Student Response and Assessment Tools

Lesson Idea Name: Weather Type and Tools

Content Area: Science
Grade Level(s): 1st Grade
Content Standard Addressed:
S1E1.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, and graphically

Technology Standard Addressed:

3.a build knowledge by actively exploring real-world issues and problems, developing ideas and theories and
pursing answers and solutions.
Selected Technology Tool:
☒ Socrative ☐ iRespond ☐ Quizlet ☐ Plickers ☐ Kahoot! ☐ Office365 Forms
☐ Other:
URL(s) to support the lesson (if applicable):

Technology that student will use to respond to questions/prompts:

☒ Computer ☐ Hand-held student response system (like iRespond) ☐ Phone ☒ Tablet (such as iPad)
☒ Other wireless device (such as iPod Touch)
Type of session:
☐ Teacher-Paced ☒ Student-Paced
Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):
☒ Remembering ☒ Understanding ☒ Applying ☒ Analyzing ☒ Evaluating ☐ Creating

Universal Design for Learning (UDL):

Engagement – This lesson fosters collaboration and community as students work in pairs to complete this STR
activity. They must combine their ideas to respond to the short answer questions and collaborate to determine
what answers to pick in the multiple-choice section. This will help promote student engagement because
students get the chance to work with someone else and are able receive instant support from their partner as
needed throughout the task.
This lesson allows for increase mastery-oriented feedback, meaning students are able to master this concept
through the feedback provided following this activity. Once everyone in the class has finished this task, I will
review with them the responses provided to each question. I will provide instant feedback and give students the
chance to understand the appropriate response for each section.

Representation – This lesson activates student’s background knowledge by having them reflect over
previously explored content. Students have previously explored weather tools and how to record information
taken from them. Students are then able to use this previously explored information and apply it to this new
activity.

Action & Expression – This lesson uses multiple media for students to communicate their ideas. Students are
able to type and highlight different response to demonstrate their understanding of the content. It also allows
them to communicate in an anonymous fashion, encouraging them to provide more accurate responses to the
various questions.
This lesson also allows for increased progress monitoring as students get the chance to review the questions
and responses after the activity. They are able to ask questions and receive more clarify about the different
questions/answers seen on the STR. This will help them to understand what the need to reflect on as we move
on to the final project
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Describe the instructional activities that will occur PRIOR to the SRT activity and how you will
introduce the SRT activity.
Students would have been introduced to the tools used to measure weather patterns as well as how to record the
information received from them. By this point in time, they would have completed various small group
activities that had them explore each tool. These tools include thermometer, rain gage, anemometer, barometer,
and wind vane. In these small groups, students would have watched an introductory video talking about each
tool and would have explored how they work in an outdoor setting. Students would have then recorded what
they learned about each tool in a 3-2-1: 3 things they discovered about the tool, 2 facts they found interesting,
and 1 question they might have about the tool. After this tool exploration, students would have then explored
the different methods that they can record the data that they can get from these tools. These methods include a
graph, periodical journal, and a calendar.
After students have completed exploring these different aspects, they will complete the SRT activity, so I can
check their current understanding of this topic. This will let me know what students recall from these previous
activities and will let me know what I should highlight for students prior to taking on our next task. We will
review as a group the different answers and discuss the different responses provided.

Describe the purpose of the SRT activity (check all that apply):
☒ Assess prior knowledge ☐ Anticipatory set (Create interest in a topic) ☒ To illuminate common
misconceptions ☒ Formative assessment of content knowledge (for purpose of differentiation and mastery
for ALL students) ☐ Summative assessment of content knowledge ☐ Test preparation
☐ Survey/Poll ☒ Discussion starter ☐ “Homework” collection ☐ Other (please explain):

Briefly describe what will happen DURING the SRT activity:

During the SRT activity, students will be responding to 8 questions on Socrative. They will demonstrate what
they understand about the weather tools previously explored. They will also demonstrate what they understand
about the different ways that they can record the information from these weather tools.
Students will be granted the chance to work in pairs to complete this formative assessment. Each pair will be
given a computer/iPad to complete this task. I will walk around and aid students who may need specific
questions clarified. I will use the information provided in this SRT to support the follow up discussion prior to
taking on the next learning task. This SRT should take students around 15 to 20 minutes to complete.

