WEATHER

INTEGRATED RESEARCH
PROJECT
BY ELIZABETH HOLLEGER
UNIT PLANNING
CONTENT AREA TOPIC: WEATHER
GRADE: 1ST
SUBTOPICS:
SNOW
RAIN
SUNSHINE
WIND
RAINBOWS
HAIL

CLOUDY
HURRICANE
TORNADOS
THUNDERSTORMS
BLIZZARD
SLEET
 ESSENTIAL QUESTION:

WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF

DIFFERENT TYPES OF WEATHER AND HOW
DO THEY AFFECT ME?
 SUB-QUESTIONS

WHAT IS WEATHER?
HOW CAN WEATHER BE DESCRIBED?
HOW DO WE MEASURE WEATHER AND COLLECT WEATHER
DATA?
WHY ARE THERE DIFFERENT TYPES OF WEATHER?
WHAT MAKES WEATHER EXTREME?
HOW CAN WE PREPARE FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF WEATHER
AND STAY SAFE IN DANGEROUS WEATHER?
 STANDARDS
CONTENT STANDARDS: SCIENCE
Standard - 3.2.1.B3: Observe and record daily temperatures. Draw
conclusions from daily temperature records as related to heating and cooling.

Standard - 3.3.1.A5: Become familiar with weather instruments. Collect,

describe, and record basic information about weather over time.

Standard - 3.2.1.B7: Understand that all scientific investigations involve

asking and answering questions and comparing the answer with what is
already known. Plan and conduct a simple investigation and understand
that different questions require different kinds of investigations. Use simple
equipment (tools and other technologies) to gather data and understand
that this allows scientists to collect more information than relying only on
their senses to gather information. Use data/evidence to construct
explanations and understand that scientists develop explanations based on
their evidence and compare them with their current scientific knowledge.
 READING STANDARDS

