The weather is something that we experience daily and talk about nearly as often. But how much do kids (or adults!) really know about weather? Weather is a great topic for a unit study because it can easily be connected to children’s daily lives. Plus, there is a rich array of topics to cover during any unit on weather, including the water cycle, wind, clouds, rain, snow, hurricanes, tornadoes, weather forecasting, and more!
My kids and I did this weather unit together when they were in kindergarten and first grade. As an adult, I learned a ton by doing this unit with my kids as well, so I have no doubt that most of the activities we did would be enjoyed by kids from preschool through elementary school (and maybe beyond).
When I plan a unit study for my kids, I usually have several learning objectives in mind. Here are some of the content related learning objectives for our weather unit:
- Kids will understand what “weather” is
- Kids will understand different components that make up the weather (e.g., temperature, moisture, wind, air pressure)
- Kids will be able to describe the steps in the water cycle and explain its role in creating our weather
- Kids will learn how clouds form and be able to classify clouds based on their shape and altitude
- Kids will understand how rain and snow form
- Kids will learn about extreme weather (hurricanes, tornadoes)
If you are planning to do a weather unit with your kids or students, the resources and ideas below should help make your weather unit a success!