weather unit

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The l8a1 c.fte ~wn- ~_ ShMnOn

laBBltS .. I...-oPS-Jim AmOSkY JlSaI·s VISIt- AUDrey WoaD

11t8 taIW '-- Ama .-oume MUShrOOm It the l_.,....,.-a GIISIUrG IIII- ,.,,8 stqjiC

leD RaUer BOOt '--

It's raNlG itS PoumG- m EaGle

starnr VIIIMr IGC*S-

JUst 8 11IUnDerstorm- Mercer MaYer Cliffort anD tile BiG storm- NOrman 8.

Rash, crash, RUm8le, anD RaI- Fr -*1It M. 8ranley

11t8 WIlD 81ew- Pat HUtCItN Ute 8 ...-, '-- Frank ASIt

MiliCent .. the ~ RaBert MUnSCII Feel the WI1D

11t8 ~ 800k- tomie ,.aata uttle ~ erIC carle

It 1OOtt. lite SPIt .. - Cha1es G. ShaW

V __ 1CIGItS-

WeatII8r" WorDs" What tlle1 mean- Gal GUOns What Wit tile weather Se?- LY'" ~

EnGaGe the ChDren in a DiSCUSSiOn Of Ways in WhiCh the weather inflUences their lives. ASk spec;r.c QUestiOnS that aDDress conwnon weather Phenomena Of the .~e area, SUCh as: What DO YOU DO When it Gets COlD ouu.e? H) YOU DO Different tItI1Gs in Winter than in summer? What. DO

~ YOU DO DUr11G a thUnDerstorm (snowstorm, rainY afternoon)?

Say: weather is What the air ouu.e is like; it is alWayS ChanGllG.

ASk: What kJ1D Of weather DO YOU lite Best? (MoW several ChilDren to responD. ASk WhY they lite that PartiCUlar kl1D Of weather.)

FOllOWinG the DiSCUssiOn, reaD one Of the titles listeD aBOve. ~s hOW the weather in the BOOk YOU reaD affecteD the peoPle or ar8naIs Of the story. GUJ)e ChilDren to conclUDe that weather affects peoPle.

~ay the COIectiOn Of seasonal items .... UP each item in turn, anD ask the ChlDren to .entify it. ASk the ChilDren to helP YOU cateGOriZe the items ~ Different Groups. PUt au the items useD on warm, sunny ",s in one GrOUP. PUt all the

items useD on a COlD "' in another

/ ,

~rBUte DraWIIG PaPer to the ChlDren. InStruct them to Draw a piCtUre Of themselves Dress. arrrorr-.atety for warm anD sunny weather anD performinG a warm-weather act.VitY. on the other ~e Of the PaPer, ~en ShOUlD Draw a PiCtUre Of themselves DresseD arrror ... .atety fOr COlD weather anD performinG a COID-weather actiVitY.

weattter MUSiC-

-weattter walk anD FOUr seasons- JaCk ttar'tma'I1- CC*IrS AI ~~

....... SlIt- SlaGlI .. SGnGS fOr till VII7 lOIIIG -st8Phen me- 118V1n' All .. F88IIn' GI GOV8l c»- The weather autsM anD YOU are mY sunsttlte

Pr. Jean- ". JItII" Fl .... weather sonG

....... - l8lt~:

we 1111 fI1G8rS toGetIter to make a miSt, 1111 ""5 toGetIter to make a Drizzle, rat knees to make a DC)1IIII'ft)Ur,

stomP flOOr to make ~er. "I1Ien reverse ttte movements for tile ran to stoP.

veatlllr vntIIG-A ..., anD thUnDer SOUI1DS c, is PlaYeD. CltlDren liSten anD Draw a piCtUre to .. strate the weather they hear anD write aBout it.

a. .. or CGIIttIIG

we use BlUe fett for our math mats .. Clear flat flOral marIIes fOr the raI1DrOP counters. The ctIIDren WI listen fOr tllUnDerclaPs (the teacher ClaPPinG a lIImIer), anD PlaCe that amount, Of raI1DrOPs on the mat.

