LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Weather for the day

In this lesson, students will use previous knowledge and classroom resources to determine current weather conditions and temperature.

A lesson plan for grade K Science

By Rhonda Hathcock

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

  • observe and report weather conditions to their peers
  • use the internet to determine the current temperature in their area
  • approximate the current temperature by reading a thermometer
  • look outside and describe weather conditions using terminology such as sunny, cloudy, partly cloudy, windy, rainy, snowy and/or foggy

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

20 minutes

Materials/resources

  • thermometer
  • computer with internet access
  • window for students to have visual access to current weather conditions
  • previous knowledge of weather conditions and their influence on weather

Pre-activities

Before beginning this lesson, students should have learned about specific weather conditions such as sunny, cloudy, partly cloudy, rainy, foggy and snowy.

Activities

  1. Teacher and students will review weather terminology.
  2. Teacher will show pictures of weather conditions and ask students what weather condition is shown in the picture.
  3. The class will sing to the tune of “London Bridge is Falling Down” the following:
    What’s the weather like today? Like today? Like today?
    What’s the weather like today on this Monday?
    (Use whatever day of the week your lesson takes place.)
  4. The weather helpers will evaluate what the weather looks like outside and present their weather outlook. For example: today the weather is sunny and windy. The class would then continue their song:
    Well, the weather is sunny today, sunny today, sunny today.
    Well the weather is sunny today on this Monday.
    And the weather is windy today, windy today, windy today.
    And the weather is windy today on this Monday.
  5. Next, the students discuss yesterday’s high temperature. Students compare how it felt during outside time today as compared to yesterday. Did it feel warmer or colder? Why did they think it felt warmer or colder? Was the sun brighter? Did the clouds cover the sun? Did the wind make it feel colder?
  6. Together, we recall yesterday’s temperature and make predictions of what we felt the current temperature was. (You would need to do this lesson after going outside, or have your class go outside during this lesson.)
  7. Students gather around the classroom computer, find the Weather Channel website, and locate the temperature for their zip code. We also bring in our thermometer from outside and determine its current reading. As a class, we would compare and document our results to use for tomorrow’s lesson.

Assessment

During center time, the teacher would individually assess students on the different weather conditions. The teacher would also locate the appropriate weather page so that each student could individually locate the current temperature. With teacher prompting, each student would determine the current thermometer reading.

Supplemental information

Watching the television weather forecast would help in the planning of this lesson and it could serve as a homework assignment for the students.

Comments

Children love being active participants in their own learning!

North Carolina curriculum alignment

Science (2005)

Kindergarten

  • Goal 2: The learner will make observations and build an understanding of weather concepts.
    • Objective 2.01: Observe and report daily weather changes throughout the year.
    • Objective 2.02: Identify different weather features including:
      • Precipitation.
      • Wind.
      • Temperature.
      • Cloud cover

  • North Carolina Essential Standards

    • Science (2010)

      • Kindergarten

        • K.E.1 Understand change and observable patterns of weather that occur from day to day and throughout the year. K.E.1.1 Infer that change is something that happens to many things in the environment based on observations made using one or more of their senses....