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Weather and the Water Cycle Unit plan - 1st/2nd Grade

Essential Unit Question: How is the weather, clouds and precipitation connected to the water
cycle?

Pre-Assessment: (10-15minutes)
Quiz with 10 questions about the weather and the water cycle.

Lesson 1: Weather and seasons -- Pre-assessment and read aloud

Lesson Question: How can you prepare for the different weather?

Objective: I will be able to recognize how the weather changes from season to season.

Assessment: Formative assessments will be conducted during all phases of this

Unit plan and lesson. During the engage phase, I will listen to the students’ responses as we discuss
the book The Weather Girls by, Aki. During the explore phase, I will be observing their interactions
with the materials and with each other. I will also circulate the room and ask open-ended
Questions to gauge students' understanding. During the explain phase, I will question the students
as a whole group to gauge their understanding of weather. Their responses will allow me to
determine if the learning goal for this lesson was achieved.

A summative assessment will be conducted when I review the quiz that they will complete at the end
of the unit.This information will help me to determine if the students have a firm understanding of
this concept. I will also review this by asking them to write about the weather they observed throughout
the week. Their written responses will help me to assess their understanding of this concept.
Resources:
https://betterlesson.com/lesson/637979/season-to-season
Materials:
- KWL Chart
- The Weather Girls, By Aki
- Pre-assessment Quiz
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Vocabulary:
- Weather
- Precipitation
- Temperature
- Seasons
- Water cycle
- Spring
- Summer
- Fall
- Winter
Curriculum areas being addressed: Science and Language Arts

Fine Arts Core:

Students will generate artistic work by conceptualizing, organizing, and completing their artistic ideas.
They will refine original work through persistence, reflection and evaluation

Standard 2.1.1

Develop and use models illustrating the patterns of landforms and water on Earth. Examples of
models could include valleys, canyons, or floodplains and could depict water in the solid or
liquid state. (ESS2.B)

Differentiation:
Gifted/Talented or Fast Finishers – write extension questions on the board that can be answered. What is your
Favorite type of weather? What is an extreme form of weather?
ELLs – Objectives written on the board ahead of time (We will be able to understand the phases the water cycle)
Use gestures while speaking.
Speak slowly and include drawings, images and videos
Wear a microphone while teaching so all students can hear me clearly
SPED – Desks clear of distractions. Inform students of time remaining for activities.
Demonstration of each activity.
Classroom Management:
- Demonstrations of each activity allow students to be clear about the tasks they are to
complete.
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- Teacher circulates the room while students work together.

- Monitored transitions to help maintain order.
- Material distribution conducted right before the investigations begin. All materials are
collected before students discuss their observations.

Phase 1 - Exploration and Explanation: The warm-up will be the paper PreAssessment.
Students will get out their pencils and other tools they will need. Then, I read the questions
aloud and repeat them.

Friends, today you are going to answer a few questions to help me know more about what to
teach over the next few weeks. If you don't know an answer, make your best guess! It's okay to
not know, because I haven't taught you a thing yet!

Put your finger on the number one.

I like all students to stay together because I don't want anyone to rush through the test. Plus,
reading aloud supports my developing readers. I encourage students to reread their answer and
check their work as well.

Once students have finished, students put their papers in the “magic trick” and then go sit on the
rug.

Phase 2 - Guided practice: The exploration today is also part of the pre-assessment. Have a
student read the objective for the day on the board: "I can recognize how the weather changes
from season to season."The "I Can" statement helps students take ownership of the lesson as they
put standards into context. The other students praise the student that reads the "I Can" statement
by clapping. I encourage students to give each other praise to boost their self-esteem.

As we talk we will start by writing on our KLEWS Chart. Students will put their answers on a
sticky note. We will start with what they Know. If a student writes the same thing then we will
put those sticky notes together. Next we will move to E(vidence) where students will make
observations about the weather . Then we go to L(learning), We know that the weather changes
and this is what causes the four seasons.

Now we will read the book The Weather Girls, by Aki as a class. Students will get to share their
observations and then we will transition to the closing.
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Phase 3 - Closing/Independent Practice/assessment:

In closing, I introduce the Essential Question that will guide our work in this unit: What is
weather and why is the water cycle important to life on earth? I tell students that by the end of
this unit, we will be able to answer this question.

