Weather or Not?

1. First students will learn about how weather affects their daily life. Students should do this through learning about clouds, the water cycle, changes of matter, and different tools to measure weather.

2. Each student will be presented with the following task:

"The past couple of weeks you have been studying weather changes, states of matter, and how weather affects where people live. We are now half way through this year and are beginning to plan our field trips for next year. Your principal has asked if second grade would help make sure that we plan for the correct weather when the classrooms go on their field trip.

Task: As junior Meteorologists you will be given a field trip description and the date the field trip is scheduled. You have to write your own weather forecast for that particular day based off of your research of the past years weather. This forecast will be videotaped and shown to the class in order for them to prepare for their field trip. Make sure to use the planning guide to organize your broad cast. You may use the forecast planning page, or write your own forecast."

3. Every student is then presented with a field trip description which contains a date and temperature. Students then have to get onto a computer and research that date in the past couple years. They may also use their knowledge of the month to help aide in their in research. Printed material from the links listed below. (I can attach the cards for the trips which are written below)

Field Trip 1:
Students will go to Durant Nature Park to investigate life cycles. Students will be outside the entire time. They will walk around the trails looking for lifecycles.
Date: May 30th

Field Trip 2:
Students will go to the Asheboro Zoo to learn about animal adaptations. Students will be outside walking around the entire day.
Date: December 5th

Field Trip 3:
Students will go to Wrightsville Beach to learn about ecosystems. Students will ride a boat to an island and go into the ocean looking for crabs.
Date: April 7th

Field Trip 4:
Students will take a walking tour of down town Raleigh. They will visit many historic sites and learn about the history of Raleigh.
Date: March 10th

Field Trip 5:
Students will travel to downtown to the Durham Performing Arts Center to watch a play called “Princess and the Pea”. Students need to dress up for the performance.
Date: January 28th

Field Trip 6:
Students will participate in the First in Fitness competition. Students will be outside all day, but will be involved in different activities such as jump rope, pushups, and mile run.
Date: October 30th


4. After students have conducted research they should fill out the planning page. This page will allow student to organize their information but also ensure they have all the required information. ( I can attach a copy of the page below)

1. What field trip are you planning? _______________________________________________
2. What month does the field trip take place? _______________________________________
3. Using words and/or pictures describe what the weather is like during the month your field trip takes place. Don’t forget temperature, cloud type, wind speed, and precipitation.








4. Using words and pictures to describe what the students should wear.







5. How will the weather affect their field trip? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5.Once the planning page is completed students will work on their weather forecast. They will use the information from their research to report to their fellow students. Their goal is to give their peers information about the particular day in which the trip is planned. ( I can attatch a copy of the page below)

Forecast Planning Page
(Make sure to write neatly and large enough to read while on camera.)
Good Morning Millbrook Cheetahs! This is Junior Meteorologist _____________________.
Today the _______ grade is going on a field trip to ______________________.
Being a Junior Meteorologist I have been asked to give a broadcast of the forecast for the day of the field trip.
On the day of the trip the temperature will be _______________.
The wind speed will be ________________.
Since the weather will be ____________________________________ you should wear
____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________.
The weather affects this trip because ____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________.
Thank you for tuning into your weather forecast. I hope this forecast was helpful in the planning of your field trip!


6. Once their have perfected their forecast they will use the flip camera to record their forecast. They then will upload the video and edit.

7. Once all videos have been completed, students will present the videos with their peers. Students will watch the videos and rate each forecast to provide their peers with information as to how effective their forecast was.

8. Teachers may use the rubric to assess each students video.

Students will use the rubric to help self assess their work. (I can attach the rubric)