Jason Erndteman
MAT 300
Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan Topic:
Title:
Severe Weather Sounds
Thunders and Winds
Grade:
1st
Integrated Disciplines: Music and Science
Michigan Standards:
Earth Science: Earth Systems, Weather, and Solid Earth
E.ES.01.23: Describe severe weather characteristics.
Objectives:
1. TLW recognize severe weather sounds and synthesize the sounds made during a severe weather
event. (Thunder and Winds)
2. TLW demonstrate an understanding of the danger associated with these sounds by moving to
the tornado safety area of the school when instructed.
Assessment:
1.
At the end of the unit the students will be asked to respond to the sounds played from the
Thunder/Wind video. The students will hold their hands straight out in front of their bodies and
wiggle their fingers when they hear strong wind. They will hold their hands straight up above
their heads when they hear thunder.
2.
The students will be asked to move to the tornado safety area of the school, and once they are
there, they will write/draw a picture of a weather event that would force them to go there.
Materials: Siren sound, Whiteboard, markers, computer, projector/audio system, paper, pencil
Procedures:
Vocabulary: lightning, thunder, weather, severe weather, wind, rain, evacuation, safe, unsafe, tornado,
siren, warning, + any words/phrases suggested by students.
Anticipatory Set:
1. Play a recording of It’s Raining, It’s Pouring for the class, and teach the rhyme to the students.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXDH-a8O1qY
2. Create two columns on the whiteboard (Safe and Unsafe). Ask the students to volunteer any
weather related terms they can think of. Discuss terms/pictures with the class and help them
determine if the term/picture belongs in the safe column or the unsafe weather column.
Jason Erndteman
MAT 300
Lesson Plan
Instruction:
1. Watch a YouTube video with real life examples of high winds and thunder. Thunder/Wind
video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdwiyxPUIio Discuss the sounds you heard in the
video.
2. Address each of the terms listed on the board. Help students recognize the characteristics that
differentiate a regular (safe) weather event, from a severe (unsafe) weather event. Ensure all of
the vocabulary terms above are covered. When you get to the term evacuation, take the
students through a mock tornado drill. Play the siren sound, show them how to respond in an
emergency, and walk them to the tornado safety area.
Guided Practice:
1. Split the class into two groups (thunders and winds). Give each group 1 min or less to agree on
a way to synthesize the sound they are assigned. If they are having trouble, model an example
of each weather sound. Then ask the “winds” to give an example of a safe everyday wind, and
then ask them to give an example of very high unsafe winds. Next ask the “thunders” to give an
example of thunder. After each group has given an example of their sound, swap sounds, so
everyone gets a chance to make all 3 sounds.
2. Lead the class through a mock tornado drill. Line them up single file, instruct them to walk no
run, ensure all members of the class are accounted for, and walk them to the tornado safety
area.
Independent Practice:
1.
Each student will perform one of the 3 sounds in front of the class. After the student has
performed the sound, the student will ask a classmate which sound they think was performed.
The performer will respond with a yes or no answer. If there is a disagreement, the performer
will give it a second try, and the teacher may have to step in to help avoid confusion.
2. Each student will draw a picture of a severe weather event that they have experienced. The
picture should include: themselves, high winds and lightning/thunder, and a safe place to be.
Closure:
1. Severe weather event drawings will be hung near the classroom evacuation plan.
2. Students will be sent home with a letter for the parents. Parents will be instructed to discuss
the safest place in their own homes, in the case of severe weather, with their children.