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Unit 3.1 Wild Wacky Weather

Description: 

Area: Weather & Climate

This Third Grade unit is the FIRST in the curriculum of four (4) units developed to address the Third Grade science standards of the Michigan Science Standards related to Weather and Climate.

You have just read the general description for this Phenomenal Science Unit. Before you continue your review, it would be very valuable to our field testing process for the 21 Units of Phenomenal Science for us to gather information about those educators who are reviewing each of the Units. Thank you. Please start your review with this BRIEF SURVEY. Enjoy your review.

Weather is a constant change of daily conditions with the ability to be predicted within a region based on temperatures, wind speed, and tends to form a seasonal pattern within a region. The patterns tend to develop with exceptions of random happenings, such as severe weather hazards and catastrophic events, such as, severe thunderstorms (Can connect to static electricity in Unit 1 Let’s Move It) accumulating snowstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, and regional flooding. These odd happenings do not impact the climate over a long period of time. However, to reduce the financial impacts related to these hazards humans constantly improve construction. The impact occurs in annual weather patterns and phenomenons and not within the climate.  Weather can be different within a region. Climate is an average of daily temperatures, precipitation and location within a region. Weather and climate are not the same, but do have a relationship that impact a region.

Learning Targets: 
Students will be able to explain through written and oral communication and create models of human decisions based on a region's climate and weather.
Students will be able to relate regional impacts through discussion and presentation of data to generate conclusion.
Students will be able to evaluate reasonable evidence of a human interaction based on a region's climate and weather patterning.
Link: 
Unit 3.1 Wild Wacky Weather
https://goo.gl/4W7XcV
Author: 
Phenomenal-Science
Content Area: 
Science
Language: 
English
Resource Type: 
Unit
Licensing: 
Creative Commons Licence
Grade: 
3
Next Generation and Michigan Science
Next Generation and Michigan Science: 
3-ESS2-1
3-ESS2-2
3-ESS3-1
Tags: 
Phenomenal Science

How are the standards/objectives assessed?

UNIT PERFORMANCE TASK:

Students will...Construct a weather resistant model home to represent a structure that will withstand the weather hazards of two regions. Students will develop well-reasoned explanations for attributes of their houses to withstand effects of weather hazards.

Student prerequisite skills and knowledge

Prior Knowledge:

bar graph, breezy, calm, clear, cloudy, partly cloudy, cold, cool, daily weather pattern, ​foggy, hail, hot, humidity, lightning, precipitation, rain, snow, sunny, temperature, thunderstorm, warm, weather conditions, windy

(K.ESS3.B)

(K.ETS1.A)

(K.ESS2.D)

Marzano Science Word List

http://www.sealyisd.com/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=2339209

How is the concept or procedure explained or demonstrated?

The Instructional Cycles and Lessons of Unit 3.2 Wild Wacky Weather are used to facilitate student learning:

3.1.1 Instructional Cycle

Focus Question:  Why doesn’t the 2012 March heat wave fit the pattern?

3.1.2 Instructional Cycle

Focus Question: Is unusual seasonal weather an effect of climate change?

3.1.3 Instructional Cycle

Focus Question: Is this a weather hazard that we need to be prepared for within our Michigan weather system?

What concepts or procedures are being explained or demonstrated in this lesson object?

In Unit 3.1 Wild Wacky Weather, these Performance Expectations, Science and Engineering Practices, and Cross-cutting Concepts are demonstrated.

 

Performance Expectations: Students who demonstrate understanding can . . .

3-ESS2-1. Represent data in tables and graphical displays to describe typical weather conditions expected during a particular season.

3-ESS2-2. Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.

3-ESS3-1. Make a claim about the merit of a design solution that reduces the impacts of a weather-related hazard.

Science and Engineering Practices:

4.  Analyzing and interpreting data

7.  Engaging in argument from evidence

8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Cross-cutting Concepts:

  • Patterns

  • Cause and effect

  • Systems and system models

What was your experience, both successes and challenges, using this lesson object with your students?

This Phenomenal Science Unit is considered a "Complete Draft Unit" and is now being field tested with students in Third Grade classrooms throughout Michigan. Feedback related to using the unit with students, both successes and challenges, will lead to unit modifications as necessary to prepare for wider dissemination.

As we’ve indicated above, we are currently FIELD TESTING all 21 Units of Phenomenal Science in classrooms all over Michigan during the 2016-2017 school year. They will then be revised, as needed, based on the feedback from teachers in field testing classrooms and those who have reviewed the units as you have just done through MVU’s Learning Object Repository (LOR). Please complete this SURVEY  to let us know some of your ideas about this unit.  Your thoughts can definitely contribute to this project. If you or your school/district are interested in acquiring the recommended professional development or field testing, please email Darcy McMahon at [email protected].