Design for Learning- Day 2
Instructor: Katelyn Mielke
Lesson Title: Clouds and Thunderstorms
Curriculum Area: Science
Grade Level/: 3rd Grade
Date:
Estimated time: 1 hour
Standards Connection: 12.) Identify conditions that result in specific weather phenomena,
including thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes.
Learning Objective: When given a video camera, students will each create a meterologist
weather report where they are to talk about and describe cumulus clouds and supercell
thunderstorms, with 70% accuracy according to a rubric.
Evaluation of Learning Objective(s): After students have learned about cumulus clouds and
supercell thunderstorms, they are to get with a partner and pretend to be a meteorologist.
Students will each give a weather report where they must mention and describe cumulus
clouds and supercell thunderstorms. One student will record the other while they give their
report and then switch and record the other. They will be graded with a rubric and must score
at least 70%.
Kid Friendly: Guess what you all are going to today?! We are going to be meteorologists and
make a weather report! We are going to learn all about clouds and thunderstorms to help us
with our weather report!
Engagement: The teacher will begin by counting down from 5 to get the students attention.
After doing this the teacher will explain to the students that it is time for science and that they
will be learning about clouds and thunderstorms today. Today, we are going to be learning
about clouds and thunderstorms and see how they are causes and effects. Before we start, can
someone raise their hand and tell me what cause and effect are? Call on a student to share
cause and effect. Good! Can someone give me an example of a cause and effect? My example is
that if you give someone a present, they write you a thank you note! SO can someone give me
an example of their own? Call on 1-2 students. Great example! Does anyone have any questions
about cause and effect? No? Let’s move onto to clouds and thunderstorms! The teacher will ask
the students what they think clouds and thunderstorms cause, looking for the answer:
tornadoes. Now, this is a tricky question, we will see who thinks they know the answer. Who
thinks they can take a guess as to what clouds and thunderstorms cause? Ill give you a hint.. it
rotates very fast and causes lots of damage. Call on a student to share, another if question is
not answered. If no one guesses tornadoes, tell students that clouds and thunderstorms are
part of the cause of tornadoes. Now that we have a small idea that clouds and thunderstorms
cause tornadoes, which is our overall focus, let’s learn more about clouds and thunderstorms!
The teacher will get the microwave and the bar of soap out and put it into the center of the
room. She will instruct students to stay at their seats. Before we start, we are going to do a fun
experiment, but I need you all to stay in your seats. We are going to make our very own cloud!
Let’s see what happens if I put this bar of soap into the microwave.. The teacher will put the bar
of soap into the microwave and set the timer. When it is done, the teacher will have the
students write down their thoughts about the “cloud” that formed. I know that was a cool
experiment, so let’s all to write down our thoughts in your science journal about the “cloud”
that you are seeing. Describe what it looks like and anything else you want to add.
Learning Design: After the teacher has performed the experiment and students have written
down their thoughts in their science journals, the teacher will begin by explaining that we have
already learned about the water cycle and we are going to learn about clouds first today. The
teacher will introduce clouds and then take the class outside to observe the clouds they see.
Okay guys! Since we have already learned all about the water cycle, we know how clouds form!
Condensation, precipitation, evaporation, and transpiration! So now let’s talk clouds. There are
3 different major types of clouds! WOW! They are cirrus, cumulus, and stratus. However, we are
only going to focus on 1 of them today. Can anybody take a guess as to which one we are going
to focus on? You have three guesses! Call on 1-2 students to guess until cumulus is said. That’s
right! We are going to focus on cumulus clouds today. Cumulus clouds cause…. Thunderstorms!
The teacher will then introduce cumulus clouds and what they look like/descriptors. As you can
see in the picture, cumulus clouds are the big, fluffy clouds that we see outside. The teacher will
then show a picture of a cumulus cloud. These turn into cumulonimbus clouds, which are
thunderstorm clouds! Before we keep going, we are going to take a quick trip outside. Please
bring your science journals with you. When I call your table, line up at the door and make sure
you stay quiet or we won’t be able to go! The teacher will call each table to line up at the door.
Table 1, get a pencil and your science journal and line up at the door. Table 2, you may go. Table
3, once table 2 gets in line, you may follow. Finally Table 4 may follow. Please make sure each of
you has a pencil and your science journal. The teacher will lead the class outside to the field and
have each student look up at the sky and observe the clouds. After observing for 3-4 minutes,
the teacher will instruct the students to draw and write about what they see and what the
clouds look like. She will then ask students if they see any fluffy clouds that they think are
cumulus clouds. Okay guys, you have 3-4 minutes to observe the sky and the clouds. After time
is up, I want you to take a minute and write and draw the clouds you see. Give the students the
3-4 minutes to observe and 1-2 minutes to write. Does anyone think they see a cumulus cloud?
Which one and how do you know it is a cumulus cloud based on what we just talked about in the
classroom? Call on 2-3 students to share their thoughts. GREAT! Now, I need each of you quietly
line up in the same line we came out here in, we are going to head back to the classroom now.
