Weather Unit- Language and Literacy
There are many language enriching activities that can be used within the weather theme to nurture
preschooler’s natural curiosities about this natural phenomenon. Children experience weather every
day, so it is a wonderful topic to explore and discuss. The following domain focuses on language and
literacy activities that use weather concepts to learn and grow.
Key terms: season temperature humidity precipitation
flood freeze lightening dew
meteorologist radar rainbow thunderstorm
sleet hail thermometer wind
Writing Activities:
1.Take the children outside and observe the sky. Ask what they see. Come back inside and
encourage the children to draw and write in their journals about what they saw in the sky and
also what they might see in the sky. Allow them to share with one another.
2. Create a chart with text and graphics so children can participate daily in identifying the weather and
recognizing patterns over time. Use this as a routine that establishes weather as an important part of
our environment.
3. Use rhymes to write in favorite seasons and sing/say: C:\Users\mbasch\Desktop\seasons song.pdf
4. Have students make a cloud book using cotton balls. Allow them to create their clouds by gluing down
cotton balls. Label the type of cloud with what their clouds look like and say the cloud name to the
children. Have them repeat. Encourage them to share their cloud book with their friends and family.
Literacy Activities:
1. After reading The Reason for the Seasons by Gail Gibbons, create a chart to identify
characteristics of each season. In a large group, invite the children to describe the season and
write them down as they contribute to the discussion. Post the chart in a location that will be
accessible to students as they participate in the rest of the weather unit.
2. Laminate a bare tree branch and leaves of varying colors, flowers, apples, and snowflakes. In
free choice centers, encourage students to decorate the trees using appropriate items and
identify them verbally with what season the tree represents.
3. Use letter of the week as an opportunity to identify weather terms. For example, R represents
Rain.
4. Have children vote for their favorite season:
Use this large group time to distinguish the relationship between seasons and weather.
5. Use pocket charts or chart paper for weather rhymes. Use these for choral reading. Here are
some examples:
6. Read Little Cloud by Eric Carle. Give each child a sheet of blue construction paper. Mix equal
parts shaving cream and glue. Use a spoon to “paint” clouds on the blue paper. Have children
talk about what their clouds look like.
7. Weather report- choose individual students to report the weather to the class. Give reporter a
pretend microphone and weather pictures to use a props. Encourage children to use weather
words that are used regularly in the weather unit. This initial activity can be extended into
dramatic play later. After participating in weather reporter as a group, put the props in the
dramatic play area and allow the children to pretend to be weather reporters during free choice
time.
Center Activities:
1. Use flannel boards and encourage children to create familiar scenes and tell oral stories to
their peers.
2. Use raindrops with capitol and lowercase letters to match and state the letters.
3. Create rainbow salt trays. Use colored duct tape to attach to clean cookie sheet to resemble
a rainbow.
Pour salt in the cookie sheet and allow children to write in them. Make several so children can choose
this center and work together.
Related Books:
Print your own emergent readers;
http://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/SeasonsEmergentReaders.htm
Print your own songbooks: http://www.prekinders.com/pdf/mrsun.pdf
Nursery Rhymes:
Rain, Rain, Go Away http://www.prekinders.com/nurseryrhymes/RainRain.pdf
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
Elmer's Weather by David McKee
I Love You Papa In All Kinds Of Weather by Nancy White Carlstrom
National Geographic Readers: Weather by Kristin Baird Rattini
Oh Say Can You Say What's The Weather Today? by Tish Rabe
Out and About by Shirley Hughes
Weather by Jan Pienkow
The Weather by Sophie Kniffke
The Reason for the Seasons by Gail Gibbons
Little Cloud by Eric Carle
Other Resources:
http://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/WeatherCards.htm
Videos:
How’s the weather: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rD6FRDd9Hew
Sesame Street: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmO9cjsj1zc
Websites:
http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-words.htm
Lesson Written By:
Katy Basch
Kennesaw State University
Citations:
http://www.prekinders.com/weather-theme/
http://www.miss-kindergarten.com/2014/07/calendar-time-using-interactive.html
http://www.rainbowswithinreach.com
GELD Standards:
CD-SC2.4d
Uses appropriate
vocabulary to discuss
climate and changes in the
weather.
I Can Statement:
I can identify the weather by matching the seasons and appropriate clothing.
Materials:
Build a Bear
Build a Bear clothes
Weather cards (enough for all students to work in pairs, 1 set per pair):
http://www.montessoriforeveryone.com/assets/PDF/Seasons_and_Clothing_Matching.pdf
Paper
Crayons
Instruction:
Teacher groups class in pairs and directs them to complete a sorting activity.
They will work together on the rug to match seasonal clothing to the
appropriate season. Students will be encouraged to talk with one another when
making decisions about matching.
DAP Justification:
Preschoolers need to
apply their
understanding of the
weather and how it
applies to daily life.
Hook:
Teacher will show a Build
a Bear and ask the
children what should the
bear wear today? She
will guide the decision
based on what season it
is and what the daily
weather is like. Children
can decide together and
assist the teacher in
dressing and displaying
the bear.
Wrap-Up:
Children will choose
their favorite season
and draw a picture to
show what they should
wear in that season.
Accommodations &
Extensions:
Students with
disabilities should be
provided appropriate
accommodations
including assistance and
modified materials.
Advanced students can
write a statement about
their picture.
References:
http://www.montessoriforeveryone.com/assets/PDF/Seasons_and_Clothing_Matching.pdf
Assessment or
Artifact:
Students’ understanding
of seasonal weather will
be assessed by correct
matching of the weather
cards. They will also be
assessed on the
appropriateness of their
drawings.