EXamPle, fOUr ClaPs means to count four raI1DrOPs onto the ClOUD.

caaICIIG: ... PieS

we miX two PaCkaGes Of nstant ChOCOlate PUDDI1G. The ctIIDren helP aDD the ''Da't'' (PUDDI1G miX) anD "rail" (milk) to make "muD." The ChilDren helP ~ the muD With a spoon. They cruSh oreas to make some extra Dirt. Each Chill) PUts a GUmmi worm in a CUP, aDDs the PUDDI1G "muD" anD the crusheD

''Dirt''.

lt8I "or 'lOX

lainCOats, lalt BOOts, umBrellas, l8l1/thU"er ~s c,

At till SCle.-.ce center, we 118Ve:

l'hUnDer sounDs cp, OBjeCtS that canlCamOt Be mav. By BIOWI1G, WJ1D Cltlne, PinWheel, Pr.sms, TOrnaDO lOttie

III"S8rJ IhJm8- R8J\ R8iI\ GO AWay lall, rain, GO away. comeaGail AnOther h.Y.

All the ChilDren want to Play.

VOCII...-,- RainY stormy WinDy ~y sunny cou- seasons

Little Giraffe peas

-make a water cyCle sracelet- DemonstratiOn anD poster

-_ exrenment,-PUt. OBjects in front Of a fan to see if they move anD try to move an OBject WithOUt, touchI1G it

-Tne _ 81ew preDiCtalle Chart- make half a PaPer Plate streamers _

-make a ClOUD ShaPe With COlOreD streamers hanGrIG DOwn

-make Kites

-GIve stuDents the letters fOr a weather wQrt- like lain- have stUDents stamP or Draw piCtures that start Wfth each letter in the wort

ASk: WhO rem~ers What, ClOUDs are? (ClOUDs are trlY DrOPS Of water or tItY BitS Of iCe that flOat in the ... )

Say: TOhJ we are GOI1G to learn hOW ClOUDs make rarI.

Say: Let's ttII1k aBout ~es When it has raI1eD. can YOU name some thinGs that haPPen lefore it r8i1S? (GUI)e ChilDren to recall hOW the skY Gets hRer; it miGht Get ",y or COlDer; there may Ie DiStant thUnDer. etc.)

Say: we know that ClOUDs ChanGe in COlOr. SiZe ... ShaPe. Park, thiCk ClOUDs usuallY SiGnal raI1. lememBer ClOUDs are maDe UP Of trlY DroPs Of water. ManY tI1Y Drops make larGe DrOPs. Tlte larGe DrOPs are too heavy to flOat in the air. SO. the DrOPs fall from the CIOUDs.Tltey fall to the earth as rail

ASk: What DO YOU ttII1k haPPens to the rarI that faIlS on the earth? (AllOw ChilDren to speculate.)

Say: lain soakS intO the earth. It fils UP the lakes" streams anD h.S the Plants GrOw.

l., can fall in me DrOPlets call. a miSt or DriZZle. It can come DOwn in a liGht ShOwer. or it can pour DOwn hart.

Say: Tltere is a fUmY expresSiOn peOPle sometimes use to Descrae a really heavy raIl11ley Say, "It's ~ cats anD DOGsf'

ASk: Have IOU ever heart that sa.Yl'lG Before? WhY is it a fUm.Y eXPreSSiOn? (MoW ~en to ~ss hOW cats anD I»OGs DOn't fall from the SkY.)

Say: The next trne we h8ve a really heavY raIt rememBer tIU sa.Yl'lG. YOU can Say, ''LOOk hOW h.., it's rantG. It's rantG cats anDDOGsr'

Say: If it raIlS too muctt fOr a lOnG trne, then that can cause a flOOD.

Say: What are the ~s we w~ neeD to wear if we went, out " a r8I1 ShOWer? (MOW ~en to DiSCUSS.)

AStt: Have IOU ever seen a nII1BOW? (AllOW ~en to responD.) Say: RainBOws aPPear When sunliGht ShJ1es thrOUGh raI1DrOPs in the Sky.

WDJ VeatIIer' L8SSGn

Say: sometrnes it Gets WJ1Dy r-1GItt l&fore a rain ShOwer.