I write the Essential Question on the top of a KLEWS chart. Throughout our earlier discussions,
students had a plethora of questions about the weather.

Then I give students an exit ticket about weather and the seasons:

(This will be a 1-2 day lesson)

Lesson 2: What is precipitation

Lesson Title: Precipitation

Grade: 1st/2nd

State Seed Science Standards:

Earth has an ancient history of slow and gradual surface changes, punctuated with quick but
powerful geologic events like volcanic eruptions, flooding, and earthquakes. Water and wind
play a significant role in changing Earth’s surface. The effects of wind and water can cause both
slow and quick changes to the surface of the Earth. Scientists and engineers design solutions to
slow or prevent wind or water from changing the land.

Standard 2.1.1

Develop and use models illustrating the patterns of landforms and water on Earth. Examples of
models could include valleys, canyons, or floodplains and could depict water in the solid or
liquid state. (ESS2.B)

Learning objectives/goals: I will be able to describe and identify precipitation.

Essential Question What are the different types of precipitation?

Assessment: Formative assessments will be conducted during all phases of this

Unit plan and lesson. During the engage phase, I will listen to the students’ responses as we discuss
the book The Weather Girls by, Aki. During the explore phase, I will be observing their interactions
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with the materials and with each other. I will also circulate the room and ask open-ended
questions related to their investigation. During the explain phase, I will question the students
as a whole group to gauge their understanding of weather. Their responses will allow me to
determine if the learning goal for this lesson was achieved.

A summative assessment will be conducted when I review the quiz that they will complete at the end
of the unit.This information will help me to determine if the students have a firm understanding of
this concept. I will also review this by asking them to write about the weather they observed throughout
the week. Their written responses will help me to assess their understanding of this concept.

Resources:
https://betterlesson.com/lesson/632260/4-it-s-raining-it-s-pouring-precipitation-is-forming

Vocabulary:
- Weather
- Precipitation
- Water cycle
- Hail
- Rain
- Snow
- Sleet
Technology:
- Precipitation video
- Smartboard
- microphone

Lesson Structure and procedure: (Have time period for each procedure)

Phase 1:(10minutes) To start off today's lesson, I recap what we have learned so far and
connect where we are going in today's lesson by stating varying air temperatures create
precipitation within a weather system.
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I introduce today's lesson with the precipitation video.

4 Types of Precipitation

This video is a three minute snapshot of rain, snow, sleet, and hail. It provides students a glimpse
of each type of precipitation and presents pictures of each to activate prior knowledge. In
addition, the music throughout the slide is fun, engaging, and maintains students attention.
While the video is playing, I walk around the room looking at student reactions. I notice
students enjoying the video as some are smiling and chuckling, while others are shaking their
heads yes when a slide is connected with them, like the children sledding on snow.

Once the video ends, I direct students to a turn and talk with their elbow partner about the four
types of precipitation mentioned in the video. I remind them of our turn and talk norms. While
the students are discussing, I am walking around listening to student conversations. I hear
students mentioning experiences such as sledding and snow-tubing in the winter and
commenting on the size of the hail shown compared to the storm we had over the summer in
August.

After turn and talk, I get the quick hand raise and select students to share aloud one thing he or
she discussed with his or her partner. I want students to make connections about air temperatures
to precipitation formation.

Phase 2: (15 min) At this point students will be given a worksheet so they can draw and
label the different forms of precipitation. As the students are working on their drawing and
labeling I will walk around the room and observe students work.

Transition to Phase 3 : Have students put their drawings in their mailboxes or the magic
trick if they have finished. Clean up their desks and transition to their explain stage.

Phase 3: (5 minutes):In closing, ask students: List the five main types of precipitation in order
from your favorite to your least favorite. Tell your reasons for listing them in that order. Allow
for responses and discussion. Encourage students to be specific with their reasoning.

