Daily Lesson Plan/Learning Guide for Day 1
Utah State Core Standard and Standard ESS.3.3
Objective Construct an explanation for how energy from the Sun drives atmospheric
processes and how atmospheric currents transport matter and transfer energy.
Emphasize how energy from the Sun is reflected, absorbed, or scattered; how the
greenhouse effect contributes to atmospheric energy; and how uneven heating of
Earth’s atmosphere combined with the Coriolis effect creates an atmospheric
circulation system. (PS3.A, ESS1.B, ESS2.A, ESS2.D)
Essential Question(s) What is weather? How does weather affect our lives?
How do activities, materials etc. Today’s lesson is the introduction to our weather unit. Students completed the
connect to students’ prior water and ocean currents unit by learning about El Nino – a weather phenomenon
knowledge? that occurs in the Pacific Ocean. Students have some prior knowledge about how
(academic, interests, learning solar radiation is the source of energy for processes at Earth’s surface. Lecture will
styles, motivation, Funds of continue that line of reasoning as students take notes on the key factors that
Knowledge) cause weather.
Assessments Informal formative assessments using lettered placards students use to answer
(formative and/or summative) questions.
Learning Activities: 1. Bell Work (5 min): As students enter class, they will grab and fill out the top
(Include detailed description and section of Cornell notes in preferred style.
time frame for each activity) 2. Standard Starters (10 min): Teacher will take roll call while students watch
weather forecast for the day. After roll call, three students will choose a Pick-a-
Card to be answered. For pick-a-card, prior student questions are answered in
pairs or threes. Any question not known by the teacher is taken by the teacher as
homework.
3. Discussion (5-10 min): Teacher will first pose the question How does weather
affect your daily lives? Students will discuss as a whole group the various ways
that weather can affect things from what we wear to where we live to how we
travel. Students will then discuss how we describe weather, such as windy cloudy,
etc. These questions are to hook student interest as teacher introduced what
weather is and what causes it.
4. Lecture (35 min): Students will take notes on what weather is, where it occurs,
and what causes it. Students will copy information from slides. Periodically,
teacher will pose questions using slides. Students will choose and display their
answers using lettered placards.
Activity (20 min): Students will be introduced to Daily Weather Log activity.
Students will keep track of various weather parameters for Salt Lake City and a city
of their choosing for the duration of the unit. At the end of the unit, students will
compare the two cities and identify key factors that influenced the weather in
each city. Students will use Chromebooks and weather.com to find information.
Teacher will assist students with setting up daily log.
Exit ticket (5 min): Students will write a new Pick-a-Card for weather unit.
Accommodations made for For struggling learners: Relevant information to be included in Cornell notes are
struggling and accelerated always in green. This cues students in to write that information down.
learners For ELL students: Daily Weather Log and instructions are translated into Spanish.
(grouping patterns, content For accelerated learners: Students are encouraged to take more detailed notes.
literacy strategies, etc.)
Resources Chromebooks, weather.com, Daily Weather Log
How has prior day assessment Students have been learning about how energy from the Sun drives ocean
shaped your instruction? currents. I wanted to stick with that concept with discussing how it also creates
weather. Students had been working on a research intensive assignment prior to
today’s lesson, so I wanted to give them a bit of a break. Today’s lesson and
assessment were a bit more relaxed.
