"Weather Here and There"

Objective:
What the students will be able to do upon completion of the lesson.

The student will be able to distinguish that different places have different weather patterns.
The student will be able to compare whole numbers using symbols and words (is greater than, is less than, and equals) and their respective symbols.
Select appropriate methods and tools and, use the selected method or tool to solve addition and subtraction problems.

Anticipatory Set:

Relate lesson to everyday life or situation students may encounter. The teacher will begin by reviewing a prior lesson, "What's the Weather Over There?," in which the class discovered that different parts of the world/nation has different weather patterns. The teacher will then review some basic facts about temperature focusing on the fact that the lower the temperature, the colder it is.

Delivering Instruction/Model and Lead

Procedures:

The teacher will:
1. The teacher will use an LCD projector, and use the website www.weather.com to look up the temperature for Columbia, SC and also the temperature for another country/state (the country or state that is chosen can be associated with what is being studied in Social Studies or Geography!) The two temperatures will be recorded on a section of a dry erase board or chalkboard that will not be erased. These temperatures will be checked daily using the same procedure for a period of one week. Once all of the temperatures are recorded, the teacher will use Timeliner 5.0/6.0 by Tom Snyder to create a temperature timeline that shows the distribution of the temperatures (See Sample at the end of this lesson). Once the timeline has been completed it can be projected using an LCD. The teacher now has a visual to discuss greater than and less than.
2. The teacher will proceed by introducing the <, >, and = symbols. The teacher will then talk about using subtraction to determine how much of a difference there is between the temperatures. The teacher will use the facts on the time line to determine whether a temperature in one place is greater than or less than the temperature in another and demonstrate how you can both the words and the symbols to convey the fact.For example, the teacher will say and write on the board: The temperature in Moscow, Russia on Friday is less than the temperature in Columbia, SC on Friday.Then, the teacher will say and write: The temperature in Moscow, Russia on Friday is < temperature in Columbia, SC .(It can also be used to compare the temperatures for the same place on different days.)
3. The teacher will then demonstrate how to subtract the lower number from the higher number to determine the difference between the two temperatures.

Guided Practice/Lead and Test

Checking for understanding (recognition to recall)

4. The teacher will ask the group several questions about whether temperatures on the timeline are greater than or less than and ask which would be the appropriate symbol to use. The students also guide the teacher in calculating the difference in the temperatures.

Independent Practice

5. Let the students use their fact sheet to complete a teacher-made worksheet, which will contain a timeline with recorded temperatures of two locations. The worksheet will contain statements comparing the temperatures and the student will circle the appropriate comparison words or symbols. Then, beside each statement the student will calculate the difference between the two temperatures. Extension activity: The students will cut out 2 pictures of people in appropriate clothing for each of the two different states/countries (ie coats for cold weather, short sleeves for warm weather) and glue them under an appropriate state/country column heading on a piece of 8 ½ by 11 poster board or heavy construction paper. The classroom should have a broad assortment of magazines for project use. (Parents can supply this collection continuously-they love to help!!!)

Formative Evaluation

Evaluation:

The teacher will check correct and incorrect oral responses in the group activity. The teacher will check for the number of correct answers of the 10 comparison items and the 10 temperature difference calculations on the independent worksheet.

Criteria:
80% Mastery. The student will have 8 of the 10 comparison items on the teacher-made worksheet correct.
The student will have 8 of the 10 temperature difference calculations on the teacher-made worksheet correct.

Timeline Sample

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