Wther PDF

Author Christine Clemente Stack
Illustrator Jenny Campbell

Editorial/Art Director Karen Sevaly
Graphic Designers Yvonne McElhenny
Debbie Schultz
Look for the entire series of Teachers Friend

Early Childhood Theme Books at your local school supplier.
Copyright 2001
All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America
ISBN 0-439-50009-5
Reproduction of these materials for commercial resale or distribution to an entire

school or school/library district is strictly prohibited. Pages may be duplicated for
one individual classroom set only. Materials may not be reproduced for other
purposes without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Early Childhood Thematic Book: Weather

Written by Christine Clemente Stack
Teacher's Friend, a Scholastic Company
Illustrated by Jenny Campbell
Table of Contents
How to Use This Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Everything You Need to Know About The Weather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Literature List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Dictation and/or Creative Writing Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Clip Art Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Awards and Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Songs, Poems and Fingerplays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Activities and Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Patterns and Crafts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Bulletin Board Ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
My Book About The Weather! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Goodies to Make and Eat! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
At Home with The Weather! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
About the Author

Christine Clemente Stack is from a suburban community in upstate New
York. She holds permanent certification as a Special Education
Teacher. As an educator for over twelve years, she has had the
opportunity to spend many hours dedicated to the encouragement and
enhancement of the development of young children. She has been
engaged in several professional opportunities, including teacher,
supervisor, presenter/trainer, facilitator, collaborator, mentor, Early
Intervention Specialist, and Child Development Specialist. Her most
rewarding aspect of each position has been the time spent with children
and their families. She encourages you to enjoy this book and hopes
that it will help you to better serve each young child in your care.
Safety Warning!
Parents and professionals should use their best judgment to determine
whether a particular idea or suggestion would be appropriate to use
with an individual child or group of children.
It is important that children only use materials and products labeled

child-safe and non-toxic. Small children should always be supervised by
a competent adult and youngsters must never be allowed to put small
objects or art materials in their mouths. Please consult the manufac-
turers safety warnings on all materials and equipment used with young
children.
When using food products, make sure that you take into consideration
any childrens allergies or food restrictions. Make sure that you take
special note of the beliefs, values, and culture of the families you serve.
Early Childhood Thematic Book: Weather 2 Teacher's Friend, a Scholastic Company

INTRODUCTION
This 48 page thematic book about the weather contains a collection of skill-based activities and
ideas for children ages 3 to 6 years. The ideas and suggestions are based on the philosophy of
developing the whole child through play, exploration and varied experiences. These activities should
enhance the childs ability to develop communication, motor/physical, cognitive, social/emotional, and
adaptive/self-help skills. The teacher should approach and implement the activities in a way that
takes into consideration each childs individual needs and abilities.
Many of the activities have been organized to meet the criteria of the interest areas (centers)
found in most early childhood classrooms. They include:
Art and Crafts Library/Writing Dramatic Play

Housekeeping Math and Manipulatives Sand and Water
Outdoor Play Music and Movement Computer Center
Blocks and Building Table Toys Cooking and Nutrition
Opportunities to develop pre-literacy and literacy skills should be apparent in every center in the
classroom. Using the activities in this book, children can explore the basic concepts of color, shape,
number, quantity and position that naturally occur in a stimulating, early childhood environment. It
is essential for early childhood educators to build each childs vocabulary every day. It is one of the
basic components needed by children in order for them to become successful learners and literate
adults. In almost every activity throughout the day, there will be an occasion to incorporate
information related to basic language concepts. With this book, one will discover activities and
games which will allow the children to explore ideas and vocabulary which will help them develop
essential skills.
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

This resource book includes an array of ideas, activities and reproducible pages that you and other
early childhood educators can utilize to develop stimulating activities around a given theme. The
graphics, clip art, game ideas and other reproducible pages throughout the book are meant to be
copied for individual classroom use. You may adapt or modify the ideas or instructions to best meet
the developmental level of the children you serve. As a time saver, protect your work by laminating
the products or placing the reproducible pages in plastic page protectors. The following describes
each section and some helpful tips and hints regarding how to implement the ideas into your
curriculum:
Everything You Need to Know About

This section includes a number of interesting facts or points about the weather in general. It also
includes a list of websites that may be used as a resource for additional information on the topic.
Dictation and/or Creative Writing Page Library and Writing

Use this page for children to write their own words or stories. Make several copies and place them
in your writing center with appropriate writing tools.
Clip Art
There are many uses for these cute, simple thematic illustrations. Each graphic can be enlarged or
reduced to meet your individual needs. You can use the clip art illustrations in the following ways:
In newsletters and notes In rebus recipe charts In thank you notes

