TEACHING GUIDE

TEACHING

Kinds of
Weather

Kindergarten Reading Level

ISBN 978-0-8225-5397-7
2 TEACHING K I N D S O F W E AT H E R

Standards
Behavioral • Knows that people use their senses to find out about their surroundings.
Studies

Geography • Understands the characteristics and uses of maps, globes, and other geographic tools
and technologies.
• Knows the location of places, geographic features, and patterns of the environment.
• Understands how physical systems affect human systems.

Mathematics • Collects and represents information about objects or events in simple graphs.

Science • Understands atmospheric processes and the water cycle.

Multiple Intelligences Utilized

• Linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, intrapersonal,
interpersonal, and naturalistic

Books in the Kinds of Weather

Copyright © 2005 by Publishing Group, Inc. series include:

All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Student pages may be Cloudy
reproduced by the classroom teacher for classroom use only, not for commercial Rainy
resale. No other part of this teaching guide may be reproduced, stored in a Snowy
retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, Sunny
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the prior written Windy
permission of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc., except for the inclusion of brief
quotations in an acknowledged review.

LernerClassroom
A division of Lerner Publishing Group
241 First Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN 55401 U.S.A.
800-328-4929
Website address: www.lernerclassroom.com

Manufactured in the United States of America

2 3 4 5 6 7 — IG — 14 13 12 11 10 09
 TEACHING K I N D S O F W E AT H E R 3

Pretest
Lesson 1 (teacher, students)
• What is the weather like today?
Weather Sort • What are the other kinds of weather?
Purpose: Students will classify weather-related items.
Read
(teacher, students)
• Read Kinds of Weather books.
Materials • file folders
• Kinds of Weather • scissors
books • markers Model
• file folder game • glue (teacher)
templates pp. 11–13 • Demonstrate how to play the Weather Sort game by
selecting a game piece and placing it onto the
correct weather category.
• Select and place a few items correctly and
incorrectly. Have students correct the incorrect
Objectives answers.
• Name weather-related items. • Demonstrate how to help a partner who places an
• Describe weather conditions. item incorrectly.
• Determine use of weather-related items.
• Categorize weather-related items. Practice
• Suggest additional weather-related items. (small groups)
• Evaluate peer responses. • Play the Weather Sort game with a partner.

Activity Procedures
Discuss
(teacher, students)
Prepare • Could any of the pieces fit in more than one
(teacher) weather category? Why?
• Create enough Weather Sort games for the class to • What other items could we add to the game?
play in pairs by completing the following steps:
Step 1 Copy one file folder game template
pp. 11–13 for every two students. Evaluate
Step 2 Cut out the large game board (teacher)
rectangles and glue them to the inside • Observe pairs while playing. Check for
of a file folder. understanding.
Step 3 Cut out and color game pieces.
Step 4 Mark the backs of game pieces with
weather categories (windy, sunny, rainy,
cloudy, snowy) for self-correction, if
desired.
Step 5 Laminate game board and pieces for
durability.
Step 6 Attach a plastic zipper sandwich bag to
the inside of the folder to store the
pieces.
4 TEACHING K I N D S O F W E AT H E R

Practice
Lesson 2 (students)
• Complete Weather Walk p. 14.
Weather Walk
Purpose: Students will observe signs of weather in an Discuss
outdoor environment. (teacher, students)
• Were there any items you didn’t find on our walk?
Why didn’t we see those things today?
Materials • Weather Walk p. 14 • Do you think we would find the same things every
• Kinds of Weather • pencils time we went out for a walk? Why or why not?
books • How did the weather affect the plants, animals, and
people on our walk?

Evaluate
(teacher)
Objectives
• Review Weather Walk p. 14 for completeness.
• Recall weather-related items.
• Complete this activity at various times during the
• Describe weather conditions.
school year to assess long-term retention.
• Examine surroundings for weather-related items.
• Compare and contrast weather conditions.
• Predict future sightings of weather-related items.
• Justify reasons for not finding all possible weather-
related items.

