Weather

5 Weeks of Weather—45 minute periods

Science Class Expectations

- Students will...
o Come to class with an open mind and be ready to learn/study new ideas
o Students will work together in groups cooperatively when assigned to do so
o Be asked to do individual work at times
o Use safety equipment as needed ex. goggles, lab coat, etc.
o Students must handle science equipment with care
o Participate in all components of class including discussions, lab work, and clean-
up
o Always act respectful to their peers, teacher, and guests in the classroom

Week 1—Clouds

Day 1
- Cloud Observation
o Students will go outside and lay under the clouds
o They will observe the different shapes, sizes, and textures that they see
 Teachers can use the below link to adapt the activity if it seems to easy for
some students: http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/earthspace3.html
- Cloud Guessing Game
o Students will get pictures and definitions that relate to different types of clouds
o They will work in pairs to try and match the definitions to the pictures
 Teachers can use the below link to find the images and definitions of the
different types of clouds: http://www.clouds-online.com/
o If there is time, allow students to go online and investigate other helpful websites
- Creating Clouds
o Students will be given the worksheet that is on the provided website and asked to
complete the experiment
o This will give them an opportunity to experience and create clouds in an
interactive way
o http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrepro/lessonplans/profbooks/cloudsmade.pdf
- Teacher Resource
o If you need additional information about clouds, what they are made up of, how
they are formed, etc. See the below link:
o http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-clouds.htm

Day 2
- Cloud Survey
o Students will go outside again and observe the clouds
o They will be asked to record the number of each type they see based on what they
learnt the previous day
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 o Each student will look at 20 different clouds and record their classification based
on what they learnt
- Cloud Graphing
o Once they have observed 20 different clouds students will create a graph of their
choice to record their findings
o This graph should be well organized, aesthetically appeasing, and show creativity
o For example: draw your graph in a cloud shape
- Journal Entry 1
o Students will reflect on what they have learnt about clouds through the activities
that we have done so far
o This will be handed in at the end of class, but not assessed until the end of the
weather unit

Day 3
- Make a Cloud in a Bottle
o Students will complete the below activity to create their own cloud in a bottle!
o http://www.weatherwizkids.com/experiments-cloud.htm
o Once students have completed the experiment they will respond to the below
questions in their journal:
 Why do you think a cloud formed in the bottle?
 Did the cloud change states at all?
 Is the air inside or outside the bottle heavier? Why?
 Record any questions or comments you may have about the experiment.

Week 2—Precipitation

Day 1
- Water Cycle
o As a class we will brainstorm different places where we find water
o We will use these ideas to create a visual representation of the water cycle
o After seeing the example that we have come up with students will create their
own visual representation of the water cycle
o For a sample diagram see page 119 in Project Wet Curriculum and Activity
Guide
- The Incredible Journey
o See page 161 in Project Wet Curriculum and Activity Guide
o This activity is used to show students how the water moved around the earth
through one large cycle
o They will see how water comes from many different places including soil, lakes,
rivers, oceans, etc.

Day 2
- Brainstorming Web
o Students will work together to create a brainstorming web about the different
types of precipitation that exist
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 o Ex. snow, rain, hail, etc.
- Song Creation
o Students will work in groups of 3-4 and create a song about precipitation
o It has to have at least 5 lines, and talk about at least one form of precipitation
o After they have rehearsed, each song will be performed in front of the class
o Students will submit a self-assessment for the song creation—See Appendix 1

Day 3
- Make a Rain Gauge
o Use the link below to guide an activity to make a rain gauge
o http://www.weatherwizkids.com/experiments-rain-gauge.htm
o Once these are made, we will practice using them by putting different amounts of
water into the jar and having students record the amount that they see
o Guided Questions for Journals:
 In your opinion why do you think we measure rain in inches?
 What would affect the amount of rain that is collected base in its location?
 Do you think rain gauges are always accurate?
 List 3 things you have learned from this activity.