Further ask students to share a memorable time when it was raining, snowing, etc. Why was it so
memorable to them?
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(This will be a 1-2 day lesson)

Lesson3: The water cycle

Grade: 1st/2nd
State Seed Science Standards:
Earth has an ancient history of slow and gradual surface changes, punctuated with quick but
powerful geologic events like volcanic eruptions, flooding, and earthquakes. Water and wind
play a significant role in changing Earth’s surface. The effects of wind and water can cause both
slow and quick changes to the surface of the Earth. Scientists and engineers design solutions to
slow or prevent wind or water from changing the land.

Standard 2.1.1

Develop and use models illustrating the patterns of landforms and water on Earth. Examples of
models could include valleys, canyons, or floodplains and could depict water in the solid or
liquid state. (ESS2.B)

Learning objectives/goals: I will be able to explain the water cycle, including the terms
evaporation, precipitation, collection, and condensation.

Essential Question: What is the water cycle?

Assessment: Formative assessments will be conducted during all phases of this

Unit plan and lesson. During the engage phase, I will listen to the students’ responses as we discuss
the book The Weather Girls by, Aki. During the explore phase, I will be observing their interactions
with the materials and with each other. I will also circulate the room and ask open-ended
questions related to their investigation. During the explain phase, I will question the students
as a whole group to gauge their understanding of weather. Their responses will allow me to
determine if the learning goal for this lesson was achieved.

A summative assessment will be conducted when I review the quiz that they will complete at the end
of the unit.This information will help me to determine if the students have a firm understanding of the seasons
And the water cycle. I will also review this by asking them to write about the weather they observed
throughout the week. Their written responses will help me to assess their understanding of this concept.
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Resources:
https://betterlesson.com/lesson/634593/what-s-up-with-the-water-cycle
Materials:
- Construction paper
- pencils/crayons
- Sharpie
- Plastic bag
- water
Technology:
- Microphone
- Smartboard
- Water Cycle - Mobie

Vocabulary:
- Weather
- Precipitation
- Water cycle
- Hail
- Rain
- Snow
- Sleet
- Hydrosphere
- Runoff
- Infiltration
- groundwater

Curriculum areas being addressed: Science and fine arts

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Fine Arts Core:

Students will generate artistic work by conceptualizing, organizing, and completing their artistic ideas.
They will refine original work through persistence, reflection and evaluation

Differentiation:
Gifted/Talented or Fast Finishers – write extension questions on the board that can be answered. What is your
Favorite type of weather? What is an extreme form of weather?
ELLs – Objectives written on the board ahead of time (We will be able to understand the phases the water cycle)
Use gestures while speaking.
Speak slowly and include drawings, images and videos
Wear a microphone while teaching so all students can hear me clearly
SPED – Desks clear of distractions. Inform students of time remaining for activities.
Demonstration of each activity.
Classroom Management:
- Demonstrations of each activity allow students to be clear about the tasks they are to
complete.
- Teacher circulates the room while students work together.
- Monitored transitions to help maintain order.
- Material distribution conducted right before the investigations begin. All materials are
collected before students discuss their observations.

Phase 1:(10minutes)
Question for the Day: What is the water cycle?

Students read the question out loud. I check for understanding for the word, 'cycle' before
students turn to their neighbors to discuss. I remind students to use the sentence frames to help
them summarize what their partner said.

I listen to students' conversations to get an idea what they may know already about the water
cycle.

After conversations die down, I call on students to share what their partner said. I write responses
on the board for us to refer to as we go through today's lesson.
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Phase 2: (15 min) Show the water cycle video and stop to check for understanding.
Write the important vocabulary of the board with definitions. After the video, I project the
interactive USGS Poster"You will make your own diagram of the water cycle. Similar to this
one." I point to the projected image of the water cycle. "Let's review the different parts that you
will show on your own water cycle poster."

I call on volunteers to explain the different aspects of the water cycle poster. As they point to the
area on the image that they are referring to, I write the vocabulary on the board that I want the
students to label and write a caption for on their poster:

sun

precipitation

evaporation

Condensation

Ground water

"You will make a diagram of the water cycle. Why is it called a cycle? Right, water continuously
moves from liquid to gas to solid. If you look closely at the poster, what helps us know that
water is moving in a cycle? Yes, there are arrows. So your picture will show how water moves
through these 3 states of matter and you can draw arrows to show how the water cycle works."