Activity Procedures

Prepare
(teacher)
• Copy Weather Walk p. 14 for each student.
• Get permission to lead the students on a walk
outside the school.

Pretest
(teacher, students)
• How can you tell the weather by looking outside?

Read
(teacher, students)
• Read Kinds of Weather books.

Model
(teacher)
• Explain Weather Walk p. 14 to the students.
• Review expectations for the walk.
• Remind students to look at plants, animals, and
people on their walk.
 TEACHING K I N D S O F W E AT H E R 5

Model
Lesson 3 (teacher)
• Explain how it is possible to have different
Weather All the Time combinations of weather.
• Give examples of different weather combinations.
Purpose: Students will explain how different kinds of • Tell students that they will create a weather picture.
weather can occur at the same time.

Practice
Materials • plain paper (students)
• Kinds of Weather • crayons • Students should draw a picture of a weather
books • chalk combination.

Discuss
(teacher, students)
• Are there any kinds of weather that can’t happen at
Objectives the same time? Explain.
• Recall the different kinds of weather. • Which combinations of weather do you like the best?
• Describe the kinds of weather.
• Illustrate a weather combination.
• Analyze different kinds of weather. Evaluate
• Combine different kinds of weather. (teacher)
• Choose a favorite combination of weather. • Review pictures for completeness and understanding.
• Display weather artwork in the classroom.
Activity Procedures

Prepare
(teacher)
• Write weather words on the board (sunny, windy,
rainy, snowy, and cloudy).

Pretest
(teacher, students)
• Has anyone seen a sun shower or played in snow on a
windy day? What did it look like? What did it feel
like?

Read
(teacher, students)
• Read Kinds of Weather books.
6 TEACHING K I N D S O F W E AT H E R

Model
Lesson 4 (teacher)
• Explain how clouds, wind, rainstorms, and snowstorms
A World of Weather move across the Earth.
• Explain how storms can vary in size and strength.
Purpose: Students will understand that weather is not • Describe the symbols used for different weather
the same in all places. types.

Practice
Materials • Internet access or (students, teacher)
• Kinds of Weather videotaped national • Students will watch the weather broadcast via
books weather broadcast Internet or videotape.
• Ask students to identify certain weather symbols.
• Students compare kinds of weather across the
country.
Objectives
• Recall kinds of weather. Discuss
• Explain symbols used for weather conditions. (teacher, students)
• Locate different kinds of weather. • Instead of using the computer or television, how
• Compare weather in different locations. could we find out or predict the weather in another
• Develop ways to check weather in different places. state?
• Explain the importance of knowing weather in other • Why would a person want to know the weather in
places. another place?

Activity Procedures Evaluate

(teacher)
Prepare • Evaluate student responses during the activity.
(teacher) • Complete this activity at various times during the
• Tape a national weather broadcast in which weather school year to assess long-term retention.
symbols are used.
• Arrange to show the videotape or a weather Internet
site* to the students.
*Sites to try:
http://www.accuweather.com
http://theweathernetwork.com

Pretest
(teacher, students)
• What is the weather like today?
• Is the weather the same at Disney World? At
Disneyland? In Washington, D.C.?

Read
(teacher, students)
• Read Kinds of Weather books.
 TEACHING K I N D S O F W E AT H E R 7

Practice
Lesson 5 (students)
• Students circle their favorite kind of weather.
Weather Sense • Complete Weather Sense p. 15 for that kind of
weather.
Purpose: Students will describe the weather they
prefer by using sensory images.
Discuss
(teacher, students)
• Students share Weather Sense p.15 with the class.
Materials • pencils • Record on the graph which kinds of weather the
• Kinds of Weather • crayons students chose.
books • chart paper • How did you pick your favorite kind of weather?
• Weather Sense p. 15 • Why didn’t everybody pick the same kind of
weather?

