Springfield College

Lesson Plan Template

Teacher: John Laviolette
Date: November 2015
Subject: Science Weather
Grade Level: 4th Grade
Title of Lesson: Climate and Weather
Lesson Length: 40 minutes
Overview of the Lesson
Lesson Summary:
HOOK: Students will be presented with pictures of climactic zones.
ACTIVATOR: Students will be independently write a three word summary from last class
MINI- LESSON: Discuss how climate differs from weather. Weather is the condition of
the atmosphere at a particular place and time, whereas climate is the pattern of
weather that happens in a region over a long period of time.
INDEPENDENT WORK: Students will complete the questions on climate by exploring a
website
SUMMARY- Ticket to Leave: Students will write one thing they have learned about
climate
Massachusetts Framework Standards:
3-5 E.S. #6 Explain how air temperature, moisture, wind speed and direction, and precipitation make up the
weather in a particular place and time.
3-5 E.S. #7 Distinguish among the various forms of precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, and hail), making
connections to the weather in a particular place and time.
3-5 E.S. #9 Differentiate between weather and climate.
Language Standards
RI.3. Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific
information in the text.
W.1. Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
a. Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion,
RF4. Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
a. Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
SL.1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics
and texts, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly.
L.1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

Lesson Objectives: The students will be able to.. I will be able to explain what
climate is through written, oral or graphical means and understand that climate is the
pattern of weather that happens in a region over a long period of time.
Materials/Equipment to be Used in Teaching the Lesson:
Video or pictures displayed on elmo, graphic organizer, paper, whiteboard
Enduring Understandings:
Big Ideas: The students will understand that Climate is the weather pattern or
average weather for a region that is measured over long periods of time.

Concepts: Various types and locations of climate. Things that affect climate.

Essential Questions:
How does our climate affect how we live?
What are some other types of climates?

Springfield College
Lesson Plan Template
Content
Factual Content: Climate is the weather pattern or average weather for a region
that is measured over long periods of time. There are several climactic zones on the
Earth that range from tropical to arid, extremely hot to extremely cold.
Vocabulary:
Tier 1:
Weather, rain, snow, wind,
Tier 2:
Precipitation, hurricane, tornado, climate, rotation, revolution, heat energy, water vapor,
humidity, aris, temperate, tropical
Tier 3:
Atmosphere, climactic zone,
Critical Thinking Skills (Reading, Writing, Speech, Listening)
Listening- Students will be given the opportunity to hear the vocabulary words
Writing- Students will be given sentence starters and write sentences from information
found on the website
Speech- Students will be allowed to ask questions
Reading- Students can read the vocabulary words written on the whiteboard
Assessments (Performance Tasks/Tests/Quizzes Formative/Summative, Informal/Formal)

Action/Instructional Procedures
Procedures: For each procedure, list the teacher or student actions (with accommodations and modifications) as
well as the anticipated amount of time it will take to accomplish each task.

Anticipatory Set: (hook) Photos of climactic zones

Step One: Allow students to explore the website: http://weatherforkids.org/climate.html

Step Two: Students pair up and asked to pick a section that contains an article about climate and read it
together. They should take several minutes to discuss what they have read.
Step Three: Students will work together to answer the following:

o Arctic climates can be subdivided into two, ___________________ and

_____________________.
o In the ___________________ the temperature never goes above freezing.
o ______________________________ climates have rainfall all year.
o In tropical climates, _____________________________ are always high and in summer they
have heavy rain.

Springfield College
Lesson Plan Template
o The southwest United States, including southern California have examples of
_________________________________________________.
o The sea affects climate because _______________________________________.
o ___________________________ also affects climate.
o

o
Step Four: Students will share their findings.

Closure: As a Ticket to Leave, students will write one thing they have learned about climate