On rebus stories or letters On song charts On homemade games
In experiential charts or books In each center or area With your calendar
As part of your routine chart On charts and bulletin boards On rewards/certificates

Awards and Certificates
Use these cute, thematic certificates to reward children or thank volunteers. You can use the
awards to:
Recognize accomplishments Praise good deeds Identify strengths

Recognize good sportsmanship Support teamwork Thank volunteers
Acknowledge acts of kindness Support positive behavior Acknowledge good choices
Thematic Literature List Library and Writing

This list of childrens literature with the theme of the weather includes books to read to the class,
picture books, and books for beginning readers. A list of vocabulary words pertinent to the theme
of the weather is also included. Here are a few tips for reading books aloud:
Select good, well written and illustrated books

Position yourself so that each child can see the book
Review some of the words in the book before you read it
Change the intonation of your voice to dramatize the story
Read leaving words out to elicit responses from children
Point out beginning consonant sounds (phoneme) and connect
it with the letter (symbol)
Comment on words that rhyme
Point out the title, author and illustrator
Point to words from left to right and top to bottom, etc.
Keep the children on track - listening to the story
Ask "wh" questions - "what, where, why, when"
Expand on the concepts in the book in other centers
Repeat readings of the same story
Songs, Poems and Fingerplays Music and Movement

Songs and fingerplays are an essential piece of an early childhood curriculum. These simple thematic
jingles are set to familiar childrens songs. Short poems and fingerplays are also included in this
section. They help children to learn about the rhythm and rhyme of our language. (Copies of the
songs and poems can be shared with parents and used at home.) The songs can be written on large
poster board so that children, families and volunteers can follow along. Clip art pictures can be
added in place of words to create a rebus song chart. Develop a song basket filled with copies of
each song. (Song cards can be made by copying each song to a large index card. Glue a clip art pic-
ture to the back of each card and laminate for durability. Place the song cards in a large basket for
children to easily select a song they wish to sing.)
Activities and Games

These skill-based activities and games can be used with the entire class, small groups of children or
by individual children. The activities have been organized as they relate to interest centers
typically found in the early childhood classroom. Use the ideas and activities in each section to
facilitate the following skill development and concepts:
Dramatic Play
exploring emotions practicing skills vocabulary development
dress-up & make believe sharing & turn-taking using imagination
using creativity imitation social skill development
acting out life experiences resolving conflicts self-help skills
pretend play & role play receptive & expressive language development

Outdoor Play & Field Trips
exercise exploration gross-motor skills
social skills following directions teamwork
trying new things fair play & sportsmanship building concepts
Math and Manipulatives (Science)

using math & science tools following directions time & space
social skills cognitive skill development findings & predictions
language skills math concepts & properties living & non-living things
visual-perceptual skills position, quality & quantity gathering information
measurement relationships recording information turn-taking
experimentation & exploration learning properties of substances
learning about your surroundings number, letter, shape recognition and matching
Music and Movement

gross-motor development singing & vocal expression beat
following directions rhyme & rhythm math skills
movement of body parts exploration of emotions pre-literacy skills
language skills individual expression imitation
Library and Writing
literacy skills use of writing tools retelling stories
sound-symbol relationships exploring books following directions
creative writing self-expression attention span
concept & vocabulary development
looking at, listening to and participating in stories
Patterns and Crafts Arts and Crafts

This section includes several patterns or craft ideas to utilize in your art center. One must always
consider that, for the young artist and creator, the process is much more important than the
product. The young artist develops skills in several development domains. Use the ideas and
activities in this section to facilitate the following skill development and concepts:
creativity pre-literacy skills

exploration & experimentation unique products
learning properties of substances using drawing, writing and cutting tools
building self-esteem finding new ways to use materials
building fine motor skills manipulation of various materials
following directions
Bulletin Board Ideas

Several suggestions are included for creating interesting and informative bulletin boards based upon
the theme of the weather and can be used in a variety of ways in the classroom. Here are a few tips:
Keep them neat and professional looking Display childrens unique creations
Display photos of kids at play & work Change the boards periodically
Display magazine pictures of "real" things Use neat and concise letters & writing
Keep them current to theme or activities of the program
Display at the appropriate height for childrens viewing
Display higher for family members and volunteers

