Jodie Robinson

Lesson Plan
I. Describe the class: The class is comprised of twenty-five fourth graders. Out of all of the
students, three are gifted.
II. Subject/Skill: Science-how to read weather patterns and instruments.
III. Objectives: After viewing weather reports and working in groups, students will be able to
identify basic weather instruments and how they help predict weather patterns.
IV. Procedures: 1. Have you ever watched the weather report on the news with your parents and
wonder How do they know what the weather will be like in 3 days? It is not a form of fortune
telling or magic, it is done by reading basic weather instruments and using that information to
predict the weather for the future. Today, we will learn about these weather instruments and how
they help meteorologists determine what the weather will be like.
2. Have students recall form the previous lesson:
-How precipitation works/why it rains
-How low and high pressure affect the weather
3. Students will view clips of weather reports from several different days. As a class, will
discuss terminology the meteorologists used and how they might have made these weather
predictions. Broken into 4 groups, students will be given photos of a thermometer, barometer,
rain gauge, and a weather vane. Have students work in their groups to try and successfully match
the name and purpose of each instrument to its correct photo.
4. As a class review and discuss each groups answers. Using an overhead projector, explain
each weather instrument and how it is used to help predict the weather. Give students a
worksheet that has terminology and photos of each instrument and what it is used for.
5. Have students work on worksheet alone.
V. Materials: overhead projector, worksheets, power point slide show and video clips.
VI. Grouping Structures: There will be three groups of six and one group of seven. It will be in
the classroom with the tables and chairs moved according to group size.
VII. Modifications: With three gifted learners in the class, having them all in the same group will
not seem fair. Placing one in each group and evenly spreading out some students who may be
struggling will help even out the groups. The group without any gifted students will contain
students that are doing fairly well in science and will not be affected by the grouping.
VIII. Assessment: 6. Show the correct answers to the worksheet on the overhead projector. Go
over the questions that were answered incorrectly the most and answer any questions students
have. After answering all questions, show a brief video clip of each weather instrument actually
being used and review each instrument again answering any questions.
 Jodie Robinson

7.Assign vocabulary worksheet of all the terms learned to be taken home as homework.
Review the worksheet and vocabulary at the start of the following lesson.