Developmental Lesson Plan

Teacher Candidate: Kelsey Frary Date: January 21st, 2021 Group Size: 24 Students
Allotted Time: 30 Minutes
Grade Level: 4th Grade
Subject: Science
Topic: Weather Unit- Lesson Five: Weather Tools

Common Core/PA Standard(s):

Standard:

Identify appropriate instruments (i.e., thermometer, rain gauge, weather vane, anemometer,
and barometer) to study weather and what they measure
Eligible Content - S4.D.2.1.3 Identify appropriate instruments (i.e., thermometer, rain gauge,
weather vane, anemometer, and barometer) to study weather and what they measure.

Learning Targets/Objectives:

- The fourth grade students will be able to identify appropriate instruments/ weather tools
in order to appropriately measure different types of weather.

Assessment Approaches: Evidence:

1. Sticky note anchor chart 1. Observation
a. Students receive a sticky note
with a weather tool on it. They
must provide a description of
the tool and the type of weather
it measures and they will post it
on the anchor chart with their
name on it!
Assessment Scale:

N/A- observation

Subject Matter/Content:

Prerequisites:

*Content taught in lessons #1, #2, #3, #4*

● Weather: Weather is described as the condition of the atmosphere outside at any given
time and place. Weather is also known as what is happening outside at any given
time.The temperature and other outside conditions such as rain and cloudiness at a
particular time and place help us tell the weather in a specific area.
● Weather Measurements: The many different ways we can measure weather and predict
weather patterns
● Temperature: The measure of hotness or coldness
● Observations: The action or process of observing something or someone carefully or in
order to gain information
● Precipitation: Rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground.
● Wind: Air as it moves naturally over the surface of the earth
● Cloud conditions: Condition of the clouds that indicate weather
● Barometric Pressure: The measure of the air pressure around us
● Map: A map is a drawing of all or part of Earth's surface. Maps may show visible
features, such as rivers and lakes, forests, buildings, and roads. They may also
show things that cannot be seen, such as boundaries and temperatures. Most maps
are drawn on a flat surface.
● A basic understanding of patterns and symbols
● Weather Map: a map showing the state of the weather over a large area, weather
maps are used to display weather patterns
● Meteorologist: an expert in or student of meteorology; a weather forecaster.
● Forecast: a prediction or estimate of future events, especially coming weather or a
financial trend
● Weather map symbols: Symbols used to represent different types of weather on a
map

● Weather patterns: A weather pattern occurs when the weather stays the same for
days or weeks at a time. The patterns of weather are tied to the four seasons:
summer, winter, spring, and fall. There are a few different weather patterns that
you may already know about, such as hot and dry, wet and rainy, or cold.
● Weather calendar: A weather calendar is used to help scientists study the weather
by looking for patterns. Weather calendars can consist of information such as
weather symbols, temperature, days or months of the week/year to show patterns
and change over a specific period of time.
● Weather graph: Weather graphs are another way that scientists can track the
weather over certain periods of time. Bar graphs are a great way to help scientists
keep track over certain types of weather and averages during months of the year.
● Interpret (weather, patterns on a graph/chart: To explain or tell the meaning of.
● Cumulus cloud- Cumulus clouds are tall and puffy. They can be many different
shapes and look a lot like cotton balls. When sunlight hits these clouds, they are
bright white. Cumulus clouds usually mean fair weather.
● Stratus cloud- Stratus clouds are often gray and block out much of the Sun. They
grow across the sky in layers. Stratus clouds often carry precipitation. However, it
is usually light rain or drizzle. Most stratus clouds are found lower in the
atmosphere, but there are some other types of stratus clouds found at higher
altitudes.
 ● Cirrus clouds- In cirrus clouds, water droplets collect to form thin curves with no
clear shape. Cirrus clouds are found high in the sky (at about 18,000 feet or
above). Cirrus clouds tend to form when the wind is strong. Cirrus clouds normally
predict fair to pleasant weather
● Cumulonimbus clouds- Cumulonimbus clouds can't hold all their water droplets.
These drops can become so heavy that they fall as rain, snow, or hail. These clouds
look tall, puffy, and gray. They are often called storm clouds, and they may bring
thunder and lightning.

