The Four Seasons
Bridgette Sotzen and Tracie Searing
E.ES.01.22: Describe and compare weather related to the four seasons in terms of temperature, cloud cover, precipitation, and wind.
The Teaching Process:
Lesson Overview
After completion students will be able to:
Recognize the names of the four seasons
Identify the weather associated with each season
Become familiar with weather vocabulary
Compare/contrast each season in terms of weather, clothing, time of year, and activities in a graphic organizer
Complete seasons book
Materials
Book: Four Seasons Make a Year by Anne Rockwell
Construction paper, scissors, glue, markers, weather pictures (provided by teacher or from nature/travel magazines)
Seasons poster with graphic organizer to compare/contrast the four seasons
Engage:
Begin the lesson with reading the children’s book:Four Seasons Make a Year by Anne Rockwell. Students will then be asked to participate in a class discussion where they will share what they know about the seasons. Students can discuss what they learned from the story, what they already know, and what they would like to learn. On the seasons poster students should brainstorm a list of weather words (ex. snow, rain, cloudy, windy, sunny, cold, and hot). Next students should be able to provide the names of the four seasons, and what weather words they think belong under each season. Students may also wish to share their favorite season, clothing they wear, or activities they participate in during this time of year. The teacher will write responses under the appropriate category, and hang the poster up in the classroom for students to refer back to. This can be used as a pre- assessment tool and a way for the teacher to gaugestudent’s prior knowledge and interest.
Explore:
Students will be placed in groups of 2-3 students, and asked to make a collage of each season. Each group will be provided with a sheet of construction paper, which can be folded into four equal parts and labeled with a corresponding season. Each group will also be provided with weather related pictures either given by the teacher or found in magazines. Students will then be asked to arrange pictures into four piles, representing the weather that they think is found most often in each season. Note to teacher: some pictures may overlap as they can be found in many seasons; this is left up the child’sdiscretion to demonstrate what they know. After pictures have been arranged they may be glued down to the appropriate column, and the students now have a visual representation of each season.
Explain:
The teacher should now pass out the season’s book, which students will cut out and assemble. As a class the teacher will go through the book and describe weather, clothing, and months associated with each season in the northern hemisphere. The teacher should also explain that seasons can differ depending on where you live, and that some areas only have two seasons (rainy and dry). The teacher should now introduce terms that we use to describe weather in regards to temperature, cloud cover, precipitation, and wind.
Temperature: The degree of “hotness” or “coldness” of a body or environment.
Cloud cover: The amount of clouds in the sky in a particular area.
Precipitation: Any form of water such as rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the earth’s surface or ground.
Wind: Moving air that can change speed and direction. Winds may be strong, breezy, or calm.
With this new knowledge students may now share there collages with the class and describe what the pictures show about the seasons using weather terminology.
Elaborate:
Students will be asked to write a postcard as if they were writing to a friend that did not live in Michigan. On the front of the postcard they will draw a picture of the weather outside during this time of year. On the back, students will talk about what their favorite season is, why they like this season, and what the weather is like.
Evaluate:
Students will be evaluated on the following:
- Participation in class discussions
- Completion of the four seasons collage, postcard, and seasons book