Social Studies Unit Plan

1. Cover Page This document.

2. Unit Content Outline The grid or lessons spelled out so I know a general idea
of what is happening.
3. Unit Idea Map/Key Concepts
4. Unit Rationale/s What is the rationale or big idea of this unit?
5. Unit Objective/s List key objectives of the unit. What do students need to
know? Include key vocabulary and information. Also include any misconceptions
you will need to address.
6. Pre-assessment How will you know where to take your students?
7. Lessons (5 lessons minimum)
a. meteorologist
b. Clothing during weather
c. Graphing temperatures
d. All about clouds
e. Predicting
8. Unit Closure Is/what there a culminating activity that engages students in this
content?
9. Assessment What assessment tool or resource will you use?
10.
Resources List List all resources, including websites, books, articles,
movies, multi-media items, and anything else.

Unit Content Outline: WHATEVER THE WEATHER

Lesso
n
1

Topic
Meteorologist
(throughout the
month)

Core Objective/s

Essential Questions

Lesson Plan Activities

Social Studies
Objective 2
Explain that people have jobs
and earn money to meet their
needs.
Objective 1
Demonstrate appropriate
ways to behave in different
settings
Standard 2

What Is their job in the

community?
How do they help us?
What does their job look
like?

Dramatic play area: weather station

Here they make forecasts, take
temperatures, and present their findings
to the class

How do our clothes change

during the seasons/weather?
How does weather effect
what we wear?

Make a doll that depicts the clothing of

the different seasons.
Create a landscape that helps us to know
what to wear depending on their
landscape
Categorizing clothing depending on the
weather
Animals during the seasons. (hibernation,
migrating and living)

How do we graph?
Have we had warmer days
or colder days?
How can we tell
temperature?
What is a thermometer?

Make individual graphs and make a large

graph as a class where we will visit every
day after calendar. During math centers
have graphing activities that show
multiple pictures of weather and they
must graph it.

Earth and Space Science.

Students will gain an
understanding of Earth and
Space Science through the
study of earth materials,
celestial movement, and
weather.

2
Clothing during
weather
(week 1)

Social studies
Objective 1
Recognize that people have
basic needs (food, shelter,
and clothing) and wants
(toys, games, treats).
Objective 1
Demonstrate appropriate
ways to behave in different
settings
Standard 2

Earth and Space Science.

Students will gain an
understanding of Earth and
Space Science through the
study of earth materials,
celestial movement, and
weather.

Graphing
temperatures
(week 2)

SOCIAL Studies
Objective 1
Identify geographic terms
that describe their
surroundings.
Science
Objective 1
the processes of scientific
investigation (i.e. framing

questions, designing
investigations, conducting
investigations, collecting
data, drawing
conclusions)Generating
Evidence: Using
Standard 2

Earth and Space Science.

Students will gain an
understanding of Earth and
Space Science through the
study of earth materials,
celestial movement, and
weather.
4
All About clouds
(week 3)

Social studies
Objective 1
Identify geographic terms
that describe their
surroundings.
Standard 2

What are clouds?

What are the types of
clouds?
What jobs do clouds have?
What do they do for our
environment?

Making multiple representations of clouds.

Cloud in a jar.
Cotton ball clouds
Water cycle in a cup
Cloud poem

What helps us to predict?

What is predicting?
How does predicting the
weather help us in the
community?

Predict 1 and then 2 weeks of the weather

in our science journals.
Use prediction during read alouds about
the weather
Guess the season based on the weather
and clothings

Earth and Space Science.

Students will gain an
understanding of Earth and
Space Science through the
study of earth materials,
celestial movement, and
weather.

5
predicting

Social studies
Objective 1
Identify geographic terms
that describe their
surroundings.
Standard 2

Earth and Space Science.

Students will gain an
understanding of Earth and
Space Science through the
study of earth materials,
celestial movement, and
weather.

