Stephanie Nalepa

Grade: Kindergarten
Subject: Science
Unit: Weather
Lesson One: Introduction to Weather and the Seasons

I. Standard
Next Generation Science Standards
K-ESS2-1: Use and share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns over time.

ESS2.D: Weather is a combination of sunlight, wind, snow or rain, and temperature in a particular region at a
particular time. People measure these conditions to describe and record the weather and to notice patterns over
time.

Common Core State Standards

SL.K.3: Ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get information, or clarify something that is not
understood.

II. Objective/Target and I Can Statements

The learner will be able to explain what weather is after watching and discussing a video about weather and the
four seasons.
I can explain what weather is.

The learner will be able to discuss and describe the four seasons and some of their attributes after watching an
introductory video about weather and the seasons.
I can talk about and describe the four seasons.

The learner will be able to generate and answer questions that they may have about weather and the four
seasons.
I can ask and answer questions about weather and the four seasons.

III. Lesson Management: Focus and Organization

Instructional Methods:
Whole group discussion
Video
Partner discussions
Individual work on activity page/writing

Engagement Strategies:
Whole group discussion
Calling on students with a listening body and/or on random students by pulling sticks
Turn and talk
Coloring the cover of their weather book
Moving from sitting at the front of the room in a group to sitting at their desks

Materials Needed and Prepared:

White board, dry erase markers, eraser OR anchor chart paper and markers
Computer
Projector
Screen
ELMO Projector
Seasons Video: https://youtu.be/K2tV69N0X8k
1 cover of My Weather Book for each student (+ 1 for teacher, and a few extra copies)
1st page of My Weather Book for each student (+ 1 for teacher, and a few extra copies)
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 Pencils and erasers for students

IV. Introduction
The teacher will generate interest by gathering students to sit down at the front of the room and asking
students to close their eyes.
The teacher will activate prior knowledge by asking the students to open their eyes to see the word,
weather written on the board. TTW ask students what comes to mind when they see this word and will
call on students to share their thoughts with the class, as the teacher records thinking on the board.
The teacher will review something that the students already know by telling students the definition of
weather: what it is like outside. For example, Grand Rapids, or Michigan, and by having the students
repeat the definition back to the teacher.

V. Input
A. Task Analysis:
TTW write the word, seasons on the whiteboard next to weather, and will ask students what comes to
mind when they now read this word.
o TTW model thinking by writing the number 4 on the board and explaining that they know there
are four seasons.
o TTW record students answers on the board and should encourage questions, as well.
TTW tell students that they are going to learn more about seasons as they watch a video, so students
should be sure to pay close attention so they can write more information on the board.
The students will watch the ABC Mouse Video- The Four Seasons https://youtu.be/K2tV69N0X8k.
The teacher will draw a two-by-two table on the whiteboard and will explain to students that they are
going to fill in the chart on the board with questions that they are wondering after watching the video
and with knowledge that they had before watching the video and after watching the video.
Check for Understanding: Name the four seasons
o Students will turn and talk to a partner to discuss their thoughts and answers.
o TTW call on a pair of students to name one season, and will write the season in one area of
the table, until each season is identified.
Check for Understanding: Do the seasons happen in any type of order?
o TTW call on a student to explain their thought on this question.
o Students will give the teacher a thumbs-up if they agree with the student.
o The teacher and students will discuss the students answer with the students and will write the
correct order of seasons on the white board for students to see.
Check for Understanding: What is the weather like in each season?
o TTW call on a student to answer this question, and will record the students answer on the
board.
Check for Understanding: Predict which season is next?
o TTW call on a student to answer this question, and will record the students answer on the
board.
TTW model thinking about and asking questions by telling students that they remember the video
saying that in some places, like Florida Winter is warmer than Winter is in places like Michigan. The
teacher is wondering why that is?
o TTW write this question on the whiteboard.
TTW continue to call on students to remember information from the video to help fill in the chart until the
chart is filled out, and to write questions about weather and seasons on the board, as well. *The
teacher should briefly discuss student answers and should prompt students, as appropriate with
questions to spark their thinking or to address any ideas not mentioned, such as;
o Which season do leaves fall in?
o Which season would be the best season to go sledding in?
o Which season do flowers bloom in?
o What might help flowers grow and bloom?
o What season is it right now? How do you know?
o What do you think the weather will be like in the next season?

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 TTW bring out the cover of the weather book that students will be coloring and will explain that students
are going to be making a book about weather for the next few weeks. Today they are going to make the
cover and the first page.
The students will move to their seats.
TTW pass out the cover to the weather books for students to write their name on, and to color.
TTW model coloring in and decorating their cover to My Weather Book
Students color and decorate the cover to My Weather Book
TTW pass out the first page of the book, which says, Weather is
Check for Understanding: Complete the sentence: weather is.
o TTW call on a student to share their thoughts on what the end of the sentence is, based on
their prior discussion (what it is like outside).
o The students will complete the sentence on their paper as the teacher does on their own paper
using the ELMO projector for students to see.
Students turn in their books to the silver basket and will return to the front of the room and sit with a
listening body to close the lesson.
The students and the teacher will state the I Can statements with the students.
The teacher will elicit student input and feedback by asking students to give the teacher a thumbs-up if
they believe they can explain what weather is; by asking students to give the person next to them a
high five if they talked about and described what the four seasons are; and by asking students to shake
the persons hand on their other side of them if they asked and answered questions about weather and
the seasons. The teacher should also ask students to raise their hand if they are excited to learn more
about the seasons and about weather, and to record weather for their weather books.
The teacher will connect todays activities to future learning experiences by explaining to students that
by recording the weather everyday, they will be able to see weather patterns, which help people predict
what the weather will be like in the future.

