1st Grade Weather Unit

1^st Grade Weather Unit Blueprint

Lesson 2: Observing the Weather

Pacing Suggestions:

Lesson to be taught at the beginning of the school year.

See Unit Calendar for details.

Teacher Resources:

Tips

Essential & Unit Questions* ¹

Benchmarks ²

Formative and Summative Assessments ³

Using Assessments to Monitor Student Learning

Why is it important to keep accurate records or notes about things that are observed?

How can we use our senses to learn more about the weather?

1B(K-2)#3: Describing things as accurately as possible is important in science because it enables people to compare their observations with those of others.

6D(K-2)#1: People use their senses to find out about their surroundings and themselves. Different senses give different information. Sometimes a person can get different information about the same thing by moving closer to it or further away from it.

Record Sheet 2-A: Weather Observations

Weather data collected and recorded on Weather Observations chart and discussions during sharing of data (See Procedure Steps 5 & 6 on pages 23 & 24 in Teacher's Guide.)

Record Sheet 2-A & Weather Observations chart

Do students use multiple senses to describe the weather? Do they understand that different senses give different information?
Are students' observations detailed and accurate?
Do students identify basic weather features when describing the weather (precipitation, cloud cover...)?

What tools can help us learn about the weather?

1B(K-2)#2: Tools such as thermometers, magnifiers, rulers, or balances often give more information about things than can be obtained by just observing things without their help.

Discussions of article about meteorologist Barbara McNaught (See Final Activities, Steps 2-4 on pages 24 & 25 and the reading on pages 26-29.)

Discussion about meteorologist article

Are students able to explain how McNaught uses her senses to observe the weather?
Are students able to identify technology as a means for finding out about the weather?

* Essential/Unit questions are major questions driving the unit. They are directly aligned with the benchmarks. No single lesson addresses each question in its entirety. By the end of the unit, students should be able to answer these core questions.

1. For conceptual benchmarks.
2. Bolded sections indicate portion of benchmark addressed
3. Unless noted as a Summative Assessment, the assessments are formative and should be used to guide teaching and learning.

1st Grade Weather Unit Blueprint

1^st Grade Weather Unit Blueprint