Natasha Norris
Lindsay Hill
The Four Seasons
Standard:
E.ES.01.22 Describe and compare weather related to the four
seasons in terms of temperature, cloud cover, precipitation, and
wind.
Grade Level:
1st Grade
Objectives:
Students will be able to:
-
-
Use prior knowledge and experiences to draw a picture
representing each season.
Explain and compare defining characteristics of the
seasons in relation to weather conditions such as
temperature, cloud cover, precipitation, and wind.
Record data based on weekly observations in their
Season Observation Journals.
Materials:
- Engage: What Makes the Seasons? by Megan Montague Cash.
- Explore: Four Seasons Drawing Activity Worksheet, markers, and
colored pencils.
- Explain: Four posters with pictures representing each season.
- Elaborate: Season Observation Journal, weather appropriate
clothing for students.
- Extended activities: supplies for celebration of each season
parties.
Prior Knowledge: The students should have basic knowledge of the difference
between the four seasons based on previous experience outside of
the classroom. The students should understand the difference
between hot, cold, cool, or warm. The students should be familiar
with what a cloud looks like. The students should be familiar with
snow, rain, sleet, and hail. The students should know what wind is
and what it feels like in relation to its strength (strong, breezy, no
wind).
Engage:
-The teacher begins by reading aloud the short picture book, What Makes
the Seasons?
-Teacher then asks the students to consider their favorite season by
asking, “What is your favorite season and why?” The teacher will call on a
few students to share their answers.
- As students share their answers, the teacher should record students’
responses onto the board. Separate the board into four categories, one for
each season. Students’ replies should represent some
characteristic/aspect of their favorite season.
Explore:
-Hand out the Four Seasons Drawing Activity Worksheet.
-Have students draw a picture representing each season. Encourage
students to aide their drawings with colors and pictures that represent that
season best.
-After students have finished each season, the teacher should begin a
class discussion using questions such as the following for each season.
Summer: Call on one student for each response and ask why?
1) How many of you think it is cold in the summer? Warm? Hot? (Temperature)
2) Did anyone draw clouds in the sky in the summer? (Cloud cover)
3) Did anyone draw any rain or snow in the summer? (Precipitation)
4) Does anyone think it is windy in the summer? (Wind)
Fall: Call on one student for each response and ask why?
1) How many of you think it is cold in the fall? Warm? Hot? (Temperature)
2) Did anyone draw clouds in the sky in the fall? (Cloud cover)
3) Did anyone draw any rain or snow in the fall? (Precipitation)
4) Does anyone think it is really windy in the fall picture? (Wind)
Winter: Call on one student for each response and ask why?
1) How many of you think it is cold in the winter? Warm? Hot? (Temperature)
.
2) Did anyone draw clouds in the sky in the winter? (Cloud cover)
3) Did anyone draw any rain or snow in the winter picture? (Precipitation)
4) Does anyone think it is really windy in the winter? (Wind)
Spring: Call on one student for each response and ask why?
1) Who thinks it is cold in the spring? Warm? Hot? (Temperature)
2) Did anyone draw clouds in the sky in the spring? (Cloud cover)
3) Did anyone draw any rain or snow in the spring? (Precipitation)
4) Does anyone think it is really windy in the spring? (Wind)
Explain:
-Teacher will begin by discussing the weather terms associated with each
season in regards to temperature, cloud cover, precipitation, and wind.
Temperature: The degree of “hotness” or “coldness” of a body or environment.
Cloud Cover: The amount of clouds in the sky in a particular area.
Precipitation: Any form of water such as rain, snow, sleet or hail that falls to the earth’s
surface or ground.
Wind:
Moving air that can change speed and direction.
-Teacher will then share the four posters representing each season.
(Describe the general characteristics for each season with the class).
-Hand out worksheet with questions regarding the temperature, cloud
cover, precipitation, and wind for each season (in the Northern
Hemisphere).
-Go through each season with the students and ask them to circle the best
characteristic to describe the season in regards to the definitions listed
above, from their prior knowledge, and from the previous discussions.
Elaborate:
-Hand out the example of the observation journal worksheet (real
classroom would get their observation journal for the whole year).
-Explain the directions for the journal entry and go over the first day as a
class based on the current weather conditions for today’s date.
-In a real classroom, the students would be taking observations at the
beginning and end of each month of the school year so they can see the
progression from one season to the next.
-As a class, decide which season we think it is based on these
observations (go outside).
-For an extended activity, we will have a class party to celebrate each
season based on the observations we made.
*At the start of the year, we will have a party for fall, then after our
observations change into winter we will have a party for this season, and
so on.
*Students will be encouraged to bring in one item that reminds
them of the season (ex. Food, picture, toy, clothing, etc.)
Evaluate:
Students will be evaluated on the following:
1) Participation in the Four Seasons Drawing Activity Worksheet
2) Participation in class discussions, observations, and seasonal
parties.
3) Completion of their Season Observation Journals at the end of
each season (They would be collected at the end of the year).
Bibliography:
Cash, Megan. What Makes the Seasons? New York: Viking, 2003.
http://www.dlese.org