STANDARD - CC.1.2.1.A IDENTIFY THE MAIN IDEA AND RETELL KEY DETAILS OF
TEXT.
STANDARD - CC.1.2.1.B ASK AND ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT KEY DETAILS IN
A TEXT.
STANDARD - CC.1.2.1.E USE VARIOUS TEXT FEATURES AND SEARCH TOOLS TO
LOCATE KEY FACTS OR INFORMATION IN A TEXT.
STANDARD - CC.1.2.1.G USE THE ILLUSTRATIONS AND DETAILS IN A TEXT TO
DESCRIBE ITS KEY IDEAS.
STANDARD - CC.1.2.1.J USE WORDS AND PHRASES ACQUIRED THROUGH
CONVERSATIONS, READING, AND BEING READ TO, AND RESPONDING TO
TEXTS, INCLUDING WORDS THAT SIGNAL CONNECTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS
BETWEEN THE WORDS AND PHRASES.
 WRITING STANDARDS
STANDARD - CC.1.4.1.A WRITE INFORMATIVE/ EXPLANATORY TEXTS TO EXAMINE A TOPIC AND CONVEY
IDEAS AND INFORMATION.
STANDARD - CC.1.4.1.B IDENTIFY AND WRITE ABOUT ONE SPECIFIC TOPIC.
STANDARD - CC.1.4.1.C DEVELOP THE TOPIC WITH TWO OR MORE FACTS
STANDARD - CC.1.4.1.D GROUP INFORMATION AND PROVIDE SOME SENSE OF CLOSURE.
STANDARD - CC.1.4.1.E CHOOSE WORDS AND PHRASES FOR EFFECT.
STANDARD - CC.1.4.1.F DEMONSTRATE A GRADE APPROPRIATE COMMAND OF THE CONVENTIONS OF
STANDARD ENGLISH GRAMMAR AND SPELLING. CAPITALIZE DATES AND NAMES OF PEOPLE. USE END
PUNCTUATION; USE COMMAS IN DATES AND WORDS IN SERIES. SPELL WORDS DRAWING ON COMMON
SPELLING PATTERNS, PHONEMIC AWARENESS AND SPELLING CONVENTIONS.
STANDARD - CC.1.4.1.T WITH GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT FROM ADULTS AND PEERS, FOCUS ON A TOPIC,
RESPOND TO QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FROM PEERS, AND ADD DETAILS TO STRENGTHEN
WRITING AS NEEDED.
STANDARD - CC.1.4.1.U WITH GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT, USE A VARIETY OF DIGITAL TOOLS TO PRODUCE
AND PUBLISH WRITING INCLUDING IN COLLABORATION WITH PEERS
STANDARD - CC.1.4.1.V PARTICIPATE IN INDIVIDUAL OR SHARED RESEARCH AND WRITING PROJECTS.
STANDARD - CC.1.4.1.W WITH GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT, RECALL INFORMATION FROM EXPERIENCES OR
GATHER INFORMATION FROM PROVIDED SOURCES TO ANSWER A QUESTION.
 SPEAKING AND LISTENING STANDARDS
STANDARD - CC.1.5.1.A PARTICIPATE IN COLLABORATIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH PEERS
AND ADULTS IN SMALL AND LARGER GROUPS.
STANDARD - CC.1.5.1.B CONFIRM UNDERSTANDING OF A TEXT READ ALOUD OR
INFORMATION PRESENTED ORALLY OR THROUGH OTHER MEDIA BY ASKING AND
ANSWERING QUESTIONS ABOUT KEY DETAILS AND REQUESTING CLARIFICATION IF
SOMETHING IS NOT UNDERSTOOD.
STANDARD - CC.1.5.1.C ASK AND ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT A SPEAKER SAYS
IN ORDER TO GATHER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR CLARIFY SOMETHING THAT IS NOT
UNDERSTOOD.
STANDARD - CC.1.5.1.D DESCRIBE PEOPLE, PLACES, THINGS, AND EVENTS WITH
RELEVANT DETAILS, EXPRESSING IDEAS AND FEELINGS CLEARLY.
STANDARD - CC.1.5.1.E PRODUCE COMPLETE SENTENCES WHEN APPROPRIATE TO TASK
AND SITUATION.
STANDARD - CC.1.5.1.F ADD DRAWINGS OR OTHER VISUAL DISPLAYS WHEN SHARING
ALOUD TO CLARIFY IDEAS, THOUGHTS, AND FEELINGS.
STANDARD - CC.1.5.1.G DEMONSTRATE COMMAND OF THE CONVENTIONS OF
STANDARD ENGLISH WHEN SPEAKING BASED ON GRADE 1 LEVEL AND CONTENT.
 LITERACY SKILLS

LISTENING AND SPEAKING READING SKILLS:

WRITING SKILLS: SKILLS:
Read nonfiction texts
Choose topics Participate in
and use strategies
Identify sources conversations
Learn and use domain
Evaluate sources Ask and answer questions
specific vocabulary
Take notes
about the topic;
Identify important
Organize information
summarize key ideas
Synthesize information information main
Report on a topic in an
Write with organization, idea and detail
style and detail organized way with good
Summarize
details
information
Speak clearly with
 CONTENT KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

Characteristics of weather (temperature, precipitation, etc.)

Tools used to measure weather (rain gauge, wind vane, and
thermometer)
How to dress for different types of weather
Observe and collect data on weather
The difference between regular weather and extreme weather
Weather safety
 RESOURCES ONLINE VIDEOS

What is Precipitation Snow

Weather?

