Three Types of Clouds

Name: Asma Hassan

Date: 12/5/2015

Grade Level: 4th

1. Content Objective(s)/State Standards:

Reading: Informational Text Standard 2
Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the
text.
Vocabulary: stratus clouds, cumulus clouds, Cirrus Clouds, informational essay,
Behavioral Objectives:
- Give Expectations and set a purpose from the beginning: e.g. for this part, I want
voices off, ears on, faces forward. We will be working on clouds.
- Time Limits: For transitions give them how much time you are giving them
explicitly. For the different activities, give them time you are giving them.
- Using proximity: During partner work, using proximity to see who needs help and
who needs to refocus on the lesson.

2. Instructional Focus:
SWBAT write an informative essay (Introduction, Main Idea #1, Main Idea #2, Main Idea #3,
Conclusion) about the three basic cloud types.
SWBAT summarize key ideas about the different types of clouds and put them into an
informational essay using a graphic organizer.
SWBAT describe what the three types of clouds help us predict.

3. Interesting Texts/Materials for Instruction

What text(s)/materials are you using for your lesson?
Science Journals
Graphic Organizer

4. Student Engagement: What engagement principle(s) are you choosing for this lesson?
________choice, ____X_____collaboration, ____X____building concepts, ____X____relevance
real world interaction
Students will review concepts learned about Cloud types through rereading, discussing, and
writing about the different types of clouds.
Students will collaborate with peers in discussing the cloud concepts, After initial modelling, they
will work in partners in coming up with ideas for the Main Idea #2
In a previous lesson, students drew clouds they saw outside and described what they saw. This
provided real world interaction for them. In this lesson, that relevance will carry over as they
discuss and write about the three main types of clouds.

5. Student Activity/Differentiation. What will your students be doing to meet the purpose of your
lesson? (listening, reading, searching, writing, strategy instruction, group work, etc.)
What my students are actually DOING: Before, During, and After.
Before: Teacher reviews types of essays and models how to start the Introductory
Paragraph (5 minutes)
1. The teacher shows them a powerpoint of different types of clouds. (powerpoint
attached.
2. Get out your Science Journals, quickly and quietly. You have 5 seconds. Pg. 18
3. Teacher passes out graphic organizers. Im passing out something to help us with
our writing. But, for now, you should have your pencils down, eyes forward and paying
attention.
4. Teacher provides purpose and objective:
a. Today, we are going to begin writing a Science Essay on Clouds.
b. Quick Question: what are the parts of an essay? Someone
refresh our memory by raising their hand...
c. Remember, we discussed the different types of essays. What are
they? (writes them on the board)
d. Now, which kind of essay is the best for our Clouds topic?
Teacher Waits. After around 4-7 seconds, give prompting: Were describing
different types of clouds.. Talk about what it is not. Are we entertaining? Are
we explaining steps..let me tell you how clouds are made? Teacher Waits. So,
our main purpose is: Informing our audience. We have decided on that. To be
able to inform, we need to write information about the topic (Clouds), meaning
describe the topic in details. Class picks the inform type of essay. Great!
We are writing an informative essay on clouds. Thats our purpose.
e. Now, that we have established a purpose, look on Pg. 18. Its
important that you are well-informed about the different types of clouds because
you will be informing us about them. So, with an elbow partner, discuss what you
already wrote down about the three different types of clouds. Ill give you 1
minute.

During: Modeling how to write the Introductory paragraph and first supporting paragraph.
(10 minutes).
1. Attention Getter to get class to focus back to the front. So Class, we set a
purpose for our writing and you guys reviewed the information on the topic. Now, who can
raise their hand and tell me what is the next step? Student Answers. Yes, we need to
begin with introducing our topic. We need to come up with a main idea.
2. Whats our main idea? Students Raise Hands. three main types of clouds
3. How can we make that a sentence? There are three main types of clouds.
4. So, what are the different types of clouds?....Teacher writes them on the board in

three columns.
5. How can we make that a sentence?
6. Lets see, we need an overview of what youll be informing us about.
7. What kind of words are these cloud names? greek? Latin? French? Lets create a
sentence about them.
8. Now, why does it help to know the different types of clouds? Why do we care that
there are different types of clouds?
9. Is it just for cloud watching? DIscuss with your groups. Come up with a main
reason. Ill give you time to think. (20 seconds). Look up in your Science Journals.
10. Predicting the weather.
11. Lets make that into a sentence.
12. Predict was one of your vocabulary words from before. Who can tell me what
Predicting the weather means?
First Supporting Sentence
13. Ok, class, now we are ready for our first supporting paragraph. Someone raise
their hand: how can we introduce the first cloud?
14. The first type of cloud is called...
15. Someone tell me, whats the definition in your book for this cloud? Lets make it a
sentence.
16. Also, remember how we talked about the cloud names being latin roots. Lets put
that in our sentence.
17. One more fact in your books.
18. Finally, what do Stratus clouds predict? Lets make that a sentence.

(15 minutes) After: Collaborative Peer work and Independent Work.

1. Lets go over the parts we had in our previous sentence.
2. Teacher writes on the board:
a. e.g. latin root for..,
b. What does this cloud look like?
c. choose another fact
d. Important point: what type of weather does it predict?
3. Now, its your turn. Ive written on the board what you need to have in each
paragraph.
a. You can work with peers if you want to. But everyone needs to
write in their own graphic organizer.
b. Use your clipboards if you want.
c. Raise your hand if you get stuck.
d. Ready, go. You know what to do.
How will you differentiate your instruction for struggling/gifted learners?
Students who struggle with writing will be given additional structure through sentence stems
(found below). This additional structure will provide additional ways of accessing the concept
taught. That way, a student struggling with writing can still gain practice and understand the
Cloud concept.
Students who finish early with the Main Idea #2 can move on to writing their Main idea #3. If they
require more enrichment, the teacher can discuss with them as they begin writing the conclusion

for their essays.

6. Writing/Communicating/Assessment: How will you know students have met the purpose of
the lesson? What will students do to record their understanding?
The graphic organizer will function as the primary assessment/writing tool. By using proximity
during group work and through assessing their completed graphic organizers, the teacher will get
a better idea about students progress and whether or not students have met the purpose of the
lesson.

7. Reflection: What were the strengths and or areas of refinement of this lesson. Given what you
taught in this lesson, what are you teaching next?
In future Science lessons, students will be predicting weather patterns based on their
observations of Cloud formations in the sky.