Lesson Plan #3: Seasons

By: Alisha Roznowski

Grade Level: Kindergarten

 

Benchmark:  Science/Strand V/Content Standard 3/Elementary                                                          

Benchmark 2: Describe seasonal changes in Michigan’s weather.

Benchmark Clarification: 

Michigan’s weather changes with the seasons.

Changes in weather will include:

  • Temperature
  • Precipitation (rain, snow)
  • Number of hours of sunlight

Lesson Objectives:

  • Students will learn to differentiate between the four seasons of winter, summer, spring and autumn, in regards to Michigan weather.

Motivator/ Anticipatory Set: Key Concepts/Vocabulary:

            At the beginning of the lesson I will come into the classroom wearing mittens, sunglasses and carrying an umbrella.  I will ask the students why we wear different types of clothing during different times of the year.  I will ask them to predict why sometimes of the year are much colder than others.  Then I will explain to them that we will be learning that there are four seasons within a year and why they occur.

Key Concepts/Vocabulary:

  • Seasons: four distinct times of the year, based on temperature and weather.
  • Spring: warmer temperatures, growing season begins.
  • Summer: the warmest time of year, main growing season, longest daylight.
  • Autumn: cooler temperatures, colorful trees, growing season ends.
  • Winter: the coldest time of year, when it usually snows, plant are dormant, shortest daylight.
  • Daylight: time that the sun, instead of the moon is visible, during the day, changes with the seasons
  • Growing Season: begins during spring, main growing season in summer, time when plants and animals grow and develop.
  • Sun: an object in space that warms the Earth with its rays.

Materials:

  • The Reasons for Seasons by Gail Gibbons
  • 8x10 paper with divided sections, see attached
  • Crayons
  • Ruler
  • Globe
  • Sphere symbolizing sun

Teaching Strategies and Methods:

  • Brainstorm: as a class gather ideas for evidence of individual seasons
  • Discussion: ideas from within story such as, types of weather within seasons
  • Lecture: on Earth’s tilt in relation to sun
  • Demonstration: of globe and sphere symbolizing the sun
  • Discussion: differences in hemisphere season variation, poles to equator
  • Individual work: create drawings of each season including weather and evidence drawn within picture to show which seasonal weather is being depicted, such as snow, rain, plant growth, etc. 

Content:

            Following the anticipatory set, where children predict why we have seasons I will read them the book The Reasons for Seasons by Gail Gibbons.  Within this book many concepts are mentioned in regard to seasonal and weather changes.  This book discusses how the sun warms the Earth and how its tilt causes changes within our seasons.  Then the book goes through each season giving dates for when each season begins, descriptions of weather conditions, major changes that occur in both the North and South hemispheres during each season, as well as pictures of people and scenery within the Northern hemisphere during each season.  After I have read this book to the children I will have them predict which season they think Christmas is within and ask them why they think so.  We will brainstorm and try to recall all of the evidence from within the book for each season, by looking at the pictures and revisiting the description for each season.  As the class brainstorms what evidence, focusing on Michigan seasons, and objects we may find within each season.  I will compile the list of data on a poster board, separated by season.

We will also discuss ideas within the story such as different types of weather within each season.  I will give a mini lecture, based on concepts already mentioned within the text, on the varying weather within seasons.  I will also revisit the idea that this is caused by the Earth’s tilt and relationship to the sun.  While discussing this relationship I will use a globe and a sphere, simulating the sun, to demonstrate the tilt.  A flashlight may also be used to represent the sun and demonstrate the directness of the sun’s rays on the Earth.  During this demonstration I will also discuss how the book mentioned how different hemispheres have different seasons.  I will demonstrate with the globe and ‘sun’ how the rays are directed differently at different hemispheres.  During this discussion I will ask the children why the book said the North and South Poles are always cold and around the Equator is usually very warm.  Following their predictions I will point out by demonstrating how the rays are always at a similar angle in relation to the poles and always at a similar angle in relation to the equator, since the sun’s rays are what effect the seasons if they have little change the seasons will have little change, therefore, no changing seasons.

Finally I will tell the children that we are going to draw pictures of all four seasons.  I will give them each a piece of 8x10 paper divided, by lines, into four sections.  They will also be given crayons and reminded of our brainstorming activity regarding weather and evidence we find for each season.  The students will be instructed to draw one picture in each box on their paper for each season.  They are to use the evidence the class found or other evidence they have found to create a picture that shows four distinct seasons.  

Web Site: NA

Real World Context:

Examples of visible seasonal changes

  • Snow
  • Rain
  • Thunderstorms
  • Growth, flowers and animals
  • Leaves changing color
  • Snow melting
  • Frost
  • Variations in daylight

Assessment:    

Assessment Rubric

 

 

 

Apprentice

Basic

Meets

Exceeds

No attempt to create pictures of seasons.

Visible attempt to create pictures of seasons, with no finished product.  

Drawing of three or fewer seasons correctly.

Drawings of four distinct, identifiable seasons.

Bibliography:

MIClimb CD software

Gibbons, Gail. The Reasons for Seasons. USA: 1995.

The Four Seasons