What Does a Meteorologist Rainbows Clouds

Do?
 RESOURCES ONLINE VIDEOS

Severe Weather Thunder and Lightning Tornadoes

Storms

Hurricanes Sleet Hail

 MORE ONLINE RESOURCES

More Video Resources

Playlist of age appropriate videos covering subtopics and essential questions
Interactive Weather Website
Interactive website that gives information on weather types, safety, and weather
activities
Weather Website for Kids
Can be used for research, forecasting, safety
Weather Safety Factsheet
Information on weather safety
Kids Weather Report
Can be used to collect weather data for journals.
 RESOURCES - PRINT
My First Book About Weather by Patricia J. Wynne and Donald M. Silver
National Geographic Kids Everything Weather: Facts, Photos, and Fun That Will
Blow You Away by Kathy Furgang
National Geographic Readers: Weather Kristin Baird Rattini
Extreme Weather: Surviving Tornadoes, Sandstorms, Hailstorms, Blizzards,
Hurricanes, and More! by Thomas M. Kostigen
National Geographic Readers: Storms by Miriam Goin
Scholastic Atlas of Weather by Marie-Anne Legault
 RESOURCES -PRINT
Gail Gibbons
Weather Words And What They Mean by Gail Gibbons
Tornadoes! By Gail Gibbons
Hurricanes! By Gail Gibbons
Weather Forecasting by Gail Gibbons
Its Raining! by Gail Gibbons
Its Snowing! by Gail Gibbon
Week 1
TIMELINE
Day 1
Weather overview
Characteristics of weather and how we describe weather
Precipitation and Temperature
Day 2:
Discuss and select topics (students will work in pairs)
Day 3:
Introduce and model sources
Print sources
Online Sources
Day 4:
Review sources
Introduce and model first graphic organizer
Weather can-have-are
Day 5:
Begin research
Begin weather can-have-are organizer
 TIMELINE
Week 2
Day 1:
Observing Weather
Collecting weather data: What does a meteorologist do?
Begin Weather Observation Journal
Day 2:
Tools used to measure weather
wind vane, rain gauge, thermometer
Continue Research and finish can-have-are organizer
Record daily weather during morning work in weather observation journal
Day 3:
Record daily weather during morning work in weather observation journal
Introduce and model weather important facts organizer.
Continue research and guide and support completing important facts organizer
Day 4:
Record daily weather during morning work in weather observation journal
Continue research and guide and support completing important facts organizer
Day 5:
Record daily weather during morning work in weather observation journal
Introduce final project and show sample
 TIMELINE
Week 3 Week 4
Day 1: Day 1:
Extreme weather: How is extreme Model Animoto use
weather different from regular Work on weather forecast script
weather?
Day 2:
Day 2:
How can we prepare for different Complete weather forecast
types of weather? script
Dressing for the weather Day 3:
Day 3: Record weather forecast video
How can we prepare for different Begin editing
types of weather? Day 4:
Weather Safety Finish recording videos
Day 4: Finish editing
Finish research and organizers
Day 5:
Day 5:
Introduce and model weather Share weather reports with
forecast script class!
 WEATHER OBSERVATION JOURNAL
Resource foun
d here
 NOTE TAKERS

Important fact organizer designed with

components of final project script
Describing characteristics of their type of
weather
ORGANIZING THE FINAL PROJECT
LISTENING TO OTHERS
 NOTE-TAKING EVALUATION
Excellent! Good! Keep
trying!

Content Content is Content is Content is mostly

accurate and accurate and accurate with
detailed. some detail. little or no detail.
Organization Information is Information is Information is not
organized and mostly organized organized or
clearly written. and written illegible.
legibly.
Completion Organizer is Organizer is Organizer is
complete with no mostly complete incomplete with
missing with some little or no
information. missing information
information. present.
 FINAL PROJECT EVALUATION

Rubric A
vailable
here
FINAL PROJECT STUDENT CHECKLIST
SAMPLE PROJECT:
SOURCES

Scholastic Atlas of Weather

by Marie-Anne Legault
National Geographic
Readers: Storms by Miriam
Goin
https://scied.ucar.edu/webwe
ather
 SAMPLE PROJECT -PLANNING
Ms.
Holleger
Lightning is caused by
Thunderstorm Dark dray clouds, static electrical charges.
s thunder, lightning, Thunder is caused from
lots of rain and the heat of lightning
wind pushing air particles away.

Thunderstorm
One of s
Be Gray
loud clouds natures
and , most Stay safe by staying
Wear a raincoat
cause wind, common inside if you see thunder
with rain boots or lightning.
floods thund weather
and bring an Avoid metal and stay out
or er, events.
umbrella. of water.
fires. and
lightin
g.
SAMPLE PROJECT

The script allows students

to organize their
information for the video
presentation.

The script also includes

practice with temperature.
In addition, students will
identify their type of
weather, describe the
characteristics of the
weather, and evaluate and
apply weather safety.
 SAMPLE FINAL PROJECT
ANIMOTO VIDEO PRESENTATION AS METEOROLOGIST (LINK TO WEB VERSION)