Teacher Candidate: Miss Gianna DePalma

Date: February 26, 2016

Cooperating Teacher: Dr. Varano

Coop. Initials:

Group Size:

25

Subject or Topic:

Allotted Time:

45 minutes

Changing the Weather

Grade Level: 4th

Section:

Standard:
3.3.4. A5 Describe basic weather elements. Identify weather patterns over time.
8.1.4.A Identify and describe how geography and climate have influenced continuity and change
over time.

I. Performance Objectives:
A. Fourth grade students will apply what they learned for the changing of weather by
distributing different materials you can reduce, reuse, and recycle in the appropriate
boxes.
II. Instructional Materials:
Video on the Greenhouse Effect (BrainPOP)
25 Vocabulary handouts (see attached)
Book "The Greenhouse Effect" by David Reiter
PowerPoint "10 Ways to Reduce Greenhouse Gases"

III. Subject Matter/Content

A. Prerequisite Skills
1. Basic understanding that the weather is always changing.
2. Understanding that there are reasons for why the weather changes day to day in
the same season.
3. Understanding that there are reasons for why the weather changes over long
periods of time in different seasons.
B. Key Vocabulary
1. Pollution- a substance or thing in the environment that has harmful or
poisonous effects.

2. Greenhouse effect- process by which radiation from the planet's atmosphere

warms the planet's surface.
3. Greenhouse gases- caused from the greenhouse effect. Example: carbon
dioxide.
4. Ozone hole- a region of marked thinning of the ozone layer in high latitudes.
C. Big Idea: How The Weather Changes
D. New Content
1. Explain what the tilt and latitude of the Earth are and why they help determine
Earth's climate.
2. Explain the difference between latitude and longitude by using a map to show
the students.
3. Explain Earth's spin on it's axis and why we have seasons.

IV. Implementation:
A. Introduction1. The teacher will tell the students that for the first few minutes of class as a
warm up for the activity they will be doing today they will be watching a short
BrainPOP video on the Greenhouse Effect.
B. Development1. After the video, the teacher will pass out a handout with the vocabulary words
so the students can have and refer to throughout the lesson.
2. The teacher will go over each word with their given definition to the students as
a class whole. The students will have to pronounce each word as a class after the
teacher says it and before the teacher states the definition.
3. The teacher will ask the students if they have any questions on the vocabulary.
This should take about 6-8 minutes.
4. The teacher will stand in front of the room and read the book "The Greenhouse
Effect" by David Reiter to the entire class. The teacher will show students the
pictures on the pages to the students when there are some. This book is a story
about different children that come together as a group to avoid pollution and
discusses the greenhouse effect.
5. After reading this book, the teacher will have a class discussion with the
students about the book. The children should be doing most of the talking by

raising their hands, they will state their opinions and feelings on the book. This
should take about 10 minutes.
6. Next, the teacher will begin with the PowerPoint on "10 Ways You Can
Reduce Greenhouse Gases."
7. The teacher will put this PowerPoint on the board or overhead and will read
and go over each slide with the class. This should take about 10 minutes.
8. The teacher will tell the students that this activity will be on the three R's:
reduce, reuse, recycle.
9. There will be three medium sized boxes and materials provided from the
teacher. They will be used for the students to distribute the materials into the
correct boxes.
10. The teacher will bring a variety of items consisting of cardboard, plastic,
candy wrappers, bottle caps, soda cans, paper, newspapers, and light bulbs.
11. One box will be labeled: reduce, the second box will be labeled reuse, and the
third (last) box will be labeled recycle.
12. The teacher will split the class up into two groups. Both of these groups will
be given an even amount of materials.
13. The teacher will tell the students that for the activity it will be done almost
like being played like a game. The teacher will decipher which group goes first by
flipping a coin.
14. The teacher will be sure to inform the students that each group will be
working together when deciding which object goes in what box, they will be
communicating with one another and the students will take turns within their
group when going up to the box to drop the material.
15. The group that goes first will have to take one object out of the materials they
were given and place it in the correct box.
16. The score will be kept on the SmartBoard, the teacher will keep track of the
two teams scores by using tallies.
17. If the material is placed in the correct box, the teacher will give the team a
tally. If the material is place in the wrong box, the teacher will take it out of the
box, put it to the side, and that team will not receive any points.
18. The groups will go back and forth dropping the objects in the correct boxes
until all of the materials are gone on both teams.
19. When that is completed, the teacher will count up the tallies on the
SmartBoard and whichever group has the most tallies, wins.

20. The team that wins will receive a homework pass, the team that lost will
receive a sticker.

C. Closure1. At the end of the class to close the lesson, the teacher will call on each student
one by one and the students will have to tell the teacher and class one thing they
will actually start doing on their own at their home to prevent greenhouse gases. It
has to be something that was discussed during class.
D. Accommodations/Differentiation1. GD has an IEP because she has Autism, the teacher will try to spend more time
with her than the other students one-on-one.
2. The teacher will highlight the students vocabulary words on each handout so it
is easier for the students to see clearly and identify them easily.
3. When watching the BrainPOP video, any student that has trouble/difficulty
seeing or has bad eye sight will be allowed to move closer to the front so they can
see clearly.
E. Evaluation of Students1. Formative- The teacher will use a checklist to observe and take note of each
child when answering the question of the closure activity. A check plus will be
given if they used an example during class that they will use at home to reduce
greenhouse gases. Only a check will be given to students who did not use an
example talked about in class.
2. Summative- There is no summative assessment for this lesson.

V. Reflective Response:
A. Report on Student's Performance in Terms of Objectives

Remediation

B. Personal Reflection

1. Was my lesson effective for the students and did it keep them engaged?

2. Did you like my introduction of the BrainPOP video on the Greenhouse Effect?

3. How could this lesson be improved?

VI. Resources:

Video (BrainPOP)
https://www.brainpop.com/science/ourfragileenvironment/greenhouseeffect/

PowerPoint (see attached)

Handout 1

Vocabulary:

1. Pollution- a substance or thing in the

environment that has harmful or poisonous
effects.

2. Greenhouse effect- process by which radiation

from the planet's atmosphere warms the planet's
surface.

3. Greenhouse gases- caused from the

greenhouse effect. Example: carbon dioxide.

4. Ozone hole- a region of marked thinning of the

ozone layer in high latitudes.