At this point, you may want to connect to the student's prior knowledge of boiling water, to
connect to vapor so that students begin to see that water is changing its state as the temperature
changes.

"We know that a diagram has ... right, labels. You will label these parts of the water cycle." I
point to the words I have written on the board. "Along with the labels, you will explain what the
word means or for the sun the role it plays in the water cycle."

"You will make your diagram on this paper," I hold up a 9 x 18 piece of white construction paper,
and "write the label and definition or caption on this paper." I show students the label and
definition paper they will use.

I show the kiddos how they can click on the key word on the USGS water cycle poster to read
the definition. We read a definition together.
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"When you write your definition for the water cycle word, it is important that you write it with
words that make sense to you, that you use words that you would say."

"For example, (I read the evaporation box) hmmm what are the key words I would want in my
definition? How about water turns from a liquid to a gas, called water vapor. What makes the
liquid water turn into a gas?"

I model how a reader will go back and read the definition again. "Oh, it says the sun heats the
water. I want to use the word sun in my definition too. Hmm I could write, The sun heats water
and this causes the water to turn into a gas, called water vapor."

I ask students what I did:

1. read the definition slowly

2. thought about the key words or phrases that I would want to have in my definition

3. ask a question to check that I had all the information I needed

4. read the definition again to find any other information I needed

5. wrote my definition

I write these steps on the board.

"Collaborate and discuss your definition ideas with your table partner. When I look at your
poster, I want to read your definition sentence, not the same one on the USGS website."

"When you return to your desk, you will write your definitions on your label page. Then you can
pick up the paper to make your water cycle poster. After your poster is finished you will cut out
the labels and definitions and glue them to the poster to show that part of the water cycle."

As students work on their label page and poster, I walk around to check in with individuals.
Looking that they can identify the key words in the definition and they can show me on the
poster where that word belongs.

Phase 3: (5 minutes): I want to connect a student's concept of the water cycle to something
tangible. So I chose to set up a demonstration of the water cycle.

I signal for student's attention and ask them to turn their poster over and close their iPads, to
minimize distractions.
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I explain to the students that I am going to set up a model of the water cycle on Earth. I hold up a
plastic bag, "This is like the atmosphere." I pour 2-3 tablespoons of water in the bag. "The water
in the bag is like ..." I wait for students to respond with a surface water name.

"Take a moment to sketch our water cycle model on the back of your poster. Label the water at
the bottom of the bag.While you make that quick sketch I will close the bag."

I give students 3 -5 minutes to draw the bag. "If I place the bag in the sun, what will happen to
the water? Use one of the words from your poster."

I tape the bag to the window, but leave the images and labels off until the students and I talk
about it at our next science meeting. (see the example below)

"Later today, or later this week, I want you to write an observation of what you see in the bag by
your 'water cycle in a bag' diagram. We will share our observations the next time we meet for
science."

"Turn to your table partner and tell him or her what you think you might see. Then place your
posters in the magic trick.

At the end play the Water cycle song and have students get up and dance. Water Cycle Song

Lesson overview:

● Changes in the Earth

"Weather changes from day to day and over the seasons."

In this lesson, the students learn about various clouds and how the clouds help to predict the
weather. For instance, stratus clouds bring rain or snow. Cirrus clouds mean the weather is going
to be sunny and bright. Cumulus clouds bring fair weather. If the sky turn dark, it may bring a
storm. This lesson is important because students are introduced to the different kinds of clouds.
They learn how they appear in the sky and what kind of weather each cloud can bring

Students are aware of the different kinds of seasons and they understand the various kinds of
weather. They also know what kinds of clothes to wear during various seasons. Also, they
understand that weather changes daily.
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"I can identify various clouds to help predict the weather." The "I Can" statement helps students
take ownership of the lesson as they put standards into context.

Lesson 4: Clouds

Grade: 1st/2nd
State Seed Science Standards:
Earth has an ancient history of slow and gradual surface changes, punctuated with quick but
powerful geologic events like volcanic eruptions, flooding, and earthquakes. Water and wind
play a significant role in changing Earth’s surface. The effects of wind and water can cause both
slow and quick changes to the surface of the Earth. Scientists and engineers design solutions to
slow or prevent wind or water from changing the land.

