Grade Level: 5th Grade
Subjects: Science, Math, and Technology
Learner Outcomes:

• Students will review the plant and animal life inhabiting their local environment/biome.
• Students will discuss how trends in weather patterns affect the survival of plants and animal living in their local biome.
• Students will collect information from the Internet about wildlife in other biomes located in the United States.
• Students will read and record information collected by daily readings of outdoor thermometer.
• Students will read and record information collected by daily reading of rain gauge.
• Students will average data collected from rain gauges and thermometers to study trends in local weather conditions.

Materials: Outdoor thermometer (mounted nearby classroom window if possible), rain gauge ( secured so that readings will be accurate), classroom graphs or charts for recording daily temperature and precipitation, individual student graphs and charts for recording temperature and precipitation data

Technology Tools/Courseware:
Computers, (classroom or lab setting) computer projection device (LCD display or scanner converter), television, chalkboard, white board, chart paper or overhead projector

Teacher Notes:

• Check to see that signed Internet Usage Contracts are on file for each student.
• Reserve television and projection devices.
• Check with students about any special medical conditions before outdoor activity (allergies, etc.)
• Schedule extra help in the form of parent or student volunteers for outdoor activity if the area around your school is spread out or near a high traffic area or if you have a large number of students enrolled in your classroom.
• Set up outside thermometer and rain gauge in an easily accessible area. Protect both so that results are not affected by wind or other factors if at all possible.
• Set up a student folder on your classroom computer or lab computer desktops that contains a list of web sites on biomes and weather that the students can access for basic information or enrichment activities.

Procedures:
Day 1 and 2:

• Lead a discussion reviewing the types of wildlife, weather, seasons, and land forms that can be found in their local biome.
• Using a computer and projection device or computer lab setting, have students visit the Enature web site. Select the habitat option on the Enature home page. Briefly discuss the different habitats listed. Point out to students that this site focuses just on the United States and the different biomes that can be found within its borders.
• Review with students how to find the habitat option at the Enature site. Demonstrate how to use other options available such as maps that show exact location of species, vertebrate field guides, etc.
• In a computer lab setting, or on classroom computer, have students visit the Enature (This is a direct link to the habitat page) web site and select a habitat that is different from the one in which they live.
• Have students select two animals or plants that live in this habitat. They may use field guides or Enature site to determine if the animal or plant they have selected does live in that habitat.
• Have students record two facts about each selected animal and/or plant assigned on the Biome Bio worksheet.
• Discuss with students the information they found and the basic needs that all animals have for survival. Discuss how they are able to meet those needs within the environment that they live in. Discuss how weather and seasonal changes effect the animals ability to survive in their environment.
• Using a computer and projection device or a computer lab setting, have students visit Biology 4 Kids web site to learn basic information about other biomes such Tropical Rain Forest, Savanna, Desert, and Tundra. Discussion can be held by group as the site is projected on screen or after students have had an opportunity to access information on their own in a computer lab setting.
• Tell students that they will be collecting specific information about the temperature and precipitation of their local biome. This information will be used to share and compare average rainfall and temperature with students living in other types of biomes around the world. They will also be sharing and comparing types of plant and animal life indigenous to different types of biomes.

• Using the overhead projector and transparency of thermometer, demonstrate for students how to read a Celsius thermometer. Discuss the markings making sure that the students understand whether each line stands for 1, 2, or 5 degrees. Color in thermometer to represent different temperatures.
• Have students follow same procedure using Fahrenheit thermometers.
• Discuss with students the comparative temperatures of both Celsius and Fahrenheit systems. Using the overhead, show students both Celsius and Fahrenheit thermometers side by side. Discuss with them the freezing and boiling point of each scale and what normal room temperature would be in each system.
• Lead a discussion about what temperature scale is used by most countries including the United States. Decide at this time what scale your class will use when recording daily temperatures. You may decide to use both for easier comparisons between different countries.
• Show students where thermometer they are to read is located. Remind students that they are to use Celsius readings on thermometer.
• Discuss with students how to read rain gauge by looking at actual tool they will be using to record actual temperatures. Discuss whether your rain gauge uses inches or centimeters to record precipitation.
• Lead a discussion about what system, metric or English, is used by most countries. Decide what system your class will use based on the rain gauge you will be using for daily recordings. (***You may want to do an extension lesson on converting measurements from one system to another: Inches to centimeters- centimeters to inches)
• Using the overhead projector, demonstrate for students how to record information on their own  individual daily temperature and precipitation chart.
• Decide on a time when students will do daily data collections so that variables in data collection are limited.
• Provide time daily for students to collect and record daily temperature readings and precipitation. (You may want to set up a schedule of which days groups or individuals are responsible for collecting data.)

• Place students in heterogeneous groups so they may assist each other in completion of assignments.
• Make arrangements for adult volunteers to assist any physical challenged students during outside field study.
• Arrange for priority seating for students with visual or hearing impairments during groups discussion or when viewing projection devices.
• Extended time may be given for students who have weaknesses in the areas of written language and reading.
• Assistance from resource room teachers should be incorporated whenever possible.
• Peer tutors can be assigned if necessary.

Enrichment:

• Students could visit the Enature web site and select a habitat to research. By selecting one of the following categories, (wetlands, Arctic, coastal, grasslands, deserts, forests)  students are able to find a description of that habitat as well as pictures and information about specific plant and animal life living within that biome. This site only contains information about the United States and its habitats.
• Have students visit Funbrain web site. Students can go to the site and play the Weather Dog game to check their knowledge of weather. Teachers can also set up a free account with Funbrain and assign pre made quizzes for their students to take on line. There is a fourth grade quiz on habitats that could be assigned as a pre-test.
• Students may visit Make Your Own Thermometer site to find information on how to create their own thermometer.

Evaluation/Assessment:

• Assess students on the collection of facts about selected animals and plants accessed from Enature web site.
• Students will be assessed on the completion of the daily weather chart.

National Standards:
    Language Arts:

• Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process.
• Gathers and uses information for research purposes.
• Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of informational texts.

• Understands relationships among organisms and their physical environment.
• Understands the nature of scientific knowledge.
• Understands the nature of scientific inquiry.

• Knows the characteristics and uses of computer hardware and operating systems.
• Knows the characteristics and uses of computer software programs.

Constructing weather instruments
 
 

Authors:
 
 

Jo Ellen Snider
Bernadette Rush
Donna Dennis