Weather Watchers

lESSON SUMMARY

Weather Watchers

Learner Description

Grade Level:

Subject Area:

Learners:

They have basic weather knowledge and will build confidence using Padlet for digital collaboration.

4th Grade

Science

Standards Alignment

• ISTE Standard (for Students): 1.4.a – Design Process
• Students know and use a deliberate design process for generating ideas, testing theories, creating innovative artifacts, or solving authentic problems.
• Mississippi Science Standard: E.4.9B.1
• Analyze and interpret data (e.g., temperature, precipitation, wind speed/direction, relative humidity, or cloud types) to predict changes in weather over time.

Teacher's Tools

Student's Tools

Nine Elements of Project-Based Learning:

• Anchor: Begin with a discussion about how meteorologists predict weather; watch a short weather clip. Technology integration: Post a Padlet question: 'Why is predicting the weather important?' Students comment and discuss.

• Task: Students collect 10 days of local weather data and use it to create a forecast. Technology integration: Daily data logs and pictures posted on Padlet columns (Temp, Precip, Wind, etc.).

• Directions: Teacher posts checklist and video instructions on the class Padlet. Technology integration: Padlet 'Instructions' column pinned to the top.

• Student Choices: Groups decide which weather factors to track and how to display results (graph, chart, or video). Technology integration: Each group creates a Padlet sub-wall for their forecast project.

• Student Inquiry: Students analyze patterns: 'What changes can we predict from this week’s weather?' Technology integration: Padlet threads for student questions and replies.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Teams work together to gather data, make graphs, and design a creative presentation. Technology integration: Shared group Padlet with comment and reaction features enabled.

• Teacher Coaching & Feedback: The teacher reviews posts and comments on data accuracy and design quality. Technology integration: Feedback given via Padlet comment tool.

• Student Reflection: Students reflect on what they learned about predicting weather and teamwork. Technology integration: Final Padlet column titled 'What I Learned' with student reflections.

• Public Presentation: Groups present their weather forecasts to the class and parents.Technology integration: Final posts with embedded videos on a public Padlet board shared via QR code.

Assessment Plan & Rubric:

lESSON SUMMARY

In this lesson students will explore local weather patterns and how meteorologists predict forecasts. Over a span of two weeks, they’ll collect and graph real weather data, analyze patterns, and collaborate on a Padlet board to create and share their digital weather forecasts. By using Padlet, students will be able to post daily observations, compare data with classmates, comment on trends, and upload their final video forecast directly to a shared class Padlet wall.