Topic: Forecasting, culminating activity

Grade level: 2

Subject: Weather

SOL: 2.6 The student will investigate and understand basic types, changes, and patterns of weather. Key concepts include a) identification of common storms and other weather phenomena; b) the uses and importance of measuring, recording, and interpreting weather data; c) the uses and importance of tracking weather data over time.

Daily Question: How and why do we forecast weather?

Procedures for Learning Experience / Guiding Questions / Digital Technology / Non digital Technology / Evaluation (Assessment)
Engagement / Who will be the / YouTube / Interactive / Observation of
Tell the students that they / videographer, / video / notebooks / participation
will be forecasting the / forecaster, / and working
weather and video recording / director, or / Role Cards / cooperatively
it. Show the students a funny video of a 2ndgrader / backdrop creator/artist?
forecasting the weather at

tch?v=lm-QxxWTwYQ.
Explain that they will be in
groups of 4 and each student
will have a role, either a
videographer, forecaster,
director, or backdrop
creator/artist. Explain your
expectations that are listed on
the rubric. The students must
work together to decide what
the weather is like and write
out a script; they all must
have it written in their
interactive notebook. Then they will assist the artist in creating the backdrop that the forecaster will use to show the forecast. Explain that cut outs of different weather will be available for them to use. Then explain that they will have to rehearse the forecast before recording their final video. The director’s role is to oversee that all of this happens, and that the students work together and meet the requirements.
Assign students to groups, give them the role cards and allow time to decide who gets which role/card.
Exploration / What weather do / Large pieces / Observation of
Pass out a handout that has / you want to / of paper, for / participation,
space for each student’s / forecast? / the backdrop / working
name and role, forecast / cooperatively,
script, weather details, and / What should / Weather / and attending
backdrop ideas. Tell students / your backdrop / shapes and / to their role.
to glue these into their / look like? / cutouts
interactive notebooks. Tell / Formal
students they have the rest of / What should you / Interactive / assessment of
the class period to work on / say? / notebook / project
the project. Walk around the
classroom to help students, / Can you add / Glue
answer questions, and / more details?
prompt groups who are stuck / Pencils
and confused. If students / Have you
finish, encourage them to add / practiced? / Crayons
more details, consider props,
add more elaborate images to
the backdrop, and practice
the forecast.
Explanation / Have you / Observation of
Explain to the students that / practiced and / participation,
when they think they are / checked with the / working
ready to record their final / teacher? / cooperatively,
forecast to consult with you. / and attending
Tell them you must first / to their role.
approve their script and see a practice forecast. Once approved, explain they may record their video. Help the students hang their backdrops in the hallway and check that the video camera is working. Walk around assisting groups who are still planning, and observe students who are doing their final recording. / Formal assessment of project
Extension / iPads / Observation of
Check out the iPads and tell / participation
students to visit the website /
/ weatherwiz
om/weather-games.htm if / kids.com/we
their group is finished. / ather-
games.htm

Notes: This is a 2-day lesson/activity, they will have previously learned about forecasting. The groups will be sorted to have students with different strengths so each can equally learn from the experience.

Sources:

Plan B: If the You Tube video does not work, continue on with the lesson plan as normal. If the video recording technology does not work, have the groups perform their forecast for the class. If iPads cannot be checked out, allow students to rotate on the classroom computers, or provide a worksheet or activity to complete. If the weather website is down, provide alternative websites for games.

Role Cards

Your Job:Videographer
-Record theforecast
-Run the video camera / Your Job:Forecaster
-Memorize thescript
-Be recorded giving the forecast
Your Job:Director
-Oversee each step and that each person does their role
-Make sure the group meets allrequirements / Your Job:Artist
-Create thebackdrop
-Draw/color or tape/glue cut outs

Rubric:

Exceeds Expectation / Meets Expectations / Below Expectations / Comments
Groupcooperation / Students meet group cooperation expectations all of the time while working on the project.
(20 pts) / Students meet / Students do not meet group cooperation while working on the project.
(10 pts)
The 4 students work cooperatively together by equally contributing/participating, completing individual roles, and treating each other with / group cooperation expectations some of the time while working on the project.
respect. / (15 pts)
(20 pts)
Backdrop / Backdrop displays all expectations.
(10 pts) / Backdrop / Backdrop
The backdrop displays images that relate to the forecast / displays some expectations. / displays no expectations.
predicted. Images show that / (7 pts) / (3 pts)
time was put into drawing or
cutting and pasting, and
carefully thought out.
(10 pts)
Written forecast / The forecast is / The written / The forecast is
The written forecast is well planned, written in complete sentences, and grammatically correct. All 4 students have written the sentence, and agree on the forecast. / written by all students and contains no errors.
(10 pts) / forecast is written by some of the students, and has some errors.
(7 pts) / not written by students, and has many errors.
(3 pts)
(10 pts)
Video forecast / The video has a / The video has a / The video does
The final video product includes the backdrop and memorized forecast. The script is well rehearsed, and runs smoothly. / backdrop and memorized script. The students rehearsed and have few errors. / backdrop but not well rehearsed and some errors. / not have a backdrop or was not rehearsed, and has many errors.
(20 pts) / (20 pts) / (15pts) / (10 pts)