Type of questions/prompts used in this activity (check all that apply):

☐ Multiple choice ☒ Multiple select ☐ True/False ☐ Yes/No
☒ Short open-ended response or fill-in the blank ☐ Longer open-ended response

If you are unable to provide a working sample of your questions, please list them below (8-10):
1. (Short Answer) Why do we use a Thermometer to measure temperature? Why do we not use a
Barometer?
2. (Short Answer) How often should we monitor the tools we use to monitor the weather?
3. (Short Answer) What can data from a rain gage tell us?
4. (Short Answer) Why do we use an anemometer than a wind vane when trying to figure out wind
speed?
5. (Multiple Select) What are the most appropriate ways to present data from a thermometer, rain gage,
and anemometer?
a. Graphically, such as a bar graph.
b. By writing it on a white board.
c. Through a periodic journal.
d. On a calendar.
6. (Multiple Select) What types of graphs would help us better present information taken from our
weather tools?
a. Bar Graph

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b. Pie Chart
c. Line Graph
d. Time-line
7. What can information from our weather tools tell us as meteorologists?
a. The season we are in.
b. That a storm is on its way.
c. That an earthquake is about to occur.
d. That we are in a drought.
8. (Short Answer) How can we use the information taken from our weather tools to help our community?

Right/Wrong answers: Will there be right/wrong answers to these questions?

☒ Yes ☐ No
☐ Mixed (Some will have correct answers, other will not.)
Immediate corrective feedback: Will you pre-select correct answers to some of all of the questions and
display correct response to the class after the SRT activity?
☒ Yes
☐ No
Why or why not?
Socrative, depending on the question type, will allow students to view if their answers were correct. After the
activity, I will review with students the different questions and the provided responses.
Describe what will happen AFTER the SRT activity?
After the SRT activity, I will review with the class the questions and the responses provide in this activity. As
we go through the short answer questions, I will allow students to provide some clarity to their responses and
will review any misconceptions presented in the responses. As we go through the multiple-choice questions, I
will highlight the correct responses and explain the reasoning behind the options.
I will then lead students into the final project that has them monitor the weather for a month using the tools
previously explored. However, the timing of this activity will be based off the data received from the formative
assessment.

How will the data be used?

The data will be used to let me know what my students understand about the different weather tools previously
explored as well as the different methods to record the information from them. It will let me know how I should
proceed in future lessons and if I need to provide more explicit/scaffold lessons to help students with this
specific content. If the majority of students had a lot of difficulty with this particular topic, I will create a
reteach lesson to help cover any weak areas. If only a few students had difficulty with this particular topic, I
will work with them in a small group to help them correct any misconceptions or misunderstandings they had
about it. This data will also be used to tell me if my instruction from previous lessons should be modified in
order to meet the needs of all my students.
The data will not be used as a grade, rather it will be used to help me guide my instruction to the final project.

Describe your personal learning goal for this activity.

I am hoping to learn how effective this method of assessment is compared to the typical route taken by
teachers. I am thinking that this route is more engaging for students because they are able to work in pairs and
use a technological device to input their response; however, I won’t know the impact till I attempt it. I am also
hoping that I receive more accurate feedback from students on what they know about this specific content. I
think since students are able to respond anonymously, they will feel more encouraged to provide their true
answer. I hope that this style of response is effective because it will help me to better tackle any
misconceptions they may still have about this particular topic.
As for my students, I am hoping they are able to connect how these tools can be used outside of the classroom.
The questions are designed to help target this particular area as it prepares them for the final project. I am also

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hoping that students can understand the purpose of these measuring tools and view the importance of them in a
real-life setting.

Reflective Practice:
I feel like the STR activity created in this lesson would help students better comprehend the use and the
importance of these different weather measuring tools. It will allow them to test their understanding of this
content and view what they need to review for future tasks.
I could extend this activity by having students utilize these tools to measure the weather for a month. It will
allow them to understand how these tools are used and work together in a real-life setting.
I could utilize Quizlet as another assessment tool. It allows students to review the information and complete
other various tasks prior to taking the actual quiz. It would allow them to practice with the material prior to
demonstrating their understanding of this particular topic.

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