Key Concepts/Ideas:
-knowing what the weather will be can help us know what to wear
- Jobs in the weather community can help us in our everyday life
-graphing temperatures can help us to predict
Necessary Background Knowledge:
-jobs in the community and school
-graphing
- an understanding of what weather is
-number conservation

3. Unit Rationale
The kindergarten social studies curriculum is a plethora of
community, geography, financial literacy and all about them as individuals.
Students must learn how they and their families are similar and different.
Kindergarteners will demonstrate how to be good citizens through showing
how to behave in unfamiliar and different settings, how to be safe both at
home and in the classroom, and finally portray how songs and symbols
unite the community. In addition, our students will be describing their
environment, they will decipher between needs vs. wants, and will be

discovering how humans meet their needs. This will be discovered through
a weather unit. Through the duration of our unit we will be learning about
jobs in the weather community, how weather can effect what we wear and
our environment and finally, how weather can vary across the world.

4. Unit Objectives
Key Vocabulary: : fading, perhaps, prefer, warm, whirl,
property, arrives, creeps, nestle, slumbering, delight,
blustery, delight
Benchmark: During the course of kindergarten, students
learn basic concepts of historical time sequence and

geographic directions. Emphasis is placed on safe

practices and the importance of following rules and
respecting the rights of others. Students are also taught
national symbols and songs, (USOE, 2009)
Standard 1
(Culture): Students will recognize and describe how
individuals and families are both similar and different
Objective 1
Identify how individuals are similar and different.
Standard 2
(Citizenship): Students will recognize their roles and
responsibilities of being a good citizen.
Objective 2
Identify and demonstrate safe practices in the home and
classroom
Standard 3
(Geography): Students will use geographic terms and tools.

Objective 1
Identify geographic terms that describe their surroundings

>SWBAT predict weather patterns from one to two weeks.

>SWBAT recognize the importance weather has on our community
>SWBAT demonstrate how to dress during certain weather conditions so
they can stay safe in their environment
>SWBAT recall jobs in the weather community and how they help us
predict weather and keep us safe.
>SWBAT apply their understanding of clouds in order to predict the

weather ahead.

Pre-assessment
Students will categorize holiday, clothing, animals and
food pictures into the 4 different seasons. Each picture will

correlate with one of the four seasons; summer, spring,

winter or fall. They will have guided help in understanding
what the picture is but this will be an independent
assessment.

LESSON #1
SOCIAL STUDIES LESSON TEMPLATE
Name of Teacher Candidate: Alexandra Siegendorf
Date:11/19
Length of Lesson:30
Grade Level: kindergarten
Name of Social Studies Lesson: meteorologist
Social Studies Core Curriculum Objectives:
Objective 2
Explain that people have jobs and earn money to meet their needs.
Objective 1
Demonstrate appropriate ways to behave in different settings
Standard 2
Earth and Space Science. Students will gain an understanding of Earth and Space Science through the
study of earth materials, celestial movement, and weather.

Common Core Objectives (ELA or Math):

Describe and compare measurable attributes.
CCSS.Math.Content.K.MD.A.1
Describe measurable attributes of objects, such as length or weight. Describe
several measurable attributes of a single object
Preparation:
-The Kids' Book of Weather Forecasting: Build a Weather Station, "Read" the Sky and Make
Predictions! By, mark breen
-dramatic play area
-thermometer
-weather station
-stationary
-pencils
-weather graphs
TIME:
10 mins

LESSON:
Introduction:
Read:The Kids' Book of
Weather Forecasting: Build
a Weather Station, "Read"
the Sky and Make
Predictions! By, mark
breen,

MANAGEMENT:
Bring the students
together for whole group.
Make sure students are
good listeners by
acknowledging the correct
behaviors I see.
I will only choose quiet
hands to answer questions

25 mins

Content/Activity:
ABK: think about different
jobs in the community and
in school.
Questioning:
Who tells us what the
weather is?
How do they know what
the weather will be?
What do you think their
job is?
How do you think they can
predict the weather?
Read: The Kids' Book of
Weather Forecasting: Build
a Weather Station, "Read"
the Sky and Make
Predictions! By, mark
breen,
Next:
- Have a think pair
share of a
meteorologist job
Then:
Make a list of what
a meteorologist
does and how they
do it.
Next: do an experiment of
how to measure the
temperature using warm
and ice water.
Next: graph our findings
Closure: make groups of
three and each will visit a
table and take the
temperature of the water
on the table then we will
come back as a whole
group and graph their
findings

