Children explore weather as part of their daily lives, learn basic weather vocabulary, and begin understanding how weather affects people, plants, and animals around them.
Daily themes for Week 1
Is the weather important to me and my family?
Introduce the weather unit by showing large pictures of weather symbols (sun, rain, wind, clouds). Ask children to name each one and look outside to identify today's weather. Discuss the essential question: "Is the weather important?"
Teacher Tip: Encourage children to use their senses - what do they see, hear, and feel when they think about different types of weather?
Set up four weather stations (Sun, Rain, Clouds, Wind) with props and materials. Children rotate through stations to explore weather through hands-on activities. Sun station has sunglasses and visors, Rain station has umbrellas and boots, etc.
Count and sort weather picture cards. Create a simple graph showing different weather types. Practice counting from 1-10 using weather symbols and discuss which weather type has the most/least cards.
Extension: Use weather manipulatives to create patterns - sunny, rainy, sunny, rainy. Ask children to continue the pattern.
Exit Ticket: Children draw one way weather is important to them and their family. Help them write a simple sentence about their picture. Encourage sharing with partners.
Share weather drawings and discuss favorite weather stations. Ask children which weather type was their favorite and why. Begin establishing daily weather observation routine.
Reflection Questions:
Children rotate through four weather stations (Sun, Rain, Clouds, Wind) with hands-on props and materials to explore different weather conditions through sensory experiences.
Materials:
Sunglasses, umbrellas, cotton balls, fans, weather props, station signs
Outdoor exploration where children use clipboards and observation sheets to record what they see, hear, feel, and smell about today's weather conditions.
Materials:
Clipboards, observation sheets, pencils, weather chart
Creative activity where children use pre-cut shapes to create weather scenes while learning shape names, colors, and counting skills through weather-themed art.
Materials:
Pre-cut shapes, glue, construction paper, crayons, weather examples
Ongoing data collection activity where children observe and record daily weather patterns, building graphing skills and weather vocabulary throughout the week.
Materials:
Weather chart, weather symbols, crayons, observation sheets
