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Technology Infused Lesson
Title: Weather Watchers
Subjects: Science
Learning Level: Primary
Abstract:
Elementary students spent a month in the spring studying weather with students
around the world.
Objectives/Outcomes:
Students read thermometers.
A student shall demonstrate knowledge of basic science concepts of physical
science, life science, and earth and space science through direct experience,
including an understanding of:
- Concepts related to everyday life through characteristic properties of objects,
patterns and how they repeat, and cycles;
- How the basic needs of organisms are met;
- Responses of organisms to changes in the environment;
- How the personal use of materials, energy and water impacts the environment;
- The characteristics of objects or phenomena, including measuring changes
that occur in objects or phenomena as a result of interaction, sorting and
classifying objects based on one or two properties, displaying information
using graphs, and describing how previously learned concepts apply to new
situations.
Assessment:
- Students use an electronic chart of temperatures around the world for comparison.
- Students create graphs from the chart of temperatures.
- Students write, review and discuss e-mails which they send and receive
to compare different places re: weather and its related characteristics.
- Students complete weather games on the Internet to document their learning
of basic concepts.
- Students locate Duluth, Georgia and Duluth, Minnesota on maps and compare
geographical features of physical and human environment (water, streets, transportation)
as well as snowfall, rainfall, and hottest and coldest temperatures.
- Students participate in informal interviews to describe what they learned.
Invitation:
Do you think it's snowing in Georgia? What happens when it snows? What fun
things do you do in the winter? What are some signs of spring? Are the signs
of spring different in other places? What kind of clothes do you wear to school
during this time of year?
Tasks:
- Teachers prepare blank chart for recording information.
- Teachers demonstrate weather analysis and email use.
- Teachers develop Web pages to show pictures of weather happenings (kids
outside, charts and graphs).
- Students read and record temperature and weather conditions daily for a
month.
- Students send email to other classes that details temperature and weather
conditions each day.
- Students synthesize data in a chart, graph or other means to demonstrate
understanding.
- Students read a graph and answer the questions:
- Which place had the warmest weather? Why?
- Which place's temperature changed the most?
- If you could choose, where would you like to live? Why?
- If we studied the weather again in a different season, how would the
temperature and weather conditions be different?
Situations:
First grade students from Fond du Lac Ojibwe School spent one month in the
spring studying weather with students around the world.
Interactions:
- Children worked together in pairs to determine the temperature, and email
results to other schools daily.
- Children charted (the temperatures of the different locations) on paper.
- Individual children read the results from other schools to the rest of the
class during circle time and sent e-mails about Fond du Lac weather to other
children.
Tools:
- Thermometer
- Internet/computer
- Globes/maps
- Paper charts
- Software to do an electronic summary
- Yahooligans map-quest
URLs:
- www.wildweather.com
- www.d.umn.edu/educ/apt3/Collaboratories/Turtles/Weather/Watchers.htm
Standards: (Minnesota Graduation Standards and ISTE)
Scientific Thinking:
- Seeks information by active investigation.
- Asks questions about the natural and physical world.
- Forms explanations and conclusions based on different characteristics.
- Begins to identify ways the environment affects how people live and work.
- Shows beginning understanding that maps represent actual places.
NETS for Students
- Uses input and output devices.
- Works cooperatively and collaborative with peers.
- Uses technology resources (communication, digital cameras) for problem solving
and communication.
- Gathers information and communicates with others using telecommunications,
with support from teachers and student partners.
American Indian Outcomes
- Understands interactions between people, their word and their cultures.
- Shows respect for all living things and the land.
- Understands the harmony and balance of nature.
- Engages in cooperative learning.
Projects:
- Creating weather records.
- Creating emails with digital photographs.
- Creating graphs for comparison of temperatures.
- Locating places on maps.
- Playing digital weather games.
Author(s): Cindy Miller.
Submitted by: The Turtles Collaboratory, Arrowhead "Preparing Tomorrow's
Teachers to Use Technology" Project, Dept. of Education, University of
Minnesota Duluth.
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