First a quick look at some photos with all the ice that we've been having with frosty mornings. I've always been a bit fascinated with ice...
 |
| In Wellington -I love the very clear crystal structures that seem to be growing... |
 |
| In Te Aroha, taking the dog for a walk... and yes, he got quite impatient! |
Anyway, that was my musings this week... A teacher had chatted to me about doing a weather / water cycle unit so I jotted some notes but then thought that other teachers might like to have a look too! As always, I start with my big ideas normally about the science capabilities focus but also a natural physical world link too. Then I've shared some ideas about the capabilities being used, some activities, links to the interweb and integration as well! If it's useful or you have ideas to share too, please do leave a comment! I'm happy to send this as a Word doc -just email me!
Thanks for reading, have a lovely weekend!
Paul
Some weather / water cycle ideas
I’m writing this more as a ‘blog post’ than a formal unit
although we could use my proper science template if you liked!
Big Idea:
In science, we gather
data and think about what this data or information shows us to make sense of
the world around us. We can share our thinking and understanding through
diagrams and words.
In the natural
physical world, there can be cycles to describe how it rains or how animals
live.
Science Capabilities:
Gather and Interpret Data: children
gathering weather monitoring data (rainfall, wind direction and speed, temperature,
cloud types or cover) and record the general weather as well. Can we make sense
of this data? If the wind comes in a particular direction, does that mean it
will rain soon? Do certain types of clouds mean it’s more likely to rain?
Use Evidence: With the
data we collect (and weather forecast maps), can we predict what the weather
will be like today or tomorrow? Can we explain the data? For example, it was
very cold today with the temperature being 8 degrees. This is because we had a
southerly which blows all the cold air from the snow to us!
Interpret Representations: Children
beginning to understand weather symbols –watching the weather on television,
looking at weather maps on the internet or phones as well as using the symbols
on their own weather forecasts. In science, we try to use the same symbols (a
little o for degrees for example) or a half sun with a cloud to show ‘a little
sunny’. Children will also begin to understand ‘cycles’ –that scientists use
cycles to show processes that go on and on, for example, life cycles, rock
cycles and water cycles. Do children also understand that a cycle may not show
all information, for example a water cycle misses out a lot of information
(children could critique water cycle diagrams as well as draw them with more
details eg transpiration, rainfall in all areas
and not just the mountains that most diagrams show).
Context Strands:
Planet Earth and Beyond
Some Lesson Ideas:
·
There is a Building
Science Concepts book that could be of use (BSC #15).
·
In exploring the water cycle, the important
thing is to remember that it’s okay for children not to understand all the
content ideas being shared (eg evaporation, transpiration). Our goals are to
develop their understanding about how science itself works (the science
capabilities) and how the natural physical world works. These ideas are in the
NZC in the science essence statement, p. 17.
o
How come
puddles ‘disappear’? How could we test our ideas and thinking about what
happens? Does it disappear? Does it go somewhere? Children could put bowls over
small puddles (rain-made or self-made!) and observe what happens. Using lots of
tentative language children could also critique –what else might have happened?
Perhaps the water drained into the ground… Do puddles disappear quicker during
the hotter parts of the day? What about at night or during a frosty morning?
Can we measure the rate of evaporation?
o
The water
cycle… where does rain go? Some of the water evaporates, some of it drains
into the sea. We could draw diagrams showing this. I have seen someone demonstrating
the water cycle with a very cold spoon placed over a boiling kettle to show
clouds (the steam) and rain, etc. but I don’t think this is a good idea as
children may start thinking that clouds and steam are exactly the same. In
fact, I have heard of children believing there are great steam clouds over a
boiling sea from having watched kettles boiling. How much of the water cycle
could students explore to develop their own understanding –rather than the good
ol’ Colour in this picture of the water
cycle and now you all know about it?
o
Trees
release water too? I’ve seen photos where clouds have been generated from
transpiration –I’m wondering if the Ureweras would do this too… can forests make their own clouds? Children
could fasten small bags around the end of branches making sure that the bags
are air tight and water-tight. It could be interesting to do this around some
native trees and introduced trees, as well as evergreen and deciduous (which of
course in winter would just be branches!). After leaving it a few days, remove
the bags and examine what we find à
what does this mean? This releasing of water from leaves is called transpiration.
o
What’s the
weather today? …and tomorrow?
§
Cloud types –children identifying the different
main types of clouds by going outside and having a look. You could share the
names and images of different clouds first and then children observe the sky or children draw different clouds (or
take photos) and then see if they can
identify them. What do different clouds mean in terms of the weather? Eg nimbus
meaning rain, cirrus usually mean fair weather.
§
Children recording rainfall, wind direction,
cloud cover, and weather and use this data
to make sense of the weather –seeing patterns in their data (eg wind
direction can forecast the weather, temperature, etc.). Children can also start
monitoring weather forecasts and symbols –are there standard symbols or
understanding of symbols?
·
Children may like to start to predict what the
weather might be from reading the weather maps (eg metservice, the local
paper’s forecasts) and perhaps even their own measurements.
·
Some children may be able to learn about
measurement eg knots for wind-rate, mm for rainfall.
·
Local weather experts –every town has their own
sayings about the future weather –when the mountain is covered it means… Can we
check whether their ideas are right by getting our experts to predict the
weather (and using ‘because’ statements… it’s
going to be sunny today because you can see White Island) and then checking
these ideas against the actual weather as well as scientifically explaining the
sayings. Children could also explore ‘weather sayings’, for example, “When the
clouds look like horsetails, rain or snow will come in 3 days”.
·
We could also look at generic weather reports
too.
o
So how do
scientists know what the weather is going to be?
