State General Objectives:
1) Describe patterns of changing weather and how they are measured.
2) Describe health effects of polluted air.
Lesson Objective-
Students will be able to predict the weather using weather maps for multiple days.
Time-
50 minutes
Motivator-
The students will read Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. This will be included with the day activity time.
Materials Needed-
30 copies
of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Computer lab for the class
Activities-
Weather predicting activity
Procedures-
After the students finish reading the story, the class as a whole will discuss the story and what went on in the story. This is so all the students understand what happened in the story and understand what happened. The teacher will use a guided discussion technique to keep the students on task and talking about the reading.
Next, the teacher will explain how to read weather maps for predicting future weather. The teacher will just go over the basic movements of fronts and pressure systems and how it relates to the weather. While doing this, the teacher will show a visual example while explaining the weather maps and predicting weather. The teacher will use the following websites for this instruction: www.weather.com and www.nnic.noaa.gov.
I will then spend the last 10 minutes of class going over the assignment that will cover the next five days. I will assign the students into groups of 5-6 students. Each group is responsible for working together at the beginning of class each day to predict the weather for the next two days. The students will use resources such as the computer lab and the newspaper. Two students will be assigned to bring in the weather section of the newspaper. (this is in case one student forgets their paper) The students may use the internet for the majority of the information. The assignment will be kept on a log sheet which will be turned in at the end of the week. Also at the end of the assignment, the students see will analyze how accurate their predictions were.
Presentation Strategies-
Lecture, Discussion, Demonstration
Vocabulary-
Front
Precipitation
Humidity
Learning Strategies-
Prediction, Reading Maps, Interpreting Data
Assessment-
The students will receive a grade based on completeness of the weather prediction assignment.
Lesson Objectives-
Students will be able to understand, identify, describe the main types of fronts.
Time-
50 minutes
Motivator-
This will follow the weather prediction assignment. I will begin by asking if the students came across the word front or a symbol on the map that was called a front. This will lead into a discussion about what fronts are. This will be a guided discussion on fronts and what the students may already know about them. I will let the students know that the weather man uses the word over and over and now they will be able to understand why the weather is using the word front and what it means.
Materials Needed-
For weather prediction assignment
5-6 log sheets
1 newspaper per group (5-6)
Computer lab
Blackboard/dry-erase board
Activities-
The students will work in their assigned groups for the first ten minutes of class on the weather prediction assignment. The students may use the computers to help them on the assignment. Each group should have at least one newspaper from the night before.
During the last 15 minutes of class the students will work on the computers using www.weather.com. The students will be expected to answer the following questions:
1. Is there any major cold fronts or warm fronts moving across the United States? If so, where are they located?
2. What states are experiencing precipitation?
3. Can you identify where the low and high pressure zones are?
4. Predict what the weather will be like in Michigan in 48 hours.
The students can then check their answer to number 4 by going to the 48 hour forecast surface map.
Procedures-
At the beginning of class, the students will work in their assigned groups on the weather prediction activity. This should only take around 10 minutes. The students will keep their log sheets until the last day.
Next, I will use the Motivator and discuss front and what they are about. This will lead into a partial lecture on the basics of fronts. I will discuss cold fronts, warm fronts, and occluded fronts. I will also demonstrate on the board, how the fronts are labeled on a weather map and how they move across the map.
To finish class, I will explain the activity I would like to do using the internet. I will write the four questions, listed in activities, on the board. The students will write their answers on a separate piece of notebook paper. The assignment will be turned in for completeness at the end of class.
Presentation Strategies-
Lecture, Discussion
Learning Strategies-
Prediction, Reading Maps, Recording, Identification, and Interpreting Data
Assessment-
The students will turn in the assignment for completeness at the end of class.
Lesson Objective-
The students will be able to identify human activities that cause pollution in our atmosphere and identify ways to limit the pollution.
Time-
50 minutes
Motivator-
Ask the question, “What are some everyday things that cause air pollution?” As the students give answers, write them down on the board. Ask them what the main everyday cause of pollution by humans are? Hopefully someone says automobiles. I will then discuss what causes pollution from automobiles.
Materials Needed-
Computer Lab
1 newspaper per group
Activities-
The students will work in their assigned groups for the first ten minutes of class on the weather prediction assignment. The students may use the computers to help them on the assignment. Each group should have at least one newspaper from the night before.
Procedures-
After using the motivator, lead into the lecture by introducing air pollution. The class will stay in their groups from the weather prediction groups. The students will brainstorm for 5-7 minutes to see how many air pollutants they can list. Then the groups will share their ideas with the whole class and a list will be made on the overhead. After we have a good list, the teacher will lecture on the most important ones. The lecture should be more of a guided class discussion. During the last 10 minutes of class, the groups will brainstorm ways to help prevent air pollution in our atmosphere. We will finish class by sharing our ideas and discussing feasible solutions to air pollution.
Presentation Strategies-
Lecture, Discussion, Cooperative Learning
Vocabulary-
Air pollution
Carbon monoxide
Greenhouse effect
Ozone layer
Learning Strategies-
Guided discussion, cooperative learning
www.weather.com The Weather Channel Website
http://www.nnic.noaa.gov National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Butzow, Carol. More Through Children’s Literature. Chapter 14. Weather and Climate.
Mallinson, George G. and Jacquel. Science for Middle School Level. SMTC
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