BRAIN-TARGETED TEACHING
LEARNING UNIT
Name: Vicky Schneider
Unit Topic:/Title:
the Weather
Dates (Allocated Time): Year Long, part of am routine
Grade Level: 1
Content Standards:
(Taken from the MD VSC) Earth/Space Science Standards for grade 1
2. Describe that some events in nature have repeating patterns
a. Observe and compare day-to-day weather changes
b. Observe, record, and compare weather changes from month to month
c. Compare temperatures and type and amount of precipitation across the
months
d. Identify the impact of weather changes on daily activities
e. Identify and describe patterns of weather conditions based on data
collected
Learning Unit Overview:
This unit is designed to meet the grade 1 Earth/Space Science standard related to weather
by providing students an opportunity to interact with their local weather daily as a weather
person. Eventually, students will prepare weather reports for their classmates, predict
weather patterns, and provide suggestions for attire, activities, and travel all based on
weather. This unit provides students with insight into how weather relates to careers (TV,
radio, internet, print), influences literature and music, and the design of common human
needs (housing, clothing, transportation). Students will practice using the scientific method to
make predictions, record observations, measure temperature and precipitation, and graph
and present data.
Brain Target #1
Emotional Connection:
Students experience weather every day. We will discuss the impact weather has on students
physically and emotionally. We will determine the impact on our daily routine. We will
examine how weather has influenced our local culture and compare that to other cultures
around the world.
Brain Target #2
Physical Environment:
The Brain-Targeted Teaching Model © Mariale M. Hardiman
Get Outside - Teacher will use access to outdoor space for weather labs (window,
playground, etc.) to measure and observe rainfall, temperature, wind, and changes in sun
exposure.
Classroom Newsroom – Teacher will establish an area within the classroom to serve as a
news area. Most early elementary classes will begin their day with a review of their schedule
and what is happening throughout the day. Developing this routine as a “New Report”
provides a forum for the teacher and students to present a variety of material related to
content they cover in a variety of units. It also mimics the way that many adults inform
themselves each day about what is happening in the larger community. This routine should
include a "weather report". As students develop their weather awareness and data collection
skills, students will have the opportunity to become more involved in reporting and predicting
the weather to their classmates
Reading Tree - Classroom reading area will incorporate a tree and this "micro-environment"
will change with the actual seasons
Crystal Ball Bulletin Board - A general part of the classroom decor that gives the class a
place to post predictions related to a variety of activities, including weather. This will change
based on the unit. I envision using this to build a variety of brainstorming charts. It could be
particularly useful when dissecting a story or character in a reading unit.
Brain Target #3
Concept Map / Advanced Organizer
(feel free to use an online tool):
Learning Goals:
Students will demonstrate understanding of weather changes both daily and seasonally and
what influences them
Students will experiment with the effect that water has on the environment
Students will make predictions of the weather based on data collected
Students will measure and chart rainfall in our area.
The Brain-Targeted Teaching Model © Mariale M. Hardiman
Students will identify and describe weather patterns based on data presented
Some of these learning goals relate to MD VSC Standard 2.D.2.a (Relationship between Sun
and Earth) and 2.E.1.a (Sun’s effect on water). Because the Weather Unit extends across the
entire school year as part of the daily routine, it will be easy to expand the depth of the topic
as students expand their learning in other units. The Sun/Earth relationship and Water Cycle
are important pieces of weather and will be addressed accordingly. The students’ daily
weather reports, predictions and other activities related to this unit will develop and become
more complex as they add to their foundations in these other areas.
Introductory “Big Picture” Activity/Assessment of Prior Knowledge
Hook and Mapping Activity
Teacher will get students hooked by playing weather sounds and entering the classroom
dressed for a lot of weather (boots, hats, umbrella, sunglasses, etc.) When the students
begin to ask “Why are you dressed that way?”, the teacher gets students talking about
weather. Some guiding questions are:
Does this make sense to dress this way?
How do we know what the weather will be?
Engage students in KWL about weather. Use a mind map (such as the one above) to display
these ideas in the weather station.
