Problem-Based Learning Lesson Plan Allison de Hoop Feb. 2012

Unit: Weather Topic: Weather Instruments

Grade: Five Time allotted: 2 classes

Overview and Purpose – What will be learned, why, connections to other topics

Students will learn about different weather instruments and their purposes and make their own weather instruments

Outcomes/Indicators

WE5.1 Measure and represent local weather, including temperature, wind speed and direction, amount of sunlight, precipitation, relative humidity, and cloud cover.

d. Use a technological problem-solving process to design and construct simple weather instruments (e.g., wind vane, rain gauge, thermometer, barometer, and anemometer).

e. Explain the function and purpose of simple weather instruments.

Assessment of outcomes/objectives:

Participation in the group’s research/problem solving.

Correct description of instrument and its purpose.

Constructed instrument is follows the purpose and is creatively constructed.

Materials

Access to library and/or computer labs for research purposes.

Found materials such as egg cartons, boxes, milk jugs, (many will be student found but have some on hand for ‘emergencies’)

Simple joining materials such as paperclips, elastic bands, glue, fasteners, etc.

Introduction

We will have already introduced the weather unit by discussing extreme and normal weather conditions locally and across Canada. Class will be broken up into five groups previously chosen groups. Each group will choose their “question/problem” from a hat/bucket.

Task/Problem: using recycled items you might find around your house/school/scrap yard/beside a dumpster, construct a working model of a: (insert one)

Pluviometer, thermometer, barometer, anemometer, weather vane and/ windsock (2)

Instructional Methods

Day 1: Facilitate and guide students to find purposes and scaffold brainstorming where needed.

Students will first need to research what the instrument is before they can make it.

Students will then need to brainstorm how they will construct their instrument, and what it will be made of.

Be sure to ask students to bring items to school for the next class and let them know they will be showing their creations and their purposes to the rest of the class when they are complete.

Day 2: student groups will use their items to construct their instrument. Be prepared to provide alternate materials if one group has few, or has not brought something of use. Give them materials and ask if and how they could use them if they are struggling.

Encourage all students to participate in their group.

Closure

Student groups will share/demonstrate their weather instruments to the rest of the class, explaining the purpose for the instrument and showing how they will work. Students should set their instruments up outside and use them as their intended weather measuring purpose (possibly as part of an Authentic Task?).

Some instruments might not “work.” Discuss special chemicals/ materials that the class does not have access to but are found in real instruments such as the mercury in thermometers.

Adaptations/Differentiations:

Students needing a challenge: have students identify and explain which instrument they believe is the most important/useful and why.

Students who are struggling: point out resources, and have materials on hand that would be useful in constructing the instruments. Allot students to groups that will benefit their learning style.