Second Grade Science Plans
September 10 – 14, 2012
Charlesworth, Cochran, Lambright, Wimmer
2-3 Standard – The students will demonstrate an understanding of daily and
seasonal weather conditions.
Indicators – 2-3.5 – Use pictorial weather symbols to record observable sky
conditions
2-3.6 – Identify safety precautions that one should take during
severe weather conditions
2-3.3 –Illustrate the weather conditions of different seasons
(Teachers will want to pull out and display the “Weather” vocabulary cards for
this unit. Reading support books that go with this unit include: Weather – below
level intervention / Weather and Water – on level enrichment / Rain or Shine? –
challenge level)
Monday –
1. Introduce the unit on weather. Use Harcourt text p. 132 to read the
definitions of “weather” and “weather patterns.” If time, the teacher may
want to also include pp. 133 – 136 on the seasons. This could tie in with
our reading skill on sequence.
2. Students will complete the AIMS activity “Watching the Weather”. Give
each student a copy of p. 141. Review the five senses and how we use
them to make observations. (You may want to refer to the previous
posters from “Rising to the Challenge.” Take students outside to silently
observe the weather and write down their observations on p. 141.
Discuss their findings and make a class chart.
3. Discuss weather symbols and distribute the FOSS kit copy of weather
symbols along with AIMS p. 143. These will be used to record weather
observations for 3 weeks. You may want students to keep symbols and
calendar in a “science” pocket folder so it will not be lost.
Materials : AIMS sheets and FOSS sheets, text
Assessment: teacher observe student responses, the calendar will be graded at
a later date
Tuesday1. Discuss severe weather conditions and the precautions one should take
during these conditions. (floods, lightning storms, tornado, thunderstorm,
hurricane) These are the ones listed on the support documents from SDE.
2. Watch United Streaming video on weather. (See Friday for the instructions
click the 6th segment)
3. Add the weather symbol for today’s weather on the weekly chart started
yesterday.
Wednesday1. Review from Tuesday the types of severe weather. These include: floods,
lightning storms, tornado, thunderstorm, hurricane
2. Assist students in making a “flip – flop” book with safety procedures to
follow in severe weather. (See example) These will be used as a study
guide for future test.
3. Continue weekly weather chart by adding today’s weather symbol.
Materials : construction paper, scissors, handouts with safety procedures, glue
Assessment – grade flip-flop books for a daily grade
Thursday1. Use the text to read about floods on page 151, storms on page 152,
hurricane on page 160-161.
2. Assist students in completing the “Insta-Lab” procedure (text page 151) on
modeling a flood. This can be done in the classroom or in the science lab.
3. Discuss observations. Review safety precautions to follow during floods.
4. Continue weekly weather chart by adding today’s weather symbol.
Materials : text, soil, cake pan, bowl of water, sprinkling can, small objects to
represent houses, trees, etc
Friday1. Review the four seasons. Harcourt text pp. 133 – 136 discusses the seasons.
2. Watch a united streaming video on seasons and weather patterns in
each season. (http://app.discoveryeducation.com/search) search
weather grades k-2 / Click on the segment titled “The Language of
Science: Earth/Space Science K-2: Weather 1st , 6th, and 7th segments are
good.)
3. Students will illustrate the weather conditions of each season.
4. Demonstrate to students how to fold a large sheet of drawing paper into
fourths and label each section with the names of the four seasons. Use
the information listed below which was taken from the SDE support
documents as “essential” for second graders to know.
 Winter – The weather may be cold or freezing; there may be rain,
snow, or sleet
 Spring – The weather starts to get warmer; there may be a lot of
rain; the air can be windy
 Summer – The weather is often hot and dry; there may be little or no
rain; the air can be windy
 Fall/Autumn – The weather starts to get cooler; there may be little or
no rainfall; the air can be windy
5. Continue weekly weather chart by adding today’s weather symbol.
Materials : United Streaming video, drawing paper, copies of the “essentials”
Assessment : check students illustrations for accuracy of facts
Copy this sheet for students to use on Friday’s illustration.
Winter
The weather may be
cold or freezing; there
may be rain, snow, or
sleet
Summer
Spring
The weather starts to get
warmer; there may be a lot of
rain; the air can be windy
Fall/Autumn
The weather is often hot
The weather starts to get
and dry; there may be
cooler; there may be little or no
little or no rain; the air can rainfall; the air can be windy
be windy
Winter
The weather may be
cold or freezing; there
may be rain, snow, or
sleet
Summer
Spring
The weather starts to get
warmer; there may be a lot of
rain; the air can be windy
Fall/Autumn
The weather is often hot
The weather starts to get
and dry; there may be
cooler; there may be little or no
little or no rain; the air can rainfall; the air can be windy
be windy
Copy this sheet for students to use on Wednesday’s flip flop book.
Flood
Stay on high ground
Lightning Storms
Stay indoors or low to the
ground
Tornado
Stay indoors away from
windows; go to the
basement or a windowless
room
Thunderstorms
Do NOT stand under a tree;
stay away from water (pools,
puddles, tubs)
Hurricanes
Stay indoors away from
windows; follow an
evacuation route to a safer
place away from the
hurricane’s path