LESSON PLAN - ED101 - Boston University

ED 101 Educational Technology Lab - Fall 2009
Boston University – School of Education
Lauren DiSabato - B1
LESSON PLAN
Your Name Lauren
DiSabato
Supervising
Teacher
Grade/School 4 th Grade / Alcott School
Lesson title Weather! Content
area
Mrs. Regan
Clouds and
Storms
Content Area: The Weather: Clouds and Storms. The purpose of this lesson plan is to
allow the students to better be able to identify the different types of clouds, and define
different characteristics of storms. Students will also be better able to predict the weather
based on their observations with the help of memorable adages and poems.
Topic: The topic is recognizing the names of clouds and their physical characteristics, as
well as being able to list and identify different types of storms. In addition, students will
be looking at weather in relation to humans, such as learning about how humans
predicted the weather in the past, as well as how they continue to today.
Goals: I would like my students to be able to, upon seeing images of them, be able to
identify cloud types, and to be able to compare and contrast them with other clouds.
(“This is a cumulus cloud because…. Unlike the stratus cloud, the cumulus cloud…..)
I would also like for my students to be able to identify and list characteristics of a variety
of storms, as well as have a general knowledge of how certain types of storms are
created. Students should also be able to comment on and discuss lore and adages about
the weather, as well as the different methods of forecasting, both past and present.
Objectives: The skills to be obtained from my lesson are basic cloud identification
skills, reorganization of various storms and their causes, and recollections about the
impact weather has on humanity.
• My students will be able to list the four types of clouds.
• My students will be able to identify at least two types of clouds based on
images.
• My students will be able to differentiate between the clouds.
• My students will be able to correctly, in at least three instances, identify
storms based on images.
• My students will be able to list at least two characteristics unique to each type
of storm.

• My students will be able to briefly describe some conditions and processes
that lead to the creation of each storm.
• My students will be able to discuss at least one adage or poem about the
weather with their classmates, in addition to other information presented on
the website.
Technology, materials and aids: A computer lesson will be used for my lesson
plan. Ideally, I will need each student to have his or her own computer, requiring a
trip to the computer lab. There will be a plentiful amount of images and, in some
cases, sounds, so that students can better understand the subject matter. The teacher
will, with the website projected in the front of the classroom, lead the class along in a
brief exploration of the website, explaining what it entails and what is expected of
them in using the website. The students will then explore the website in greater
detail on their own, with the teacher walking around the room, checking student’s
progress and being available in case there are questions. The lesson will be used one
day, during a session in the school’s computer lab. In this time, all students will have
completely gone through the website, and filled out some questions on a packet they
were given last week. After the assignment has been completed, students will, in
groups of two, discuss with each other topics they found particularly interesting on
the website. Afterward, they will each take individual quizzes.
Procedures/methods:
a. Overview: First the students will read through the homepage of the
website, and understand what is expected of them in completing this
assignment. Next, I will show them the three categories of the website,
explain to them how to navigate through the website, and demonstrate to
them what is expected of them in their time on the computer. After using
the computers and having a small discussion, the students will take a quiz
on the material they have learned.
b. Introduction: The lesson will begin by a brief explanation of the material
they will be learning. Then, I will demonstrate how to use the website,
and show them briefly, the information that can be found.
c. Activities:
• All the students will make their way down the hall to go to the computer
lab.
• Students will access the website on their computers, while I upload it on
the screen in the front of the room.
• I will explain to the students what I hope they will learn from the website,
and my goals for the lesson.
• Using the computer in the front of the room, I will show the students how
to navigate around the website, and demonstrate them how to access the
material and information in the different sections.
• Then, I will see if the students have any questions.

• After the demonstration and taking any questions, I will allow the students
to proceed in utilizing the website. Students may interact with their
neighbors during the lesson.
• Students will thoroughly read through the information, use the website,
access all available images and sounds, and develop at least a general
understanding of the subject matter.
• When they have done this, the students will hold a small discussion with
their neighbors about the material they learned from the website.
• After the discussion, students will each be handed a piece of paper, and
directed to the quiz section of the website. Students will be directed to
write down all their answers on the paper. Should they answer a question
incorrectly, they are to mark the correct answer next to it.
• Students will go back to the classroom after completing their quiz.
• Back in the classroom, students will engage in a brief class discussion, no
longer than five minutes.
d. Follow-up: As the students will be learning about weather this year, the
information presented to them will offer a familiarity to information they
have already learned, as well as assist them throughout the year as they
continue to learn about the weather. The day of the lesson, I will assign
the students a homework assignment that will demonstrate their
understanding of the lesson.
Technology Frameworks:
G 3-5: 1.14 Explain and use age-appropriate online tools and resources (e.g.,
tutorial, assessment, Web browser.)
G 3-5: 2.5 Work collaboratively online with other students under teacher
supervision.
G 3-5: 3.3 Evaluate internet resources in terms of their usefulness for
research.