Evaluate
Objectives (teacher)
• Recall the kinds of weather. • Review completed Weather Sense p. 15 for
• Describe the kinds of weather. understanding and completeness.
• Choose a favorite kind of weather.
• Examine kinds of weather by using senses.
• Discuss reasons people have different preferences.
• Explain preference for a kind of weather.

Activity Procedures

Prepare
(teacher)
• Copy Weather Sense p. 15 for each student.
• On chart paper, create a graph of the different kinds
of weather. Data will be compiled later.

Pretest
(teacher, students)
• What is your favorite kind of weather?

Read
(teacher, students)
• Read Kinds of Weather books.

Model
(teacher)
• Explain the directions for Weather Sense p. 15.
8 TEACHING K I N D S O F W E AT H E R

Model
Lesson 6 (teacher, students)
• Brainstorm activities for each kind of weather.
Weather Fun • List the activities on the board.
• Assign each member of a group a different kind of
Purpose: Students will create a booklet of weather- weather.
related activities. • Demonstrate how to write the kind of weather in
the blank of ___ Day Fun p. 16.
• Explain how to complete ___ Day Fun p. 16.
Materials • scissors
• Kinds of Weather • glue Practice
books • crayons (small groups)
• ____ Day Fun p. 16 • pencils • Students color or cut and paste pictures of activities
• magazines • chalk to do during their assigned kind of weather.
• Assemble pages into a booklet for each group.

Discuss
(teacher, students)
Objectives • What activities can you do on a sunny day? On a
• Recall kinds of weather. rainy day?
• Describe weather-related activities. • Which type of day is your favorite? Why?
• Find pictures of weather-related activities. • Which activities don’t depend on the weather?
• Categorize activities by weather type.
• Create a booklet of weather-related activities.
• Select a favorite weather-related activity. Evaluate
(teacher)
Activity Procedures • Review completed booklets.
• Display booklets in the classroom.
Prepare
(teacher)
• Copy ___ Day Fun p. 16 for each student.
• Arrange students in groups of five.

Pretest
(teacher, students)
• Why can’t we go sledding on a rainy day?

Read
(teacher, students)
• Read Kinds of Weather books.
 TEACHING K I N D S O F W E AT H E R 9

Model
Lesson 7 (teacher, students)
• Explain how weather can affect the choices people
What to Wear? make, especially what to wear.
• Discuss different types of weather-related clothing.
Purpose: Students will choose weather-appropriate • Explain that students will do a clothing relay, with
clothing. the following rules:
1. Teacher calls out a kind of weather.
2. One team member runs to their clothing pile
Materials • five baseball caps and dresses for that weather.
• Kinds of Weather • five winter coats 3. Class decides which team members are dressed
books • five pairs of mittens appropriately.
• five pairs of swim • five scarves 4. Teacher calls out different kind of weather,
trunks • five jackets and play continues with other team members.
• five pairs of • five pairs of boots
sunglasses
Practice
(small groups)
• Play the clothing relay until all students have had a
turn.
Objectives
• Recall kinds of weather.
• Describe weather conditions. Discuss
• Demonstrate purpose of weather-related clothing. (teacher, students)
• Separate clothing according to its appropriate kind of • Which type of weather is the hardest to dress for?
weather. Why?
• Develop clothing ideas for weather changes. • What can people do in case the weather changes
• Assess the level of difficulty of weather-related during the day?
clothing.
Evaluate
Activity Procedures (teacher)
• Monitor student participation and understanding
Prepare during the game and follow-up discussion.
(teacher)
• Divide the class into five teams.
• Place one of each item into a pile for each team.

Pretest
(teacher, students)
• Why do people like to know what the weather will
be like during the day?

