Unit Overview
Content Area: Science
Unit Title: Earth Science/Weather
Target Course/Grade Level: Kindergarten
Timeline: Embedded into curricula; ongoing
Unit Summary
Our Earth offers us many useful resources in life. It is through this unit that students will discover that our
environment is made of land, air, and water. Specifically, our Earth is made of land and water. The
conditions of our environment change from day to day and over a long period of time, this is called
weather. Seasons are regular patterns that occur every year. In this unit, students will investigate these
science principals through hands on demonstrations, experiments, and activities.
Primary interdisciplinary connections: Language Arts, Mathematics, Technology
21st century themes and skills: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving; Creativity and Innovation;
Collaboration, Teamwork, and Leadership; Cross-Cultural Understanding and Interpersonal
Communication
Unit Rationale
To develop an understanding of the student’s natural world. To provide opportunities for investigation and
the acquisition of scientific knowledge.
Learning Targets
Standards
5.1 Science Practices
All students will understand that science is both a body of knowledge and an evidence-based, model
building enterprise that continually extends, refines, and revises knowledge. The four Science Practices
strands encompass the knowledge and reasoning skills that students must acquire to be proficient in
science.
A. Understand Scientific Explanations: Students understand core concepts and principals of
science and use measurement and observation tools to assist in categorizing, representing, and
interpreting the natural and designed world.
B. Generating Scientific Evidence Through Active Investigations: Students master the
conceptual, mathematical, physical, and computational tools that need to be applied when
constructing and evaluating claims.
C. Reflect on Scientific Knowledge: Scientific knowledge builds on itself over time.
D. Participate Productively in Science: The growth of scientific knowledge involves critique and
communication, which are social practices that are governed by a core set of values and norms.
5.4 Earth Systems Science
All students will understand that Earth operates as a set of complex, dynamic, and interconnected systems,
and is a part of the all-encompassing system of the universe.
C. Properties of Earth Materials: Earth’s composition is unique, is related to the origin of our solar
system, and provides us with the raw resources needed to sustain life.
F. Climate and Weather: Earth’s weather and climate systems are the result of complex interactions
between land, ocean, ice, and atmosphere.
G. Biogeochemical Cycles: The biogeochemical cycles in the Earth systems include the flow of
microscopic and macroscopic resources from one reservoir in the hydrosphere, geosphere,
atmosphere, or biosphere to another, are driven by Earth's internal and external sources of energy,
and are impacted by human activity.
9.1 21st Century Life and Career Skills
All students will demonstrate the creative, critical thinking, collaboration and problem solving skills
needed to function successfully as both global citizens and workers in diverse ethnic and organizational
cultures.
Content Statements
 Observations and investigations form a basis for young learners’ understanding of properties of
Earth Materials.
 Soils are made of many living and nonliving substances. The attributes and properties of soil
(e.g., moisture, kind and size of particles, living/organic elements, etc.) vary depending on
location.
 Observations and investigations form the basis for young learners’ understanding of weather
and climate.
 Current weather conditions include air movement, clouds, and precipitation. Weather
conditions affect our daily lives.
 Investigations in environmental awareness activities form a basis for young learners’
understanding of biogeochemical changes.
 Who, what, when, where, why, and how questions form the basis for young learners’
investigations during sensory explorations, experimentation, and focused inquiry.
 Observations and investigations form young learners’ understanding of science concepts.
 Experiment and explorations provide opportunity for young learners to use science vocabulary
and scientific terms.
 Experiments and explorations give young learners opportunities to use science tools and
technology.
 Interacting with peers and adults to share questions and explorations about the natural world
builds young learners’ scientific knowledge.
 Scientific practices include drawing or “writing” on observation clipboards, making rubbings,
or charting the growth of plants.
 The ability to recognize a problem and apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to
solve the problem is a lifelong skill that develops over time.
 Ethical behaviors support human rights and dignity in all aspects of life.
CPI #
Cumulative Progress Indicator (CPI)
5.1.P.A.1
Display curiosity about science objects, materials, activities, and longer-term
investigations in progress.
5.1.P.B.1
Observe, question, predict, and investigate materials, objects, and phenomena (e.g., using
simple tools to crack a nut and look inside) during indoor and outdoor classroom activities
and during any longer-term investigations.
5.1.P.B.2
Use basic science terms and topic-related science vocabulary.
5.1.P.B.3
Identify and use basic tools and technology to extend exploration in conjunction with
science investigation.
5.1.P.C.1
Communication with other children and adults to share observations, pursue questions, and
make predictions and/or conclusions.