B. Thinking Levels: Revised Blooms Taxonomy Questions To Engage Students Thinking

Remember: Name the four seasons?
Remember: Describe the weather in each of the four seasons?
Understand: Predict which season is next?
Apply: Complete the sentence: weather is.

C. Accommodations- Differentiating To Meet Student Needs

Remediation/Intervention: Students who may need additional assistance in understanding and
discussing the topics will benefit from working with partners to discuss questions asked, and will benefit
from the teacher also writing the sentence, weather is... what it is like outside and projecting how to
write it on the ELMO projector. Miss Piccard will also be circulating the room as the students work on
the first page of their weather book to gain a better sense of who is grasping the content, and who is
not. It should be noted that this is only the introductory lesson to the unit, which is designed for teachers
to gain an idea of what students know and do not already know about some of the topics taught
throughout the unit. This unit it also used as a means for students to learn the basic ideas of the unit, so
that they can continue to build on their knowledge as the unit progresses.

Extension/Enrichment: Students who show considerable comprehension will benefit from working
with partners to discuss questions and prompts asked, as they can then share their understanding with
their partner. These students may also choose to not use the visual support from the teacher as the first
page of their weather book is worked on.

Learning Styles: Students will benefit from a variety of teaching styles used:
o Linguistic: discussion throughout the lesson, completing the first page of the weather book
o Interpersonal: Turn and talk with partners
o Spatial & Musical: Seasons Video
o Intrapersonal: Thinking to self, working on cover and first page of weather book alone
o Logical/Mathematical: Thinking about questions asked, asking questions, and answering
questions about weather and seasons.
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 D. Methods, Materials, and Integrated Technology
Instructional Techniques: ways of presenting: Whole group discussion, video, partner discussions,
Individual work on activity page/writing

Engagement Strategies: Whole group discussion, calling on students with a listening body and/or on
random students by pulling sticks, turn and talk, giving a thumbs-up, coloring the cover of their weather
book, moving from sitting at the front of the room in a group to sitting at their desks

Materials and Integrated Technology List: White board, dry erase markers, eraser OR anchor chart
paper and markers, computer, projector, screen, ELMO projector, seasons video:
https://youtu.be/K2tV69N0X8k, 1 cover of My Weather Book for each student (+ 1 for teacher, and a
few extra copies), 1st page of My Weather Book for each student (+1 for teacher, and a few extra
copies), pencils,

VI. Modeling: I DO
TTW model thinking by writing the number 4 on the board and explaining that they know there are four
seasons.
TTW model thinking about and asking questions by telling students that they remember the video
saying that in some places, like Florida, Winter is warmer than Winter is in places like Michigan. The
teacher is wondering why that is?
The teacher will model coloring in and decorating the cover to My Weather Book
The teacher will model how to write the end the sentence, weather is.

VII. Checking for Understanding

Formative Assessment Questions:
o What comes to mind when you see the word, weather?
o What comes to mind when you see the word, seasons?
o Name the four seasons?
o Do the seasons happen in any type of order?
o What is the weather like in each season?
o Predict which season is next?
o Complete the sentence: weather is.

Possible questions to ask students throughout the course of the lesson:

o Which season do leaves fall in?
o Which season would be the best season to go sledding in?
o Which season do flowers bloom in?
o What might help flowers grow and bloom?
o What season is it right now? How do you know?
o What do you think the weather will be like in the next season?

VIII. Guided Practice: WE DO

The teacher and students will discuss the following questions and answers together:
o What comes to mind when you see the word, weather?
o What comes to mind when you see the word, seasons?
o Name the four seasons?
o Do the seasons happen in any type of order?
o What is the weather like in each season?
o Predict which season is next?
o Complete the sentence: weather is.

IX. Collaborative (YOU DO TOGETHER) and/or Independent Practice (YOU DO)

Turn and talks between students encourage collaborative practice as the students discuss what the four
seasons are.

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 ** Further collaborative practice and independent practice will occur in following lessons, as this lessons
purpose is simply to introduce topics and ideas to students to get their brains moving and thinking about
weather.

