Christie Mistretta and Caitlin Nocera

EDU 521
Grade 1 Science All About the Four Seasons: Winter
Instructional Objective

Prof. Moroney
Spring 2015

After watching a YouTube video and reading Its Winter! by Linda Glaser on the characteristics
of winter, students will maneuver around Ms. Mistretta and Ms. Noceras All about the Four
Seasons website to complete all activities associated with the season. Students will create a
collage listing at least eight characteristics, which will include weather, holidays, clothing, and
activities.
CCLS/NYS Standards and Indicators
New York State Elementary Science Common Core Curriculum (NYS):
Standard 4: The Physical Setting
Will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the
physical setting and living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas
in science.
Key Idea 1
The Earth and celestial phenomena can be described by principles of relative motion and
perspective.
Performance Indicator:
1.1a Natural cycles and patterns include:
the length of daylight and darkness varying with the seasons
weather changing from day to day and through the seasons
the appearance of the Moon changing as it moves in a path around Earth to
complete a single cycle
Indicator: This will be evident through the use of the All About the Four Seasons
website, and the reading of Its Winter! by Linda Glaser.
ELA & Literacy Standard: Writing; Text Types and Purposes (CCS):
W.1.2
Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about
the topic, and provide some sense of closure.
Indicator: This will be evident through the students writing a blog entry about their
perfect day in the Winter.
ELA & Literacy Standard (CCS): Speaking & Listening; Presentation of Knowledge and
Ideas
SL.1.5
Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas,
thoughts, and feelings.

Indicator: This will be evident through the students creating a graphic organizer using
Kidspiration.
National Educational Technology Standards (NETSS) and Performance Indicators for
Students
1. Creativity and Innovation: Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct
knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.
Students:
a. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
b. create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
c. use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.
d. identify trends and forecast possibilities.
Indicator: This will be evident through the students creating a graphic organizer using
Kidspiration.
2. Communication and Collaboration: Students use digital media and environments to
communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual
learning and contribute to the learning of others.
Students:
a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a
variety of digital environments and media.
b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using
a variety of media and formats
c. develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with
learners of other cultures.
d. contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.
Indicator: This will be evident through the students creating an online crossword puzzle
using new vocabulary.
Motivation
Students will watch a YouTube video on winter. After watching the video, students will create a
list on the board for new vocabulary words.
Materials
SMART Board/Promethean
Class Set of laptops with Kidspiration software installed
Website Access
Its Winter! by Linda Glaser
Winter Vocabulary Worksheet

Strategies
-

Read-a-loud
Class discussion
Independent writing
Adaptations

Visual Impairment: MAGIC (Magnification in color) to be able to view all web resources.
Differentiation of Instruction
Tier 1: After watching a YouTube video and reading Its Winter! by Linda Glaser on the
characteristics of winter, students will maneuver around Ms. Mistretta and Ms. Noceras
All about the Four Seasons website to complete all activities associated with the season.
Students will create a collage listing at least eight characteristics, which will include
weather, holidays, clothing, and activities. In order to help students make their collage,
students will be permitted to use online apps and additional resources to guide them
along. (See Learn More About Seasons Tab).
Tier 2: After watching a YouTube video and reading Its Winter! by Linda Glaser on the
characteristics of spring, students will maneuver around Ms. Mistretta and Ms. Noceras
All about the Four Seasons website to complete all activities associated with the season.
Students will create a collage listing at least eight characteristics, which will include
weather, holidays, clothing, and activities.
Tier 3: After watching a YouTube video and reading Its Winter! by Linda Glaser on the
characteristics of spring, students will maneuver around Ms. Mistretta and Ms. Noceras
All about the Four Seasons website to complete all activities associated with the season.
Students will create a collage listing at least eight characteristics, which will include
weather, holidays, clothing, and activities. For further learning, the students will present
their Kidspiration collage to their peers.

