Weather + Data Tracking = Engaged Students!

This is Krista from The Knitted Apple and I am happy to be back with another blog post on Who’s Who!

We are experiencing quite interesting weather in North Texas today.  It has been raining nonstop for hours and last night there were several tornadoes in the area.  I’m one of those weather geeks who loves checking weather apps to see what the weather is like in different parts of the country.  Right now in North Texas the temperature is a wet and rainy 46 degrees but in my hometown of Lincoln, Nebraska it is a frigid 14 degrees with a “real feel” of 4 below.  YIKES!

One science unit I teach every year is weather, which is taught in several grade levels with varying expectations for each grade.  Third graders in Texas are expected to track the weather occurring in different locations at the same time.  When I completed this unit for the first time, I was happily surprised at how engaged and excited students were.  We looked at weather in different locations in the United States and tracked the temperature, chance of precipitation, and wind speed for each.  To make it more exciting our data tracking just happened to include a week of intense weather across the U.S.  Students noted heavy snowfall, below freezing temps, winter storm warnings, and wind and flood advisories.  In other cities temperatures were mild and uneventful.  Students recorded data on a tracking sheet for five days, recording the weather from four cities at the same time.   Once I showed them where to find the weather data and we completed an example together, this tracking part ran itself.  Immediately when Science began students would partner up, grab a laptop or device, and go to one of the weather sites to record data.   They could not contain their excitement as they saw the changes that occurred from one day to the next.

Here are two student-friendly websites I use for tracking weather data: 

• www.weather.com
• www.wunderground.com

Choose 3-4 cities to use for tracking weather, and be consistent in recording data at approximately the same time every day. As students collect weather data there will be opportunities for meaningful discussions about these differences in weather from one city to the next.This is a perfect opportunity time to pull down that dusty map in your classroom and incorporate geography. 

You can track weather at national parks or landmarks for an interesting twist! Try tracking weather data for  Yosemite National Park in California and Big Bend National Park in Texas! Show these places to students on a map and have them discuss why there could be such an extreme difference in weather conditions. 

If you are interested in a complete weather unit you can use in your classroom, you can click on the image shown below.  This resource is in my TeachersPay Teachers store and includes a creative writing component in addition to weather tracking.  

I hope your students enjoy learning about weather!

Graphing with Dot Plots

This is Krista from The Knitted Apple and I’m excited to be back with another post on Who’s Who.  Today I’m going to talk about one of my favorite math concepts to teach- graphing.   

I find graphing fun to teach because it is often one of the most interactive math concepts.  Students love to participate in class graphs as well as create their own.  

One type of graph I teach my third graders about is a dot plot graph.  Students use data gathered (or given) to plot and interpret information using dots or X’s.  This type of graph is often new for them and adds a little excitement after several years of pictographs and bar graphs.

A perfect way to introduce dot plot graphing is with a class graph drawn on chart paper or on plain paper and displayed on a screen.  I like to survey the class first by asking a question and marking the results using tallies.  Then we use that information to create the dot plot graph together.  

One survey question that students always enjoy is favorite school subject.  Here is the completed frequency table/tally chart:

After gathering the data, we create a dot plot to show the data in a way that is easier to read and interpret. Students can use dots or X’s when placing the data on the graph. I find that X’s are much easier than dots for students to space evenly. 

You can download the examples and blank student survey and graphing pages by clicking the image shown below.

 If you’re looking for additional dot plot practice for your students, I have a Dot Plot Dice Roll resource that is perfect for math stations.  Just click the image below to download it from my Teachers Pay Teachers store.

I hope your students enjoy these fun graphing activities!

Creative Writing + Science = Meaningful Learning!

Happy Monday! I'm Krista from The Knitted Apple and I'm thrilled to be back with another blog post on Who's Who!

Today I want to share an idea for integrating two subjects students love- Science and Creative Writing! At first, it may seem the two are not the best match, but I've found they are a perfect fit when used to assess understanding of a science concept students have studied.

What makes these subjects a perfect match when used as an assessment? One simple reason- science and writing projects are much more engaging for students than a traditional test! They get EXCITED each time a new project is introduced.  Students collaborate with others, apply knowledge learned, and show creativity!

To plan an integrated science and writing project, think about the concept you are assessing. For example, when studying forms of energy  I wanted to students to be able to identify the forms of energy and how each is used.  I also wanted them to apply their knowledge of specific forms of energy to create something original.  In this case, it was a robot!  I developed a rubric, making sure this information was included.  I then added expectations for the writing piece, including points for correct sentence structure, capitalization, and punctuation.

When you are ready to introduce the project to your class, I recommend the following tips:

• Review the concept being assessed by revisiting anchor charts or discussing the main points.
• Show excitement when introducing the project.  Students will build on your enthusiasm!
• Explain the expectations for the project.  I recommend using a rubric and displaying it while students are working. 
• Make sure you have allotted time in your schedule. Most of my projects take at least two class periods to complete, as they include both a planning page (rough draft) and project page (final draft).
• Group students together in pairs or small groups to edit and revise after completing the rough draft.
• After revising, allow an extended time for students to complete the final project page.  Provide colored pencils, markers, and crayons to make the designs come to life!

The most important tip of all- make sure students have an opportunity to share their designs and writing.  Other students will learn by hearing how the presenter applied the concept studied.   You will be amazed at the creativity of the students.  Just provide the expectations and framework for the project, and let them do the rest!

One of my favorite science and writing projects is available free from my TpT store! If your students have studied Forms of Energy this year my Robot Project would be a great review. To grab a copy, just click the image below!