Give the students friendly

reminders on how to be a
good listener, wait if
students are not following
the behavior expected.
-watch for good behaviors
and verbally acknowledge
them so other students
know how to behave or be
chosen to answer a
question

Evaluation:
We will have a dramatic
play area up for the whole
month of January. This
dramatic play area will be
called the weather station.
Here the students will

If students look
restless excuse
them for a drink
break before
continuing with the
final content
activity.
Allow for peer
collaboration but
remind them to use
inside voices
I will dismiss
students by seeing
who is ready such

take temperature and

graph their findings in
their science journals and
later in the month we will
forecast the weather and
at the end of day state
their prediction. This will
be an authentic
assessment.

as; listening, eyes

on me and mouth is
closed.
I will use the attention
signal if things are getting
too noisy to re-gather
them for the closing.

Adaptations: I will group based on varied academic levels, high, med and low. In addition I
will give each student a job when visiting the tables, one will write (med) the other will read the
thermometer (low) and the third students will present their information (high).
Integration: this will be integrated through science, math, and drama.

Lesson #2

SOCIAL STUDIES LESSON TEMPLATE

Name of Teacher Candidate: Alexandra Siegendorf
Date:11/19
Length of Lesson: 30
Grade Level:
Kindergarten
Name of Social Studies Lesson: clothing during the weather
Social Studies Core Curriculum Objectives:
Social studies
Objective 1
Recognize that people have basic needs (food, shelter, and clothing) and wants (toys, games, treats).
Objective 1
Demonstrate appropriate ways to behave in different settings
Science
Standard 2
Earth and Space Science. Students will gain an understanding of Earth and Space Science through the
study of earth materials, celestial movement, and weather.

Common Core Objectives (ELA or Math):

Key Ideas and Details:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.K.1
With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
Preparation: What Will I Wear?

By Huck Scarry, Moley Gets Dressed for All Weather

By Sue Hendra, magazines,
-corn cornels
-fabric
-yarn
-Popsicle sticks
-pipe cleaners
-sorting clipart
TIME:
5 mins

LESSON:
Introduction:

MANAGEMENT:
Bring the students

35 mins

Read, What Will I Wear?

by Huck Scarry
Content/Activity:
After reading what will I
wear, we are going to sort
clothing based on the
season. This will be done
as a whole group.
Next: we are going to
make dolls using corn
cornels and dress them
according the four
seasons
Closure:
We will then come back
together as a whole group
and categorize each doll
in the four season based
on what they are wearing
Evaluation:
I will use questioning and
authentic assessment
based on the placement
of the doll and what it is
wearing.

together for whole group.

Make sure students are
good listeners by
acknowledging the correct
behaviors I see.
I will only choose quiet
hands to answer questions

Give the students friendly

reminders on how to be a
good listener, wait if
students are not following
the behavior expected.
-watch for good behaviors
and verbally acknowledge
them so other students
know how to behave or be
chosen to answer a
question

If students look
restless excuse
them for a drink
break before
continuing with the
final content
activity.

Allow for peer

collaboration but
remind them to use
inside voices
I will dismiss
students by seeing
who is ready such
as; listening, eyes
on me and mouth is
closed.

I will use the attention

signal if things are getting
too noisy to re-gather
them for the closing.
Adaptations: those who are higher can think of more clothing that can be worn based on the
seasons and we will add it to our lists. In addition my low kids will have more support when
making the doll and can look at the visual examples in the book and our category chart.
Integration: this will be integrated into math (sorting) and art (doll making)

Lesson #3

SOCIAL STUDIES LESSON TEMPLATE

Name of Teacher Candidate: Alexandra Siegendorf
Date: 11/19/14
Length of Lesson: 30 (centers/ whole group ) visited over the week
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Name of Social Studies Lesson: Graphing temperatures
Social Studies Core Curriculum Objectives:
Objective 1
Identify geographic terms that describe their surroundings.
Science
Objective 1
the processes of scientific investigation (i.e. framing questions, designing investigations, conducting
investigations, collecting data, drawing conclusions)Generating Evidence: Using
Standard 2
Earth and Space Science. Students will gain an understanding of Earth and Space Science through the
study of earth materials, celestial movement, and weather.

