Weather and Climate Graphing Lesson
Lesson Plan
1 hour 50 minutesGrades3, 4, 5Earth and Space Sciences, Mathematics
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Written by Emily Townsend, Sheena Carmela Juliano, Ember Brock
About this lesson
In this lesson, students read charts and graphs about weather, climate, and climate change and represent data in a graph.
Inquire: Students compare types of data representation using a matching game.
Investigate: Students analyze data representation in relation to their understanding of weather, climate, and climate change.
Inspire: Students represent data in a graph and make predictions based on evidence.
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Everything you need to teach it
How to edit these materials (video)Teaching tips
Positives
- This lesson aligns with Hawai'i's Nā Hopena A'o HĀ-BREATH Framework.
- Students use local data to build community awareness.
- Students analyze a variety of data representations, which is a prerequisite for students to think critically about statistics and other information shared in the news.
- This lesson corrects the common misconception that weather and climate are the same.
- This lesson can be taught in a unit about graphing and statistics.
- The Graph Match Game, the student graphing activity, and the individual Exit Tickets may be used as formative assessments.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students will review graphs related to Hawai’i’s weather and climate. This may bring up feelings and conversations about the recent Maui wildfire.
- Teacher may wish to explain that the fire was related to weather, a combination of dry conditions and high winds.
- Be sure to note that wildfires are controlled by wildland firefighters and people usually have time to evacuate their homes if needed.
- In addition, acknowledge students’ questions and feelings and give space for them to take a break if needed.
- Teachers should visit the NOAA U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access Website to locate data for their location before class.
- Students should have some familiarity with graphing.
Differentiation
- The Graph Match Game can be played alone, in pairs, or in groups.
- Graphs in the game and slides are available in picture, bar, and line graph formats. You may choose to use only picture and bar graphs, depending on your students’ skills and levels.
- Two versions of the Weather and Climate Word Sort are provided in the Teacher Slideshow, one with visuals to aid student understanding and one without.
- Two versions of the Exit Ticket are provided in the Student Document, one with sentence frames and one without.
- To extend student understanding about the teaching power of graphing, visit Jill Pelto’s website and view Arctic Melt. Students compare and contrast the graph to the NASA data on the same topic viewed in the Investigate section.
- For assistance discussing the wildfire on Maui, use this social story.
From the scientist review
Along with helping students comprehend the distinction between weather and climate and the factors that affect both, this lesson also teaches them the fundamental skills needed to represent climate data in graphs and charts for ease of understanding and motivates them to learn the fundamental methods of making numerical weather predictions. The lesson materials underwent a rigorous evaluation and passed our science review procedure.
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About the teacher writers
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Emily Townsend
K-8 ELL Teacher
Emily Townsend is an educator with 15 years of teaching experience as both a general education teacher and an English Language Learner (ELL) specialist. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Drake University and a Master of Arts in Teaching, Leadership, and Cultural Competency from the University of Iowa.
Sheena Carmela Juliano
Teacher
Sheena Carmela Juliano holds a Master of Education in Curriculum Studies from the University of Hawaiʻi. She has been teaching since 2020 and specializes in science, social studies, English language arts, mathematics, visual and performing arts, health, and engineering for fourth-grade students. She holds Special Education and English as a Second Language certifications.
Ember Brock
Teacher
Ember teaches reading, writing, mathematics, art, music, science, and computer science to students in grades K–6 in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. They specialize in Elementary Career and Technical Education, with an emphasis on music and robotics, and are passionate about creating engaging, hands-on learning experiences. As a lifelong resident of Hawaiʻi, Ember enjoys developing lessons that celebrate the unique culture, history, and environment of the islands while inspiring students to explore creativity, technology, and problem-solving.
