Charting the Weather

Developed by Christie Dunn

 

Objectives:

• TLW collect information on rainfall, temperature, and sky conditions using the daily newspaper.
• TLW organize the data collected from the newspaper over a period of one week.
• TLW create a chart using the collected data.

 

Louisiana Benchmarks: 4Da, 4Db, 4Dc

 

Prerequisites: none

 

Materials:

• Weather data collected from newspapers or websites
• Paper / pencils
• Teacher made worksheet with questions regarding the student created charts
• Student created chart

 

When and How Materials Will be Used:

Students will collect weather data over the course of one week.  Students will record the data on one piece of paper to bring with them to the computer.  Students will then enter their information on a chart found on the NCTM website and print this chart.  The chart will be used to answer questions on a teacher made worksheet.

 

Activities Selected to Teach Objectives:

1. Students will collect data regarding temperature, rainfall, and sky conditions over the course of one week using the daily newspaper (or weather website).
2. Students will assemble the data into a working format to be entered into a chart found on the NCTM website.
3. Students will use the chart they created to answer questions about their data.  A teacher made worksheet was not included, because teachers should customize the worksheet due to the unique nature of the data collected.

 

Reasoning Behind the Activities Selected to Teach the Objectives:

1. Students will gain practical real-world experience collecting data.
2. Students will practice working in a spreadsheet type format in order to enter information on a chart.
3. Students will interpret the information found on the chart in order to answer questions.

 

Reasoning Behind the Order of the Objectives:

1. Students must first collect the data to be used in the lesson.
2. Students will need the collected data to be readily available and easily read in order to complete their chart.
3. The students must first complete their chart on the computer and print it before using it to answer questions.

 

Assessment:

Learner outcomes will be measured through teacher observation, the proper completion of the chart, and correct answers to questions based on information found in the chart.

 

Use of Technology:

What part of this lesson was made better or faster due to the use of technology?

 

Students were able to report data through the use of technology as opposed to paper and pencil.

 

What part of the lesson would not have been possible without technology?

 

Students would not have been able to use the computer to enter in data and generate a spreadsheet type chart.