ASk: PO YOU know What WJ1D is? (AllOW ChilDren to responD.)

say: WJ1D is mGVJ1G ar. YOU can't see the WJ1D, aut YOU can see the way the WinD moves the lranChes Of trees, or SlOws your hat Off. SGmebnes the WJ1D SlOws GentlY anP feelS GOOD. SGmet,ines the WJ1D SlOws h8I't anD SlinGS stormy weather.

JisCUss hOW WJ1D can Vary It intensitY. ASk: can YOU name some thI1Gs YOU miGht see if there are liGht, Gentle WJ1Ds? (peoPle flYJIG kites, leaves moVJ1G, some peoPle may have har SIOWI1G in tit.- faces, paPer SlOws DOwn the street, etc.)

Ask: can YOU name some thI1Gs that YOU miGht see if there are Very stronG WJ1Ds? (GarBaGe cans rOIIrlG DOwn the street, tree lranches or small trees SlOw over, DamaGe to rOOfS anD small structures, etc.)

Say: ,. YOU know that WJ1D is helPfUl? can YOU think Of ways that it miGht Ie? (AllOW ChilDren to responD.)

rai1BOw COlOreD crepe streamers alOnG the BOttom. we SenD the PaPer intO a tuBe anD staPle it. Last, we PUnCh two hOles in the toP .. tie yarn to make a hanGer.

SCience EXPIII.IInt- WII8t. CtIt tile w.- MOVe?

we DO a SCienCe experiment With WinD Sy SlOWinG on OBjeCts to make WinD. we first PreDiCt What. can se moveD Iy WinD: PaPer CUP, cotton, yam, BlOCk, rock. Then we experiment Iy BlOWinG on eactt item to see What. WI move. other OBjeCts to Place in the SCienCe center fOr experimentatiOn: Drir*1tG straw, eraser, seasttell, feather, leaf, PaPer CIt, SPOOn.

After reaDllG the lOOk It LOOkeD lite SPit MIt, we DO thiS act.VitJ. we a. cotton Balls in ClOthespinS, N- them in White P&Itt, anD use them to Paint ClC)Ul)s onto BlUe paPer. The ~en P&Itt th .. cac.s to resemBle other ShaPes, SUCh as a DOG, castle, hOrse, etc.

Eactt PaGe Says: ''It, lOOkeD lite .It When au Of the

p-.ctures are Dry, we WI PUt them toGether to make a Class lOOk.

ASk: WhO rem .. ers What haPPens to the temPerature in warm weather? (The temPerature rises, Or GOeS hiGher, in warm weather.)

Ask: What ltaPPens to the temPerature in ~ weather? (The temrerature DrOPs, or lOwers, in COlD weather.)

581: we knOw that When ClOUDs aecome Very -Nt Of water DrOPs it, WI rail II WItter, if the temPerature DrOPs 'Ow enouGh, then inSteaD Of ,.., we Get snow.

Ask: What we some Of the thI1Gs we neeD in snoWY weather? (warm CIOtMlG, snow SIIOvels, extra Slankets, etc.)

Say: WIlen JISt a little snow falls, we Call it, a snow fthTY. Ask: PO YOU know Wltat a SiC snowstorm that DUmPs lOtS Of snow is caleD?

Say: A BlizzarD is a snowstorm that DUmPs lOtS Of snow.

snow Lesson

ASk: Have YOU ever ,... in the snoW? (MoW CltlDren to DiSCUSS exper.ences WitIt snoW.)

ASk: Wlten YOU were Pl8JJ1G in the snow, .. YOU Get a ClOse lOOk at, a snoWflake? What, .. it lOOk like? (AllOW CltlDren to responD.)

Say: When snoWflakes fall, they may aPPear to lOOk the same. BUt every snoWflake is Different! EaCh snoWflake is itS own BeautifUl DeSiGn Of t.rIJ iCe crystalS. EVen thOUGh every snoWflake is Different, they all have SiX ~es.

ASk: can YOU name some WayS that rainStOrmS anD snowstorms are Different? (MOW CltlDren to responD. ~e CltlDren to tM* aBout. the Differences in temPerature, ClOthinG, anD act.Vities.)

