Visual Learning Tools
Learning Module Activity Guide
Earth Science 1
Weather
&
Seasons
PK-2
Science
Visual Learning Tools
Learning Module Activity Guide
Earth Science 1
Weather
&
Seasons
Learning Activities developed by
Keys to Learning, LLC
PK-2
Science
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contents
Table of Contents
The Foundation of VariQuest Learning Modules
Overview
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Activity 1: The Four Seasons
Activity 2: Signs of Autumn
.................................8
Activity 3: Signs of Winter
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Activity 4: Signs of Spring
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Activity 5: Signs of Summer
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Activity 6: What’s the Forecast?
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Activity 7: The Amazing Water Cycle
Activity 8: Name Those Clouds
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Activity 9: The Phases of the Moon
Activity 10: Extreme Weather
Additional Activity Ideas
Rubric
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
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Content List
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Work Order Template
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
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The Foundation of
VariQuest Learning Modules
V
ariQuest supports educators by providing countless opportunities to introduce a variety
of visuals and hands-on manipulatives into their classrooms. The use of visuals in the
classroom helps students understand and retain information, specifically abstract concepts.
Visuals can also help bridge the gap for students who struggle with vocabulary and/or language
barriers. Hands-on manipulatives create learning experiences in which students interact with
knowledge kinesthetically. Research shows that exposing students to a variety of learning
experiences, including visual and kinesthetic, will increase student retention and help students
learn to construct meaningful knowledge from information. The VariQuest Visual Learning Tools
enhance classroom teachers’ ability to provide learning experiences that meet the learning styles
of all students.
The aim of the following Learning Activities is to coordinate the VariQuest Visual Learning
Tools with lessons and activities that incorporate visual and hands-on learning strategies
to reinforce basic skills and provide fun and motivational activities that will supplement your
school’s curriculum. For best practices and additional information on how to customize
VariQuest posters, banners, flashcards, awards, cutouts and manipulatives, review the
VariQuest Implementation Guide prior to use.
For the following learning activities, use construction paper for all cutouts unless otherwise
specified. Pre-laminating construction paper using a cold laminator adds durability to cut out
letters, shapes, numbers and collections.
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Earth Science 1 Overview
Children in the primary grades are very interested in how the world around them works. This is
the perfect time to introduce science lessons that help children understand their environment
and all the phenomena they see, hear, and feel every day. Through the following learning
activities, children will learn about seasons, weather, phases of the moon, clouds, and the water
cycle. The learning activities in this VariQuest learning module are designed to meet educational
standards in innovative and creative ways. Before turning to the learning activities, familiarize
yourself with general information that will guarantee ease of use and flexibility.
Assessment
Following the learning activities, you will find a rubric that can be used to guide you in making
observational assessments of students’ abilities related to the objectives outlined in the
learning activities. It is recommended that you make a copy for each student to guide your
ongoing informal assessments, making anecdotal notes on the back when appropriate.
VariQuest Content
You will find a complete list of all of the content included in this module between the Rubric
and Work Order template. The content ID #s (ex. VIS001) for content referenced in the
learning activities are listed in the materials section for each activity and are color-coded to
help distinguish between templates for the Poster Maker (red) and Awards Maker (purple) and
cutouts and collections for the Cutout Maker (gold).
Work Orders
You will also find a work order template on the last page of the Activity Guide. This template
can be photocopied and used for placing orders for customized VariQuest posters, banners,
stickers, awards, cutouts and collections. It is designed to be submitted to the primary user
of the VariQuest Visual Learning Tools by those who may not have direct access to them.
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A c t ivi t y o n e
ACTIVITY One
Word Wall
BAN033
Mitten Book Cover
The Four Seasons
BKS047
Objectives
Children will identify the patterns of seasons and describe the seasonal
changes in their environment.
Children will know that summer, spring, winter and fall (autumn) are
Mitten Book Page 1
BKS048
Mitten Book Page 2
BKS092
seasons of the year.
Children will use general skills and strategies of the writing process to
write about each season.
Materials
Sun Book Cover
BKS069
Sun Book Page 1
BKS070
Poster Maker:
Watermelon Book Cover: BKS086
Word Wall: BAN033 (Basic)
Watermelon Book Page 1: BKS087
Cutout maker:
Mitten Book Cover: BKS047
Mitten Book Page 1: BKS048
Sun Book Page 2
BKS093
Watermelon
Book Cover
BKS086
Pumpkin Book Cover: BKS059
Pumpkin Book Page: BKS060
Four Seasons Wreath: CRF144
Mitten Book Page 2: BKS092
Other:
Sun Book Cover: BKS069
Pencils
Sun Book Page 1: BKS070
Crayons
Sun Book Page 2: BKS093
Preparation
Watermelon Book
Page 1
BKS087
Pumpkin Book Cover
BKS059
Edit the Word Wall Banner, so the title reads:
Fall, print one copy. Repeat for each of the
other seasons, Winter, Spring, Summer, so that
you have four Word Wall banners.
Cut out the Mitten, Sun, Watermelon and
Pumpkin Book Covers and Pages. Cut out two (2) of each book cover
and 3-4 of each shape book pages for each child. Cut out enough
Pumpkin Book Page
BKS060
Four Seasons Wreath
CRF144
covers and pages so that each child has one
book for each season. Assemble each book by
stapling the front cover, pages, then back cover,
together on the left-hand side.
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The Fou r S easons
Cut out the Four Seasons Wreath Collection and assemble.
Modification
Whole Class
Display the four Word Wall Banners near the Four Seasons Wreath at the
Have children draw pictures for
each season and dictate words or
sentences about each one.
front of the room. Review the names for each season, then point out the
cutout shapes on the wreath and discuss how each one is a symbol for
Extension
one of the different seasons.
Cut out a Four Seasons Wreath set
for each child and have them write an
acrostic poem using the letters of each
shape as the topic word and words
to describe the season related to that
shape for the poem. An example for
the Spring shape, frog, would be:
Flowers
Rain
Outdoors
Grass
Ask children to name one thing they like, or do not like, about the current
season. Add each word or phrase to the Word Wall under the proper
season. Move on to the next season and add their words to the proper
Word Wall. Do the same for all four seasons until you have a Word Wall
with a lot of interesting words for each of the four seasons.
Note: If you live in a part of the country where there are not four distinct
seasons, be sure the children are aware of the patterns in their local
seasons. Then provide books, DVDs, and magazines to show the children
what the seasons look like in other places.
Have students write their poems on
the shapes, then assemble the wreath
and display.
Ask children, “What are the things that make each season different?”
Center Activity
Divide children into four different groups, one for each season. Seat the
children who are working on winter in one area of the room and give
them each a mitten book; seat the children who are working on spring in
another area of the room and give them each a sun book, and so on. If
possible, try to have an adult overseeing each group.
Ask children to draw pictures to describe the things they like and dislike
about their season and to use the Word Wall to help them write descriptive
words below each picture. Remind them to use pictures and words that
are unique to the season they are working on.
On Day 2, have the same groups move on to the next season and write a
“book” about that season.
Have children rotate through book stations for each season so that, by
Day 4, all children have four books, one for each season.
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