My Book About Library and Writing
Make copies of the pages in this section to create an interesting book about the weather for your
young learners. Simply duplicate the pages, cut and assemble them by number. Attach the pages
together with staples or brads. Laminate the front and back for durability. Children will enjoy
listening to the story and coloring the pages. Older children may have the skills to color, cut,
assemble and read the story for themselves. Having children make their own book helps develop
pre-emergent reading skills in early learners.
Goodies to Make and Eat! Cooking and Nutrition

The recipes found in this section are devoted to cooking and nutrition. Clay or dough recipes, which
you may use in your art or sensory area, are also included. The recipes can be copied onto poster
board, large sheets of paper, or recipe-sized cards so that children, families and volunteers can fol-
low along. You may want to add clip art pictures in place of words to create rebus recipe charts.
Use the recipes in this section to facilitate these developmental skills:
following directions performing activities in sequential order

cooperating with others manners and taking turns
counting & measurement concepts use of simple kitchen utensils
sensory exploration of foods observation of food in different forms
pre-literacy and literacy skills practicing different food preparations
At Home With
This section is meant to provide families with ideas and activities to do at home with their children.
These activities will help to encourage communication between family member and child, as well as
support the skill development of the child. The activities should be optional for those families who
wish to and have the time to participate. Educators may wish to incorporate the ideas into their
newsletters or simply attach the "At Home With.." sheet to their notes.
Parent/Family Involvement
Throughout each theme book, educators will note the various opportunities to encourage parent/
family involvement. Communication between parents and the program is one key to increasing parent
involvement. One mechanism to increase communication with parents is through notes or news-
letters.
Tips for Notes and Newsletters
Make them visually appealing add clip art Write blocks of information
Be specific when referring to a day or time Typewritten or printed
Write about each center, activity, or type of news Make it neat professional
Add a response sheet for parents Proof for typing errors
Request assistance parent volunteers for at least one activity
Keep them easy to read vocabulary/avoid lengthy sections
Avoid using last names on general newsletters without permission
Add questions for parents to ask their children to encourage conversation
Note:
All of the patterns and illustrations in this book can be enlarged to better suit the needs of young
learners.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
ABOUT..."THE WEATHER"
Weather is a topic that early childhood educators may choose
to discuss on a daily basis or as a thematic unit. Young learners
can grasp the very basic weather terminology as long as it is
presented in a concrete manner. The more abstract aspects and
terminology related to weather and weather conditions can be
explored with children as they get older. These introductory
definitions and activities are meant to allow the children to begin
to build a basis for future understanding and comprehension of
weather.
The Weather Basics/Words

clouds Clouds are formed when millions of drops of water around
tiny dust particles stick together.
day Time between sunrise and sunset. The sky is usually lit by the
sun and appears blue in color.
forecast To predict what may happen to the weather based on

statistical data and observations
icicles Dripping water that freezes as it falls and forms into a

hanging mass
moon A white sphere in the sky that revolves around the Earth.
It appears to change forms smaller or larger, crescent shapes.
night Time between sunset and sunrise. The sky is usually dark,
but may be lit by bright stars and the moon.
puddles Pools of water that often form on the ground during and
after a rainstorm. Puddles disappear as the water is heated and
turned back into water vapor, known as evaporation.
rain Droplets of water that fall out of clouds to the ground
rainbow An arc of colors which forms as the sunlight shines through

droplets of water at the end of a rainstorm. The water splits the sun-
light into different colors, forming a rainbow. Rainbows can be found in
oil spots on wet roads, in pieces of glass, on mirrors, and in soap bubbles.
The color arrangement is always the same: red, orange, yellow, green,
blue, indigo, and violet. Some people use the acronym ROY G. BIV to
remember the order.
shadows Shadows appear because sunlight does not shine through a

solid object. For example, the sunlight cannot shine through your body,
so opposite the sunlight, a shadow forms at the side of your body.
snow Frozen water that falls out of clouds to the ground. Each
snowflake is unique and has six sides.
storm To rain, snow, or hail heavily
sun The shining body (star) in the sky that provides heat and light to
the planets that revolve around it. It appears round in shape and yellow
in color. However, during sunrise and sunset, it may appear orangish or
reddish in color.
temperature The coolness or warmness of air, water, or the body as

measured by a thermometer.
thermometer Tool used to measure the temperature of air, water, or

the body.
thunder and lightning Thunder is the loud sound often heard during a
rainstorm and accompanied by lightning. Lightning is a flash of light
often seen during a rainstorm and accompanied by thunder.
wind The movement of air

