Term IV Lesson Plans: Introductory Lesson (1 of 3 to be Submitted)

Ms. Wynn, 3rd Grade, Science

2/20

Goals/Objectives:
Students will be able to…
 Define weather
 Identify basic weather conditions

Standards (and Assessment Anchors, if applicable):

 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions
(one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and
texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
 PA:3.3.3 Science as Inquiry
-Understand that all scientific investigations involve asking and answering questions and
comparing the answer with what is already known.
 S4.D.2.1: Identify basic weather conditions and how they are measured.

Materials and preparation:

 Technology: Smartboard, computer
Open/ready to pull up: Online ED tool that matches textbook AND PowerPoint of
additional “what would you pack” problem.
 Weather vocabulary chart pre-made
 HMH Science Dimensions, each student with their class copy of book (start page 402)
 KWL Chart (prepped on chart paper, but see what Ms. Lopez thinks about doing this on
smartboard in stead, as they normally would).
 Markers if paper

Classroom arrangement and management issues:

 Students will be reminded of expectations and act accordingly.
 Students will follow their regular cues and signals.
 Students will remain at their regular desks for this lesson.
 The class will alternate between, whole class, table, and turn and talk discussions.

Plan:
( 1 ) The Hook (before):
A. ‘What should Angela pack for her camping trip’ problem
o Students examine the weather forecast presented in the image, thermometer (if
they notice), and decide what she should pack. “She wonders what the weather
will be like. How can she find out?”
o Independent writing and then share back to group.
B. Pose scenario for students; what would they pack for a trip to Puerto Rico if they were
going on Spring Break? (Showing current weather). Think and turn and talk.

1
 C. Introduce unit: We are going to focus some our learning around weather for the next two
weeks. Why might learning about the weather be important? (Get their responses,
validate, refer to activity, and give a few more reasons).
D. Start KWL Chart
1. What do we know about weather?
2. What do we wonder or want to learn about weather?
3. (Come back at end of lesson to address some things learned, and mention we
can add on to it any weather lesson).

( 2 ) The body of the lesson (during):

A. Define weather, choose a student. “Weather is what the air is like outside at a certain
time”. And have class share examples of weather.
B. Match the examples of weather with the corresponding mage. Students can work with
their table groups.
C. Thumbs up when done and quickly review as class.
D. Define where weather occurs. “Weather occurs in the atmosphere, or air around Earth.”
And the distinction between results of weather and types of weather.
E. “Weather or not” activity – students circle an event and its image that is a type of
weather and draw a line through those that caused by weather.
F. Thumbs up when done, review as class.

( 3 ) Closure (after)
A. Review definition of weather, examples of types of weather, and things that weather
might cause.
B. See what students want to add the “we learned” section of our chart and if there are any
questions they would like to add having learned a bit more.
C. Have students share back reasons it’s important to learn about the weather.
D. Foreshadow: tomorrow we will read a story about a girl who uses what she learns about
weather to predict it! Show book, be excited about it.

Assessment of the goals/objectives listed

● Section 1A and 1B: What to pack based on weather forecasts
● Section 2.1 and 2.5: Weather match and “weather or not” activities.

Accommodations
● Matching weather descriptive words with photos is important with the large population of
various leveled English Language Learners
● Anchor chart of weather unit vocabulary
● Using a format and text support with which my students are familiar to introduce them
into weather unit before veering off a bit in next lesson.