Weather Preparedness Lesson: Performance Arts
Lesson Plan
55 minutesGrades1Visual and Performing Arts
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Written by Kelly Stone, Sustainable Jersey for Schools
About this lesson
Students study weather and how to prepare for it using performances to foster creativity and teamwork.
Inquire: Students review what they have learned about extreme weather.
Investigate: Students play a game online to help them understand the importance of being prepared for different types of weather.
Inspire: Students work in small collaborative teams to create a weather-related skit that depicts a weather event.
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Everything you need to teach it
How to edit these materials (video)Teaching tips
Suggestions
- This lesson can be taught during a science unit on weather.
- This lesson reinforces skills of collaboration and teamwork, and emphasizes students' voice and choice.
- This lesson can be used during the fall or spring months in connection to current weather, such as hurricane season in the fall or rainy weather in the spring.
- The Inspire skit activity can be spread out over two to three days, with one day for creating, one day for practice, and a final day for the performance.
- Students can perform their skits for other classes to share awareness of weather preparedness.
- The topic and discussion of extreme weather may bring up anxiety for some students. Consider using resources from the Climate Anxiety: SEL Resource for Teachers including a template to inform caregivers of the topics in the unit and sentence frames for discussions.
Prerequisites
- This lesson is 3 of 3 in our 1st grade Performing Arts Weather Unit. While the lessons can be taught alone, they are best taught in the series, as each lesson helps students build an understanding of weather and its connection to climate change.
- Students should have a basic understanding of types of weather such as rain, wind, and snow, as well as weather-related events.
- Teachers should preview the video in the Investigate section to determine when to stop to check for understanding or if a shorter section should be shown.
- Teachers should find and prepare a very brief news segment featuring a local meteorologist explaining the current weather. This could be as simple as the morning news weather report.
Differentiation
- Extension Activities include the following:
- Community Weather Awareness Campaign: Engage students in creating posters or digital artworks that promote awareness about local weather patterns and climate change issues in their community. Include Indigenous perspectives and solutions.
- Weather Field Trip or Virtual Tour: Take students on a virtual tour of a weather station or a virtual visit to a place where Indigenous weather-related art is showcased. Discuss what they observe and how it connects to their learning.
- Scaffolded Activity: Have students embellish a sample skit and add their own creative ideas to make it unique.
- For enrichment opportunities, consider guiding students in writing poems or stories that describe different weather phenomena or express feelings about climate change. Create a class poetry book or perform poetry readings with accompanying visual art displays.
From the scientist review
The weather, climate, emergency preparedness, and response guidelines for extreme weather disasters are all covered in this lesson. Along with teaching environmental topics, students also learn how to create ads that encourage preparing for extreme weather. The lesson passed our credibility check in science.
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About the teacher writers
Kelly Stone
K-5 STEM Teacher
Kelly Stone holds a Bachelor's degree in P–3 Early Childhood Education from The Catholic University of America and a Master's degree in Instructional Technology from the University of Nebraska Kearney. She has 25 years of experience in elementary education and currently specializes in STEM instruction for grades K–5. Kelly holds a Supervisor Certification from Caldwell University and an Environmental Sustainability Education Certification from The College of New Jersey.
Sustainable Jersey for Schools
Sustainable Jersey is a network and movement of municipalities, schools and school districts working collectively to bring about a sustainable New Jersey. Acting with state agencies, non-profit organizations, foundations, academia and industry, Sustainable Jersey researches best practices for what communities could and should do to contribute to a sustainable future.
