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THE FOUR SEASONS
MASTER TEACHER Linda Wilson
GRADES 1-3
OVERVIEW
This lesson will provide students with an understanding of the
four types of seasons-spring, summer, fall and winter and the reason why they
occur. The class interactions, watching the video segments, and hands on
activities will reinforce the students understanding that the way the earth is
tilted and travel around the sun causes the seasons and the different types of
weather associated with each season.
ITV SERIES
Bill Nye #121 Earth's Seasons
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
The students will be able to:
* Identify and name the four seasons of the year
* Describe the weather changes from season to season
* Group and Classify pictures according to the seasons
* Compare and contrast the seasons
* Make a graph using the students pictures and/or
birthdays
MATERIALS
(Teacher)
1 large ball or globe
1 small ball
1 flash light
22 handout worksheets
Magazines for the class to use
Model of the earth and sun (if available)
(for class- one per student)
pencil
scissors
bottle of glue or glue stick
crayons or map colors
blank sheet of paper
construction paper or manila paper
magazines
worksheet
VOCABULARY
Seasons- one of the four quarters into which the year is
commonly divided.
Rotation- the action or process of rotating on or as if
on an axis or center; one complete turn.
Tilt- to move or shift so as to lean or incline:
slant
Fall- the season when leaves fall from the tree: autumn
in the northern hemisphere usually the month of September, October and November.
Winter- the season between autumn and spring comprising
in the northern hemisphere usually the month of December, January and February.
Spring- a time or season of growth or development in the
northern hemisphere usually the months March, April and May.
Summer- The season between spring and autumn comprising
in the northern hemisphere usually the months of June, July and August;
the warmer half of the year
Earth's axis- a straight line about which a body or a
geometric figure rotates or may be supposed to rotate
Weather- conditions of the atmosphere with respect to
temperature, moisture, cloudiness, etc.
Climate- the kind of weather a place has, including
conditions of heatand cold, moisture and dryness, clearness and cloudiness, wind
and calm
PREVIEWING ACTIVITIES
Before the unit begins, the teacher will have put up on a
bulletin board or in an area of the room the names- spring, summer, winter and
fall. The teacher reviews the meanings of the words with the students.
Each student will be assigned to bring in a picture depicting a weather
condition or the teacher will have enough magazines in class for the students to
find a picture. After each student finds a picture, direct the students to
glue their picture onto a sheet of paper or construction paper. Next, have the
students tell what season they think their picture represents and write the name
of the season on the bottom of the picture. Once the lesson is over, have the
students place their picture under the season that represents their picture.
FOCUS FOR VIEWING
To give each student a specific responsibility while viewing
say, "You are going to see a video that will explain why we have different
seasons. Look carefully as Bill Nye explains the reason for the seasons
and be ready to give your reasons for the seasons."
VIEWING ACTIVITIES
Begin the video when Bill Nye says, "Right now you
and I and the television set are going around the sun. That is why we have
summer, winter, spring and fall!" Stop the video when Bill
says, "Are we going around the sun?" Ask students, "What is
another name for going around the sun?" (Wait for the students to say
rotation and discuss the questions briefly with the class.) Ask, "Can
you tell me the four words he called out?" (Listen for spring, summer, fall
and winter) Ask, "What is another name for them?" (The
four seasons) Fast Forward the video until you see Bill Nye say,
"Ah, the seasons"
Pause the video after Bill Nye says, "Lots of sun
in the summer." Ask, "How is each season different?"
(Accept all reasonable answers) Resume the video.
Pause the video after Bill Nye says, "The earth's
seasons affects every living thing on earth." Ask, "What
do you think he means by this?" (Discuss the meaning with the class and
write their responses on the chalk board) Resume the video.
Pause the video after Bill Nye says, "The seasons
affect the way things grow and change every year." Ask, "How
close were we to Bill Nye's answer?" (Go to the chalk board and review the
answers given by the class.) Resume the video.
Pause the video after Bill Nye says, "That's a
billion kilometers every year." Ask, "Can anyone tell me why we
have the seasons?" (Discuss and accept all answers that comes close
to meaning "tilted") Ask, "What does tilted mean?" (to
move or shift so as to lean or incline;slant) Resume the video.
Pause the video after the Bill
Nye says, "And when you are on the part of the earth away from the sun, it
is nighttime." Ask, "What else does the tilted earth
cause?" ( Listen for daytime and nighttime) Resume the video.