Common Core Objectives (ELA or Math):

Describe and compare measurable attributes.
CCSS.Math.Content.K.MD.A.1
Describe measurable attributes of objects, such as length or weight. Describe
several measurable attributes of a single object
Preparation: -themometer
- large graph
- graphic organizer (weather)
TIME:
5 mins

LESSON:
Introduction:
Each day during calendar
choose a weatherman
job this studentwill go
check the weather each

MANAGEMENT:
Bring the students
together for whole group.
Make sure students are
good listeners by
acknowledging the correct

day
Content/Activity:
During calendar we will
sing whats the weather
song
During this time we have
our weatherman go check
the weather and our
thermometer. When he or
she gets back we will
graph our findings as a
class. We will discuss
what days are close in
temperature and what
days are warmer/colder
than others
Closure: at the end of
the week we will record
our findings in our science
journals. E.g.
Monday was the coldest
Wednesday was the
warmest
Etc.
Evaluation:
for the duration of the
week the students will
have to visit a particular
center that s dedicated to
graphing.
Which day was the
coldest?
Which day was the
warmest?
The activity will be a
graphic organizer that
displays the temperature
and a picture of it. they
will have to cut and glue it
in the correct spot

behaviors I see.
I will only choose quiet
hands to answer questions

Give the students friendly

reminders on how to be a
good listener, wait if
students are not following
the behavior expected.
-watch for good behaviors
and verbally acknowledge
them so other students
know how to behave or be
chosen to answer a
question

If students look
restless excuse
them for a drink
break before
continuing with the
final content
activity.
Allow for peer
collaboration but
remind them to use
inside voices

I will dismiss
students by seeing
who is ready such
as; listening, eyes
on me and mouth is
closed.

I will use the attention

signal if things are getting
too noisy to re-gather
them for the closing.
Adaptations: this will be teacher guided so I can add extra support. The center activity will
have a teacher or a parent at them so they can direct their learning and understanding.
Integration: science, writing, and math.

Lesson #4
SOCIAL STUDIES LESSON TEMPLATE
Name of Teacher Candidate: Alexandra Siegendorf
Date:11/19
Length of Lesson: 40
Grade Level: kindergarten
Name of Social Studies Lesson: all about clouds
Social Studies Core Curriculum Objectives:
Social studies
Objective 1
Identify geographic terms that describe their surroundings.
science
Standard 2
Earth and Space Science. Students will gain an understanding of Earth and Space Science through the
study of earth materials, celestial movement, and weather.

Common Core Objectives (ELA or Math):

Craft and Structure:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.K.4
Ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.K.5
Recognize common types of texts (e.g., storybooks, poems).
Preparation:
1 x glass jar with lid
50ml boiled water from the kettle
aerosol can (eg. hairspray)

 ice
-Little Cloud, by, Eric Carle
-BRAINPOP science, Learn about clouds.

TIME:

LESSON:
Introduction:
Watch brainpop science,
LEARN ABOUT CLOUDS
Next: write down the
different cloud names and
read the little cloud by
eric carle keeping in mind
the different cloud types
Content/Activity
First: we are going to
make our own cloud in a
jar and set it aside at the
science center to be
observed at a later time
Next: we are going to
make our own cloud using
cotton balls. We are going
to make our clouds
specific to the trait of the
one that they choose.
Closure: in our closure
are going to write a poem
of our cloud and in their
poem it will help us to
know what kind of cloud it
is

MANAGEMENT:
Bring the students
together for whole group.
Make sure students are
good listeners by
acknowledging the correct
behaviors I see.
I will only choose quiet
hands to answer questions

Give the students friendly

reminders on how to be a
good listener, wait if
students are not following
the behavior expected.
-watch for good behaviors
and verbally acknowledge
them so other students
know how to behave or be
chosen to answer a
question

Evaluation:
Their evaluation will be
based upon their cloud
picture and their poem. If
their poem depicts one of
the clouds we have talked
about then they have
acquired the learning
goal.

