LeahErsek

EGP335
LessonPlan
Grade:4th
Unit:TheLandoftheUnitedStates
DayofLesson:Day9
Title:WeatherSystemsandPatternsintheUnitedStates

BackgroundInformation
Studentswillgoovertheirbackgroundknowledgeinweather,andlearnmoreaboutwhy
weatherhappens.Thestudentswilllearnabouttwodifferenttypesoffrontsaswellastypesof
stormsthatclimateregionsintheUnitedStatesexperience.Aspecialguestwillbemakingan
appearancetohelpstudentsgainanunderstandingofweatherpatterns.

Lesson:Expectedtobe60minutes
Concepts
o Weatherpatterns
o Fronts
WarmFront
ColdFront
o Typesofprecipitation
o Typesofstorms
Hurricane
Tornado
Blizzard
Vocabulary
o Weather
o Temperature
o Precipitation
o Front
o WarmFront
o ColdFront
o Hurricane
o Tornado
o Blizzard
Skills
o Understandingtheeffectsofthefronts

o UnderstandingthedifferentweatherpatternsweexperienceonEarth.
o Differentiatingbetweenthedifferentweathersymbols
1.1IntegrationofLearningOutcomes/Objectives

Studentswillbeabletoexplainthedifferenttypesofweathersystemsthatweexperience
onEarth
Studentswillbeabletodescribethedifferencebetweenandwarmandcoldfront.
Studentswillbeabletoidentifytheweathersymbolsandbeabletodescribewhatthey
mean.

1.2StandardsPACivics,History,Economics,Geography&NCSSThemesIX
PACoreStandards
S4.A.3.3.1: Identify and describe observable patterns (e.g., growth patterns
in plants, weather, water cycle).
7.2.4.B: Identify the basic physical processes that affect the physical
characteristics of places and regions.
S4.D.2.1.2: Identify weather patterns (e.g., temperature, wind direction,
wind speed, cloud types, precipitation).
NCSS
Standard3:PeoplePlacesandEnvironment

Describeandspeculateaboutphysicalsystemchanges,suchasseasons,climateand
weather,andthewatercycle.

Standard5:Individuals,Groups,andInstitutions

Describepersonalconnectionstoplaceespeciallyplaceasassociatedwithimmediate
surroundings.
Standard8:Science,Technology,&Society

Identifyanddescribeexamplesinwhichscienceandtechnologyhaveledtochangesin
thephysicalenvironment.

1.3AnticipatorySet
TheteacherwillshowashortYouTubeclipthatshowstheNationalWeatherForecast.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMxjlI0dAQs
TheclipshowsanexampleofacoldfrontmovingintotheMidwest.Theteacherwillask
studentswhattheythinkthesymbolwiththebluetrianglesmeans?Studentsshouldmaketheir
predictionsandwriteitdownonapieceofpapertoreflectonlater.
1.4Procedures
1.Theteacherwillexplaintothestudentsthatweatheristhedaytodayconditioninthe
atmosphere,ortheairthatsurroundsEarth.Theteacherwillemphasizethattheweatheraffects
allofthestudents.
2.Theteacherwillaskthestudentsraiseyourhandifyoulookedattheweatherbeforegetting
dressedthismorningTheteacherwillcallontwostudentswhoraisedtheirhandandask,After
checkingtheweather,whydidyoudecidetowearacoat?Rainboots?FlipFlops?(Question
variesbasedupontheweatherthedayofthelesson)

Ifstudentsdonotraisetheirhandfromthefirstquestion,thentheteacherwill
explainthatshedidlookattheweatheranddressedaccordingly.Theteachercan
explainwhyshechosetowearajacket,scarf,etc.

3.TheteacherwillnowgothroughaveryshortPowerPointexplainingthedifferenttypesof
fronts(coldandwarm)andhowtheyaffectlifeonearth.
4.Nowtheteacherwillaskstudentstogetouttheirpaperwiththepredictionsfromearlierinthe
class.Thestudentswillwritedownwhatthesymbolwithbluetrianglesreallymeans,nowthat
theyhavelearneditfromthepresentation.Theteacherwillcollectthesepaperswhenthe
studentsfinish.
5.Theteacherwillexplaintostudentsthatairmassescancreatefrontsbutalsohugestormslike
tornadoes,hurricanes,thunderstorms,andblizzards!Theteacherwillannouncethattolearn
aboutthesetypesofstorms,theclasswillbeSkypingwithGlenHurricaneSchwartz!
6.GlenSchwartzwillexplaintothestudentsalittleaboutthefourdifferenttypesofstorms,he
willalsoshowstudentshowheusesthestormsymbolstoexplaintheweathereachmorning.
7.DuringtheSkypecallGlenSchwartzwilldoamockweatherannouncement,toshowthekids
thattheyreallyusethesymbolstopresenttheweather!

