Task Description
The task is an opportunity for elementary students to learn about the weather. They will observe different changes that occur daily in the atmosphere and get the skills and knowledge to describe and predict these alterations. This task will allow the students to meet specific performance expectations, including ELA, NGSS, and mathematics standards.
Investigating Ecosystems
Students will take a trip to the city to observe dynamic weather changes and analyze how atmospheric alterations influence them. Each student will then create a sketch depicting a weather phenomenon they find interesting. This assignment aims to increase awareness of weather prediction methods. Students will act as information providers, communicating the importance of understanding key elements, such as clouds, rain, the water cycle, and air.
For the final presentation, students will have a choice:
- Some will deliver an oral presentation explaining how various observations and “hints” can be used to predict weather changes.
- Students who are less comfortable with public speaking or are not fluent in English will draw sketches and write a description of the weather changes they observed.
Standards
ELA Standard
To meet the standard, students will need to understand that:
- Informative texts should consist of specific facts and explanations.
- Useful information can be exchanged not only during the study of theory but also through communication in the form of writing and drawing.
To understand, students will need to consider such questions as:
- What are the features of explanatory texts that provide useful information?
- What are the alternative ways to share weather information?
To consider such questions well, students will need to know:
- The purpose of writing informative texts is.
- Understanding the nonstop vocabulary that refers to the weather (e.g., rain, clouds, sunniness, humidity, temperature).
To consider such questions well, students will need to be able to:
- Simple weather information texts.
- Create drawings, dictate, and write texts that convey information about weather conditions.
NGSS Standard
For students to achieve the objective, they must comprehend that:
- Weather conditions can be recorded and observed.
- The weather can change periodically, and it’s essential to be aware of these changes.
Grasping the concept requires students to think about:
- What are the ways of observing and recording weather patterns?
- What can be the weather conditions?
To effectively analyze these questions, students must be familiar with:
- Basic observation skills that include pattern recognition.
- Ability to name types of weather conditions (for example, rainy, cloudy, sunny, hot, cold, windy).
To effectively analyze these questions, students must be skilled at:
- Determine weather patterns over time.
- Make simple observations and record weather data.
Mathematics Standard
To fulfill the requirement, students need to acknowledge that:
- Categories can be sorted based on the number of objects they contain.
- Objects in categories can also be divided into different categories.
For comprehension, students should examine questions like:
- How can you sort categories based on the number of objects in them?
- How can we classify weather-related objects?
Students will need the following knowledge to properly address these issues:
- The concept of comparing numbers and counting.
- Existence of objects related to the description of the weather (e.g., cloud, sun, wind, rain).
To engage deeply with these issues, students will need to demonstrate the ability to:
- Count the number of objects in each category and sort them by number.
- Classification of objects having relations to the weather (such as, for example, rainy, solar, wind objects).
Other Evidence of Students’ Understanding
- Quizzes. 2 quizzes on the nonstop weather vocabulary.
- Letter. An informative letter about how people can predict weather changes themselves.
- Journal. A personal weather journal to determine and report specific patterns.