Thematic Literature List
Berger, Gilda, and Berger, Melvin. Do Tornadoes Really Twist? Q & A About Tornadoes
and Hurricanes, Scholastic Question and Answer Series. Scholastic, Inc., 2000
Bourgeois, Paulette. Franklin and The Thunderstorm. Scholastic, Inc., 1998
Branley, Franklyn. Snow is Falling. Trophy Press, 1986
Branley, Franklyn. Tornado Alert. Trophy Press, 1990
Canizares, Susan. Arctic Winter, Arctic Summer. Scholastic, Inc., 1998
Canizares, Susan. Water. Scholastic, Inc., 1998
Carle, Eric. Little Cloud. Putnam Publishing Group, 2001
Claybourne, Anna. Read About Tornadoes, Read About Series. Millbrook Press, Inc., 2000
Coco, Eugene B. Glow in The Dark Stars, Moon, and Clouds. Western Publishing Co., 1990
Eastman, Philip D. Snow. Beginner Books, 1980
Hoban, Julia. Amy Loves Rain. Scholastic, Inc., 1989
Keller, Holly. Snow is Falling, Lets Read and Find Out Science. HarperCollins
Publications, 2000
Mandell, Muriel. Simple Weather Experiments with Everyday Materials. Sterling
Publishing Co., 1990
Shannon, David. The Rain Came Down. Scholastic, Inc., 2000
Concepts & Vocabulary

clouds cold fog hot
lightning moon puddles rain
rainbow seasons shadows snow
star storm sun temperature
thunder tornado weather wind

Dictation and/or Creative Writing Page
Name Date

WEATHER CLIP ART!

Good Job! You are always
Name
Prepared!
Name
Teacher Teacher
Date Date
Name
You Really
Shine!
Date Teacher
Songs, Poems and Fingerplays
Music and Movement
Weather, Weather
Weather, weather
What will it be today?
Will it rain?
Will it shine?
Will it blow?
Or will it snow?
Weather, weather
What will it be today?
Twinkle, Twinkle, Rainy Day!
Twinkle, twinkle rainy day

When will the sun come out to play?
Twinkle, twinkle rainy day!
Substitute rainy with windy, snowy, and stormy.
Rain, Rain Go Away

Try this classic rhyme using a child sized umbrella. Pass the umbrel-
la to each child around the circle. Substitute Johnny with the
childs name.
Rain, rain go away!

Come again another day.
Little Johnny wants to play,
Rain, rain go away!

Music and Movement
Weather Day!
It will be a rainy day, Wiggle your fingers downward each
Rainy day, rainy day. Time the words rainy day are said.
It will be a rainy day,
All day long.
It will be a snowy day, Hug yourself each time the words

Snowy day, snowy day. snowy day are said.
It will be a snowy day,
All day long.
It will be a windy day, Gently wave your arms and blow each
Windy day, windy day. time the words windy day are said.
It will be a windy day,
All day long.
It will be a sunny day, Circle arms over head each time the
Sunny day, sunny day. words sunny day are said.
It will be a sunny day,
All day long.
(Older children can draw separate pictures of the rain,

snow, wind and sun. Have them hold up the appropriate
picture each time the words are said.)
Rainbow
(Teacher can hold up a piece of construction paper for each
color named.)
I see a rainbow.
I see a rainbow
Seven colors in a row.
Red, Orange, Yellow
Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet
Yes, I see a rainbow.

Music and Movement
All Around The World

(Tune: The Wheels on The Bus)
The rain in the sky goes drip, drip, drip,

Drip, drip, drip,
Drip, drip, drip,
The rain in the sky goes drip, drip, drip all around world.
The thunder in the sky goes boom, boom, boom,

Boom, boom, boom,
Boom, boom, boom,
The thunder in the sky goes boom, boom, boom all around world.
The lightning in the sky goes flash, flash, flash,

Flash, flash, flash,
Flash, flash, flash,
The lightning in the sky goes flash, flash, flash all around world.
The wind in the sky goes wooo, wooo, wooo,

Wooo, wooo, wooo,
Woo, wooo, wooo,
The wind in the sky goes wooo, wooo, wooo all around world.
Four Seasons
(Use the four illustrations below to depict the seasons as you sing about them.)
There are four seasons in each year.

Winter brings cold weather I fear.
Spring is warm and rain is near.
Summer is sunny and clear.
And Autumn means the end of the year will soon be here.
There are four seasons in each year.

