Part 1: Simulations
This science and mathematics content area project is comprised of a few different parts. First, you will find four different simulation resources. These resources have been reviewed and you can find the commentary in the associated video clips. Second, you will find a Symbaloo with more than 20 different math and science resources that connect to the topic of weather to use in the classroom. Finally, I selected 10 specific resources from the Symbaloo and provided a brief overview, connection to the content and standard, and a suggestion for how one might integrate the resource into one of the other lessons on this site. Enjoy!
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Weather Maps Simulation
www.exlorelearning.com Explore Learning provides teachers with simulations for grades 3-12. The simulations include a variety of lesson materials and supports. This particular simulation provides students with an opportunity explore how various weather patterns and forces impact weather conditions. |
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Water Cycle Simulation
www.explorelearning.com Explore Learning provides teachers with simulations for grades 3-12. The simulations include a variety of lesson materials and supports. This particular simulation provides opportunities to explore how a drop of water moves through the water cycle. |
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NLVM: Bar Graphs
The National Library of Virtual Manipulatives is a resource that includes several different virtual manipulatives that teachers can use to model mathematics in the classroom. The content is organized by grade bands and by specific skills and content. The resource stands alone and serves more as a tool or support. Most do not include any actual content that the students will be working with. |
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Graphing Skills
www.explorelearning.com Explore Learning provides teachers with simulations for grades 3-12. The simulations include a variety of lesson materials and supports. This particular simulation provides students with the opportunity to practice using data gathered in a table to create a graph or to analyze and interpret data in a graph. There are a few weather related data sets that students could utilize in a lesson. |
Part 2: Math and Science Resources
NASA's Wild Weather Adventure
NASA's Wild Weather Adventure game is a game in which students are racing peers to make their way around the world in a blimp. Students must answer questions about weather-related content to move forward. This game aligns with standards 3-ESS2-1 and 3-ESS2-2. It could be used as a review activity, in groups, or even independently. It would be a nice addition to the Weather Games lesson found on this site. |
Study Jams: The Water Cycle
This tutorial-style instructional software resource is a brief lesson that would align nicely with the instructional software lesson plan found on this site. The tutorial provides some instruction, a quick game, and a few assessment activities. While the Water Cycle is not explicitly addressed in the third grade standards, it is helpful background knowledge to help students understand how different forces come together to create weather. |
WeatherBug: Temperature and Bar Graphs
One of the connections in the NGSS weather unit is 3.MD.B.3 in which students must create and interpret scaled bar graphs. This activity could be used in conjunction with the spreadsheets lesson in which students generate charts and graphs based on weather data. This resource, used whole group, could model how students might ask and answer questions using weather data. |
StudyJams! Weather and Climate
This resource is a brief tutorial-type activity that would align nicely with the instructional software lesson plan found on the site. The tutorial provides some instruction, a quick game, and a few assessment activities. It would be a great review activity or even something that would work nicely in a flipped classroom to explore the difference between climate and weather outlined in the NGSS standards. |
eLearning for Kids: Science and Weather
This tutorial resource provides students with a guided lesson on weather. Students complete three different levels of games and activities to advance. The resource includes full audio, so it's easily accessible to all students. This would be a great introductory lesson or activity to help students build background knowledge. It aligns nicely with 3-ESS2-1 and 3-ESS2-2 and could be added as a content resource for the Introductory Lesson Plan in which students research information about weather to build a deeper understanding of the topic. |
National Geographic: Weather 101
The National Geographic Weather 101 videos provide students with background knowledge and information on 3-ESS2-1 and 3-ESS2-2. The videos could be used in conjunction with the development of multimedia presentations in the Instructional Software Lesson Plan. |
Weather Maker
The Weather Maker interactive activity is a flash-based resource that enables students to explore how weather currents, humidity, and temperature impact the current weather conditions. The activity connects to 3-ESS2-1 and 3-ESS2-2. It also covers connected weather-related concepts including the water cycle, temperature, and the connection of humidity. This activity would connect nicely with the Internet Enriched lesson. |
The Weather Game
This resource is a game-based tool that provides practice and review on general weather concepts. The activity connects to 3-ESS2-1 and 3-ESS2-2. It also covers connected weather-related concepts including clouds, the water cycle, and extreme weather. The Weather Game can be used whole group as a review or as an independent game in conjunction with the Game-Based Lesson. |
Kids' Zone: Create a Graph
This resource is a tool that enables students to generate different types of graphs. Teachers could use this resource to model graph making or use it as a tool for students to create their own. One of the connections in the NGSS weather unit is 3.MD.B.3 in which students must create and interpret scaled bar graphs. This activity could be used in conjunction with the spreadsheets lesson in which students generate charts and graphs based on weather data. |
Mega Math: ArachnaGraph
One of the connections in the NGSS weather unit is 3.MD.B.3 in which students must create and interpret scaled bar graphs. This activity could be used in conjunction with the spreadsheets lesson in which students generate charts and graphs based on weather data. This activity could serve as a warm up or extra practice opportunity prior to the actual lesson. |