ASk: can YOU name one actiVitY that YOU ~ DO after a snoWfall that YOU ~'t DO after a ranfall? (MOW CltlDren to reSPOnD.)

concl$e the lesson By reaDitG at, least one Of the BOOkS list. aaove.

SUGGesteD FGIIOW. ACtMtJ

YOU may WiSh to invOlve the ~en in a COOkinG act.v.t,y. FOIOWinG is a r8CPe for snoWSall surrr-.se COOkieS.

1IGreDient.S 1 a. ChOPP. pecans 2 taBleSPOOnS SUGar

1 CUP flOUr 1 teasPoon vania

QI» SOfteneD BUtter PO". SUGar

.. the ChOPP. pecans anD flOUr in a BOWl anD set ~e. PUt SOften. BUtter rtto another BOWl ADD SUGar ani> vania II~ weu untI creamy. pour flOUr anD pecans intO BUtter miXture anD II~. PinCh Off DOUGh anD roll With hanDS nto 1" snoWSallS. Place on SakinG Sheet anD Sake in a 3OO-OeGree oven for asout 40 mllltes, Or untI srown. While snoWSalls are sUi warm, roll in po.-er. SUG ... Makes asout 35 snoWSallS.

COlD weatlllr-Gr ... (IIt.tenslGlDVes)

ChilDren IrinG mittens or GlOves from hOme. ChilDren WhO SrOUGltt mittens lay them in one COlUmn Of the flOOr GraPh anD thOse WhO SrouGllt GlOves lay them in another. we CamPare anD count the two sets to see WhiCh has the most.

cryOGeniCS is the stuDy Of the effects Of extreme COlD on Sl8stances (freeUIG). we t. asout What haPPens When water is frezen. we fI an iCe aae tray or a small Paint tray With ~s (water, ma, liQUiD soaP, OlltOney, mustarD, jeII-O) anD PUt them in the freezer overniGht. ChilDren PreDiCt

What WI haPPen. WI it freeze? What WI it lOOk like? The next Day, we OBserve the Sl8stances. Each ChilD has therown tray to fJI anD then touch after the Sl8stances are frozen.

YOU can alsO use small DiSPosaBle CUPS insteaD Of the trays.

COlD weatlllr- SCience IXPert .. ent-lC8l.*Jws

ChlDren DroP the COlOreD water intO a CUP Of cruSheD iCe w.ttt an eYeDrOPPer anD watCh the COlOrs anD hOW they SlenD.

we have a Class DiSCUsSiOn: WhY DO we have warm hYs anD COlD hYS? POes the sun Gtve us heat? The ChilDren preDiCt What WI matt in the sun: ChOCOlate, sutter, BrthhY CanDIe, Cheese, crayons, etC. we PUt each item in a fOJ BakinG CUP, Place in a MIfm til, anD leave it for a While in the ~e. For an extra treat, we alsO leave a fOJ CUP Of ChOCOlate ~s fOr each ~ in the sunshine (covereD With Clear PlastiC wraP). When the ChOCOlate metts, the k.s have ChOCOlate .,. for Pretzel stiCkS!

COlD WeatiIIr-5II8VInG cr.." snow

ChilDren wnte letters With ther- {J1Ger in ShaVinG cream

"snow".

COlD WeatiIIr-JaCk FrOSt. Game

one ~ wears a crown .. PretenDs to Be Jack FrOst. The other ChilDren each have a SiGht wort to hQII). ChilDren stanD straiGht anD stiff as if they are iCiCles. Jack FrOst calls out, "I commanD the worD to freeze. AI others matt as YOU Please." The ChilDren wearinG the calleD wort remainS frOzen wtIiIe the other ChilDren PretenD to matt to the GrounD. That ~ then Becomes Jack FrOst.

1NIMrStarm Art

ASSiSt the CltlDren in creatlK; a niGht~e storm in the CitY ,..cture.

t ~traute one pieCe Of hrk BlUe construCtiOn rarer to each stuDent.

