Suggested Time: 60 minutes
Suggested Class size: 8-20 students
Target Student: Grade 1-3
Overview:
This lesson works as the starting point of a series of lessons for the students to learn about weather on earth and the whole lesson is divided into three parts. Students will begin by exploring various weather phenomena they have encountered through discussion, which leads to the definition of weather. Then they will brainstorm and present the factors that cause different types of weather and their impact on people’s daily life and human society. Finally they will learn about the concept of weather forecast and various ways of related application, including using artificial tools and through observation of natural phenomena etc. The homework of this lesson aims at either giving the students an opportunity to further explore the concepts covered in the class, or training of their analytic thinking skills by collecting weather related data and perform data analysis.
Vocabulary:
- Weather Forecast Wind Fog
- Cloud Rain Thunder Storm
- Typhoon Snow Lightening Gauge
- Temperature Humidity Thermometer Anemometer
Next Generation Science Standards:
Disciplinary Core Ideas | Performance Expectations |
PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer | K-PS3-1. Make observations to determine the effect of sunlight on Earth’s surface |
ESS2.D: Weather and Climate | K-PS3-2. Use tools and materials to design and build a structure that will reduce the warming effect of sunlight on an area |
ESS3.B: Natural Hazards | K-ESS2-1. Use and share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns over time |
ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting an Engineering Problem | K-ESS3-2. Ask questions to obtain information about the purpose of weather forecasting to prepare for, and respond to, severe weather |
| 3-ESS2-1. Represent data in tables and graphical displays to describe typical weather conditions expected during a particular season |
| 3-ESS2-2. Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world |
| 3-ESS3-1. Make a claim about the merit of a design solution that reduces the impacts of a weather-related hazard |
Objectives:
1. Students will learn about common global and local weather phenomena.
2. Students will learn the basic concept of weather and its impact on human society.
3. Students will know the major factors that affect the weather.
4. Students will learn about basic knowledge on weather forecast.
Required Project Materials:
1. Computer with internet access and projector to display multimedia contents to the whole class.
2. Large poster board and markers for discussion and presentation.
3. Task cards specifying the requirements of homework to be assigned to the students.
4. Data sheets for the students to fill in for their homework.
Multimedia Materials:
3. Pictures and short video clips of weather phenomena: can be obtained through search engine such as Google or Baidu.
4. "Weather", SuperScience STEM Instant Activities Grades 1-3, Scholastic.
Optional Multimedia Materials:
Before the Lesson/Background Information:
- There are many proverbs in Chinese tradition summarized by ancient people that are related to weather forecast. Some of them are still used very often nowadays. The teacher may collect some proverbs commonly known and ask the students whether they have heard about them. Examples of Chinese traditional weather related proverbs are as below:
Proverb | English Translation |
龟背潮,下雨兆 | When a turtle’s back is wet, the rain is coming |
喜鹊枝头叫,出门晴天报 | Magpies singing on the tree, it’s a good to go out |
天上乌云盖,大雨来得快 | Dark cloud in the sky means rain is coming soon |
蜻蜓低飞要下雨 | Dragonfly flying low means the rain is coming soon |
半夜东风起,明日好天气 | Wind coming from east at midnight means good weather tomorrow |
- The teacher should prepare to express the definition of “weather” in a grade appropriate way. According to Wikipedia, "Weather is the state of the atmosphere, describing for example the degree to which it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy." \ref{951170} For a student in grade 1-3, the definition should be easy to understand and memorize without too much abstraction. As for the factors affecting the weather, "Weather is driven by air pressure, temperature and moisture differences between one place and another."\ref{951170} The teacher should also be careful how to express it in an appropriate way. For example, simple terms such as “air”, “water”, “dust”, “heat” can be used during the class.
- The teacher should get familiar with local weather characteristics and collect suitable pictures or short video clips to be shown to the students. Take Shanghai as an example. There is a regularly humid and rainy period between spring and summer. Extreme weather such as Typhoons can often be generated in Pacific Ocean near Shanghai and its effect can be observed in summer. By relating the topic with the students’ experience in real life, students can be more engaged in the discussion and learning of the topic.
- The teacher should get familiar with human activities that are significantly affected by weather. Major types of such activities are as below:
- Agriculture: a suitable amount of rain is good for crops to grow in farms. On the other hand, lack of rain or excessive amount of rain may cause drought or flood, in both cases crops may die and as a result agricultural production is affected. This is why farmers have great concerns about weather during their daily work.
- Traffic: a common observation is that it is harder to travel between home and school during rainy days. In fact, rain, snow or fog all bring difficulty for people to travel on roads. Furthermore, storm and thunder bring danger to air traffic, typhoon and hurricane are enemies to ships traveling in the sea. People and traffic companies should adjust their traffic plan based on weather forecast results.
- Health issues: fog and haze are caused by small particles in the air, and are harmful to people's respiratory system. When exposed in extremely hot or cold environment, people may suffer from sunstroke or cold injuries. This is why people should be aware of the weather condition everyday to protect themselves.
- Social security and stability: large scale extreme weather such as typhoons and hurricanes can cause severe damages to houses and roads to a city, and can take people's lives. Thus scientists must closely monitor the possible occurrence of such extreme weather (also called natural hazards) so that precautionary actions can be taken by the government.
- The teacher should go through weather forecast website which is to be shown to the students, such as the China Weather website. Get familiar with some of the pages, such as the following: