LONGWOOD LESSON PLAN
Subject(s) & Grade Level: Science, Third Grade
Teacher Name: Ms. Nicole Wingo
Length of Class Periods: 90 minutes
Stage of writing process: The students will use the brainstorming list as the prewriting assignment during this lesson
which will be used for their final project- the Seasons brochure.
Standards of Learning:
SOL #: 3.8a
Applicable NCTE National Standard(s): 8, 11, 12
General Objective(s): The students will be able to think about the four seasons more specifically, understand how the
Earth rotates and revolves, read and comprehend the handout of information on the seasons.
Specific Learning Objectives
The students will be able to:
- name the four seasons in order
- identify the axis, equator, and left and
right hemisphere on the globe
- define and explain the difference between
rotate and revolve
Instructional Procedures
The teacher will:
- Model the list of ideas related to the seasons
- Instruct students using the globe
- Read the 1st paragraph of the handout & interject
with information throughout
- Play the video clips
- Select volunteers for rotate/revolve
demonstration
- Model how to create a foldable
Introduction [anticipatory set, focus, relate to previous learning; < 5 minutes]:
The teacher will set up and model a list on the board that
shows the format the students should have written on
their paper.
The students will discuss with the teacher how
many seasons there are and the names.
The students will continue to brainstorm and
create the list of anything that relates to seasons
by themselves.
The teacher will ask if any of the students know how many
seasons are in a year or what they are called.
The teacher will write the prompts on the board to
organize the students’ thoughts about the seasons.
- Order of the seasons
- What we wear during each season & why
- What each season looks like
- What each season feels like
- Why seasons change
- Favorite season
- Best place to visit during your favorite season
The teacher will be walking around the room, observing
the students work and reading what they information
have written to know what the students already know.
Main Lesson
The students will watch a short clip about the four The teacher will play the video of the four seasons.
seasons.
http://www.youtube.com/watch/?v=IdZnasVZquQ
The students will take turns around the room
reading a handout about the seasons.
The teacher will read the first paragraph. Then, monitor
the students reading of the handout and interject with
useful information throughout.
The students will discuss and record the definitions The teacher will discuss and define terms such as axis,
in their science journals.
equator, rotate, and revolve while using the globe.
The teacher will explain to students the top half of the
Earth is the Northern Hemisphere and the bottom half is
the Southern Hemisphere – also point out the North Pole
and South Pole using the globe and the left or western and
right or eastern hemisphere – compass connection.
The teacher will ask for volunteer students to act as the
Earth and sun to show the difference between rotate and
revolve.
The teacher will play the movie
The students will watch the movie to see if their
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuiQvPLWziQ
predictions in the brainstorming activity were
correct.
The teacher will instruct and model for the students how
The students will make a foldable booklet about
to create a foldable about the four seasons.
the four seasons with words, definitions, and
hand-drawn pictures.
Closure [sum up and reflect on the day’s learning; prepare for homework or future work; < 5 minutes]:
For homework the students could finish writing
The teacher will collect the list from the brainstorming
chapter definitions in the book and draw pictures
activity to keep until the next lesson.
to represent the words and the meanings.
The teacher will inform the students about the brochure
that will be completed for a final project on seasons.
Extension/assignment:
- Bill Nye movie about the seasons
- http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/earth_and_space/eng/Introduction/popup.htm - parts 1 & 2
- Moon Phases Lesson should be introduced soon
Accommodations/provisions for individual differences: If there are students with lower reading levels, the handout
could be read again with the teacher or by the teacher. The movie clips repeat information that is in the handout.
Formative/summative evaluation:
Formative The brainstorming list (This will be collected at the end of week after editing and revising with different color
writing utensils at another time.)
Summative Labeling worksheet which includes the Earth, sun, equator, north and south poles, and the left, right, northern,
and southern hemispheres.
 Worksheet for the students to label each scenery picture for the season it represents.
Self- and/or peer evaluation: N/A
Products students will create:
 Brainstorming list
 Four Seasons Foldable
 At the end of the unit, the students will complete a brochure by applying what they know and find out about the
seasons.