§
The nature of science strand Understanding about
Science is an attempt to connect students with how scientists work. This
enables children to gain a better understanding of how science works which will
then support their own development of scientific thinking. Children could read
articles about weather reporting and explore the ways scientists gather data.
Integration
Lots of maths and English happening here!
·
Maths:
o
Measuring: children measuring rainfall in mls,
wind-rate in knots, temperature in degrees. Could children start to estimate
these measurements before checking? Although more a Level 4 maths idea, students
may be able to begin understanding ‘averages’ as the weather records are full
of ‘average rainfall’ or ‘average sunlight hours’.
o
Statistics: children displaying their data on
bar graphs and, as importantly, interpreting these results. Statistical
literacy, (reading graphs, interpreting graphs, finding patterns, etc.) lines
up nicely with the capability of Interpreting. Representations. Can students
see patterns? Is there more rain in certain months? Is the temperature
different through the seasons? Does the temperature change depending on wind
direction?
o
Compass directions: children will need to know
where north is!
·
Writing and Reading:
o
Understanding the genre of weather reports and
the language used as well as attempting to emulate it.
o
Tentative language in interpreting data
gathered: I think this might mean… This
could be because…
o
Reading websites, journal articles, Connecteds
about the weather.
Links to help…
·
Building
Science Concepts #15,
·
Science Learning Hub website
o
Water Cycle: https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/search?term=water%20cycle
There are some good diagrams students
could use (rather than the old boring one that’s wrong!)
o
Weather: https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/search?term=weather
including cloud types and space weather!
·
Metservice (http://www.metservice.com/national/home)
have different radars and lots of summary
information about the weather that children could use; their Facebook page has
behind the scenes videos too.
Assessment
The science curriculum is very clearly Level 3 and 4
combined (except for a couple of changes at Level 4). However, we do expect a
deeper understanding at Level 4 and perhaps a wider vocabulary although this
may depend on whether students have had opportunities to explore this topic in
younger years. For me, the Maths and Literacy Progressions help me to think
about what I expect from the different levels and this may support teachers to
expect more in science time in terms in student maths and writing abilities, for
example in student communication through science reports, or skills, for
example measuring.
The science capabilities will be the main focus with the
topics being rich contexts to develop student learning. Capability indicators (below)
could be used with teachers looking at what might be expected at different
levels within the classroom.
|
|
Gather and Interpret Data
|
Use Evidence
|
Critique
Evidence
|
Interpret Representations
|
Engage with Science
|
|
Possible
Indicators
|
c Takes time, observing from different
angles
c Uses all appropriate senses when
observing
c Notices components of what is
observed even if unsure of names
c Notices attributes
c Observations are measurable
c Notices changes
c Notices patterns and relationships
c Uses precise, unambiguous language
when describing their observations
c Uses context specific words
c Observational drawings focus on
communicating salient features
c Observational drawings include only
what is observed
c Drawings include labels
c Drawings give a sense of scale or
proportion
c Can differentiate between an
observation and an inference
c Uses observations to support their
ideas
c
Uses words such
as ‘maybe’ or a tentative tone when proposing new ideas
c
Makes links to
prior experiences to make sense of observations
c
Uses “correct”
science ideas to make sense of observations
c Asks questions based on their
observations
c Develops questions that can be
investigated
c Designs investigations in response
to questions
|
c
Attempts to
work out how or why things happen
c
Uses words such
as ‘maybe’ or a tentative tone when proposing new ideas
c
Uses
observations to support their ideas
c
When posing
explanations, uses cause and effect words such as ‘because’, ‘as’ and ‘since’
c
Includes
scientific vocabulary
c
Considers all
available data and uses what is relevant
c
Uses patterns
in data to support their ideas
c
Is willing to
consider other possible explanations
c
Build on
others’ ideas
c
Identifies
which data supports a particular claim
c
Is willing to
suspend judgement if they think there is insufficient evidence
c
Takes into
consideration all available data
c
Aware that more
data enables them to be surer of their conclusions
c Develops questions that can be
investigated
c
Designs
investigations in response to questions
c
Considers and
evaluates a range of possible approaches when designing an investigation
|
c
Justifies the
design of their investigation
c
Identifies the
features of robust investigations
c
Identifies ways
of strengthening investigations
c
Gives and
receives feedback and changes ideas if appropriate
c
Considers and
evaluates a range of possible approaches when designing an investigation
c
Asks questions
for clarification
c
Identifies
which data supports a particular claim
c
Seeks disconfirming
evidence
c
Identifies
additional questions they would want answered to be surer to their claims
c
Is willing to
suspend judgement if they think there is insufficient evidence
c
Developing a
sceptical disposition towards evidence
|
c
Notices
patterns in charts and graphs
c
Identifies what
information a particular model or representation (including diagrams) give
and what it leaves out
c
Identifies in
what ways different models or representations are the same or different
c
Identifies the
author’s purpose for choosing a particular representation or model
c
Identifies the
strengths and weaknesses of a particular model or representation
c
Charts, graphs
and diagrams include labels
c
Uses scientific
conventions when labelling observational drawings, charts and graphs
c
Constructs
charts and graphs to show patterns
c
Explanatory
diagrams identify relevant features and show relationships between them
c
Constructs 3D
models to represent their observations and explanations
|
c
Sorts relevant
and irrelevant information
c
Uses
information to inform suggestions for action
c
Identifies
questions that can and cannot be answered by science
c
Asks curious
questions
c
Willing to
explore a range of possibilities
c
Engages with
science stories or issues with the media
c
Initiates their
own investigation
|