X. Closure:
After the students turn in their books the teacher will gather all of the students at the front of the room and
will state the I Can statements with the students.
The teacher will elicit student input and feedback by asking students to give the teacher a thumbs-up if they
believe they can explain what weather is; by asking students to give the person next to them a high five if
they talked about and described what the four seasons are; and by asking students to shake the persons
hand on their other side of them if they asked and answered questions about weather and the seasons. The
teacher should also ask students to raise their hand if they are excited to learn more about the seasons and
about weather, and to record weather for their weather books.
The teacher will connect todays activities to future learning experiences by explaining to students that by
recording the weather everyday, they will be able to see weather patterns, which help people predict what
the weather will be like in the future.

XI. Assessment
The teacher will know if the objectives/learning targets were met by observing students throughout the
discussion. If students are not participating throughout the discussion, then it may be wise to be sure to
provide this student with extra support in the following lessons, which are aimed to really teach new
concepts to the students.
The teacher should also record any misconceptions that students may have, so that they can be addressed
at the appropriate time in future lessons.
The teacher should also look at the first page of each students My Weather Book to make sure that they
completed the sentence the correct way. Students who may not have completed the sentence correctly
should work with one of the teachers independently the following day to correct the sentence and to clear
up any misconceptions.
The students answers to formative assessment questions asked throughout discussion, and students
completed weather definition in their weather book should be used to drive further discussion and
instruction.

Sources
ABCmouse.com Early Learning Academy. (2014, September 23). The four seasons by ABCmouse.com. [Video
File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2tV69N0X8k&feature=youtu.be

Discovery education. (2012). Sky and weather: Session 1. Retrieved from:

https://app.discoveryeducation.com/techbook/concept/conceptGuid/2BBB6B60-C746-4FFC-BFFB-
E93DB4A673DC/unitGuid/CBE211C1-E9A0-4E19-AD2E-341EBCEEC572#/tab=model-lesson-
tab&page=1&subTab=session1

Discovery education. (2012). Sky and weather: Session 2, 3, and 4. Retrieved from:
https://app.discoveryeducation.com/techbook/concept/conceptGuid/2BBB6B60-C746-4FFC-BFFB-
E93DB4A673DC/unitGuid/CBE211C1-E9A0-4E19-AD2E-341EBCEEC572#/tab=model-lesson-
tab&page=1&subTab=sessions23and4

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 Reflection
Lesson One: Introduction to Weather and the Seasons

Refer to your objective(s)/target(s): how do you know that the objective(s)/target(s) was met? What is your evidence?
I believe that the students did meet the objectives and targets. The students all correctly wrote what weather was on page one
of their weather book, and most were also able to verbally explain to me what weather was when I asked the students as a
whole group to explain it to me throughout the lesson. The students were also able to name, describe in basic terms, and talk
about their basic understandings each of the four seasons throughout the lesson. Although it took some time and quite a bit of
coaxing, some of my students were able to meet the objective, The learner will be able to generate and answer questions that
they may have about weather and the four seasons: I can ask and answer questions about weather and the four seasons. Not
all of my students were able to do this, however, as only a select few of the students actively spoke about their questions
regarding the topic. However, I do believe that the rest of the students were able to benefit from the select students who did
ask questions about the two topics, because many of them noted how the questions being asked were good ones.

Using your assessment data how will you change the lesson or instruction for the next time?
After observing the students throughout the course of the lesson I now know that I need to explicitly teach different types of
weather, because at the start of the lesson many students were naming seasons to describe the weather. Despite the fact that
all of the students met the objective, The learner will be able to explain what weather is after watching and discussing a video
about weather and the four seasons. I can explain what weather is, I still believe that the students do not entirely grasp the
concept that although weather and seasons are interrelated, they are not one in the same.

How well did the students perform/respond? Were all my students engaged?
I believe that the students were not extremely engaged at the start of the lesson, but by the end, when more of the students
began developing and asking questions, the engagement increased. The students also seemed very excited that they were
going to make a weather book and really enjoyed decorating the cover of it.

How was my timing?

I made good timing throughout the lesson. Once I began teaching the lesson and prompting the discussion I realized that I
should not spend a lot of time on the discussion because I saw that the students basic and initial understandings of the topics
were limited, which would not support a good discussion.

How many students struggled? What will I do to help the student(s) who struggled?
My students did not struggle with this lesson. However, because this is the introductory unit of the lesson I was easily able to
see and pinpoint where (and which students) might struggle in the following lessons.

What will I do to extend the learning for those students who met target?
Due to the fact that all of the students met the objective/target, the learner will be able to explain what weather is after
watching and discussing a video about weather and the four seasons. I can explain what weather is, I now know that I can
move onto the next lesson and teach about different types of weather. I can then link the different types of weather to the
definition of weather, which will reinforce todays lesson and understandings while also extending the learning.

What did everyone know? What did no one know? Were there any surprises?
Throughout the discussion I was able to quickly see that most of the students knew what the seasons were, and some had a
basic and general understanding of the type of weather each season typically has. I was surprised to find out that not many
students were able to name any different types of weather, even after I had prompted the students by brainstorming and
thinking aloud about it being rainy and cloudy out today, and then writing those types of weather on the whiteboard.

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 Lesson Resources
Lesson One: Introduction to Weather and the Seasons

Picture of the whiteboard after the discussion was complete.

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