2. PrO~e scraps Of BlaCk constructiOn PaPer.

3. I'lStruCt the ctJIDren to cut S(lU8re or rectanGUlar ShaPes from the Black construCtiOn PaPer.

4. Pirect the ChlDren to GlUe the BlaCk rectanGUlar ShaPes to the Very BOttom Of the BlUe constr1lCtiOn PaPer to create a CitY SkYscraper scene.

s. The teacher WI PaPer-PUnCtl yellOw DOts from a scrap Of yellOw constructiOn rarer. PiStraute a hanHUI Of yellOw DOts to each ~. Pirect the CltlDren to GlUe the DOts on the Black IUIDIlG ShaPes to create the liGhts that, ~e from the IUIDIlG WinDOws.

6. PrO~ scraps Of White constructiOn rarer.

7. InStrUCt the ctIiIDren to cut ClOUD ShaPes from the White rarer. ChilDren ~ COlOr the BOttoms Of the ClOUDs W.u. a BlaCk crayon to' create storm ClOUDs.

8. Tell the ChlDren to GlUe the storm ClOUDs across the toP Of the PaPer.

9. Make a Bott Of IiGtrtnI1G across the toP Of the rarer By creatlM; a ZiGZaG GlUe IN. GentlY sprinkle SIver Glitter on the GlUe lI1e. Tar Off any excess Glitter.

10. AllOw the PaPers to Dry Before DiSPl8YinG.

*IVerson, Piane. hSCDVeriIIG SeasDIIS. Nevah CitY, CA: ~wn Pl8UCatJOns, 1996.

*Keats, EZra Jack. A Letter tD AmY. New York: HaPer ~ ROW, 1968.

* • TIle sntJwY laY. New YOrk: Yam, 1962.

1.iOmi, Leo. A 8IISY rear. New York: KnOPf, 1992.

~, JOnathan. FrDGGy Gets I'ressel. New York: SChOlastiC, 1992.

~, BI, Jr. ~ JOhn ArChanBautt. LiSten tD tile lall. New York:

HOtt.,1988.

*MCCUlly, EmIY ArnOlD. wst SllDW. New YOrk: HarPer tROW, 1985. *NeitZel, Shr1ey. TIle JaCket I wear ill tile SlJDw. New York:

GreenWlOw, 1989.

*MeR, Ann ~.an. C/DIJIs. vero Beach, FL: ROUrke BOOkS, 1994.

* .....::.la7I, SllDw, t ICe. vero Beach. FL: lOUrte BOOks, 1994.

* ~. SttJrms. vero Beach. FL: lOUrte BOOkS, 1994.

*Parker, MarY. CJt;y StIJrm. New Yort: SChOlastiC, 1990.

*POlacca, PatriCia. "17IIIIIPer cake. New York: PhiIOmel, 1990. *ROGers, PaUl. It'IIat It'll tile weather ,e ae T~New York: creenWlOw, 1990.

~er, JOame. Clll'llUlks SDnG. New York: PUtton, 1987. *serfOZO, MarY. RaIl Talk. New YOrk: MaCmillan, 1990.

*Sh8W, Chanes. It UJDkeP Like SPIt 1IIk. New YOI1t: HarPer ~ ROw, 1947.

*SNlleVit.Z, Uli.11IIJ, 111#1, RlVers. New YOrk: Farrar, strauss, ~ cwoux, 1969.

*sr., peter. weams. G.,en CitY: POUIIeDV, 1986.

* .....;. 11111 GarDen CitY: POUIIeDV, 1982.

*sturGes, Philemon. laIISIJnGISnDWSDnGA'tJemS 8y PhlemDII sturGes. New YOR: NOrt.h-south BOCkS, 1995.

*TItOmSOn, RUtIt anD HeWitt. Sally. SPrinG. ChiCaGO: ChilDrens press, 1994.

Temrerature .. tile weatller actMtJ

ASk: PO YOU think it is bPortant for peoPle to know What the temPerature is? WhY? (cute ctlDren to concIlIDe that the air temPerature inflUences the ClOthes we wear ani) the act.Vfties we DO.)

Measure the current air temPerature in YOUr Classroom. lecort the finDinG an» allOw the ctlDren to stUDy the thermometer to note Where the IiQUJt is tocatel». PUt the thermometer outsJ»e a WinDOw for a few moments. leaD anD recort the outsJ»e air temrerature. AllOw ctlDren to e".".,e the thermometer. Be sure they note the

lOCatiOn Of the ~ in the thermometer.