DIXIE STATE UNIVERSITY – DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
ELED 4300 SCIENCE LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE
Teacher Candidate: Matthew Thomas Grade Level: 4th Title: Weather Instruments
CONTEXTUAL FACTORS (classroom factors)
Contextual Factors:
16 girls and 14 boys
ELLs: 0
Blake: Behavioral, talks a lot.
David: ADHD (Takes medicine).
Seth: Motivational issues.
Riley: Low level learner.
Desi: Special Education (She is rarely in the class).
High level learners: Houston, Jade
Classroom environment:
There are a total of 30 students in the class. The Elmo is at the front of the class next to the smart board. The desks are
normally situated in groups of four but right now they are experimenting with the U shapes (A smaller U shape in the
middle and a bigger U shape that surrounds it). They have Chrome Books that they use but they are not stored in Mrs.
Leavitt’s classroom, they are located in the hall. In the back of the room there is a U shaped table for interventions and
in the south side of the room there is a rectangular table that is used often by parents. The teacher’s computer is located
In the back of the room farthest from the Smart Board which can cause problems.
References:
Mrs. Leavitt, Dr. Brandt and Dr. Hauck.
http://www.weather.gov/satellite
http://www.weatherwizkids.com/career-becoming-meteorologist.htm
http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-instruments.htm
WALK-AWAY (As a result of this lesson, what do I want the students to know, understand, and be able to do?)
State Standard/Objective: (SIOP 3)
Standard 2: Students will understand that the elements of weather can be observed, measured, and recorded to make
predictions and determine simple weather patterns.
Objective 3: Evaluate weather predictions based upon observational data.
A. Identify and use the tools of a meteorologist (e.g., measure rainfall using rain gauge, measure air pressure
using barometer, measure temperature using a thermometer).
Content Walk-Away: (SIOP 1)
I will be able to explain how a thermometer, wind vane, anemometer, barometer weather satellite and rain gauge work
and why they are used.
Language Walk-Away: (SIOP 2)
I will be able to explain how a thermometer, wind vane, anemometer, barometer, weather satellite and rain gauge work
and why they are used.
Vocabulary: (SIOP 9)
Thermometer, wind vane, anemometer, barometer, weather satellite, rain gauge, and meteorologist.
Science Crosscutting Concept:
System and system models or Scale, proportion and quantity.
Essential question: How do meteorologists’ tools help them predict the weather?
SCIENCE CONTENT BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Thermometer: Measures air temperature.
Wind vane: Shows wind direction.
Anemometer: Measures wind speed.
Barometer: Measures air pressure.
Weather satellite: Monitors the weather/climate of Earth.
Rain Gauge: Measures the amount of precipitation that falls.
ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE (What evidence do I need to show the students have
learned the Walk-Away?)
Pretest (review): Students will the name of four weather tools and their function.
Modifications/Accomodations (ELL, IEP, GATE, etc.)
Formative Evidence (checking for understanding throughout the lesson):
Observe students working in the stations provided.
Ask questions to check for understanding.
Graphic Organizer.
Content Walk-Away Evidence (Summative):
Students will the name of four weather tools and their function.
Language Walk-Away Evidence (Summative):
Students will the name of four weather tools and their function.
Approx.
Time
ACTIVE LEARNING PLAN
Approximate length of entire lesson:___ minutes.
______
5-7 min.
Activate/Building Background Knowledge
Pretest: Give out pretest (before we start the lesson). (SIOP 8)
Set expectations
Who uses these instruments? In general, what are they used to measure or predict? (wait time) ( SIOP 18)
Investigation: Which of these instruments have we used in our classroom, and for what purpose? (SIOP 7,
16)
Formative assessment:
Learning Goal
Review prior knowledge.
5-7 min.
Teaching time: from _____to
Success Criteria
Pretest.
Assessment Strategy
Pretest, questions, investigation.
Modification/accommodations: (ELL, IEP, GATE, etc.)
Keep a close eye on Blake.
Focus Lesson (“I do it”) (SIOP 10, 11, 12, 23, 25, 26, 27)
Write down objectives on board. (SIOP 1,2)
Review the vocabulary words.
Talk about the thermometer
Thermometer: Measures air temperature.
Wind vane: Shows wind direction.
Anemometer: Measures wind speed.
