Instructional Unit Plan
Candidate: Kimberly McCreary
Resources/Websites:
Weather Introduction Video: https://youtu.be/qWWx3reC9qA
Weather Vocabulary: http://www.weatherwizkids.com/
The Rain Came Down by David Shannon read aloud:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABlulNhYJII
Check Out the Weather song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmSKsyJ15yg
Forms of Precipitation on YouTube
In Summer Song on YouTube
Changing States of Matter video on Brainpop, Jr.
Performance Expectation:
Start with a: Science engineering practice (design an investigation, use a model, etc) to provide evidence that (content)
Create a weather graph
Create and design a weather report
Design a visual for types of precipitation
Design a contraption to keep ice from melting using knowledge of weather and solid/liquid precipitation types.
Science & Engineering Practices
1. Asking questions
2. Developing and using models
3.Analyze and interpret data
4. Design solutions
Topic and Grade Level: Weather, 1st Grade
Misconceptions:
Weather only changes from day to day.
Precipitation comes from holes in clouds.
Clouds are dust particles.
Mother Nature controls weather changes
Rain drops are shaped like tears
Snow isnt water
The sun is light; a light bulb for the day and serves no other purpose
Disciplinary Core Ideas (Content) Crosscutting Concept(s)
Content Standards S1E1. Obtain, evaluate, and 1. Cause and effect
communicate weather data to identify weather 2. Patterns
patterns. a. Represent data in tables and/or graphs
to identify and describe different types of weather
and the characteristics of each type. b. Ask
questions to identify forms of precipitation such as
rain, snow, sleet, and hailstones as either solid (ice)
or liquid (water) c. Plan and carry out investigations
on current weather conditions by observing,
measuring with simple weather instruments
(thermometer, wind vane, rain gauge), and
recording weather data (temperature, precipitation,
sky conditions, and weather events) in a periodic
journal, on a calendar seasonally, and graphically. d.
Analyze data to identify seasonal patterns of
change. (Clarification statement: examples could
 include temperature, rainfall/snowfall, and changes
to the environment.)
General Sequence of the Unit - Building for Conceptual Understanding - Interdisciplinary Connections

Students will observe different types of weather, use those observations to record weather data and create tools to measure weather.

EVALUATE (Culminating Task):

Student will use what they have learned about types of precipitation to create an insulator to keep Olaf the Snowman frozen and write to describe the
types of weather that would help Olaf stay frozen longer.

Weekly Lesson Plans

Lesson 1 Lesson 2 Lesson 3 Lesson 4

Essential How can weather be described?
Question:
ENGAGE Phenomena: Weather Walk:
(Opening/Hook) Challenge students to use their
How will you senses of sight, smell, hearing,
ENGAGE students and touch to make observations
and/or connect to about the weather. After the
prior knowledge? weather walk, they then
communicate their findings by
illustrating a weather concept
and/or writing about their
observations (GSTA website)
Engage:
Introduce the Phenomenon
watch Brainpop, Jr. :Senses,
Then explore the weather
outside
The students will take a
clipboard on the weather walk
and write down or draw what
How can we measure and record
weather data?
Phenomena: Show rain gauge.
Weather channel, weather
information.
Engage:
Show Check Out the Weather song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R
mSKsyJ15yg
United streaming video about weather
(First Look at Weather) talk about
meteorologists job and how they
measure weather (as discussed in
video); tell student they will be a
meteorologist today but we have a lot
to learn before they are ready to do
their job.
How can I ask questions to How can you use your
identify forms of knowledge of types of
precipitation? precipitation (solid/liquid)
to save Olaf?
Phenomena: Picture of Phenomena: Cup of ice on a
Melting Olaf/Song In candle warmer
Summer
Engage:
Engage: Watch to see what happens
Listen to/watch (on youtube) to the ice in the cup on the
In Summer song and candle warmer. Brainstorm
brainstorm reasons why reasons for the change.
snowmen cant be a happy Why is the ice melting?
snowman in summer.
Watch brain pop, jr. video:
Watch Forms of Changing states of matter
Precipitation on
YouTube. While watching, let
students write down or draw
observations of what they see
and hear for each type of
precipitation.
 they know or experience
regarding weather. The
students will be given 5 minutes
to complete their list when back
in classroom.
The students will share some of
the things theyve written with
their groups. (types of weather,
rain, snow, sunny, cloudy, clear,
weather measurements,etc.)
The reporters at each group will
share one thing that they
discussed in groups.
The teacher will review the
phenomenon: weather walk.
EXPLORE/EXPLAI Explore:
N Continue Engage
(Work Period) Introduce students to Driving
How will students Question Board
EXPLORE, EXPLAIN Add student questions to
and/or EXTEND a driving question board
concept? Share observations of the
weather
Teacher will read Who Likes the
Wind? on Tumblebooks
Explain:
Graphic organizer of
observations (Weather Graph)
Explore:
Continue observations from previous
phenomena (weather walk).
Have examples of thermometers, rain
gauges, anemometers, wind vane, etc.
for students to hold and explore.
Discuss with partners how these tools
work to measure weather. Do they
effectively measure what people want
to know about weather? What would
you do to improve them?
Students will make a model of a
weather tool (thermometer, rain
gauge, etc.)
Use information from daily weather
journals to graph weather information
(temperature, days sunny/rainy/etc.,
inches of rain do this activity
together as a class
Explore:
Give students ice and water.
Have students explore the ice
and water and connect it back
to the types of precipitation
we saw in the video and what
we discussed from the Olaf
song.
Explain:
Read a book on solids and
liquids.
-Is ice be solid or liquid? How
do you know?
-Is water solid or liquid? How
do you know?
-Could something be both?
Watch Seasons Song Video.
Give small groups of students
a poster divided into 4
squares, labeled with a
season. Have students use
Explore:
The teacher will introduce
the purpose of the STEM
project/design challenge:
Anna and Elsa are looking
for a designer to develop an
insulator for Olaf. Your job
is going to be to develop an
insulator that keeps an ice
cube (Olaf) frozen. Your
group will be successful at
this challenge if your ice
cube stays frozen for the
longest time.
Explain:
Read:
Water changes E book on
Mackinvia
Criteria for Design
Challenge:

