Concept Attainment Lesson
Changing Weather
With Chris Van Allsburg
Changing Weather
With Chris Van Allsburg
Michigan Content Standards and Benchmarks and GLCE’s:
Language Arts:
R.AT.02.01 be enthusiastic about reading and learning how to read.
L.CN.02.03 listen to or view knowledgeably while demonstrating appropriate social skills of audience behaviors (e.g., eye contact, attentive, supportive) in small and large group settings; listen to the comments of peers and respond on topic adding a connected idea.
Science:
S.IP.02.11 Make purposeful observation of the natural world using the appropriate senses.
S.IP.02.12 Generate questions based on observations.
S.IP.02.13 Plan and conduct simple investigations.
S.IP.02.14 Manipulate simple tools (ruler, meter stick, measuring cups, hand lens, thermometer, balance) that aid observation and data collection.
S.IP.02.15 Make accurate measurements with appropriate units (meter, centimeter) for the measurement tool.
S.IP.02.16 Construct simple charts and graphs from data and observations.
S.IA.02.12 Share ideas about science through purposeful conversation.
S.IA.02.13 Communicate and present findings of observations.
S.IA.02.14 Develop strategies and skills for information gathering and problem solving (books, internet, ask an expert, observation, investigation, technology tools).
Objectives:
v Students will be able to document and record the daily weather including the temperature using their weather recording sheets.
v Students will be able to verbally compare similarities and differences in the weather day to day and week to week in a discussion with the teacher.
v Students will be able to discuss why the temperatures change day to day, week to week, and season and season with the teacher.
Purpose:
The purpose of this is to allow students to take time to interact and learn about their environment and surroundings. Several children don’t know whether they will need gloves or a hat when we go outside for recess. By the end of this lesson, the students will understand different temperatures and how they feel (hence forth, will be able to make educated guesses on if gloves and hats are needed or not).
Materials:
v Class thermometer
v Two weather recording sheets (green pages in Author Journals)
v Pencils
v Markers
v Several large pieces of white paper
v The book The Stranger by Chris Van Allsburg
Anticipatory Set:
Every morning (for one week before this lesson) the teacher will discuss the weather during morning work. How does it look outside? Windy, cloudy, foggy, cloudy…etc. How does it feel outside? Cold, warm, hot, wet…etc. What do think the weather will be like tomorrow? What was the weather like last week? Why do you think it has been different or the same?
The teacher will announce the day of the lesson that the author detectives have a new mission! And they will need to read one of Chris Van Allsburg’s books to help them complete this mission. The teacher should then read aloud Chris Van Allsburg’s book The Stranger. The teacher should be sure to discuss the weather changes in the story.
Lesson Development:
Day One – Step One:
The class will discuss and then agree upon what we think “typical” winter weather looks like, feels like, and if there are any patterns? The class will record their thoughts on a large white piece of paper.
The teacher will then explain the author detectives’ new mission. They will just like real author and detectives, keep a running record of events. Often time’s authors collect data to help write their stories. Do you think Chris Van Allsburg collected data on weather to help him write his story The Stranger? Their mission is to record the daily weather in their Author Journals for two weeks! After all the author detectives have two weeks worth of daily records, they will compare and contrast the weather. The author detectives will also determine if they see any patterns, and how many of those days weather was consider to be “winter weather.”
Modeling:
The teacher will demonstrate using their author journal weather recording sheets. As a class, they will determine what they think it looks like outside and then fill out all of column one (Monday) on the first weather sheet. The class has already learned how to read thermometers (learned to do so during math) therefore; the author detectives will use that large class thermometer to record the daily temperature. The teacher will assist the students with completing the first day’s chart.
Days three through ten – Step Two:
Noting differences. After the author detectives have documented the weather for three days the teacher should verify that everyone is successfully recording the weather in all the parts the chart requires. The teacher should ask, in what ways have the last three days been different?
Step Three:
Noting similarities. When the weather has been recorded for three days, the teacher should ask the author detectives, in what ways have the last three days been similar? How the weather been what we considered to be typical winter weather?
Repeat steps two and three every three days, for two weeks.
Day Ten – Step Four:
Summarizing. The teacher will guide the students in a discussion summarizing the weather the last two weeks. Did we see a lot of similarities? Difference? Patterns? Was the weather “typically” winter weather? (According to our definitions)
As a class, we will use a large white piece of paper to write down summaries of our recordings.
Step Five:
Labeling. The class will return to the list of what they felt was “typical” winter weather (they created the first day). The teacher will ask if any changes should be made? Or if they still feel the same way? The teacher will ask the author detectives, if you had to describe fall in three words, which three words would you choose?
Closure:
The class will review their research/recordings. The teacher will ask if after having recorded winter weather, do you feel you could make better guesses at fall weather? Summer weather? And spring weather? Why or why not? The teacher will applaud the author detectives’ hard work and excellent recording skills!
Assessment:
Author detectives should have successfully completed their Author Journal weather recording pages. Every author detective must participate in the class discussions throughout the two weeks. Students should also participate in discussion that connects their data to authors’ research for stories.