Clouds Lesson Plan

Teacher Candidate: Julia DeYoung Date: 2/15

Group Size: 19 Allotted Time: 45 minutes Grade Level: 1st

Subject or Topic: Clouds

Common Core/PA Standard(s)

Standard - 3.3.1.A5 Become familiar with weather instruments. Collect,

describe, and record basic information about weather over time.

S.K-2.D.2.1.1 Identify weather variables (i.e., temperature, wind speed, wind

direction, and precipitation).

Learning Targets/Objectives

Students will be able to identify different cloud formations and what they do.

Formative Assessment Approaches Evidence observation or method of collection

1. Anecdotal notes 1. Students answering questions and
2. Exit slip discussing with friends
2. Vocabulary
Assessment Scale for any of the assessments above if needed

Right on- All of the exit slip questions answered correctly.

Striver- More than one of the questions answered incorrectly.

Summative if applicable
Subject Matter/Content to be taught in the lesson: Clouds

Prerequisites
- Types of precipitation
- Ability to write
- Discussion and inquiry skills
- Observational skills
- Basic science skills
- Knowledge of types of weather
 - Rain
- Snow
- Sun and seasons
- Some severe weather
New Key Vocabulary
● Cirrus- High level clouds that are thin and wispy
● Stratus-stratus clouds are low level clouds that are flat and tend to cover most of the
sky. Grey in color and could produce a light rain or drizzle.
● Cumulus- Low to mid-level clouds, they are big, white and puffy and beautiful clouds.
Usually mean good weather unless they grow really tall and turn into rain clouds.
● Fog- A cloud that sits on the surface of the earth.
Content/Facts
● Clouds are made up of tiny droplets or frozen crystals of water.
● When rising warm air cools, clouds form.
● Clouds float because of the tiny water droplets, much like floating dust.
Introduction/Activating/Launch Strategies

● Hi first grade! This morning we are going to be learning about the clouds.
● I want everyone to take out their weather journals and take the first five minutes to fill
out the weather of the day and do a short writing about it!
● Do you remember what we learned about in science class yesterday?
○ Precipitation
● Does anyone know what precipitation has to do with the clouds?
○ Turn and talk with a partner.
● When you guys were outside at recess today (or out the window), did you notice the
clouds?
● What do the clouds look like right now?
○ Work on observational skills

Development/Teaching Approaches

Modeling/Explanation
● I created these slides for you to remember all about the clouds we learned about today!
● There are three different types of clouds.
● Does anyone think they know what this cloud does?
○ The teacher will point to the stratus cloud which is gray in color.
● Yes! This cloud is a rain cloud. Can everyone say stratus?
○ Students will repeat after the teacher.
● Stratus clouds are lower in the sky. They are flat clouds. These clouds cause
precipitation such as a light rain or drizzle.
● The teacher will point to the cirrus cloud.
● I want everyone to repeat after me! Cirrus
● Cirrus clouds are thin and wispy just like this picture. They are very high in the sky
unlike the stratus clouds, which are low.
● The teacher will point to the cumulus cloud.
 ● I want everyone to repeat after me! Cumulus
● Cumulus clouds are those big, puffy, white clouds that we see in the sky. Has anyone
ever seen these types of clouds before?
● These clouds normally mean good weather unless they become really tall and turn into
rain clouds.
● I am going to play this video for you guys to help remember what the types of clouds
we learned about today are.
○ https://wvia.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/evscps.sci.life.clouds/clouds-and-w
eather/\
■ Stop at 1:25

Practice:
● Now, we are going to practice.
● I am now going to display some pictures of these clouds on the board.
● I want you to tell me which type of cloud they are.
● The teacher will do this a few times with students.

Activity:
● First grade, now we are going to create a project to show me you know what these
clouds are.
● I am going to hand you a piece of blue paper. Do not do anything with it.
● On the top of the blue paper, you are going to write the three types of clouds, just like
mine.
● I am going to pass out cotton balls to each table. We are going to be creating a model of
each of the clouds based on what they look like.
● You can refer to the chart I created of the clouds on the board.
● You can use a black marker to make the cotton for the rain cloud gray.
○ Which one was the rain cloud again?
● I will be around to help everyone do this!
● Underneath the flap, you will write the characteristics of the clouds. I will help you
with this and what to write.

Exit ticket:
● Now, I am going to pass out your exit ticket.
● We are going to be matching the word to the definition. I will read these out loud to
you.
● Make sure your name and number are on the top.
● When students are done they will be called by number to put their papers on the blue
chair.
● The teacher will go over the correct answers to the exit ticket after everyone has
handed theirs in.
Closure/Summarizing Strategies

● Everyone had such good models of the different types of clouds!

● I want everyone to remember the different types of clouds and look at them when you
go outside or look out the window.
● It is important to know what kind of clouds are outside to know what the weather will
be like!

Accommodations/Differentiation

● High flier- Students can research more types of clouds than the three learned.
● Lower students- Remedial extra practice on clouds/vocabulary.

Materials and Resources:

● Slideshow
○ https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/12xWQVRIk2CrRHbD1wisj005pxhfQ
AuJ8BowjLxsCX_g/edit?usp=sharing

● Exit slip
○ https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1zVqqVpHvlJTOip19NMqHyFtDMND
oK4_2V5KXdil1ctE/edit?usp=sharing

● Video
○ https://wvia.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/evscps.sci.life.clouds/clouds-and-w
eather/

Reflective Response:

I swivl this lesson and reflected on the swivl.

Report of Student Learning Target/Objectives Proficiency Levels

Remediation Plan (if applicable)

Personal Reflection Questions

Additional reflection/thoughts