KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

PROFESSIONAL SEMESTER PROGRAM
LESSON PLAN FORMAT

Teacher Candidate: Kyle Moyer Date: 11/10/19

Cooperating Teacher: Mrs. Lausch Coop. Initials:
Group Size: 21 Allotted Time: 40 minutes Grade Level: Kindergarten
Subject or Topic: Science Section: 932

Trees and Weather

I. STANDARD(s):
● 7.3.K.A. Describe how weather affects daily life.
● 3.3.K.A5. Record daily weather conditions using simple charts and graphs Identify seasonal
changes in the environment. Distinguish between types of precipitation.

II. Performance Objectives:

● The students will record daily weather conditions by either going outside or observing from inside
and record what the weather is like on a weather chart.
● The students will identify seasonal changes in the environment by observing aspects of the current
season.

III. Assessment/Evaluation plan:

● A checklist will be used to monitor the students who record on the weather chart. It will look as if
they record the appropriate weather, if they make an educated prediction based off of the current
day, and whether they completed the chart or not.
● Anecdotal notes will be used as students create a tree using the bare tree paper and paint.

IV. Instructional Materials:

Teacher Materials
● Weather chart
● Paint
○ brown, yellow, red, orange
● Broccoli
● Anecdotal notes
● Checklist
● Thermometer

Student Materials
● Weather chart
● Paint
● Broccoli
● Tree-part pictures
● Pencil
● Crayons

V. Subject Matter/ Content:

a. Prerequisite Skills
i. knowledge of trees and weather
ii. 4 seasons
b. Key Vocabulary
i. Thermometer- an instrument for measuring and indicating temperature, typically one
consisting of a narrow, hermetically sealed glass tube marked with graduations and
having at one end a bulb containing mercury or alcohol that expands and contracts in
the tube with heating and cooling.
ii. Winter- the coldest season of the year, in the northern hemisphere from December to
February and in the southern hemisphere from June to August.
iii. Spring- the season after winter and before summer, in which vegetation begins to
 appear, in the northern hemisphere from March to May and in the southern
hemisphere from September to November.
iv. Summer- the warmest season of the year, in the northern hemisphere from June to
August and in the southern hemisphere from December to February.
v. Fall- the season when leaves fall from trees : Autumn
vi. Weather- Weather is sunshine, rain, snow, wind, and storms. It's what is going on
outside right now. The weather is different at different places around the planet.
vii. Season- each of the four divisions of the year (spring, summer, autumn, and winter)
marked by particular weather patterns and daylight hours, resulting from the earth's
changing position with regard to the sun.
c. Big Idea
i. How do the seasons affect how we live?
d. Content
i. The lesson would begin by having the students gather outside and sitting down. The
teacher would ask the students questions about the weather and what they see around
them. Then, the class would go back inside and gather on the carpet. The teacher will
show the students the weather chart and model how you show what the weather is
like for the current day and how to make a prediction for the next. The teacher will
tell the students that each week there will be a student who is the weather forecaster.
The teacher will show how to read a thermometer. Then, the teacher will give the
students a movement break by asking them to stand and show how they would feel
during each season. The students will then return to their seats and the teacher will
pass out the bare tree paper. The teacher will explain that the students will need to
put leaves on the trees using broccoli. Paint will be passed around. For students who
finish quickly, there will be a tree-part paper. The teacher will have the words on the
whiteboard that go with each picture and the student must put each word where they
think it belongs. Once everyone finished their trees, the teacher will gather the class
back on the carpet and ask the students to share what type of trees they see around
their house.