Pause the video after Bill Nye says, "All because
the earth's axis is tilted, that's the reason for the seasons." Ask,
"When do we have winter and summer?" ( Winter is when the earth
is tilted away from the sun and summer is when the earth is tilted toward the
sun.) Ask, "Why do we have the seasons?" ( Listen to their
answers) Rewind the tape to the part where Bill Nye gives the
reason.
Play the video for the students to hear again. Stop
video and Remove.
POST VIEWING ACTIVITIES
Divide the students into groups of four and return their picture
back to them. Say, "We have learned the reason for the seasons is
because the earth is tilted on its axis and it spins around the sun. We
learned that the seasons affect the lives of every single living thing on this
earth." Have the students to talk about the weather in their picture
and the way people are dressed, if there are any people in the picture. The
students are to look at their picture again and determine whether they wrote the
correct season on it. If it is not correct, they are to make the
corrections after stating why it was incorrect. Allow time for the
students to compare and contrast their pictures in the group/class.
End the activity by having the students put their pictures back under the season
that best represents their picture.
Second activity - Use the large ball/globe (sun), small ball
(earth) and flash light (light source) to help the students better
understand the concept of rotation and revolution. Get volunteers to
demonstrate how the earth moves around the sun. The person representing the
earth will walk/spin around the sun which remains still. Use the light to
demonstrate how the sun hits the earth to show night and day and the
seasons. If needed, show the
* Some questions to ask:
1. The earth turning/rotation on its axis
cause (night and day).
2. 24 hours makes a (rotation).
3. 365 days makes a (revolution).
4. The four season is a (revolution).
5. The earthÆs rotation is the reason for
the(seasons)
6. What is a rotation? What is a
revolution?
Third activity- Discuss what is unique/special about each
month. Have each student talk about their favorite month and what makes it
special. Then give the students an index card and have them write the name of
the month/day/year in which they were born. Compare and contrast similarities
and differences ages, day of birth, etc. The students are to make a graph
on poster board or the chalk board with the cards of their birthdays and arrange
them according to the seasons, as well as, the months of the year. Copy
the graph on 1-cm of grid paper and color it.
Fourth activity - Write the names of the months of the year
in the correct order. Then, circle the number of all spring months in
green, all summer months in yellow, all autumn months in orange and all winter
months in blue. Put a star by the month you were born. Draw a picture or
write something special about your birth month.(see worksheet)
PLAN OF ACTION
l. Invite a meteorologist to visit the class or have the
students write to a nearby weather man and ask
questions about the seasons.
2. Design a symbol and use the color that would depict their
seasonal month.
3. Go on the Internet and find other activities or lesson plans
on the seasons.
EXTENSIONS
Science
Have the students choose a color or create a symbol to depict
each type of weather. Then have them watch the nightly weather
reports and chart the weather daily. They should also report on any sudden
changes or temperatures. Discuss how the weather affects the way they dress and
their outdoors activities/PE.
Math
Have the students arrange the months of the year in seasonal
sets. The students can create or make mathematical problems with the
months. Example: 1+2= 3 or January + February = March , etc.
Language
(1) The students will practice reading, writing, and spelling
the names of the months of the year. (2) Have the students to take their picture
from the bulletin board and write a story, a poem or draw a picture about it.
Ask them to share their finished product with the rest of the class.
Internet:
1. http://www.dot.state.mn.us/aeronautics/AVEDU/
CURRICULA/EDK-3/unit5/u5t1.html
2. http://www.esd105.wednet.edu/davisHS/
scholastic_resources/science.html
3. http://www.weather.com/education/wx_class/show3.html
4. http://www.weather.com/eduction/wx_class/guide3.html
5. http://www-co-cas.colorado.edu/oasis/science/mods/season.html
ACTIVITY 4. MONTHS OF THE YEAR
AND THE 4 SEASONS
NAME_____________________________________DATE______
Write the names of the months of the year in the correct
order. Then
circle all spring
months in green, all summer months in yellow, all autumn months
in
orange and all winter
months in blue. Put a star by your birth month.
_____________________________________________________
June
January December March
April
October July
September
August February
November May
1. _____________________________
2.______________________________
3. _____________________________
4.______________________________
5.______________________________
6.______________________________
7. _____________________________
8.______________________________
9. _____________________________
10______________________________
11. _____________________________
12. ______________________________
Draw picture or write something special about your birth
month.
Updated: April 01, 2008
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