Weather

Topic: How does the weather affect plant life

Objectives & Outcomes

• By the end of this lesson, students will be able to describe how different types of weather (e.g. sunshine, rain, snow, etc.) affect plant growth and development.

Materials

• Plants (either real or simulated)
• Sunlight lamp
• Spray bottle with water
• Handheld fan
• Art supplies (e.g. paints, pencils, paper)

Warm-up

• Show the students a plant and ask them what they know about how plants grow. Write down their responses on the board.
• Ask the students if they know how plants get their energy. Write down their responses on the board.
• Ask the students if they know what happens to plants during different types of weather (e.g. sunshine, rain, snow). Write down their responses on the board.

Direct Instruction

• Show the students pictures or samples of different types of plants and ask them to identify each one.
• Discuss how different types of weather affect the growth and appearance of plants. For example, during hot weather, plants may become dry and have fewer leaves, while during cold weather, plants may lose their leaves and may not grow as much.
• Ask the students if they have ever experienced different types of weather and what happened to their plants.

Guided Practice

• Divide the students into small groups and give each group a set of plant-related materials such as plant seeds, soil, pots, and markers.
• Have the students work together to create a small garden area using the materials provided.
• Have the students identify and label the different parts of the plants they are growing.
• Encourage the students to discuss how they will care for their plants (e.g. watering, sun exposure) and how the weather might affect their plants.

Independent Practice

• Have the students work individually or in pairs to create a simple project that demonstrates how the weather affects plant life. Possible project ideas could include a drawing, a written explanation, or a short video.
• Encourage the students to be creative and have fun with their projects.

Closure

• Have the students share their projects with the class.
• Discuss the importance of weather in plant life and how the students' projects illustrate this.

Assessment

• Observe the students during the independent practice activity and take note of their understanding of how weather affects different plant species.
• Collect and review the students' drawings and written descriptions of their chosen plant species, assessing their ability to accurately -describe and illustrate the plants and their relationships to their environments.