Read
(teacher, students)
• Read Kinds of Weather books.
10 TEACHING K I N D S O F W E AT H E R

Additional Resources Vestergaard, Hope. Hello, Snow! New York: Farrar,

Straus and Giroux, 2004.
This is the story of a young girl’s adventures after
BOOKS
a new snowfall. The rhyming text appeals to
Bauer, Marion Dane. Clouds. New York: Simon &
young children.
Schuster, 2004.
Wick, Walter. A Drop of Water: A Book of Science and
———. Rain. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2004.
Wonder. New York: Scholastic, 1997.
———. Snow. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2004.
Water is everywhere, including in the weather.
———. Wind. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2004.
Stop-action photographs allow children to view
This simple series of books is designed to
the many properties of water.
introduce children to the wonders of weather.
Ziefert, Harriet. Bear Gets Dressed: A Guessing Game
Complex concepts are presented without using
Story. New York: Sterling Publishing Company,
high-level vocabulary.
2004.
Brotak, Edward. Wild about Weather: 50 Wet, Windy
Children will enjoy helping Bear dress for the
and Wonderful Activities. New York: Sterling
weather. Foldout pages provide the reader with
Publishing Company, 2004.
a picture of Bear dressed appropriately for the
This book includes a variety of weather-related
day.
topics. It provides information, as well as crafts
and activities, on how weather works.
WEBSITES
Eckart, Edana. Watching the Seasons. New York:
Dan’s Wild Weather Page
Children’s Press, 2004.
http://www.wildwildweather.com
Watching the Seasons provides facts about the
At this site, visitors can play games, listen to
seasons through simple text and pictures. Other
weather sounds, and learn about different types
books in this series include Watching the Weather
of weather. The site is designed for visitors ages
and Watching the Wind.
6–16.
Laser, Michael. The Rain. New York: Simon &
The Weather Channel
Schuster, 1997.
http://www.weatherclassroom.com/home_
Readers experience rain from the viewpoints of
students.php
five different people.
Design and print your own five-day forecast, just
Napoli, Donna Jo. Albert. San Diego: Silver Whistle,
like a real meteorologist.
2001.
Weather Dude
In this humorous tale, Albert, discouraged by all
http://www.wxdude.com/
kinds of weather, lives his life indoors. A visitor
Welcome to the weather education site
opens Albert’s eyes and helps him appreciate the
especially for students, parents, kids, and teachers
world outdoors.
from national TV meteorologist Nick Walker.
Nelson, Robin. A Cloudy Day. Minneapolis: Lerner
Weather Icons
Publishing Group, 2002.
http://www.theweathernetwork.com/inter/help/
———. A Rainy Day. Minneapolis: Lerner Publishing
icons/helpicons.htm
Group, 2002.
This site explains the differences in weather icons
———. A Snowy Day. Minneapolis: Lerner Publishing
and weather conditions, such as flurries and
Group, 2002.
snow.
———. A Sunny Day. Minneapolis: Lerner Publishing
Group, 2002.
———. A Windy Day. Minneapolis: Lerner Publishing
Group, 2002.
This series shows emergent readers the basics of
weather.
 11

rainy sunny

cloudy windy

Teaching Kinds of Weather

12

snowy

raincoat snowsuit

sunglasses kite

jacket puffy clouds flat clouds raindrop

umbrella lightning rainbow puddle

Teaching Kinds of Weather

 13

flag seeds windmill trees

snowflake ice snowman sled

sun shadow swimmer swimsuit

• To make the gameboard, • To allow for self-correcting,

cut out and glue the write the correct weather
large rectangles inside category (sunny, windy, etc.)
a file folder. on the back of the pieces.

• For durability, laminate the

zipper-top
pieces and gameboard.
plastic bag

• Cut out and color the • Secure in a zipper-top plastic

gray clouds game pieces. bag for storage.

Teaching Kinds of Weather

14

Weather Walk
Name

Directions: Circle the things you find on your weather

walk.
shadow blowing flag sunglasses ice

snowflake puddle flat clouds sun

rainbow snowsuit blowing tree fluffy clouds

Teaching Kinds of Weather

 15

Weather Sense
Name

Directions: Circle your favorite kind of day.

cloudy rainy sunny snowy windy

On those days, I taste . . . I smell . . .

I hear . . . I feel . . .

Teaching Kinds of Weather

16

________________ Day Fun

By ____________________

Teaching Kinds of Weather