Temperature Graphing
Weatherguide Calendar Lesson
Created by Morgan Wettergren, ISD #1, 6/2007
Grade: 1
Subjects: Science and Math
Standards
Subject
Science
Math
Standard
Investigate weather cycles
Gather and record data in realworld and mathematical
problems
Benchmark
Observe, record and describe
characteristics in daily
weather and seasonal cycles
Identify patterns in simple
graphs
Time: 5-10 minutes daily (one week or one month)
Objective:
1. Students will practice predicting temperatures.
2. Students will learn to read a thermometer.
3. Students will be able to compare the difference between the daily temperature and the
average high and low by counting.
4. Students will participate in making a graph of the weekly or monthly temperatures.
Concepts:
1. A thermometer is a tool to measure temperature.
2. Temperatures vary throughout the year and change with each season. A daily
temperature can be compared with the average high and low for that day.
Skills
Predicting
Calculating
Recording
Graphing
Materials: Thermometer, paper for recording, number line, paper for graphing, and Minnesota
Weatherguide Environment Calendar.
Key Words: Average or normal temperature, daily temperature, difference
Directions
This activity can be done as part of a morning meeting or math routine. It should be done at
about the same time every day.
1. Locate the normal or average temperatures on the Minnesota Weatherguide Environment
Calendar. Record them on the board so all of the students can see the numbers.
2. Have students make predictions about what they think the temperature is currently.
Template created by C. Rieckenberg, 1/2007
3. Have a student read the actual temperature using a thermometer that was placed outside
before the lesson.
4. Record the temperature on the recording paper.
5. Refer back to the normal high and low. Using the current temperature, count the
difference between the average high and the average low.
6. At the end of the week or end of the month, make a graph of the daily temperatures.
Discuss the data displayed on the graph.
Questions for Discussion
1. What was the highest, lowest, and most common recording for the recording period?
2. Why might the temperature be higher or lower than the normal for a recording period?
3. Who might be interested in knowing the daily temperature? People hosting outdoors
events, farmers, construction workers, etc.
Taking it Further
1. Students record daily temperatures at home and make their own graph.
2. Pick a city from the southern hemisphere and use a daily newspaper to record the
previous day’s temperature. Compare these data points with those of the classroom
thermometer.
3. Place the thermometer in different places outside and investigate if they make a
difference in the temperature. For example, compare windy and non windy spots or the
top of a snow bank versus six inches into the snow.
Template created by C. Rieckenberg, 1/2007