ThecallwithGlenwillbeabout20minutes.

8.Thestudentswillbeplacedintogroupsoffourbasedontheirlearningstyles,andwillbe
givenoneIPadpergroup.

9.ThestudentswillgototheInteractiveWeatherMapwebsitewheretheywillcreateaweather
patternthatisaffectingtheUnitedStates.Thestudentswillusetheweathersymbolsthatthey
havelearnedtorepresentwhataregionoftheUnitedStatescouldbeexperiencing.
http://www.glencoe.com/sec/science/activities/weather/
10.Afterabout7minutes,theteacherwillaskeachgrouptoputtheirweathermapontheApple
TVandgiveaweatherforecast!ThestudentswillpretendtobeMeteorologistsandannouncethe
weatherforthatdaytotheirpeers.
11.Whenthestudentshaveallpresented,theteacherwillpassoutamapoftheUnitedStates.
ThestudentsshoulddrawthemaptheycreatedontheirIPadonthepapermap.Thispaper
versionwillbeplacedinthestudentsportfolioasapartoftheirAlmanac!
1.5Differentiation
ForstudentswithADD/ADHDorworkbestwiththemultipleintelligencebodilykinestheticI
haveincorporatedmovementintothelessontokeepthestudentsinterestedandengaged.The
closureactivityandtheweatherforecastingactivityaredesignedtohelpthesestudentsgetthe
movementandconstantstimulithattheyneed.IfInoticestudentsaregettingalittleantsy,Iwill
havethemparticipateinabrainbreakactivitybeforeHurricaneSchwartzSkypecall.
Forstudentswholearnbestspatiallyandvisually,wewillbecreatingamapwithweather
systemsthatareaffectingtheUnitedStates.Studentswillbecreatingaweathersystemand
explaininghowitaffectsthestateorstatesnearit.
1.6Closure
(UsethesecondhalfofthePowerPointforthisgame!)Theteacherwillexplainthatifthe
studentsseethesymbolforatornadothentheyshouldspininacircle.Ifthestudentsseethe
hurricanesymbolthentheyshouldflaptheirarmsasiftheyaremakingwind.Ifthestudentssee
thesymbolforawarmfrontthentheyshouldstomptheirfeettomakethunder.Ifthestudents
seethesymbolforacoldfrontthentheyshouldmaketheirfingerslooklikerainisfalling.
Finallyifthestudentsseethesymbolforablizzardthentheyshouldwraptheirarmsaround
themselvesasiftheyarecold.Thisactivitycanquicklyassessthestudentsunderstandingof
whateachtypeofstormorfrontbrings.Itshouldtakenomorethan5minutes.
1.7Formative/SummativeAssessmentofStudents(P12)
Formativeassessment:Throughouttheentireobservationtheteacherwillmakenoteofwhich
studentsareparticipating,andhaveclearpriorknowledgethroughtheanticipatoryset.The
teacherwillalsousethestudentspredictionofthecoldfrontsymbolandwrittenmeaningasa
waytoseewhatthestudentsbackgroundknowledgewasandiftheynowunderstandwhata
coldfrontis.Additionallytheteacherwillobservethestudentsweatherforecaststoseeifthe
studentsunderstandthedifferenttypesofweathersystemsandsymbols.Finally,theteacherwill
lookoverthestudentsWeatherMaptomakesurestudentsareontrack.

Summativeassessment:TheteacherwillgradethestudentsWeatherMapattheendoftheunit
asapartofthealmanac.
1.8Materials/Equipment/Resources
YouTubevideohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMxjlI0dAQs
Interactivewhiteboard
IPads
InteractiveWeatherMapSitehttp://www.glencoe.com/sec/science/activities/weather/
SkypeAppforcallwithHurricaneSchwartz
AppleTV
PowerPointonfronts(firsthalfofPowerPoint)
PowerPointwithsymbolsforclosure(secondhalfofPowerPoint...beginningwithLetsPlaya
Game)
BlankmapsoftheUnitedStates
1.9Technology
IPads
InteractiveWeatherMapSitehttp://www.glencoe.com/sec/science/activities/weather/
SkypeApp
AppleTV
YouTube
InteractiveWhiteBoard
PowerPoint
2.1ReflectiononPlanning
ContentAnalysis
ClimateRegionsandWeatherPatterns:
o http://climatekids.nasa.gov
o Lovethissite!Hassuchgreatinformationforstudentstoreadthrough,great
activities!***
o Includesgreatcurrentevents