Key Vocabulary:

Thermometer: Measures temperature

Rain Gauge: Measures the amount of rainfall
Snow Gauge: Measures the amount of snowfall
Anemometer: Measures wind speed
Wind Sock: Measures the direction of the wind
Weather Vane: Measures the direction of the wind
Barometer: Measures air pressure
Anemometer: Measures wind speed in 1 area

Content/Facts:

Rain gauge: Let’s take a look at our first tool that helps us measure the weather. The first tool
is a rain gauge! A rain gauge helps us measure the amount of rainfall that has occurred over a
given period of time. This helps us determine the number of inches of rainfall that occurred in
a specific area. Meteorologists and scientists use rain gauges to help them look at weather
patterns over a period of time. For example, scientists and meteorologists could record the
inches of rainfall each time it rained outside using a rain gauge to look for patterns over the
years to help them predict rainfall in inches for future years.

Snow gauge: A snow gauge works the same way that a rain gauge! A snow gauge measures the
amount of snow that falls over a period of time! This helps us determine the amount of snow
that has fallen in a specific area over a period of time and helps to predict weather patterns over
a period of time! Meteorologists use the snow gauge to help us predict snow patterns over the
years to make future predictions for the winter season!”

Thermometer: We use a thermometer everyday that we put in the window to record the
temperature for our weather journals! The temperature is measured with a thermometer to tell
us how warm or cold it is outside. We measure temperature in degrees fahrenheit!”

Anemometer: An anemometer measures the wind speed in one specific area! Just like we
talked about yesterday, this can help us predict the weather and wind speed over a period of
time. Meteorologists can use anemometers to predict what the wind speed will be like in one
specific area! It is very important to understand wind speed. High wind speeds can lead to
extreme weather such as tornadoes, hurricanes, and more!”

Weather sock/ Wind Vane: A windsock/weathervane is another weather tool that is used to
measure the direction of the wind. This tool actually kind of looks like a sock! Take a look at
the picture. When the wind blows, the windsock will blow in that direction. For example, if the
wind is blowing east, the windsock will blow towards that direction. If the wind is blowing
west, the windsock will blow in that direction! This tool is also used to help meteorologists
predict weather patterns over a period of time.``

Barometer: A barometer that measures the air pressure in the atmosphere. When we talked
about this on Monday, we learned that the air around us actually does have weight! The air
pressure can help determine the type of weather that we have. For example, steady air pressure
can predict nice, fair weather. Rapidly falling air pressure can predict storms and lots of rain!”

Introduction/Activating/Launch Strategies:

MORNING WORK: Students fill out their weather journals each morning.

- The teacher will transition students from morning work to the science lesson
- “You have all done such a great job quietly working on your weather journals,
you may put them away in your in class folders to keep with you in school so
that we can use them tomorrow to help us determine the cloud types and to help
us predict the weather.”
- “Yesterday in science we learned about the many different cloud types! We
learned about how clouds can predict weather and how the clouds can tell us
what the weather will be like on a given day! Today, we will be learning about
how we can measure the weather in many different ways! In fact, each type of
weather is measured very differently! To introduce the different ways we can
measure weather, I am going to show you a video of the different tools that we
can measure weather with. As you are listening, I would like you to think of
these different tools and how you think they could be measured.”
- Youtube video cloud link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3inavDlwfk
- “You all did such a great job, let’s take a look at some hands-on weather tools that we will
actually be using today to measure the weather!”