Week 3—Evaporation

Day 1
- Preparation
o Two jars of water will be set up on the weekend before this week begins
o One will have fresh water and the other salt water
o These will be used in a class discussion
- Salt vs. Fresh Water
o Each student will record in their journal whether they think fresh or salt water will
evaporate and why
o They must justify their answers with specific evidence
o At the end of the week we will revisit this idea and see if their predictions were
correct or incorrect
- Hand Sanitizer Experiment
o Teachers will use the below link to guide this experiment
o http://www.weatherwizkids.com/experiments-evaporation.htm
o Students will have to manipulate their hands in different ways to see how it
affects the drying rate of the sanitizer
 First Application:
• Students will leave their hands stationary and let it dry at its own
pace
 Second Application:
• Students will move their hands lightly through the air and see if it
dries faster or slower
 Third Application:

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 • Students will move their hands rapidly through the air and then see
if it dries faster or slower
 These observations will be discussed in class to compare each students
results
- Computer Lab Exploration
o Students will get an opportunity to browse various sites and find 3 connects
between evaporation and the water cycle
o These ideas will be recorded in their journal and students will reflect on this
information

Day 2
- Video Introduction
o Students will watch the video below to get a better idea about evaporation
o Teacher will start video at 42 seconds and let it play for the rest of the time
o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyxc-81JDbo
o Students will be asked to come up with 1 question each after they have watched
the video
o Together as a class we will try and address these questions and find the answers
- What dries faster?
o Students will work in groups to make a prediction about what type of fabric will
dry the fastest
o They should understand that the drying of the material is a form of evaporation
o Students will be given 3 different types of materials and asked to submerge them
in water so that they are wet
o They will leave them out to dry for the day and will check on them periodically to
see if their predictions were correct
o The fabric will be placed in different environments so we can see if that has an
effect on the evaporation period
o Ex. outside, inside, in-front of a fan, etc.
o At the end of this activity they will reflect in their journal about their prediction
and why it did or didn’t work

Day 3
- Re-visit Salt water activity from Day 1
o Students will look at the two jars that were set out before day 1 and record their
observations
o As a class we will discuss their new findings and try to figure out why the salt
water leaves particles behind when it evaporates
- Heat vs. Room Temperature Water
o Before we start students will make an educated guess on which type of water will
evaporate quickest
o As a class we will do a demonstration using a kettle and a normal jar of water
o The students should be able to understand that the kettle will evaporate faster
because of the steam being emitted
- Journal Time
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 o Students will be asked to write about this weeks learning activities
o They can talk about what they liked, didn’t like, and their new understanding of
evaporation relating to weather

Week 4—Temperature

Day 1
- Weather Description
o Individually students will write a paragraph about the weather outside
o They are encouraged to use vocabulary that has been learned in the last few weeks
o We will select a few students to share their paragraph and use the ideas they
present to describe the weather outside in more detail
- Effects of Weather
o Students will be broken into a groups and will make a concept map to illustrate
the different external factors that have an effect on the weather/temperature
- Song Creation
o Students will begin a draft of a song about temperature

Day 2
- Song Performance
o Students will practice their songs and then will perform them in front of their
peers
o Students will be asked to do a self-assessment after the song is done
o Students will submit a self-assessment for the song creation—See Appendix 1

Day 3
- Make a Thermometer
o Students will engage in the following activity to create and test their own
thermometer
o http://www.weatherwizkids.com/experiments-thermometer.htm
o After successfully making the thermometer students will respond to the below
questions in their journal:
 Can you think of any problems that we would face by relying only on a
thermometer?
 What external influences would affect the reading of a thermometer?
 Briefly describe 4 things that you’ve learned about
temperature/thermometers.
o After this reflection is completed students will hand in their journals to be
assessed—See Appendix 2

Week 5—Video Project on Weather

Day 1
- Preparation Period

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 o A sample video will be shown before students break into groups so that they have
an idea of what they can do—see below link
o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kagk0lpQF6s&feature=related
 Only watch from 1:00-2:25 to get the idea
o Students will be placed in groups and will begin brainstorming ideas for their
video
o They must choose a weather topic that they have learned about over the last 4
weeks
o Students are expected to hand in all of the steps they went through in creating this
video—making a script, assigning roles, memorizing lines, evidence of
practicing, how they stayed on task, etc.
o Each video should be 3-7 minutes long

Day 2
- Preparation/Practice Script
o Students should complete their script and begin practicing their roles
o Groups will decide what they need for props and begin creating or else assigning
people to bring specific items
o If groups are still unprepared after this class, we can add another practice time in
before taping the videos

