Purpose
Students investigate local weather by observing with their senses and simple tools, then sorting, measuring, comparing, and graphing what they notice across the week. The work helps them build kindergarten science and math understanding by classifying weather and clothing by attributes, comparing features like more rain or less wind, and describing patterns from day to day. Through the class weather chart, tool station, weather book, and gallery walk share-outs, students communicate evidence about today’s weather versus yesterday’s and explain how they know. The experience also builds confidence in speaking, listening, revising ideas, and contributing to a shared class exhibition for families.
Learning goals
Students will observe local weather each day, use simple tools to describe temperature, wind, and rain, and share patterns they notice over time. They will sort weather photos, clothing cards, and weather pictures into clear categories and explain how they grouped them using attributes such as sunny, rainy, cloudy, and windy. They will directly compare two weather observations or objects and describe which has more or less of a feature such as rain, clouds, or wind. They will communicate their thinking through drawings, oral weather reports, the class graph, and a class weather book, using evidence from observations to explain today’s weather and how it compares to yesterday’s.
Products
Students will create daily weather drawings, simple sort mats with weather photos and clothing cards, and a class weather chart that tracks sunny, rainy, cloudy, and windy days across the week. They will also build and use a weather tool station with a thermometer, windsock, and rain gauge, adding simple readings and comparison language about today and yesterday. By the end of the week, the class will publish a shared weather book with one page from each student showing an observation, a labeled drawing, and a pattern or comparison they noticed. Final products will also include a gallery walk display and a live or recorded weather report in which students use the chart, sorted cards, and tools to explain their evidence.
Launch
Begin with a Weather Watchers kickoff walk outside where children carry clipboards and rotate through a thermometer, windsock, and rain gauge station to observe and talk about what they see, feel, and notice in the sky. Back inside, show two large weather photos or cards side by side and invite students to compare them by naming which has more rain, clouds, or wind, then sort a few clothing cards into matching weather groups. Build the first class weather chart together and ask, “How can we use our senses and simple tools to describe today’s weather and compare it to yesterday’s?” Close with partner talk and a quick drawing so students can share an initial weather observation and revise their picture or category after feedback.
Exhibition
Host a Weather Report TV event for families and another class, where small groups use the class weather chart and tool station to report today’s weather, compare it to yesterday’s, and identify the most common weather shown on the graph. Set up a Sky Stories gallery walk with sorted weather photos, clothing cards, student drawings, and pages from the class weather book so visitors can see how students classified, measured, and compared weather. During the exhibition, each child gives a short oral share-out explaining one sort they made, one comparison using more/less, and one weather pattern they noticed over the week. End with a sharing circle and weather book celebration in which students present one page and reflect on how their observing, comparing, and sorting skills grew.