ACTIVITIES AND GAMES
Dramatic Play
Fill the dramatic play area with the following items: flannel board,
weather symbols (p. 17), illustration of the United States, thermometers,
sports jackets, baseball hat with Weather Forecaster or Camera
Operator pin on it, puppet stage or large cardboard box which is cut to
look like a television, toy camera, toy microphone, maps, dull pointer stick
or wand, weather visual aids and charts (i.e., forecast for the days of the
week and list of record highs and lows), news station sign, toy or home
made weather equipment, and weather storybooks.
Create a weather news station (WXYZ or whatever name your class

decides). Encourage the children to pretend to be weather
forecasters or weather news reporters or camera operators.
Encourage the exploration of weather tools and equipment.
Charting the Type of Weather

Use these simple illustrations to depict the weather on your
classroom calendar for one month. Each day, select one symbol that
best describes the weather for the day. At the end of the month,
chart the symbols to discover: How many sunny days in (the
month)? Snowy day, windy days, and rainy days. Draw the chart
below on a heavy piece of paper. Remove the weather symbols from
your calendar and line them up as shown. When all the symbols are
on the chart, have the children count the number of suns,
snowflakes, etc.
Weather Chart for APRIL

Sunny days
Snowy days
Windy days
Rainy days

Dramatic Play
Weather Symbols

Outdoor Play & Field Trips
Field Trip to a Local News Station
If you are fortunate enough to be able to bring the children to a local
news station or if the station will send staff to discuss the weather with
your class, then take advantage of the wonderful opportunity. Invite
parents and other family members to come along. After you return from
the trip, write a thank you note, create a book (add photos or drawings)
or develop an experience chart.
Things to do at the news station:

look at the different equipment used to measure and record the
weather
watch a taping of a newscast
talk with a weather forecaster
Trace Friend's Shadow

Take the group outside on a sunny day. Tell the children about shadows
and how they are made, then have them pair up and take turns tracing
each others shadow using sidewalk chalk.
Shadow Dance
Take the group outside on a sunny day. Tell the children about shadows
and how they are made, then play some music and let them dance to the
music and watch how their shadows dance. Variation: Play Freeze Shadow
Dance when the music is on, the children dance and, when it stops, the
children freeze. See how many children can freeze until the music
starts again.
Rainbows
Simulate the formation of a rainbow by spraying a garden hose or
sprinkler, or by blowing bubbles on a sunny day. See how many colors of
the rainbow appear.

Recording the Temperature

Record the temperature each day for a F C
month. If you use a circle shaped
thermometer, help the children learn to 120
read the numbers. Record the tempera-
tures on a graph. If you use a mercury 110
40
type thermometer, help the children
read the height of the mercury. Fill in 100
the red space on the thermometers to
90
depict the temperature. At the end of 30
the month, review the graph by talking 80
about the weather in relationship to the
numbers or level of mercury: low numbers 70
20
mean cooler days and high numbers mean
warmer days, which days had the same 60
temperature, which day was the warmest,
50
coolest, and whether the temperature
seems to be going up or down. Variation: 40
pick one day each month to record the
temperature and review the graph at the 30 0
end of the year.
20
-10
10
Tornado in a Bottle
Take two plastic bottles and remove their 0
caps. Fill one bottle about half full of -20
water (you may want to add some glitter -10
as well). Tape the other bottle to the top
of the first bottle so that the tops are -20 -30
touching and no water will leak out. Rotate

the bottles in circular motion a couple of
times and tip them over so that the water
is moving from the top bottle to the
bottom bottle. Notice how the water
rotates like a tornado.

Clothes Sort
Take two shoeboxes and glue the "winter" and "summer" squares to the
end of each box. Cut a hole in the lid of each shoebox. Copy and
individually mount the pictures on index cards and laminate the cards.
The child sorts the 12 pictures by inserting the cards into the box that
best depicts the weather for that type of clothing.

Adding Things Up!
Look at the picture and count how many in each circle.
Write the answers in the blanks below the circles.
Color the pictures.

What Is Next?
Look at the picture patterns below and draw the next picture in the pattern.
Color the pictures.

Matching Shadows!
Look at the pictures below and draw a line from the picture to its shadow.
Color the pictures.

