Putting a new spin on teaching the Weather
National Geographic Videos
Weather
Our Seasons
Precipitation
Rainbows
The Seasonal Cycle
Climate and Weather
TumbleBooks about the sun
Hello Sun
Block the Sun, Not the Fun
Who likes the Sun?
TumbleBooks about rain
Cinnamon and the April Shower
Have you ever seen a Duck in a Raincoat?
Wellington’s Rainy Day
Who likes Rain?
TumbleBooks about snow
A Penguin Story
Wild League on Ice
Lewis Cardinal’s First Winter
Martin MacGregor’s Snowman
50 below Zero
Who likes Snow?
The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter’s Wonder
Everyone is familiar with the weather. Right from Kindergarten we ask students to pay attention to the temperature, the wind and any

precipitation that may be occurring outside. From there, teachers often keep weather graphs and temperature readings posted so students are aware of how they should dress for outdoor play. The challenge of teaching students becomes more difficult as the Core
Curriculum demands more scientific knowledge of the weather.
Here is an interesting way to integrate your Language Arts lessons with your Science Curriculum.
Start by showing your class our National Geographic Video
Climate and Weather.
It is important for student to understand the difference between climate and weather. Climate is a tern that schools tend to use in geography whereas weather is a term used in science and our local newscasts.
Climate is the atmospheric condition in a certain location near the surface of the Earth. There are many types of climates across the
Earth that is divided into regions. Every year as the seasons change, your climate changes a bit. It might get warmer or colder. You might have more or less rain. You might have more or less sunlight that changes all of that other stuff. These changes are in a regular range for that type of region.
Weather is the state of the atmosphere at a given time and place, with respect to variables such as temperature, moisture, wind velocity, and barometric pressure.
Three very common weather phenomena in Canada and the United
States are sun, rain and snow. By using any (or all) of the
TumbleBooks books and videos mentioned above, you can entertain and educate your class about all three of these types of weather.
Once you have taught several full class lesson or read a selection from each of the types of weather, present the challenge.

In groups of three or four, students must write and present a weather forecast for a stated city in a stated month. Have students draw their selection out of hat in order to ensure fairness.
Examples of city and month slips. Students will need access to atlases to be able locate their city on a map. As well, they will need access to books or the internet to research what a typical day is like in the month that is assigned to them in the city they have been given.
Los Angeles
July
Salt Lake City
December
Vancouver
February
Toronto
January
Chicago
November
Miami
June
Montreal
February
Winnipeg
March
Seattle
October
Boston
April
Sarasota
September
Denver
December
New York City
March
Phoenix
July
Dallas
October

Once the groups have had time to do their research they can begin to write a script for their weather forecast. (You may have to show them one online if it is not something that they regularly watch).
After you have proofread and marked the weather forecasts, have the students “perform” them in front of a map with whatever props they choose. It is fun to allow students to dress according to their city’s weather forecast. If you have access to a video camera it is fun to pop popcorn and watch them all together.
This group of lessons is a great way to teach about the weather by tying it into their geography, science and language arts curricula.