This Hook activity engages students in a light and humorous way to get them thinking about
the weather and how the weather relates to their lives. The teacher will guide the KWL using
general guiding topics from which the students can develop their own ideas. Concepts such
as:
“Weather Words” - weather vocabulary
“What is Weather?”- Things that make up weather (rain, snow, sun, etc.)
“Weather and your senses”: If you can’t see the weather, can you tell what it’s like outside?
How? Can you smell if it’s going to rain or snow? Why do some people think they can tell if
it’s going to rain by feeling? Talk about how what you hear, smell, or feel might be able to tell
you the weather or help you to make predictions.
“Water and Weather”: The role of water in weather. How do we measure it? Why is it
important?
“Weather around the World” – Does weather in other parts of the country or world influence
how people do things?
These topics will develop into a concept map that will be displayed in the classroom. The
class can revisit the map as they discover more about weather and confirm or dispel the
predictions that they made during this activity.
The Brain-Targeted Teaching Model © Mariale M. Hardiman
Brain Target #4
Activities for Teaching Mastery of Declarative/Procedural Knowledge
Weather Activities – Instructor lead activities teaching measurement techniques, the scientific
processes, graphic representations of data. Students will measure precipitation using class
made rain gauges. Temperature could be measured, but other simple measurements for this
age group might include the amount of sun or shade or observations about wind.
Vocabulary- Direct instruction of vocabulary words related to weather and precipitation.
Teacher will also introduce vocabulary related to measurement.
Weather Station- Instructor directed student design and development of outdoor area to
collect precipitation, observe sun, wind and other weather.
Data collection- Direct instruction of data collection strategies and ways to represent data
through graphs and charts.
Brain Target #5
Activities for Extension and Application of Knowledge
All of the following activities are designed to keep students thinking and talking about the
weather. Weather permeates many aspects of our lives, from what we wear to the kind of
mood we’re in. In this way, students will engage with the topic many times, in many ways
throughout the entire year.
Let’s dress for the weather. Students will choose clothing and accessories to create an
appropriate outfit for a “weather mascot”.
The Brain-Targeted Teaching Model © Mariale M. Hardiman
Incorporate weather related books into curriculum. Some examples are Cloudy with a
Chance of Meatballs, Excerpts from Winnie the Pooh
Sing songs involving weather (ex: "Sesame Street", "Rain Rain, Go Away“, "Let it Snow!“
“You Are My Sunshine”)
Watch live weather reports. Ask students to think about why people want to know about the
weather? Why is it important to have a weather person?
Ask students to write or draw a story about a character that incorporates the weather.
Design an animal that would have characteristics to prepare them for specific types of
weather. You can assign students the types of weather.
Because this unit flows throughout the year, instructors can give it more attention by weaving
the theme into other curricular areas.
Below are a few examples of songs and poems that could be used in this unit:
Songs about weather - http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems17.html
From Winnie the Pooh - http://youtu.be/NitBpJaom5k (Little Black rain cloud),
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0i7JU9SijE (The Rain rain rain, came down down down)
Brain Target #6
Evaluating Learning
Students will be evaluated on:
Contributions to classroom weather board. This includes the mind map activities.
Weather reports. Students will eventually present the weather as a weather reporter to the
class. They will make predictions about the weather and give advice about what to wear.
Individual measurement and graphing skills. Students will be assessed on their ability to
accurately produce graphical representations of data and the accuracy of recording
measurements.
Art based projects throughout the year to demonstrate how well the students understand the
impact of weather.
Ability to develop a logical weather prediction based on previous data collected.
Following are some ideas of art based projects that can be used to assess understanding:
Create-a-creature – Students draw or write about a new creature that lives in a certain
climate. They describe either verbally or in writing how each of the characteristics of the
animal is useful in the climate that it resides. Design a House – Students develop a house
style that is the best fit for a certain climate. Weather Fashion Show – students create or
use magazines or other photo sources to demonstrate appropriate attire for a particular
climate.
The Brain-Targeted Teaching Model © Mariale M. Hardiman
The Brain-Targeted Teaching Model © Mariale M. Hardiman