Day 3
- Taping the Videos
o Students will be given time to video tape and edit their performances
o Time will be booked in the computer room so that students can work with the
provided software to edit their performances and add other effects if needed
o At the end of class students will submit their videos and the teacher will put then
onto one disc so they can be watched the next day in class
o Students will be asked to self assess their participation in this project—this mark
will be combined with teachers mark to reach the final grade for this unit—See
Appendix 3

The 5 E’s

Engage
- We designed all of the activities so that they are engaging for all students
- Students will use a science journal to incorporate their personal thoughts and relate them
to the scientific ideas being discussed
- Students will participate in a review at the end of each day to review concepts that were
covered

Explore
- Students will investigate/explore new scientific topics in each experiment
- They will be asked to question their understanding by reflecting in weekly journals to
explore their new knowledge

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 - Student will be immersed in different environments and asked to observe the natural
patterns around them

Explain
- Students will show us what they know at the end of the 5 week period by putting their
new knowledge into a video
- During some experiments they will do a scientific write up to explain what happened and
why
- We will use student experts to debrief the end of activities instead of direct instruction

Elaborate
- Students will strive for a deeper understanding by exploring different weather
patterns/systems
- Students are expected to go beyond the simple concepts discussed in class and question
their understanding of weather
- Students can express their ideas in a way that is easy to understand

Evaluate
- Teacher will use a combination of rubrics and checklists to assess student work and
participation—these tools will be made available before the due dates of assignments
- Self-assessment and peer assessment are used along with the teacher assessment tools to
allow students to set and achieve goals for themselves
- Student will be assessed on a variety of different topics and each will have its own
criteria to follow.

Appendix 1 – Song Checklist

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 *This checklist will be considered a peer assessment*

Limited Good Very Good Outstanding

1. Every student in the group participated in the song-writing process. 1 2 3 4

2. The presentation was well-prepared and fun to watch. 1 2 3 4

3. The song appeared to be well thought out. 1 2 3 4

4. The song was relevant to the topic of “Weather.” 1 2 3 4

_____

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Appendix 2—Journal Rubric

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 I need to… I’m beginning I’m on the way to… I consistently
to…

Organize my Clearly organize Clearly expressing Organize my

thoughts in a clear my thoughts. my thoughts in an thoughts clearly
manner. organized fashion. and concisely.
Organization Write neatly.
Write neatly. Writing my thoughts Write my
Meet time neatly. thoughts neatly.
Work on meeting requirements.
time requirements. Meeting time Meet time
requirements. requirements.

Think more deeply Clearly express Expressing my Convey careful

Deeper throughout my my thoughts thoughts in a and meaningful
Understanding journal contributions. through journal thoughtful manner. discussion.
discussion.

Begin questioning Question myself Effectively Question myself

myself through my throughout my questioning myself. throughout my
journal. journal entry. journal entry.
Wonder & Thoughtfully
Question Thoughtfully Wonder and wondering about Ask questions and
question and discuss question and discussing spend time
various elements of throughout my questions. thoughtfully
science. journal. discussing them.

Appendix 3—Video Rubric

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 4 3 2 1

Students all Most students Few students Research done by

contributed to participated in participated in one student/little
research. research. research. or no research
shown.

Teamwork Students worked Students appeared Students had

exceptionally to work together issues working Students did not
together, which acceptably, which together as a team, work appear to
was shown in the was shown in the which was shown work together at
video. video. in the video. all, which was
shown in the
video.

There was much There was some Little evidence of No evidence of

evidence of evidence of research for the any research done
Research research done for research done for video. for the video.
the video. the video.

The concept was The concept was The concept was There was no
clearly portrayed touched upon barely touched evidence of the
throughout the throughout the upon during the concept being
Concept video. video. video. portrayed in the
video.

The concept was The storyboard The storyboard The storyboard did
clearly portrayed reflected the basic barely reflected not reflect the
through the concepts the concept being concept being
storyboard the portrayed. shown. shown.
Storyboard students created.

The storyboard
was very creative. The storyboard The storyboard The storyboard
was creative. was not very lacked creativity.
creative.

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