Development/Teaching Approaches

1. The students will be following alone with vocabulary guided notes with drawing
pictures of weather tools!
2. The teacher will set expectations for drawing pictures of weather tools to the students
before the lesson…
a. “Today we will be taking a look at all of the different weather tools! To make
 our lesson fun and interactive, I have provided you all with the definition of
each weather tool and your job is to draw a picture in the box of the weather
tool! You will have one minute to create a brief sketch of the tool as I am
teaching! If you would like, you may finish making your pictures during bus
time. I will set a timer for each new weather tool so that you know how long
you have to draw your pictures.”
b. “Let’s take a look at our first tool that helps us measure the weather. The first
tool is a rain gauge! A rain gauge helps us measure the amount of rainfall that
has occurred over a given period of time. This helps us determine the number of
inches of rainfall that occurred in a specific area. Meteorologists and scientists
use rain gauges to help them look at weather patterns over a period of time. For
example, scientists and meteorologists could record the inches of rainfall each
time it rained outside using a rain gauge to look for patterns over the years to
help them predict rainfall in inches for future years.
c. “I have a picture of a rain gauge on the slides for us to get an example of what
this tool actually looks like.”
d. “Please draw your picture, your timer starts now!”
3. “Next, let’s take a look at the snow gauge! A snow gauge works the same way that a
rain gauge! A snow gauge measures the amount of snow that falls over a period of
time! This helps us determine the amount of snow that has fallen in a specific area over
a period of time and helps to predict weather patterns over a period of time!
Meteorologists use the snow gauge to help us predict snow patterns over the years to
make future predictions for the winter season!”
a. “I have a picture of a snow gauge on the slides for us to get an example of what
this tool actually looks like.”
b. “Please draw your picture, your timer starts now!”
4. “Next, let’s take a look at the thermometer! We use a thermometer everyday that we
put in the window to record the temperature for our weather journals! The temperature
is measured with a thermometer to tell us how warm or cold it is outside. We measure
temperature in degrees fahrenheit!”
a. “I have a picture of a thermometer on the slides for us to get an example of what
this tool actually looks like.”
b. “Please draw your picture, your timer starts now!”
5. “Our next type of weather tool we are learning about is the anemometer!An
anemometer measures the wind speed in one specific area! Just like we talked about
yesterday, this can help us predict the weather and wind speed over a period of time.
Meteorologists can use anemometers to predict what the wind speed will be like in one
specific area! It is very important to understand wind speed. High wind speeds can lead
to extreme weather such as tornadoes, hurricanes, and more!”
a. “I have a picture of an anemometer on the slides for us to get an example of
what this tool actually looks like.”
b. “Please draw your picture, your timer starts now!”
6. “A windsock/weather vane is another weather tool that is used to measure the direction
of the wind. This tool actually kind of looks like a sock! Take a look at the picture.
When the wind blows, the windsock will blow in that direction. For example, if the
wind is blowing east, the windsock will blow towards that direction. If the wind is
 blowing west, the windsock will blow in that direction! This tool is also used to help
meteorologists predict weather patterns over a period of time.”
a. “I have a picture of a windsock and a weather vane on the slides for us to get an
example of what this tool actually looks like.”
b. “Please draw your picture, your timer starts now!”
7. “The last type of tool we are studying is a barometer that measures the air pressure in
the atmosphere. When we talked about this on Monday, we learned that the air around
us actually does have weight! The air pressure can help determine the type of weather
that we have. For example, steady air pressure can predict nice, fair weather. Rapidly
falling air pressure can predict storms and lots of rain!”
a. “I have a picture of a barometer on the slides for us to get an example of what
this tool actually looks like.”
b. “Please draw your picture, your timer starts now!”
Closure/Summarizing Strategies:

- “Wow! You all did such a great job today being scientists and artists by creating
pictures of each of the different types of weather tools! I am so proud of you all for
participating so well in our lesson today! I would like you to all write one of the types
of weather tools that we learned about today on the sticky note that I placed on your
desk at the start of science! Please write the tool and the type of weather that it
measures! As we are leaving for special, please place your sticky note on the anchor
chart on the whiteboard! (picture below) Tomorrow, we will be exploring with hands-
on models of a few different weather tools to get a deeper understanding in small
groups! I can’t wait to see all of us being scientists tomorrow morning!”

Accommodations/Differentiation:
➢ Follow all IEPs
➢ Accommodate notes for students who benefit from guided notes with extra support.
Materials/Resources:

- Weather Unit powerpoint: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/11jN_H0pL-

0S_tFB5wz8Ub-UUgBVnmw-5eSEBlAqQ7ao/edit?usp=sharing
- Vocab/picture weather tool notes (24)
- Sticky notes (24)
- Anchor chart for sticky notes (picture below)

Reflective Response:
Report of Student Learning Target/Objectives Proficiency Levels
 Through formative assessment of the sticky notes on the anchor chart, I was able to see
that the students all were able to reach levels of academic proficiency when it came to the
content of the weather tools. The students did a great job with completing the weather tools
activity and were engaged in the lesson. Students were able to bring real life experiences and
connections into the classroom which allowed for great classroom discussion. I feel that this
lesson was very successful and allowed for great student achievement.

Remediation Plan (if applicable)

N/A

Personal Reflection Questions

Additional reflection/thoughts

Weather Tools vocab/ picture sheet:

Anchor chart with sticky notes:
(attached below)