Music and Movement
The Weather Relay

You will need at least one piece of clothing for each child. Place them
into two or more suitcases at one end of the classroom, the parking lot
or paved play yard and draw a straight chalk line. Measure a reasonable
distance and draw a chalk starting line. Separate the class into two (or
more) teams. The first member of each team runs to their teams
suitcase and picks out a piece of clothing to put on and then returns to
the starting line and tags the next person to run and repeat the activity.
The game ends when all the children have completed the relay and
returned to the starting line with their team. Each team member then
has to tell what type of weather the clothing he/she is wearing is best
suited for: hot/warm (sunny) or cold/cool (snowy).
Some suggested items for the suitcases:

sunglasses mittens gloves
baseball hat winter hat earmuffs
boots sandals shorts
tee-shirt snowpants wool socks
bathing suit coat scarf
sunhat (visor) bike helmet snowmobile helmet
Twirling, Whirling In The Wind

Collect colorful silk type scarves, enough so that each child can have
one. Tie each scarf to a shower ring (one scarf per ring). Take the
children outside on a windy day. Pass the scarves out to the children
and watch how they move in or with the wind. Variation: use pinwheels in
place of the scarves and the children can watch the wind blow the
pinwheel around.

Music and Movement
What Type of Weather?

It may take some time for you to record sounds from various types of
weather scenarios. However, when it is complete, you will be able to use
it again and again. Keep a small hand held tape recorder and blank tape in
your home or car. When you hear sounds from different weather days,
simply record one to three minutes of the sound on the tape. When the
next sound naturally occurs, record again until you have collected 10 to 12
different sound bites. You may want to keep a written list of the sounds
that you have collected. Once the tape is complete, have the
children listen to it and guess what they hear and the weather associated
with the sound. If you have them, show pictures of the different types
of weather. You may be able to find pictures in magazines, catalogs, or
old calendars.
Types of things/weather to record:

a thunderstorm
rain on a house roof or car roof
whistling wind
birds chirping
children playing in water/pool/ocean
car splashing through a puddle
a hockey game
a baseball game
a snowplow clearing the snow off the street
Also, check your local library, record or book

store for environmental tapes/CDs. They may
have tracks that you can use to develop this
cassette tape, as well as other sound
cassettes. These types of activities help to
develop the childs sound discrimination skills,
as well as receptive language skills.
Examples:
The Sounds of Nature by the
Special Music Company
400 Sound Effects by Sound Effects

Library and Writing
Day and Night

Copy the sun and moon symbols onto construction paper. Ask the children
what they do during the daytime and at nighttime. Teacher records
daytime responses on the suns and nighttime responses on the moons.
Display the suns and moons on a class board with heading the What do
we do? Day & Night.
What Do We Do?
Day Night

Library and Writing
The Weather Wheel

Copy the weather wheel and arrow (spinner) onto heavy paper. Attach
the arrow to the wheel in the center with a brad. Each child takes a turn
spinning the arrow. The child names the type of day and tells one thing
that he/she might do on that type of day. The teacher records the
responses on a large piece of paper.

Library and Writing
The un Wheel
Create this toy wheel so that the children can practice pronouncing
words which end in un. Copy the sun and letter wheel onto heavy paper.
Cut a square hole as shown. Attach the wheel to the back of the sun
with a brad so that the letters show through the hole. Play!!!
F UN
UN
S
B
F
R

Library and Writing
Name It!
Look at the pictures and the words. Cut out the words below and glue them
in the box underneath the correct picture. Color the pictures.
sun clouds
snow rain
Library and Writing
Rhymes With
Cut out the pictures below the dotted line. Look at the pictures and
match the rhyming words. Glue the pictures in place.
sun
moon
rain
star
car train
spoon run
Color the pictures.
Library and Writing
Hanging the Weather Out To Dry!

Copy the weather word cards onto heavy paper. Hide the weather word
cards around the room. Keep a list of where they are hidden. String a
clothesline at child level and place a basket of pinch clothespins next to
the clothesline. Give each child a turn to find one hidden word card.
They will need to follow a simple verbal direction. As each child takes a
turn, the teacher gives a simple verbal direction (clue or hint). For
example: behind the bookshelf, underneath the water table, or next
to the blocks. When the child finds the weather word, the child brings
it back to the group and guesses (reads) what the letters spell using the
illustration as a clue. The teacher defines the word (refer to informa-
tion on p. 7-8). The child attaches the weather word card to the
clothesline by pinching the clothespin.
snow
sun
sun
snow
rain
Library and Writing
rainbow
puddle
clouds
wind
night
day
Arts and Crafts Patterns and Crafts
A Picture of Todays Weather (Weather Collage)
Give the children construction paper, crayons, markers, magazines,
scissors, glue, and arts scraps. Instruct the children to create a
weather collage or a picture of todays weather.
Painting the Umbrella

Copy the umbrella pattern below. Fill small squirt bottles with water and
washable blue paint. Tape the umbrella patterns to a wall (thoroughly
covered with newspaper or do this activity outside and tape the umbrella
to a brick wall or sidewalk). The children squirt the rain onto the
umbrellas. Let them dry and display them in the classroom.