Developmental Procedures
1) As a class, students will go to the Winter tab on the website and will discuss the
characteristics of the season. They will review when the season starts and ends, as well as
the weather, clothing, holidays, and activities associated with spring. What additional
items can you add to the Glogster if you had a chance? What is your favorite activity to
do in the winter?

2) After reviewing the Glogster associated with spring, teacher will read Its Winter! by
Linda Glaser. Teacher must address all key topics discussed in the story. What happens to
the plants and animals in winter? What do we feel using our five senses during winter?
What other outdoor activities can we do in winter? How does this book relate to the
Glogster?
3) Students will use Kidspiration to create a collage summarizing spring. Teacher must
demonstrate how to add information onto their collage and change the colors. Students
must include the name of the season and include the types of weather, clothing, activities,
and holidays that occur in the season. Pictures and different colors must be used to
express creativities. What does winter mean to you? What is your favorite activity in
winter? What do you like most about the winter?
Assessment
Students Kidspiration collage will be assessed using the teacher-made rubric provided on the
next page.

Making A Collage : Winter Collage using Kidspiration

Teacher Name: Ms. Mistretta and Ms. Nocera

Student Name:

________________________________________

CATEGORY

Titles and Text

Titles and text were

written clearly and
were easy to read
from a distance. Text
varied in color, size
and/or style for
different text
elements.

Titles and text were

written clearly and
were easy to read
close-up. Text varied
in color, size and/or
style for different text
elements.

Titles and text were Titles and/or text are

written clearly and
hard to read, even
were easy to read
when the reader is
close-up. There was
close.
little variation in the
appearance of text.

Number of
Items

The collage includes The collage includes The collage includes The collage contains
8 or more items,
5-7 different items.
4 different items.
fewer than 3
each different.
different items.

Creativity

Several of the
graphics or objects
used in the collage
reflect an
exceptional degree
of student creativity
in their creation
and/or display

Attention to
Theme

One or two of the

graphics or objects
used in the collage
reflect student
creativity in their
creation and/or
display.

One or two graphics

or objects were
made or customized
by the student, but
the ideas were
typical rather than
creative

The student did not

make or customize
any of the items on
the collage.

The student ensured The student ensured The student included

The student\'s
each item in the
most items in the
a few items in the
showed difficulty in
collage is related to collage in the collage
collage that are
clarifying which item
the assigned theme
are related to the
related to the
is related to the
(e.g. Spring,
assigned theme. For
assigned theme.
assigned theme.
Summer, Fall,
many of the items,
Winter).
the relationship is
clear without
explanation.

Independent Practice
Following the lesson on winter, students will go home and create their own crossword puzzle
using www.puzzlemaker.com. They will have to make sure they use any new vocabulary they
learned from the lesson. Refer to the pre-made word bank for winter.

Follow-Up: Direct Teacher Intervention and Academic Enrichment

Direct Teacher Intervention: Prior to teaching the lesson on the season of winter, the students
in need of intervention will be sent home with the book Its Winter! by Linda Glaser to
review at home on their own, and then will meet with the teacher before the lesson takes
place within the class, in order to go over key vocabulary terms and ideas mentioned in
the book.
Academic Enrichment: After the activity for the day, students will write a blog entry describing
their perfect day in the winter. Students will include the type of weather that is occurring,
what activities they are participating in, and what clothing they would be wearing.

Words Learned About Winter

Crossword Puzzle Word Bank

December
Sledding
Cold

Winter
Ice

Ski

Snow

Christmas
Kwanzaa

Snowboard

Gloves

Hanukkah
Boots

Mittens
Ramadan

Teacher References
Glacer, L. (2002). Its Winter!Lerner Publishing: Minneapolis, MN.
Inspiration Software, Inc. (2008) Kidspiration 3 (version 3.0) [software]. Available from
http://www.inspiration.com/Kidspiration
Winter Songs for Children - Where do animals go in winter? (n.d.). Retrieved April 29, 2015,
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz9Ps9D8weU