Tracey Balinskas

EDU 527
Grade: 4

Topic: Weather

Dr. Esposito
Fall 2016
Content Area: SCI

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVE (Lesson Objective*)

After exploring clouds and cloud formation through experiments, students will correctly
classify 4 cloud types using their cloud aids, and complete a paragraph about their
favorite cloud using 3 scientific facts.
STANDARDS AND INDICATORS
New York State Science Learning Standard: Key Idea 2
Many of the phenomena that we observe on Earth involve interactions among
components of air, water and land.
Elementary:
Describe the relationships among air, water, and land on Earth.
Indicator: This will be evident when students are able to classify cloud types by looking
at pictures.
ISTE Standards: 3. Knowledge Constructor
Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct
knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences for
themselves and others.
ELA & Literacy Standard (CCS): Text Types and Purposes (4.2.d)
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information
clearly. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain
the topic.
Indicator: This will be evident when the students write a paragraph about their favorite
cloud using 3 accurate scientific facts about the cloud.
MOTIVATION (Engagement)
After being instructed about the safety of the experiment, students will observe the
creation of a cloud in a glass jar by using warm water, a match, and an ice cube. Students
will predict what is happening before their eyes and predict what we are going to learn in
the lesson.

Materials

Glass Jar
Matches
Ice Cubes
Paper Towels
Cloud ThingLink
Popsicle sticks
Cardstock paper
Cloud Aids
STRATEGIES (Learning Strategies*)

Direct Instruction: The teacher will describe the different levels and types of clouds
through direct instruction.
Group Discussion: The teacher will discuss the results of the students ABCs of clouds
with the class before continuing on with the lesson.
Cooperative Learning: This will be evident when the students are working in partners to
complete their ABCs of clouds.
Diagrams: These will be used to illustrate the placement of the clouds in the sky to help
the students learn the names and formation of them.
Observations: Students will observe the cloud in a jar and make predictions about the
lesson in advanced.
ADAPTATIONS (Elaboration)

The student who is an English language learner will be placed in a group with
proficient speakers who will support them during the lesson.
The student with ADD will receive scribed notes
Visual learners will be stimulated by the key points of each document being listed
on the SMARTBOARD.
Social Interaction learners will be engaged by the social interaction of working in
groups to create their ABCs of clouds
Kinesthetic learners will be engaged by the cloud aid.
Linguistic learners will be engaged in the writing activity.
DIFFERENTIATION OF INSTRUCTION

Tier I: Students will be able to correctly identify cloud types using their cloud aids, and
complete a paragraph about their favorite cloud using 3 scientific facts. These students

will also receive a sheet with information on each of the clouds to help them with the
paragraph.
Tier II: Students will be able to correctly identify cloud types using their cloud aids, and
complete a paragraph about their favorite cloud using 3 facts.
Tier III: Students will be able to correctly identify cloud types using their cloud aids, and
complete a paragraph about their favorite cloud using 3 facts. These students can then go
to the technology corner and do further research and add one more fact from their new
research.
DEVELOPMENTAL PROCEDURES (Exploration and Explanation)

Students take a look at the Clouds ThingLink to explore the types of clouds and
where they are in the sky. (What types of clouds are on the ThingLink? Do you
recognize any types? What are some of the cloud types that you want to learn
more about?)
Students will watch a short video on the basics of clouds. (How many new science
words did you hear in that video? How does the experiment from the beginning of
class relate to this video? Can we now go back to the experiment and label the
parts of our experiment?)
Students will explore cirrus clouds using pictures and taking notes on their
worksheet. (Can someone describe a cirrus cloud to me? What kind of weather
do you think these clouds bring? Have you seen these clouds today or recently?
What are some characteristics of cirrus clouds? What do they look like?)
Students will explore stratus clouds using pictures and taking notes on their
worksheet. (What is different of a stratus cloud than of a cirrus cloud? What kind
of weather do you think stratus clouds bring? Do these clouds look close to the
ground or far away from the ground? What shape do the clouds form in?)
Students will explore cumulus clouds using pictures and by taking notes on their
worksheets. (Where have you seen cumulus clouds? How do they make you feel?
When do we usually see cumulus clouds? What kind of weather do you think
these clouds bring?)
Students will explore cumulonimbus clouds using pictures and by taking notes on
their worksheets. (What is different about this type of cloud than the other types?
When do we see cumulonimbus clouds? What type of weather do we associate
with these clouds? Is their height different or the same than the other clouds?)
Students will receive cloud aids and identify types of clouds on the powerpoint.
(How can these cloud aids help you in identifying and classifying clouds? How do
you think these cloud identifiers work? Can we identify these clouds together
using our aids?)
Students will write a short paragraph using 2 correct facts about which cloud type
is their favorite cloud type. (Which cloud is your favorite? Why is this cloud
your favorite? What evidence can you use to describe the cloud types?)

ASSESSMENT (Evaluation)
Students will correctly classify 4 cloud types using their cloud aids, and complete a
paragraph about their favorite cloud using 3 scientific facts.

INDEPENDENT PRACTICE
Following the lesson on clouds, students will use their Weather Window every morning
and record what they see from their window either at school or at home.
FOLLOW-UP: DIRECT TEACHER INTERVENTION AND ACADEMIC
ENRICHMENT
Direct Teacher Intervention: Students who did not easily meet the lesson objective will,
along with the teacher, be provided with a helper paper with different pictures of real life
clouds in the sky and will help to identify them with the teacher.
Academic Enrichment: Students who easily meet the lesson objective will go to the
technology corner and visit interactivesites.weebly.com and complete the clouds activity.

Teacher References
interactivesites.weebly.com
http://we-made-that.com/make-a-cloud/
https://www.nature-watch.com
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/
Overton, T. (2006). Assessing learners with special needs: An applied approach (5th ed.).
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall.
What Are Clouds Made Of Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=DigBbR3FeP8