Arts and Crafts
Rainbow Pattern
Use this rainbow pattern to create an interesting shaped surface for
children to paint, color, write or glue on. The pattern can be enlarged or
reduced in size. Each day, have the children use a different mediumpaint,
crayons, markers, pastels, tissue paper (torn and rolled into balls),
buttons, colored holes (use a hole punch to make colored holes), colored
stickers, etc.

Arts and Crafts
Weather Masks
Trace the weather features on construction paper. Cut eye holes in a
paper plate and tape a tongue depressor to the back of the plate.
Children can draw a mouth and nose, and glue the patterns, as shown.
Older children may be able to complete all the steps by themselves.

Arts and Crafts

Arts and Crafts
Weather Mobile
Trace the weather symbols onto heavy construction paper. The children
use a hole punch to punch holes into the symbols as shown. Tape the
cloud onto a hanger and add cottonballs to it. To create sparkling
weather symbols, children can dip a cotton swab into glue and spread the
glue on the symbols then add glitter. String yarn through the holes in
the symbols and attach them to the cloud. Display them around the
classroom or school.

BULLETIN BOARD IDEAS
Weather Words
Complete the activity on page 31-32 and display the word cards with the heading of We
Know About Weather Words!
Super Stars
Display artwork, creative writing pages, or other handouts on a bulletin board with a Super
Stars heading. Cover the board with black paper and add star stickers or construction
paper stars to decorate the board!

Weather Watchers!
Have the children cut out magazine, catalog or calendar pictures which depict different types
of weather and display them on a bulletin board with a Weather Watchers! heading.
Channel WXYZs Big Weather News!

Display weather symbol graph (p. 16), weather or temperature for the day/week and a
thermometer, and creative writing or computer weather stories by the children on a bulletin
board with a Channel WXYZs Big Weather News! heading. Decorate with photos of the
children playing in the dramatic play area!

My Book AboutThe Weather!!!!
I know about the weather. 1

Some days the sky looks blue. 2
Some days the sun shines. 3

Some days the clouds float in the sky. 4
Some days it rains. 5

Some days it snows. 6
I can fly a kite on windy days. 7

This is my picture of todays weather. 8
My name is ____________________________.
I completed my book about weather words on:
__________________________________.

Goodies to Make and Eat! Cooking and Nutrition
Cold Day Snack
Step 1 Step 2
Pour Cocoa Mix into cup. Add milk to cup.
Step 3 Step 4
Warm in a microwave about 1 to 2

minutes. Add mini marshmallows.
Sunshine Snack
Use an ice cream scoop to scoop cottage cheese onto the middle of a plate.
Then add sun rays orange colored cheese cut into triangles or triangle
shaped crackers or chips.

Cooking and Nutrition
Ice Cream Sundae Buffet

Ice cream sundaes are a fun way to celebrate a sunny day. Many restaurants
serve food buffet style. This activity will allow children to practice skills and
manners that they can use again when they go to a restaurant with their
families.
Make a buffet chart using the illustrations below. First, on poster board, draw
a simple chart, as shown below. (Laminate the blank chart so that it can be
used again and again for other buffets.) Second, color, laminate and cut the
illustrations below and tape them across the top of the chart. Then, write
each childs name down the left hand column. On a long table, place each food
in its own bowl with appropriate serving utensils. Display the chart at the end
of the table. Each child takes a turn selecting from the buffet. When they
reach the end of the table, the teacher asks them to complete the chart. The
teacher or child places an x in the appropriate boxes to represent what
foods the child has selected. The children finish their snacks at the tables.
After snack is finished, the teacher reviews the completed chart with the
children by adding up the numbers in each food column. (Older children may
be asked to solve simple addition problems by adding food columns together.
For example: add the number of cherries and sprinkles together or look at the
chart and tell me how many children ate ice cream with bananas.)
vanilla chocolate butterscotch chocolate nuts bananas

ice cream syrup topping chips (allergy alert)
vanilla chocolate butterscotch chocolate nuts bananas

ice cream syrup topping chips
Sam x x x
Victor x x x
Pam x x x
Teresa x

Cooking and Nutrition
Snowball Dough
Pour 1 into a .
Mix in 4
.
Stir the mixture with a until it forms dough.
Mold the soap mixture into snowballs and snow people. Place
the snow dough forms on a sheet of to dry for several
days. When dry, the snow forms can be used to wash
at clean up time.