Closing: Ticket Out the Door: (formative
How will you assessment) Name and describe
summarize the (or draw) one type of weather.
lesson? How will
you EVALUATE? The students will divide a paper
into 4 sections (fold long way
and short way) and draw 4
Explain:
Students will use a green screen app
and make their own television weather
report to describe todays weather,
this will be shared on seesaw
Extend:
Students who are able will use
materials to make a map for the
background of the weather report;
they will discuss different symbols on
the map that show types of weather
Ticket Out the Door (formative
assessment): Tell how many days you
graphed rainy weather this week.
Evaluate and Interpret the Data from
the Weather Graph; Weekly Weather
Journal Entry
paper raindrops, snowballs
made of cotton balls, sleet
made of small foil squares,
and hail made of foil balls. Let
students sort which types of
precipitation could occur in
each season. Allow groups to
present their posters and
discuss any differences.
Ticket Out the Door
(formative assessment):
Write the name of the season
when Olaf would be most
likely to stay frozen.
Evaluate:
-You must only use the
materials provided for this
challenge.
-The insulation chamber
(plastic egg) must be
constructed at the top of
the table or a flat surface.
-Your goal is to build an
insulation chamber that will
keep the ice cube from
melting for the longest
period of time.
-Once finished, you must
time it until you start to see
water leaking from the egg.
-There are many different
ways to complete this
challenge. Be Creative!
-We will measure the
amounts of water and the
time passed before melting
occurs to see which group
was the most successful.
Materials provided:
-Plastic Easter egg
-Paper towels, napkins,
coffee filters, newspaper,
notebook paper, etc.
- Ice cube
-Foil, plastic wrap, wax
paper (cut into small
squares)
Evaluate:
Student Journal
Teacher Observation
Rubric for STEM challenge
 different types of weather they Give students a seasons four
have learned about. On the Evaluate information presented in square. Students will glue
back of each section, they will seesaw weather report; share seesaw either solid Olaf or liquid Olaf
write clues about that type of weather reports with class. into each season. They will
weather. When finished, they then circle whether he is solid
will share with a partner and or liquid in each season and
see if the partner can guess explain why they chose that
their weather type based on the answer.
clues. Teacher will assess
understanding by observation
during this time and by
evaluating the drawings/clues.
Assessment (What is the evidence of learning?)
Formative (On-going) Summative (End)
Weather Forecasting Activity on Seesaw A rubric for the culminating task will be provided.
Students will collect weather data (precipitation, wind direction, Post test covering types of weather and precipitation/seasons
temperature, etc.) in their periodic weather journal
Model of a weather tool
Season 4 square poster
Weather type clue activity
STEM design challenge observations
Differentiated Instruction
Small Groups (Based on Assessment Data) Independent Learning Centers
Leveled groups are based on: Computer stations with preselected websites.
Information gathered from a pretest before beginning unit on Developing Learner:
weather. http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hmsc/activities/simulations/grk/unitd.html
The teachers identification of students who need extra assisstance http://pbskids.org/catinthehat/games/weather-transformer
based on ELL status and/or reading level (DRA)
Proficient and Advanced Learners:
Small groups will be pulled during activities for assistance and extra help https://gpb.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/evscps.sci.ess.watcyc.dress/dress-
with completing the activities. for-the-weather/#.Wa2buIjys2w

Advanced Learner:
https://scijinks.gov/wild-weather-adventure/

Remediation: Teacher will work with small groups of students throughout
all lessons to assist with completion of the activities at an appropriate level.
Teacher will pull students as needed (according to pre-test and observation
throughout lessons) to remediate by breaking information into smaller
segments and showing additional visuals to help the students master the
information. T. will also give these students an opportunity to act out
Extension: Extension activities will be provided for students who have already
mastered the standard during each lesson. These extension activities will
include connecting the information to other content areas and planning or
designing solutions connected to that lesson content for real world problems.
 types of weather and use kinesthetic activities to help students understand
what is being taught.
Literature Connections
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs By Judi Barrett
Shapes in the Sky: A Book About Clouds By Josepha Sherman
Little Cloud by Eric Carle
The Kids' Book of Weather Forecasting: Build a Weather Station, "Read" the
Sky and Make Predictions! (Williamson Kids Can!) by Mark Breen and
Kathleen Friestad
The Rain Came Down By David Shannon
Come on Rain! By Karen Hesse
One Hot Summer Day by Nina Crews
Rain by Robert Kalan

Supporting Documents: