Lesson Segment: Thermometers, Temperature, and the Weather

Grade: Kindergarten
Subject: Science
Date and Time: Whole Class Introduction - Thursday Nov. 3 at 9:40 a.m.
Center Lesson 1 - Thursday, Nov. 4 at 10:35 a.m. (3 rotations)
Center Lesson 2 - Tuesday, Nov 8 at 10:35 a.m. (3 rotations)
Center Lesson 3 - Thursday, Nov 9 at 10:35 a.m. (3 rotations)

Whole Class Introduction & Center 1

Classroom Background/Differentiation: This is a whole class introduction of how we

record the temperature of the weather. This serves as a segue into two center activities
that are to follow. The first center lesson will take place on the same day as this whole
class introduction.

Student A - During centers I will seat this student next to me to provide step by step
direction.
Student B - Provide explicit modeling and gesturing when learning how the thermometer
works. She may need explicit guidance color in to show warm.
Student C- During centers I will seat next to me to provide step by step direction. This
student will need explicit guidance color in to show warm.
Student D - Needs an extra challenge when recording the temperature range. I will ask
this student to record degrees as well and compare these numbers. Which is greater
which is less? How do the numbers correlate to the temperature?

Science Standard
ESS2.D Weather and Climate. Wrather is a combination of sunlight, wind, snow, or rain,
and temperature in a particular region at a particular time. People measure these
conditions to describe and record the weather and to notice pattern over time.

ELA Standard
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.1.A
Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others and taking turns
speaking about the topics and texts under discussion).

Goals/Objectives:
Students will learn what a thermometer is and how it can be used.
Students will learn how we can use temperature to describe the weather.
Students will learn that temperature is how hot or how cold something is.

Into: 5 Minutes (whole class)

T: How does the air feel outside today? How do we measure that does anyone know?
Even though we cant see air we can feel how hot or cold it is. Temperature describes
how hot or hot cold it is.

T: Do any friends know what tool we use, what weather instrument, we can use to find
the temperature?

*Hold up garden thermometer and pull out demonstration thermometer

A thermometer is a tool or an instrument we use to measure temperature. We can use it
to find the temperature of many things.

Through: 10 Minutes (whole class)

T: Does anyone know how a thermometer works, or how we read it?

T: Focus on the red line, there is special liquid inside that moves higher and lower with
the temperature.
T: Later at our center you will get to see the red line close up.

T: All the numbers on the side tell us the temperature in degrees. Have you ever heard
anyone say its 100 degrees out? Well if that were the case it would be HOT.
Were going to label some temperature ranges to help us use our thermometer.
*add hot range to thermometer
T: what would be a little less than hot?
*add warm to thermometer

T: What would be less than warm?

*Add cool to thermometer

T :What would be less than cool?

*Add cold to thermometer

T: What would be colder than cold?

*Add freezing to thermometer

*Show on model, act out being hot, and getting colder as you move red line. Have
students join in.

Beyond

This introduction will directly segue into a center activity after recess where students will
experiment and explore how hot and cold conditions change a thermometer's reading.
Center Day 1 - Using and Reading a Thermometer

Special Notes: Use center sticks so everyone gets a chance to speak. Encourage
Allison and Stella to speak more.

Science Standard
ESS2.D Weather and Climate. Wrather is a combination of sunlight, wind, snow, or rain,
and temperature in a particular region at a particular time. People measure these
conditions to describe and record the weather and to notice pattern over time.

Goals/Objectives
Students will learn what a thermometer is and how it can be used.
Students will learn that temperature is how hot or how cold something is.

Materials
3 jars or low bowls that wont tip over
Thermos of hot water
Room temperature water
Ice Cubes
18 copies Color the temperature observation worksheet
Model Thermometer

Procedures
1) Review Thermometer
T: What is this tool called again? *Hold up thermometer
*Act out changes in temperature with students

2) Experiment with water cups and record observations

*Go step by step using the model thermometer to model observations
-record thermometer before (go over temperature ranges together)
-students will draw their observation of the water and thermometer in the jar while it is
getting a reading. Students can add details like ice cubes or water vapor from heat.
-record observations from cup 1, 2, 3
-students will record observations by coloring in the thermometer to show its reading
-student will write: warm, cold, hot

How did our thermometer change? What made it go up? What made it go down? Do
we notice any patterns similar to our season patterns?

Assessment
I will assess students abilities to record our observations of the thermometer. For
example, did they make an effort to approximate the temperature reading?

Through questioning and making observations were students able to articulate when
and why the thermometer's reading changed?

Center Day 2 - Sunny v.s. Shady

Science Standards:
ESS2.D Weather and Climate. Weather is a combination of sunlight, wind, snow, or
rain, and temperature in a particular region at a particular time. People measure these
conditions to describe and record the weather and to notice pattern over time.
K-PS3-1. Make observations to determine the effect of sunlight on Earths surface.

ELA Standard:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.1.A
Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others and taking turns
speaking about the topics and texts under discussion).

Goals/Objectives
Students will make observations about how the sunlight can effect a thermometers
readings and why.
Students will continue to learn what a thermometer is and how it can be used.
Students will learn how we can use temperature to describe the weather or air.

Materials
3 colored pieces of construction paper
Marker
Hard surface for writing
Model Thermometer
Garden Thermometer

Procedures - 25 Minutes
1) Gather outside and recall previous experiment.
-What do we use to measure temperature? What are the temperature ranges on our
thermometer?
2) Can the temperature change in certain places outside? Is there a difference in
temperature between sunny and shaded areas? How can we tell if an area is
sunny or shady? Can you see it? Can you feel it?
3) Visit each spot with the group. Record observations: What do we feel and see?
What does our thermometer say? How is it changing?
-under tree/ out in the open
-blacktop/sandbox
-inside/outside of hallway
4) Come to a conclusion and record it on the groups construction paper
- How did our thermometer change in the sun and shade? What made the
thermometers reading go up? What made the thermometers reading go down? Do
you think our finding would be different later or earlier in the day? Why? Would it be
different in the morning or afternoon?

Assessment
Through questioning and making observations were students able to articulate when
and why the thermometer's reading changed?

Center Day 3 Temperature and Me

Science Standard:

K-ESS3.B: Natural Hazards: Some kind of severe weather are more likely than others in
a given region and weather forecasts help people prepare.

ELA Standard:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.2
Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose
informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about and
supply some information about the topic.

Goals/Objectives
Students will make connections to temperature and themselves. How can we be
prepared? What temperature do they like the weather to be? Students will demonstrate
their knowledge of a thermometer's reading. Students will identify what temperature
they like it to be through a combination of writing and drawing.

Materials
5 images depicting the 5 temperature ranges
Velcro
Images of seasonal clothing
5 printed thermometers showing the 5 temperature ranges
Tape
18 Copies of temperature drawing/writing paper
Model Thermometer

Procedures - 25 Minutes
 1) Review prior knowledge: Act out thermometer reading rising/falling. How does
our thermometer change? Why? What can make it change?
2) Ask students how they or their parents find out what the weather will be like?
3) Ask students about what the weather is often like in our area? Do they know any
places where it is very different?
4) Introduce images showing different temperatures.
5) Students match thermometer readings to each of the images. *use center sticks
6) Students match clothing to image with temperature * pass 3 cards to each
student to attach
7) Students will draw to prompt: What weather temperature do you like?
-students will color in the thermometer to show
-students will draw themselves on a day when its the temperature they like best
on temperature drawing paper. Students will write using their sight words I like the cold
or I like it hot.
- Ask students to imagine themselves outside when its that temperature. What
are they wearing? What is the weather like?

Assessment
I will assess students abilities to represent the temperature they favor most on the
thermometer. Students should depict themselves and the setting around them in a way
that reflects the temperature they have chosen.

Beyond
After completing these lessons, recording temperature will be integrated into calendar.
The garden thermometer will be taped to the outside of the window and a student will
report what our temperature range is during calendar. We will represent this with our
velcro thermometers used in temperature and me. Tally marks can be added to these
with dry erase marker.