If students look

restless excuse
them for a drink
break before
continuing with the
final content
activity.
Allow for peer
collaboration but
remind them to use
inside voices
I will dismiss
students by seeing
who is ready such
as; listening, eyes
on me and mouth is
closed.

I will use the attention

signal if things are getting
too noisy to re-gather
them for the closing.
Adaptations: students will have examples of different cloud poems and if they want they can
use one of them and copy it. Even though they are copying it, their cloud has to depict the type
of cloud.
Integration: writing, listening, reading, science and art.

Lesson #5
SOCIAL STUDIES LESSON TEMPLATE
Name of Teacher Candidate: Alexandra Siegendorf
Date: 11/19
Length of Lesson:30
Grade Level:
Name of Social Studies Lesson: predicting
Social Studies Core Curriculum Objectives:
Social studies
Objective 1
Identify geographic terms that describe their surroundings.
Standard 2
Earth and Space Science. Students will gain an understanding of Earth and Space Science through the
study of earth materials, celestial movement, and weather.

Common Core Objectives (ELA or Math):

Key Ideas and Details:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.K.1
With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.K.2
With prompting and support, retell familiar stories, including key details.
Preparation: Freddy the forecaster,
By, Janice Dean
-weather manipulatives (rain, sun, clouds etc.)
TIME:
LESSON:
MANAGEMENT:

30 mins

Introduction:
ABK: have the students
think back to lesson one
and predicting the
weather.
Ask them what they have
learned about forecasting
the weather
From here we will make a
list of the things we need
to know and do for
forecasting the weather.
Content/Activity:
First discuss my weather
manipulatives. Go over
procedures on how to hold
them and take care of
them
Next: explain to the
students that I will be
passing our these
manipulatives so each
students get each weather
manipulative.
Next: tell them I will be
reading this book and we
are going to be making
prediction of what the
weather might be
throughout the story. We
willdo this by stopping and
looking at the pictures and
re- reading the text. Then
the students will hold up
what weather they think
will occur. We will then
vote on it and see whose
prediction was right.
Closure: after the story
we will come together and
add to our list of what we
need to know in order to
predict the weather.
Evaluation:
I will use questioning and
authentic assessment in
order to identify who is

Bring the students

together for whole group.
Make sure students are
good listeners by
acknowledging the correct
behaviors I see.
I will only choose quiet
hands to answer questions

Give the students friendly

reminders on how to be a
good listener, wait if
students are not following
the behavior expected.
-watch for good behaviors
and verbally acknowledge
them so other students
know how to behave or be
chosen to answer a
question

If students look
restless excuse
them for a drink
break before
continuing with the
final content

understanding the
concept of prediction

activity.
Allow for peer
collaboration but
remind them to use
inside voices
I will dismiss
students by seeing
who is ready such
as; listening, eyes
on me and mouth is
closed.

I will use the attention

signal if things are getting
too noisy to re-gather
them for the closing.
Adaptations: for our high students we will be in depth conversations and debates on what
weather they think will happen. For our low students they can have help from their peers and
thorough explanation of why the students chose what they did.
Integration: listening, math, speaking, kinesthetic movements.

Unit Closure
For the unit closure the students will be taking part in Predicting 1
week of the weather in our science journals. This will occur at home with
parent support. Each students will predict one to two day at a time. They
will be in charge of drawing their prediction and writing what temperature
they think it will be. Once the day of their prediction comes they will then
draw what the weather is, what the temperature is and whether or not
their
Prediction was correct. For our higher kids we will have them write down
why or why not they thought it would be a certain weather.

Assessment
There are multiple forms of assessment throughout this unit. I will be
evaluating their science journals, graphic organizers, questioning, and
participation. Throughout this unit I have chosen to mostly use authentic
assessment for the fact that it is more developmentally appropriate for
kindergarten.

Resource List
Works cited:
"English Language Arts Standards Reading: Literature Kindergarten."
Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2014. "English Language Math Standards
math: measurement Kindergarten." Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2014.
"Utah Education Network." Utah Education Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 19
Nov. 2014 "USOE - Social Studies - Kindergarten." USOE - Social Studies Kindergarten. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2014.