Texts students will read:
Edited handout based from the information in a BrainPOP movie clip which was not watched.
http://www.brainpop.com/educators/community/lesson-plan/seasons-background-information-for-teachers-andparents/?bp-jr-topic=seasons
Materials/resources:
- Board, writing utensils, paper
- Globe
- YouTube Videos (2, see above)
- Copies of handout
- Paper/writing utensils to create foldable
- Labeling worksheets
Sources for ideas/materials in APA format:
Learn all about the four seasons. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch/?v=IdZnasVZquQ
Seasons Background Information for Teachers and Parents. Retrieved from
http://www.brainpop.com/educators/community/lesson-plan/seasons-background-information-for-teachersand-parents/?bp-jr-topic=seasons
What Causes the Seasons? Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuiQvPLWziQ
Rationale
This content is not only important for the students to know because it is in the Standards of Learning but so the students
understand why there are different times of the year. In the future, understanding the seasons are important for
gardening, preparing for the weather, or deciding where to live and work based on personal opinions of the weather.
The students will be reading the information about the seasons and the teacher will be interjecting with information
that will help the students understand the topic. The movie clips are a fun and engaging way to get the information to
the students. The clips are short so there is not a lot of time being used. The real life action of the students when
representing how the Earth rotates and revolves will help the students see the different visually. The globe will help the
students identify the tilted axis, north and south poles, equator, and the left, right, northern, and southern hemispheres.
Seasons Handout
Which is the coldest season? Which is the hottest? You should know that temperature is how hot or cold
something is, and it can be measured with a thermometer. Though temperatures and amount of precipitation
varies across different areas, winter typically has lower temperatures than the rest of the year. Snow, sleet, hail,
and rain are common forms of precipitation in the winter. In snowy areas, many animals have difficulties finding
food and some will even hibernate to conserve energy.
December, January, and February are considered winter months in the northern hemisphere, though some
countries acknowledge November to be a part of winter. During winter we usually wear heavier clothing like
coats, hats, and scarves and participate in cold-weather activities such as snow ball fights, sledding, or skiing.
As the winter ends, spring begins and temperatures slowly rise as the days get longer. Snow and ice melt and
more rain tends to fall during this season. Flowers and plants grow and bloom, and animals become active
again. Many animals will have their young in the spring when food is plentiful. Furthermore, their young will have
time to grow before experiencing a cold winter themselves. The United States marks the beginning of spring
with the vernal equinox in March and the end of spring with the summer solstice in June. In spring we usually
wear lighter coats and rain gear, and also begin outdoor activities like baseball, softball, or gardening.
After spring is summer, which begins in June and ends around September in the United States. Summer is the
warmest season and has the longest days, because our part of Earth is tilted toward the Sun throughout the
season. Most areas receive the least amount of precipitation during this season. In summer we usually wear
shorts, skirts, shirts, hats, and sunglasses and go swimming or take a vacation. The Sun stays high in the sky
during the summer which you know you have to use sunscreen and stay covered and cool.
As the summer ends, the weather gets cooler again and the days get shorter. In the northern hemisphere, fall
(or autumn) begins in September and ends in December with the Winter Solstice. During fall, leaves of some
trees will turn colors and fall off. Some plants bear fruit, such as apple and pear trees. Autumn squash or gourds
ripen, too, which is why pumpkins are abundant at Halloween. Some animals will begin to migrate, or move to
warmer areas for the coming winter. Other animals will store and eat food to prepare for hibernation or
dormancy. Football is a common fall sport in many schools and community programs, and other fall activities
include apple-picking or collecting autumn leaves. In fall, we usually wear coats and sweaters.
Seasons change because as the Earth orbits, its hemispheres are titled towards or away from the Sun. It takes
Earth 365 days, or one year, to go around the Sun. When the northern hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun, the
southern hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun. During this time, the northern hemisphere experiences
summer, while the southern hemisphere experiences winter. The areas near the Equator, the imaginary line
around the middle of the Earth that separates the two hemispheres, do not tilt much toward or away from the
Sun. This means their weather is more consistent throughout the year, and usually is quite warm. Tropical
countries in South America such as Ecuador, Colombia, and Brazil, are good examples of areas that do not vary
much in temperature during the year.
Because of the Earth’s tilt and orbit around the Sun, different constellations can be seen during different