weather unit. With this unit, we introduce a science notebook, where the students will use the same science notebooks with future science curriculum. This is different from my past instructions because we have never used a notebook before to record daily observations of the science around us.
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Assessment
The teacher will collect 6 science notebooks each night of the week to see what data the students have collected and recorded from their observations on the weather. They have to complete all five days of data each week, where they will record the temperature, precipitation, and barometric pressure. As a class we will discuss the sunrise/sunset and wind speed/direction. Students will then compare their findings to the Minnesota Weatherguide Environment Calendar to see what typical weather is for that time of year. Their observations will be included in their notebooks. As a class, we will review what Weather.com or newspapers report on the weather each day to reinforce their daily observations.
Standards
2. Interdependence within the Earth System
2. Weather can be described in measurable quantities and changes from day to day and with the seasons. 2.3.2.2.1 Measure, record and describe weather conditions using common tools.
For example: Temperature, precipitation, sunrise/sunset, and wind speed/direction.
2. Weather can be described in measurable quantities and changes from day to day and with the seasons. 2.3.2.2.1 Measure, record and describe weather conditions using common tools.
For example: Temperature, precipitation, sunrise/sunset, and wind speed/direction.