Many of them become really confused and sometimes upset on days when we can't go to the playground due to weather (i.e. too cold, rain, snow, etc.). The most confusing thing is when it is hot in our classroom, sunny outside, but below zero outside. We have had several students who ask us to change the weather. One kids would say "Come on please. Make it sunny." Haha. So, we use this visual every day!
We start by asking the question "Do we have playground today?" Our answer choices are "yes" "no" and "maybe" (we use this on borderline cold days or cloudy days when there is a chance of rain).
Then we address the "Why?" question. Is it because of the weather? Are we going on a field trip? Do have too much work to get done?
Here are some other activities we do daily to talk about weather. Here we identify the weather conditions outside.
Here we identify the temperature and season. We look up the temperature on our iPad. I usually choose a student each day to be "in charge" of the weather.
This is exactly what we worked on in my class today too! Although your picture cards are much cuter, than my verbal conversation. It's currently raining cats and dogs here. The kids want to know why they are trapped inside and "can never leave." I had to send them to the window to look at the storm.
ReplyDeleteLisa
The Lower Elementary Cottage
My students get confused about the weather, too - not so much about going outside for recess, but about the necessity of wearing coats when leaving. "But it's sooooo hot!" most of them protest when it's coat time. Yeah, it's hot in our classroom because they're pumping so much heat in that we're sweating bullets inside...but trust me, kids, you need a coat to go out. They don't get it. I've started having the person in charge of checking the weather actually stepping outside the back door of our classroom to feel how cool the temperature actually is.
ReplyDeleteKara
Spedventures
I know our students are confused about the weather too. For us (Arizona) it's not because of the cold, and occasionally rain. Usually it's because of the heat that they miss out. It's too hot and/ or the air quality. The first month of school, we often have heat advisory days and sometimes miss a whole week of outdoor recess because of the hot weather.
ReplyDeleteThese are excellent weather visuals! I especially love the are we going outside today piece. I always tell my students when it's raining that we are not going, but this is a great way to address other reasons too!
ReplyDeleteErin
Creating & Teaching