Duration: 90 minutes
SPIRIT Skills:
- Critical thinking
- Problem-solving
- Creativity
- Curiosity, sense of wonder and openness
Brief Description:
Warming up
In the previous lesson, we learned how precipitation forms.
- Who can explain this again?
- What was ‘condensation’ again?
- What is a cloud made of?
Tweets and weather photos from the past few days are shown; Ask the students what they see and read. This way, the students will understand that there are different forms of precipitation.
Explanation
We discuss the different forms of precipitation (with their associated intensity) and their typical appearance. The photo is shown, and the teacher asks questions (e.g., what do you see here? How is this photo related to precipitation?). The teacher writes the different forms of precipitation on the board (+ explanation + different intensities).”
Students record each form of precipitation on their sheet and can choose how to explain it (through drawing or words). Ask the students what they would like to know more about regarding one of these forms of precipitation
Review exercise
The whole classroom together: First, review the photos/tweets from the orientation phase and see if they can now name/describe them correctly
Individual: Distribute a worksheet. In the left column, you will find the different forms of precipitation. In the right column, you can find the descriptions of the different forms of precipitation. It is up to the students to determine which description matches which form of precipitation. Be careful: there is one description missing. We will then correct the worksheet together.
How does this develop particular SPIRIT skills
- Wondering (By mentioning various facts and records about the forms of precipitation, you create a sense of wonder—for example, how large the biggest hailstone was),
- Curiosity, critical thinking (They need to make choices about what the correct solution is. This is critical thinking).
What do we want to achieve regarding SPIRIT skill development (student understanding and/or behaviour)?
Wondering (e.g., “How large was the biggest hailstone?”)
Children’s sense of wonder is sparked by the interesting facts and records shared, prompting them to ask questions and express surprise. Their curiosity leads them to explore and seek answers to new questions about precipitation.
Expected behavioural changes:
- Wide-eyed curiosity when new facts or surprising details are shared.
- Raising hands or sharing thoughts about facts they find intriguing (e.g., about hailstone size).
- Engaging in discussions with peers about unusual or surprising facts, showing excitement to learn more.
Curiosity (e.g., “What do you want to know more about?”)
Children show their curiosity by asking questions and seeking further exploration of precipitation forms. They feel the need to explore topics that spark their interest.
Expected behavioural changes:
- Asking follow-up questions based on the teacher’s explanations or photos.
- Sharing personal observations or wondering out loud (“How does hail form?” or “How big can hailstones get?”).
- Looking for patterns or connections between different types of precipitation and their real-world implications.
Critical Thinking (e.g., “What is the correct solution?”)
Children demonstrate critical thinking when they are tasked with making choices about the correct descriptions of precipitation forms. They compare options and evaluate the accuracy of information based on their understanding.
Expected behavioural changes:
- Looking carefully at the pictures or tweets and then deciding which form of precipitation matches which description.
- Discussing with peers to evaluate which description fits best, showing they can compare and analyse.
- Cross-checking their choices with others or with the teacher’s explanations, showing confidence or hesitation as they refine their answers.
Academic/Curriculum Objective connection
The students can name and describe the different forms of precipitation
In the translation it must be adapted! They are the national curriculum!
Materials and tools needed for implementation
- PowerPoint with photos of the different rain forms + board notes + Worksheet.
Preparation notes
- PowerPoint and worksheet.
Guided Questions
- If precipitation is almost always made of water, how is it that snow is fluffy and white, ice is hard and makes a clinking sound, and fog is almost impossible to grasp with our hands? What could be happening to them up high in the sky, or on their way through the air, that makes them arrive here so differently?
- When a child has trouble distinguishing between different types of precipitation in a picture (drizzle, rain, or hail), the following question can help: Imagine you’re standing outside in the schoolyard without an umbrella! How would it feel on your skin if drizzle were falling on you, and how would it feel if hail suddenly started falling? Which would make a louder thud when it hits the ground, and which would you barely be able to see in the air?
- Did you notice that one of the types of precipitation disappeared, leaving an empty space? What’s the word that doesn’t have a description? If you were the weather forecaster, how would you explain this precipitation to others?
Stage Debriefing Questions (Optional)
- When you were filling out the worksheet, how did you figure out which description belonged to which type of precipitation? What was your strategy: did you just guess, or were there descriptions that you ruled out step by step because they didn’t fit with the others?
- What was the strangest or most surprising thing you learned today about fog, snow, or ice from the pictures and the worksheet? What question about the weather are you now even more curious about—after completing this activity—than you were at the beginning of class?
- Was there a moment when someone in your group thought a completely different solution on the worksheet was correct than the rest of you? How did you manage to discuss this: were you able to convince each other with arguments without arguing, or did you work together to find the right answer?
- What do you think was the size of the largest piece of ice that fell from the sky during the hailstorm? Could we research this together afterward?
Tips and Tricks for dealing with stage challenges
- Ask plenty of questions about the photos showing different types of precipitation. Have the students describe what they see.
- Choose very recognizable and recent weather photos and phenomena.
- Review exercise: If necessary, work through it as a whole class.