5.1.P.D.1
Represent observations and work through drawing, recording data, and “writing.”
5.4.P.C.1
Explore and describe characteristics of and concepts about soil, rocks, water, and air.
5.4.2.C.1
Describe Earth materials using appropriate terms such as hard, soft, dry, wet, heavy, and
light.
5.4.P.F.1
Observe and record weather.
5.4.2.F.1
Observe and document daily weather and discuss how the weather influences your
activities for the day.
5.4.P.G.1
Demonstrate emergent awareness for conservation, recycling, and respect for the
environment.
9.1.4.A.1
Recognize a problem and brainstorm ways to solve the problem individually or
collaboratively.
9.1.4.A.5
Apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills in classroom and family setting.
9.1.4.F.3
Explain the importance of understanding and following rules in family, classroom, and
community settings.
Unit Essential Questions
Unit Enduring Understandings
 Why do we need to take care of the Earth?
 Earth is made up of land, air, and water.
 We can observe and measure change in weather.
 Why is it important to reuse?
 Scientists ask questions and then investigate to
 What is “the Earth”?
find answers.
 What is weather?
 Scientists use the world around them to explore
 How can we communicate the results of our
and observe to learn.
experiments to other people?
 Science tools can help us investigate.
 Why are safety rules important in science?
 How do we organize our work to behave like a
scientist?
Unit Learning Targets
Students will ...
 Recognize that water and land are found on Earth and air surrounds Earth.
 Observe and compare Earth’s materials: sand, soil, rocks, and pebbles.
 Identify and describe parts of Earth’s surface (soil, rocks, and water).
 Recognize that most of Earth’s surface is covered by water.
 Identify that there are different types of bodies of water on Earth (ocean-saltwater) and (lake and riverfresh water).
 Understand that people use natural resources to meet their needs.
 Identify ways we can take care of Earth’s natural resources at home and at school.
 Recognize that rocks can be different sizes, textures, and colors.
 Recognize that soil can be sorted by how it looks and how it feels (sandy soil, top soil, clay).
 Observe and record weather that occurs in one week.
 Utilize charts to document and describe weather.
 Contrast types of weather in different seasons.
 Recognize instruments used in observing weather.
 Describe how seasons affect plants and animals.
Evidence of Learning
Summative Assessment (suggestions)
 Class mural: students will create a mural showing land, air, and water and the things that live in each
place
 Construct a “Seasons” book
Equipment needed: SMARTBoard, ELMO, Flip camera, laptop, art supplies, rain gauge, Earth’s
materials
Teacher Instructional Resources:
Trade books:
Circle of Seasons by Gerda Muller
The Earth and I by Frank Asch
Weather Forecasting by Gail Gibbons
The Great Trash Bash by Loreen Leedy
The Cloud Book by Tomie DePaola
Land by Emma Nathan
Ocean by Sheila Rivera
Earth, Sky, Wet, Dry: A Book of Natural Opposites by Durga Bernhard
Formative Assessments (suggestions)
 Sort pictures of Earth by land and water
 Chart/graph animals according to where they
live
 Sort living things by air, land, and water
 Sort the characteristics of each season
 Sequence the seasons of the year
 Create posters to communicate ways to take care of
the Earth (Earth Day posters)
 Students illustrate an example of land and/or water
 Chart weather on a class graph
 “What I know about Weather”: student will
identify what to wear based on how the weather
feels and looks (illustrate a book, write to support
the picture).
Integration of Technology
SMARTBoard, laptop, ELMO projector
Technology Resources
Click the links below to access additional resources used to design this unit:
www.unitedstreaming.com
www.weather.com
www.discoveryeducation-weathermaps
www.weatherwizkids.com
www.weatherchannelkids.com
Opportunities for Differentiation
 utilizing pairing and grouping of activities
 deliver instruction in a variety of modalities
 opportunities provided to express learning through written assignments and art
 express understanding through role playing scenarios
 express understanding through the use of problem solving situations
Teacher Notes:
Earth Science Vocabulary: land, water, sand, pebbles, rock, soil, river, lake, ocean, conserve, recycle,
reuse, natural resource
Weather Vocabulary: weather, rain, snow, wind, sleet, rain gauge, temperature, thermometer, wind vane,
seasons, fall, winter, spring, and summer
Activities:
 Student will collect rocks (different sizes, shapes, colors, and textures) – observe with and without
hand lens and identify characteristics. Classify as non-living.
 Measure rain with gauges
 Observe the change in the environment through freezing and melting (solid and liquid)
 Observe weather differences around the world