Barometer: Measures air pressure.
Weather satellite: Monitors the weather/climate of Earth.
Rain Gauge: Measures the amount of precipitation that falls.
Formative Assessment:
Learning Goal
Learn the different types of tools
used by meteorologists.
Success Criteria
List the different types of tools
and their functions.
Assessment Strategy
Instruction.
Modification/accommodations:
Keep an eye on Blake to make sure he is paying attention.
Watch David for understanding.
Guided Instruction (“We do it)
We will talk about what a barometer is. (This will be a review).
35 min.
(You do together”) Models
Split them into their groups. (SIOP 6, 11, 12, 14, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22 23, 24, 25, 26)
Gracie Ellie
Jared
Dawson Aleese
Raeghan
Amelia Kayler Katelynn Riley
David
Chase
Kierra Luke
Ashley
Sophia
Paris
Parker
Seth
Blake Houston Jaxon P. Jade
Drew
Shyann Jaxon W. Paityn
Elleana Ally
For this activity we are going to use three instruments, the anemometer, rain gauge, and a weather satellite.
Each instrument will have two stations (hence above two groups are green, two are red, and two are black).
At each station they will be able to experiment and do tests with the instruments (with the exception of the
weather satellite, I do not have a real one so they will have activities to do on the chrome book that
associates with the weather satellite). At each station will be the instrument and a task card. Each group
will have about 7-10 minutes at each station. Each student will also have a graphic organizer to write what
they learned at each station. I
10 min.
Formative Assessment:
Learning Goal
Meteorologists’ tools.
Success Criteria
Graphic organizer.
Assessment Strategy
Stations.
Modification/accommodations:
They have been broken into groups after careful collaboration with my mentor teacher.
3 min.
Independent (“You do it alone”) (SIOP 15, 22, 27, 28, 29, 30).
Ask students about what they learned or facts they found interesting (wait time)
Summative Assessment:
Students will the name of four weather tools and their function
Modification/accommodations:
Separate Blake if needed so he can focus.
Closure/Review of walk-aways, vocabulary, and essential questions
(Note: Closure includes student interactions, reflection, and/or demonstrations.)
Go over the vocabulary. Review what the students liked and learned. Take and give feedback.
SIOP Indicators
Preparation: 1-Content objectives, 2-Language objectives, 3-Content appropriate, 4-Supplementary materials, 5Adaptation of content, 6-Meaningful activities
Building Background: 7-Linked to background, 8-Linked to past learning, 9-Key vocabulary
Comprehensive Input: 10-Appropriate speech, 11-Clear explanation, 12-Variety of techniques
Strategies: 13-Students use learning strategies, 14-Scaffolding, 15-Higher-order thinking,
Interaction: 16-Opportunity for interaction, 17-Grouping supports objectives, 18-Wait time, 19-Opportunity for L1
students
Practice/Application: 20-Hands-on materials, 21-Activities to apply content/language knowledge, 22-Language skills
(reading, writing, listening, speaking)
Lesson Delivery: 23-Content objective supported, 24-Language objective supported, 25-Students engaged, 26-Pacing
Review/Assessment: 27-Review vocabulary, 28-Review concepts, 29-Feedback, 30-Assessment
TEACHING NOTES
What do I need to remember to do? What materials do I need to have ready? What is the approximate time needed for
this lesson?
Get the instruments and information needed for the stations. (Mrs. Leavitt, Dr. Hauck, Internet).
Time needed: 45-60 minutes.
REFLECTION AFTER LESSON
How can I use the assessment data to reflect on & evaluate the outcomes of teaching and learning? How can I transfer
what I learned from teaching this lesson to future teaching? What was effective and not effective? What goals can I
set to improve my practice and student learning?
Lesson extension.
There were five main instruments that we used (weather vane, weather satellite, anemometer,
thermometer, and anemometer). There was a sixth tool we were going to talk about (rain gauge)
that will become the at home extension. Students will make their own rain gauge and write a
paragraph about the function of the rain gauge. This must be done at home as we will use the rain
gauges the students make in an in-class-experiment. Students must record their findings and
report to their parents the results of the experiment.
Here are some sites to get ideas on how to make a rain gauge!
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/projects/raingauge.html
http://www.education.com/science-fair/article/DIY-rain-gauge/