A Change in the Seasons

Unit essential questions:

What is a season?
Lesson question:
How many seasons are there?
What are the differences between the seasons?
Standards:
New York State Standards:
Science:
o Kindergarten:
o NY.4. The Physical Setting: Students will understand and apply scientific
concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living
environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science.
4.1. The Earth and celestial phenomena can be described by principles of relative
motion and perspective.
4.1.1. Students describe patterns of daily, monthly, and seasonal changes in their
environment. 171
Lesson objective:
Students will correctly describe differences among the four seasons using words or
illustrations.
Assessment:
Student writing sample describing seasonal changes or student illustration sample
showing seasonal changes.
Opening:
Students will gather on the rug. In groups of 2 or 3, students will be sent to the window to
look outside. Students remaining on the rug will be asked to be thinking about what
season we are currently in. When all children have had a chance to go to the window we
will have a group discussion. I will ask students what they noticed outside. From this
information, what season do we think we are in? What season came before fall? What did
it look or feel like outside during this time? What season is coming very soon? What is a
seasonal change in weather we can be expecting?
Procedure:
Teacher will create four anchor charts, one for each season. Each anchor chart will be
sectioned into fours. One section will be for the months in which the season occurs,
seasonal activities, clothes appropriate for the weather during that season, and a drawing
of the weather during that season.

Teacher will introduce the first season to the students and complete the anchor charts one
box at a time. Depending on the box (ex: activities, clothes) students will either be asked
to answer individually or be given a brief time to discuss with classmates before returning
to a group discussion and offering ideas.
After all four seasonal anchor charts are completed, the class will discuss the similarities
or differences among the seasons. Why do we have these changes?
From here, students will be broken up into tiers to complete their student writing sample
or student illustration sample.

Tiered by: Challenge Level

Tier 1:
Students will be given a worksheet split into four sections with each section having a bare
tree.
Students will label each section with the names of the four seasons.
For each season, students will have to illustrate appropriate weather conditions and
details.
Tier 2:
Students will be given a worksheet split into four sections with each section having a
several dotted lines for students to write.
Students will label each section with the names of the four seasons.
For each season, students will have to write and describe appropriate weather conditions
and details relating to the specific season.
Closure:
When all students have completed work, they will be given the opportunity to either
show classmates their illustrations or read what they wrote for one season.
Materials:
Four anchor charts (one per season)
Marker
Seasonal changes illustration worksheet
Seasonal changes writing worksheet
Pencil
Crayons/Markers

Tier 1:

Tier 2:
This worksheet will look very similar to tier 1 although instead of pictures in each section I will
provide a space for students to write about the seasonal changes.