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o Informationonclimatechange
o Watercycle
http://climate.nasa.gov
o Thisisagoodwaytogaincontentknowledgethatisparalleledtothe
studentswebsiteabove.
Warmairrisesandcoldairsinks
Airmovementscauseweatherconditionstochange.
o Airthatmovesawayfromtheequatorcoolsandsinks.
Whenacoldfrontmovesoveranarea,itcancausethunderstormsorsnowflurries.
o Coldfront:anedgeofamassofcoldair.
Warmfrontsbringsteadyrainorsnow
Whenpeopletalkaboutweathertheyoftendescribecertainconditionsincluding:wind
speed,direction,amountofmoisture,precipitation,andtemperature
Weatheraffectsdailyactivities.
http://www.glencoe.com/sec/science/activities/weather/
o interactiveweathermap
TieintoLanguageArtsbyreadingaboutRainsticksandoldfolklure.Thiscouldbe
afunwaytogetthestudentstalkingaboutrain.
Climateaffectshowpeopleliveandworkallyearlong
o Havekidscomparewaysweatheraffectsdailylifeandhowclimateaffects
lifeallyearlong.Howdoesitaffectthemspecifically?
Threefactorsaffectclimate:
Latitudeordistancefromtheequator
a. Closetotheequator=moresunandwarmer.
b. Fartherfromtheequator=lesssunandcolder
c. Lessdaylightwouldaffectthetemperatureaswell.
Distancefromamajorbodyofwater
a. Closertotheocean=smallerrangeoftemperatures
i. Thisisbecausethetemperatureoftheoceanwillchangeveryslowly
andbynottoomanydegrees.Thetemperaturesarelessdramatic
hereandmoreconsistent.
Elevation,ortheheightoftheland.
a. Higherelevations=lowertemperatures
b. Areasonthesideofamountainrangemaybedrier,andareasontheotherside
maybewetter.
i. Thishastodowiththemovementofclouds,andthedroppingof
moisture.
Geographersdividetheworldintosixmainclimateregions.Theregionsarebasedon
temperatureandamountsofprecipitation.
Tropicalwetregion
Desertregion
Polarregion
Highlandregion

5. Marineregion
6. Continentalregion
o Howdoesclimateaffectpeopleintheregions?Climatedeterminesthetypesofplants
thatgrowinaregion.Plantsandclimateaffectanimalsfoundintheregions.Climate
affectshowpeopleinaregionlive.
o Peoplemustadapttotheclimateinwhichtheylivein.
o ClimatecanalsoaffectHOWpeopleliveinaregion
o Example:CentralCaliforniahastwoharvestseasons,howeverplaceslikeAlaska
haveaveryshortharvestseason,sothepeoplemustlearntoadapttothis.
o Climatealsoaffectspeoplewayoflife!
o Colderclimatespeoplemustlistentotheweathertodeterminehowmanylayers
theyneedtowear,iftheroadsaresafefordriving,howtheyshouldpreparefor
snowandice.
o Hotterclimatespeoplehavetosprayforbugslikemosquitos,wearsunglassesto
protecttheireyes,andsunscreentoprotecttheirskin.
o Allregionshavesevereweather.
o SouthernandEasternCoastalareashavehurricanes.
o BlizzardsandtornadoesaffecttheMidwest
o Overmanyyearsnaturalandhumanprocessescanchangeclimates.
o Somescientistsbelievethattheuseoffossilfuelsisaffectingtheclimate.
o TheEarthssurfaceappearstobewarming,andthiscouldcausechangesin
precipitationandmoreviolentweatherevents.
Whatcanwedotostopthis?Orhowcanwereduceviolentweather
events?Conservingenergyisonewaywecouldreducetherisksof
globalclimatechange.Viewthiswebsiteforgreatinfokidscan
gather:http://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/solutions/index.html
Havestudentstracktheirfootprintathomebyrecordinghowmuch
watertheyuse,lightstheyleaveon,etc..
Havestudentsmakeatravelbrochureaboutacertainregion.