Abstract:
This unit is geared toward 5th grade, however it can be adapted to fit any grade level. The topic of this unit is weather and it is four weeks long, however the length can be adjusted according to the amount of time the teacher has. Every week two lessons are taught. To begin the unit, students will conduct a research project. There are four groups and each group researches a different weather phenomenon: thunderstorms, hurricanes, tornadoes, and blizzards. The groups have certain criteria they must meet, as well as certain questions they must answer when conducting their research. Each group will then present their findings to the class.The rest of the lessons in this unit contain various activities for students to further explore their knowledge about weather. All of the lessons center around one of the four phenomena and contain many hands-on activities to motivate and stimulate the students. Different subjects are also explored through out this unit, which adds meaning to the students by demonstrating to them that weather affects their everyday lives. Math, reading and language arts, science, and social studies are all incorporated in this unit.Overall, this is an excellent unit for students to explore weather and the different aspects affecting it. The students work together developing their cooperative learning skills, as well as their communication skills. Through experiments and simulations they will develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Finally, the students will see how weather directly affects their lives and why it is important to understand these different weather phenomena.
