Project URL:
http://ccsd.edu/bardonia/
Kindergarten/Weather/Index.htm
How it works:
Weather Watchers takes the subject of weather, something that all
teachers discuss in their classroom, and gives it a new twist.
The children research the weather for their own community and then
compare it to the weather in another place. This information is obtained by
using Internet sites and their school web page. They then report
the information to the class by using a microphone, and a United States map as a backdrop.
This creates a wonderful opportunity to discuss and compare temperatures
(warmer/colder), observe weather patterns (warmer weather in the
southern parts of the United States), and build in some basic
geography as the children point to the state that they are reporting on.
The children love to be weather reporters and it builds their
confidence when speaking in front of the group.
Standards addressed:
Students access, generate, process, and transfer information using
appropriate technologies; describe patterns of daily, monthly, and
seasonal changes in their environment; use geography as a tool to
learn more about the world around them; use creative drama to
communicate ideas and feelings; and use basic props, simple set
pieces, and costume pieces to establish place, time, and character for
the participants.
Materials
used:
Besides a computer with Internet access, the materials used in this project are inexpensive. You
will also need a map of the United States and a microphone. For primary children,
if each state is a different color, it helps them locate the state that is the subject of their report.
The students:
This project was designed for kindergarten students. It was part
of the January theme of winter weather and used as a combination
science and computer center.
Overall value:
Weather Watchers excites children about both weather
and geography. They anxiously wait their turn to research and
broadcast the weather. They also listen to the weather report at home
and relay the information to their classmates at school. The children are also
aware of where they live within New York State and learn about more other states in
the U.S. Even though the class does a monthly weather graph and
adds to it daily, this has made the topic of weather new and exciting for the
children.
Tips:
In addition to using a microphone,
you can also construct a make-believe television from a cardboard box
or videotape the students' presentation beforehand and show it to the
class on a video monitor in order to make the weather reports seem
more authentic.
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About the teachers:
Pamela Scavera has been teaching kindergarten at the Bardonia
Elementary School for the last 14 years. She holds a BS in Education
from St. Thomas Aquinas College and an MA from Fairfield University
and is
certified in both Elementary and Special Education. She teaches with a
wonderful team of kindergarten teachers that are always looking for
new ways to enrich their instruction. Pamela and the
kindergarten team have received numerous grants from Impact II, Westchester BOCES, and the New York State Teacher Center.
Mike Frerichs has worked as a library media specialist for five years
in the Clarkstown Central School District. He particularly
enjoys information science projects that apply technological and relevant
research skills to the interests of students.
E-mail:
frontpage@registeredsite.com
Subject Areas:
Science
Social Studies
Technology
Grade Level:
Kindergarten
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