VI. Implementation:
A. Introduction:
1. On the white board have the two strips titled What is weather? and What is a season? attached
2. Have students get their science notebooks
3. Pass out strips and have students paste each strip at the top of a new page
4. “What is weather?”
5. Write the different weather patterns and how it is different around the world underneath What is
weather?
6. Students record definition
7. Repeat steps 4-6 for What is a season?
8. “Today we are going to start keeping track of the weather and taking a closer look at trees.”
9. Call the tables by color for them to grab their coats (if cold) and to line up at the back door.
10. Take students outside and have them sit on the ground.
11. “What is the weather like today?”
a. Have a few students share
12. Agree with their forecast if accurate or guide them to a more appropriate forecast.
13. “The weather is very important for nature, it changes all the time and causes there to be four seasons
we have. What are the four seasons?”
14. “What season are in now?”
15. Ask the students what they see around them to help decide what season there is
a. guide them to look at the trees
16. “By looking at the trees we can make an educated guess as to what season we are currently in.”

B. Development:
1. Go back inside and gather the students on the carpet.
2. Have the weather chart on display.
3. “This is our weather chart and we will be keeping track of the weather for each day. Starting tomorrow
there will be a weather forecaster for each week. The student in charge of this job will go outside each
morning to record the weather and make a prediction for the next days forecast.”
4. Model for the students how to complete the weather chart and how to make a prediction
5. “Part of the weather forecaster’s job is to also record the temperature for the day using a thermometer.”
 a. Model how to read a thermometer and then place outside
6. “While we were outside we felt the weather and also looked at the trees. Today you will be creating your
own tree using a piece of broccoli and paint. You will get a paper that has a tree on it but no leaves. We
need to give the tree some leaves.”
7. “Let’s all stand up and I want you to show me what you think a tree looks like by using y
8. our body.”
9. “Let’s sit back down now so I can show you what you will be doing for the activity today.”
a. model how to create levels on the tree
b. Show the students the tree-parts paper and say, “If you finish early with your tree and leaves, there
is a paper up here that you can do.
10. Have the students return to their seats and pass out the tree paper.
11. Have plates of paint premade with colors that represent the leaves on trees currently. Have a student from
each table to come up and grab a plate a paint and broccoli.
12. As the students work, take anecdotal notes on where the students place the leaves and if they understand
how to use the broccoli as a sponge
13. Students who finish quickly can work on the tree-parts activity
a. Have the anchor chart posted on the white board so students can reference it if needed

C. Closure:
1. Once all students finish their trees, gather them back on the carpet to have one last discussion.
2. “What trees do you see when you are at home? Are there a lot of trees or a little?”

D. Accommodations / Differentiation:
1. For A there will be movement involved in the lesson so they can get breaks
2. For G and A there is an extension activity since they tend to be fast finishers

VII. Reflective Response:

A. Report of Students’ Performance in Terms of States Objectives:

*Note this section is completed during field placements

Overall, the students did well with this assignment/activity. They loved the different form of paintbrush.
Some of the students used the broccoli as a brush and did not dab the paint such as 23, 5, 8, and 1. There is no
need to remediate these students since this was more of a fun activity rather than assessing a skill.

B. Personal Reflection
1.Teacher-focused open-ended questions written before lesson is taught.
● Did I plan my lesson well?
● Was my lesson effective in teaching the content it's meant to?
● We’re the students able to stay engaged with the lesson?

2. Reflective narrative response to questions recorded after lesson is taught.

● Overall, my lesson went well. I would say I put more than enough preparation in to the lesson. I
felt confident with what I was teaching and was prepared for any on the spot changes that might
occur.
● I believe my lesson did well teaching the content it was meant to. For Kindergarten you can’t have
too much content because they won’t understand and you’ll lose their interest very quickly.
However, the way my lesson went the students got the idea of weather and why trees change
through the seasons with ease.
● Looking back, I do believe the students were engaged with my lesson. At times I lost their focus
but I could easily get them back and they all loved using the broccoli to paint.

Resources (APA Reference List

● https://www.gluedtomycraftsblog.com

References
Appendix
 Weather Forecaster Checklist
Student Weather for the day Weather prediction Completion

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 Anecdotal Notes

Student Placement of leaves Reason for placing leaves where they did

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