Catching the Rain Standard Addressed: Earth Science Students know how to use simple tools (e.g., thermometer, wind vane) to measure weather conditions and record changes from day to day and across the seasons. Lesson Objective: Students will understand how scientists measure rain by using a rain gauge in a small group setting. Materials Used: Pictures of Rain For each group of 4 students you will need: Pan to catch the overflow of water(1) (or you can do it outside on the grass) Watering Can (1) Rain Gauge (1) Student Talk Strategies Used: (Descriptions at end of lesson) Report to a Partner Think-Pair-Share Classroom Management: 1. Arrange groups with 4 students in each group. 2. Rules for Student Participation: a. Be respectful b. Share the materials c. Let everyone share their ideas d. Speak quietly ENGAGE: Connect to Prior Knowledge and Experience, Create Emotionally Safe Learning Environment, Preview New Vocabulary Estimated time: 20 minutes 1.Teacher shows students pictures of rain. The teacher will make note of the students prior experience with rain from the discussions formulated by the pictures. Report to a partner- Each student reports his/her own answer to a peer. The students then listen to their partner s response. Both will report what partner shared when prompted. Students Report to a Partner before answering teacher s questions.
1.What do you see in these pictures? 1.We see rain. Rain is falling. There are clouds. 2.What happens when it rains lightly? 2.The ground gets wet and there are puddles. Sometimes I get wet. Students draw a picture of light rain. 3. What happens when there is 3. Students draw a picture of a heavy rain or downpour? heavy rain/downpour. EXPLORE: Hands-On Learning, Contextualize Language, Use of Scaffolding (Graphic Organizers, Thinking Maps, Cooperative Learning), Use of Multiple Intelligences, Check for Understanding Estimated time: 20 minutes 1.Teacher introduces the 1.What do you think the word 1.The rain that falls. activity by pointing out that rainfall means? people who record the weather need to know how much rain falls each day. Teacher shows students the rain gauge. How can we use this tool to learn about rainfall? We can collect the rain to find out how much falls. 2.Teacher models the activity of the two types of rain light and heavy. Teacher gives students instructions for the investigation: Set rain gauge on the grass and using watering can, make light rain for 15 seconds. Record how much rain is in the gauge. Empty rain gauge. Do activity again but for 15 seconds of heavy rain. Record how much rain is in the rain gauge. Teacher suggests that students perform activities for a light rain, heavy rain, and a day with no rain at all. Students will investigate how the rain gauge works. Students need to set the gauge in a pan or on the grass and use a watering can to simulate a rainstorm over the pan. After each storm the students will study the rain gauge and record the rainfall in the gauge. Students must perform activities for a light rain, heavy rain, and a day with no rain at all.
Teacher monitors student activity. 2.Did all the rain fall into the rain gauge? 3.How will the rain gauge help us gather information about the weather? 2. No, some of it fell into the pan (or on the grass). 3.It will help us to know how much rain fell. EXPLAIN: Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing to Communicate Conceptual Understanding Estimated time: 15 minutes Teacher helps students to make meaning through group discussion. Students Think, Pair, Share before answering the teacher s questions. Check for understanding of key terms: Rain gauge Measurement Light/heavy/downpour Think, Pair, Share: Share with the person next to you what you think about each of these questions and report to class. 1. How much rain did you collect in the light rain? 2.Would you expect to collect more or less rain in a heavy rain? 1.Answers vary- some, a little, a little bit 2.More, lots, a bunch 3. What is a downpour? 4.Why do farmers need to know how much rain falls? 5.Why does the weatherman (meteorologist) need to know how much rainfall? 3. There is a lot of rain, like the heavy rainfall. 4.So they can plant their crops. The rain will help their crops to grow. 5.He needs to know to make predictions about the weather. 6. What tool does the 6. a rain gauge weatherman use to measure rain? EVALUATE: Thinking Maps, Summarize Lesson and Review Vocabulary, Variety of Assessment Tools, Games to Show Understanding Estimated time: 15 minutes Teacher asks students to show with their hands what happens 1.If your fingers are rain 1.Their hands are still. when there is no rain, a light drops, what would no rain rain, or a heavy rain. look like? 2.Students move their fingers
Teacher plays Simon Says with students. 2.What would a light rain look like? 3.What would a heavy rain look like? 4.Simon says, Show me a light rain. Teacher alternates from light rain to no rain to heavy rain. gently downward. 3.Students move their fingers and hands downward with big motions.. 4.Students listen to the teacher and respond accordingly. Students draw pictures in science notebooks to demonstrate understanding EXTEND: Group Projects, Plays, Murals, Songs, Connections to Real World, Connections to Other Curricular Areas Estimated time: 20-30 minutes Teacher asks students to design a different rain gauge. Is there a different way to collect rain? Can you draw a picture of your rain gauge? Students will draw their ideas in their science notebooks. Can you make it? How will it measure the amount of rain? How will it catch the rain? Students will make and then test their idea to see if it works.
Student Talk Strategies Adapted from Avenues, Hampton Brown, 2007. Teacher Resources Rain pictures: Google rain pictures http://photobucket.com/images/rain/ http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/dynogall2.asp?catid=371 http://www.apples4theteacher.com/coloring-pages/spring/spring-rain.html Rain gauges: Google rain gauges http://nc.water.usgs.gov/projects/0014d/photos.html http://photobucket.com/images/rain%20gauge/#!cpzz2qqtppzz20 Teacher Background Knowledge The rain gauge measures how much rain we got during a rainstorm. After the rainfall is measured, meteorologists will look at the other weather instruments to see what the conditions were like right before it rained. They will record this data. When they see the other instruments all measuring the same again before another rainstorm, they can predict how much rain we will get with the storm coming in.
Student Worksheet Name Rain Gauge Observations- draw a picture of the rain gauge and write how much rain was in the gauge. 1. Heavy Rain - inches 2. Light Rain - inches