AT HOME WITH THE WEATHER!!!!!
We have been talking about the temperature and reading the

temperature on a thermometer. If you have a thermometer at
home, read the thermometer with your child in the morning.
If you dont have a thermometer, listen to the weather on a
radio or television. Talk with your child about the temperature
and what types of clothes are appropriate to wear in warm and
cold weather. See if your child can pick out clothes to match
the temperature for the day.
Go to the library and read stories about the weather and

seasons.
When you are outside with your child, look for and discuss the
simple signs of weather. On a sunny day, you might discuss
how the sun feels warm on your childs skin or how the sky
looks blue in color. On a rainy day, you might discuss how one
sees the rain form puddles or how it feels wet on your childs
skin and clothes. On a snowy day, you might discuss how the
snow looks white in color and how we have to dress in heavy
clothes to keep warm because the temperature is very cold.
When you are outside with your child on a cloudy day, look up
at the clouds. Sometimes they look like things. Point out a
cloud that looks like something and say, I see a cloud shaped
like. Ask your child, What do you think the clouds look
like? Enjoy your childs imagination!!!!

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Author Christine Clemente Stack

Illustrator Jenny Campbell

Look for the entire series of Teachers Friend

All rights reserved.

Reproduction of these materials for commercial resale or distribution to an entire

Early Childhood Thematic Book: Weather

About the Author

It is important that children only use materials and products labeled

Early Childhood Thematic Book: Weather 2 Teacher's Friend, a Scholastic Company

Art and Crafts Library/Writing Dramatic Play

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

Everything You Need to Know About

Dictation and/or Creative Writing Page Library and Writing

In newsletters and notes In rebus recipe charts In thank you notes

Early Childhood Thematic Book: Weather 3 Teacher's Friend, a Scholastic Company

Recognize accomplishments Praise good deeds Identify strengths

Thematic Literature List Library and Writing

Select good, well written and illustrated books

Songs, Poems and Fingerplays Music and Movement

Activities and Games

Early Childhood Thematic Book: Weather 4 Teacher's Friend, a Scholastic Company

Math and Manipulatives (Science)

Music and Movement

Patterns and Crafts Arts and Crafts

creativity pre-literacy skills

Bulletin Board Ideas

Early Childhood Thematic Book: Weather 5 Teacher's Friend, a Scholastic Company

Goodies to Make and Eat! Cooking and Nutrition

following directions performing activities in sequential order

Tips for Notes and Newsletters

Early Childhood Thematic Book: Weather 6 Teacher's Friend, a Scholastic Company

The Weather Basics/Words

forecast To predict what may happen to the weather based on

icicles Dripping water that freezes as it falls and forms into a

rainbow An arc of colors which forms as the sunlight shines through

shadows Shadows appear because sunlight does not shine through a

storm To rain, snow, or hail heavily

temperature The coolness or warmness of air, water, or the body as

thermometer Tool used to measure the temperature of air, water, or

wind The movement of air

Early Childhood Thematic Book: Weather 8 Teacher's Friend, a Scholastic Company

Concepts & Vocabulary

Early Childhood Thematic Book: Weather 9 Teacher's Friend, a Scholastic Company

Early Childhood Thematic Book: Weather 10 Teacher's Friend, a Scholastic Company

Early Childhood Thematic Book: Weather 11 Teacher's Friend, a Scholastic Company

Twinkle, Twinkle, Rainy Day!

Twinkle, twinkle rainy day

Substitute rainy with windy, snowy, and stormy.

Rain, Rain Go Away

Rain, rain go away!

Early Childhood Thematic Book: Weather 13 Teacher's Friend, a Scholastic Company

It will be a snowy day, Hug yourself each time the words

(Older children can draw separate pictures of the rain,

Early Childhood Thematic Book: Weather 14 Teacher's Friend, a Scholastic Company

All Around The World

The rain in the sky goes drip, drip, drip,

The thunder in the sky goes boom, boom, boom,

The lightning in the sky goes flash, flash, flash,

The wind in the sky goes wooo, wooo, wooo,

There are four seasons in each year.

Early Childhood Thematic Book: Weather 15 Teacher's Friend, a Scholastic Company

Create a weather news station (WXYZ or whatever name your class

Encourage the exploration of weather tools and equipment.