The teacher will lead the students back into the classroom and instruct them to sit back in their
seats. Come in and sit down in your seats so we can talk about thunderstorms! The teacher will
give students a minute to get to their seats and calm down a little. Okay, now who here likes
thunderstorms? Miss Mielke doesn’t! The teacher will tell the class that there are 4 types of
thunderstorms, but that we are going to focus on one type. She will then describe this
thunderstorm type and components of the thunderstorm type. Now, there are actually four
different types of thunderstorms, they are single cell, multi cell clusters, multi cell line, and
supercell. The one we are going to focus on learning about is… the SUPERCELL! Can you all say it
with me? Supercell! Sounds crazy, right?! (show a picture of a supercell thunderstorm) We are
focusing on this thunderstorm type because this type of thunderstorm is part of what causes
tornadoes! The winds in a supercell can reach up to 175 miles per hour! WOW!!! They are VERY
strong too. The parts of this thunderstorm type that cause tornadoes are the mesocyclone and
the rear flank downdraft.
Opportunity for Practice: After learning about clouds and thunderstorms, the teacher will
explain that students will be working with their table groups. She will then explain that each
group is going to get 2 bags with descriptors and non descriptors of clouds and thunderstorms,
one bag for clouds, and one for thunderstorms. Students should sort one bag a time and put
descriptors of cumulus clouds on one side and non descriptors on the other side. Students can
choose if they want to do clouds first or thunderstorms. After each group has sorted one bag,
they are to make a t-chart in their science notebook of the descriptors and non descriptors.
They will then do the same for the next bag. Okay guys! We have learned about cumulus clouds
and supercell thunderstorms, so you all are going to practice with them a little. At your table
groups, I am going to give you two bags. One bag has descriptors and non descriptors of
cumulus clouds and the other has descriptors and non descriptors of supercell thunderstorms.
You and your table group should do one bag at a time. You should sort the words, descriptors v.
non descriptors. After you finish the first bag, make a t-chart in your science journal and write
the words in their correct categories. Then do the same thing for the second bag. It does not
matter if you do clouds first or thunderstorms, but you do have to do both! Go ahead and get
started!
Assessment: After students have learned about cumulus clouds and supercell thunderstorms,
they are to get with a partner, get a video camera from the teacher, and are going to pretend to
be a meteorologist. Students will each give a “weather report” like a meteorologist does, where
they must mention and describe cumulus clouds and supercell thunderstorms. One student will
record the other while they give their report and then switch and record the other. They will be
graded with a rubric and must score at least 70%. Students will first watch the teachers
example of her weather report so students so they can see a model of what to do. Okay friends!
We are going to do something really awesome now. You all are going to be meteorologists! I am
going to put you with a partner and you are each going to give a weather report. Your partner
will record you giving your weather report, then you will record your partner. You will need to
come check out an iPad from me so you can record. Your weather report must be different from
your partners. I will be grading you with a rubric so make sure you do your best! Before you
start, I am going to show you my weather report so you can get an idea of what to do. The
teacher will play her weather report video.
Closure: Everyone did a great job with clouds and thunderstorms today! The teacher will call 2-3
students to share about cumulus clouds and supercell thunderstorms. She will then go over
how each is a cause and effect and write it on the board. Can someone raise their hand and tell
me something about cumulus clouds? What about supercell thunderstorms? Call on 4-5
students to share. Great! Now I need all of you to look up at the board because we are going to
talk about cause and effect within cumulus clouds and thunderstorms. So, the water cycle is the
cause, and the effect is clouds! Then, clouds are the cause and thunderstorms are the effect!
THEN, clouds and thunderstorms are part of the cause and tornadoes are the effect! Do you see
how it all connects together? Do you have any questions?
Materials and Resources:
Notebooks
Pencils
Ivory soap
Microwave
iPad for recording
Science Journal
2 ziploc bags
Descriptors and non descriptors of cumulus clouds and supercell thunderstorms (cut
into small pieces)
Re-Teaching Students will choose either cumulus cloud or supercell thunderstorm and go to the
library to research the chosen topic. Students will research more information and pictures
about the topic they chose. After researching, students will create a small poster about their
topic with their research/information and a picture included on the paper.
Extension: Students will create a song about either cumulus clouds or about supercell
thunderstorms. They can choose a tune from a premade song, but must change the lyrics to
deal with clouds or thunderstorms. Descriptors should be included in the song. Students have
the option of presenting their song to the class or not.
Example:
Tune: “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean”
When I see clouds in the sky,
All big and puffy and white,
When I see clouds in the sky,
The weather is sunny and bright.
White clouds, white clouds,
White clouds up in the sky.
White clouds, white clouds,
White clouds, puffy and dry.
When I see clouds in the sky,
All big and solid and gray,
When I see gray clouds in the sky,
The weather is rainy all day.
Gray clouds, gray clouds,
Gray clouds up in the sky.
Gray clouds, gray clouds,
Dropping rain from up high.
Reflection:
Cumulus Clouds!
Supercell Thunderstorms!
Name:_______________________________________________________________
Cumulus Cloud Descriptors v. Non-descriptors
Descriptors
Non-Descriptors
Name:_______________________________________________________________
Supercell Thunderstorm Descriptors v. Non-descriptors
Descriptors
Non-Descriptors
Cumulus Desriptors/Non-Descriptors
(CUT OUT!)
Fluffy
Big
Flat Base
White
Thunderstorm
cloud
“Floating Cotton”
Small
Whispy
Rain cloud
Blue
Flat
Thin
Supercell Desriptors/Non-Descriptors
(CUT OUT!)
Mesocyclone
175 mph winds
Strong
Cause severe
tornadoes
Severe
Rear Flank
Downdraft
Wimpy
Small
Rainy
Weak
Short
Not severe