Fine Arts Standards

Standard 2.1.1

Develop and use models illustrating the patterns of landforms and water on Earth. Examples of
models could include valleys, canyons, or floodplains and could depict water in the solid or
liquid state. (ESS2.B)

Learning objectives/goals: I will be able to explain the water cycle and describe the steps.

Essential Question: What are clouds and what are their names?

Assessment: Formative assessments will be conducted during all phases of this

Unit plan and lesson. During the engage phase, I will listen to the students’ responses as we discuss
The . During the explore phase, I will be observing their interactions
with the materials and with each other. I will also circulate the room and ask open-ended
questions related to their investigation. During the explain phase, I will question the students
as a whole group to gauge their understanding of clouds. Their responses will allow me to
determine if the learning goal for this lesson was achieved.
Resources:
https://betterlesson.com/lesson/638831/different-clouds?from=login
Materials:
- Blue Construction Paper
- 10 Cotton Balls
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- Glue
- Black Marker
Technology:
- Video about clouds

Vocabulary:
- Cloud
- Cirrus
- Cumulus
- Stratus
- Water vapor
Curriculum areas being addressed: Science and Language Arts

Fine Arts Core:

Students will generate artistic work by conceptualizing, organizing, and completing their artistic ideas.
They will refine original work through persistence, reflection and evaluation

Differentiation:
Gifted/Talented or Fast Finishers – write extension questions on the board that can be answered. What is your
Favorite type of weather? What is an extreme form of weather?
ELLs – Objectives written on the board ahead of time (We will be able to understand the phases the water cycle)
Use gestures while speaking.
Speak slowly and include drawings, images and videos
Wear a microphone while teaching so all students can hear me clearly
SPED – Desks clear of distractions. Inform students of time remaining for activities.
Demonstration of each activity.
Classroom Management:
- Demonstrations of each activity allow students to be clear about the tasks they are to
complete.
- Teacher circulates the room while students work together.
- Monitored transitions to help maintain order.
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- Material distribution conducted right before the investigations begin. All materials are
collected before students discuss their observations.

Phase 1:(10minutes): To start the unit I ask the students what they know about clouds
and we brainstorm and make a web of their ideas on a large sheet of butcher paper shaped like a
cloud.We will do our KWL chart at this point and fill out the want to know part and then fill out
the W (what you want to know) based on students' interest:

What are clouds? The teacher will listen to student responses to check for prior knowledge.
Teacher will explain that clouds are a large collection of very tiny droplets of water or ice
crystals. The droplets are so small and light that they can float in the air.

Now I will introduce 4 main types of clouds using visuals and posting the cloud types and
pictures on the board: nimbus cloud, cirrus cloud, cumulus cloud, and stratus cloud.

4 Types of Clouds
After watching the video we will have a short discussion to address any confusion then we will
transition to making our cloud model.

Phase 2: (15 min) Now we will transition to making our model of the four different cloud types.
Students will get their materials and begin making their clouds using the cotton balls.Have your
students section-off their paper into four squares. Label one cloud type per square with the black
marker. Using the cotton balls, have your students "create" each type of cloud and then glue their
cloud in the corresponding squares. As I walk around the room I make sure that students are
labeling the cloud types.

Phase 3: (5 minutes): As we transition, have students start finishing up their model and then
before they leave, do the quick exit ticket and turn it into ‘the magic trick’.

Post- Assessment
- This final quiz will be given to students at the end of the unit to assess understanding and
what still needs to be taught for the future.
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Name:_________
Exit Ticket - Weather/Seasons

Draw the clothes to match the weather.

Windy Day: Sunny Day: Snowy Day:

Name:_________
Exit Ticket - Precipitation

1. Snow is not an example of precipitation

a) True
b) False
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Draw the 4 types of precipitation below:

Name:_________
The Water Cycle Exit Ticket
Please use the word bank and put the words in the
correct place.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4FqTnCSmzo_N
XhrVGgtWXBnOU0/view?usp=sharing
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Name:_________
The 4 Types of Clouds - Exit Ticket
(Draw what the cloud looks like)

1. A cumulus cloud:

2. A Stratus cloud:
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