Our first third grade science unit explores weather and climate in a unit called "Stormy Skies." We started the unit by studying clouds. We explored how clouds form. We even used hot water and lidded cups to make a gas trap. Then, we made a book about the different types of clouds and how to spot a storm cloud. We had several scenario cards with where the students studied the clouds and wind and had to decide if a storm was on the way. The science discussions were rich.
For the next part of the unit, we studied geography, climate, and global weather patterns. First, the students made a climate decoder that had the average winter and summer temperature from different cities around the word. They transferred the information from the climate decoder to a map of the world. At the end, the students could see the different climate zones: tropical, polar, temperate, mild, and desert. We discussed what animals and plant live in the different zones and how they adapt to the climate.
The very last section of the stormy skies unit was a STEM challenge (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). The challenge was to build a house that could withstand a wind storm. Students experienced the design process. They did a great job at coming up with an idea, testing it, and making adjustments.
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