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Weather Science K-2nd | Lesson #2, Series 1

Weather Science

What Does Weather Have To “Dew” With It?

Vocabulary: Weather, Prediction, Air, Precipitation(rainfall), Humidity, Wind, Growth, Measure

Grade Levels: K-2nd

Science Framework   Spanish Lesson Plan    Lesson Video

Lesson Bridge:

Connect this lesson (2) to ‘Is Soil Alive?’(1) by discussing how varying types of soil react to weather and rain in particular differently.. Urge students to recall which soil types might contribute to runoff and which soil types might allow for water to soak into a landscape. Prep students for the next lesson ‘Pollution Solutions’ (3) by sharing how weather can often bring pollution to our oceans.

Lesson Overview:  

Since weather plays a big role in the success of school gardens, we will learn to observe and make sense of it!  Students will use weather-measuring devices to help them observe rain, air pressure, humidity, and wind.  We will learn new methods of measuring and describing weather, think and act like scientists, look for patterns, and observe how weather impacts plant growth!

NGSS Performance Expectations by Grade Level

Standards below were reviewed and updated (July 2026) against the current Next Generation Science Standards.

Essential Questions

Each question pairs a Crosscutting Concept (CCC) with a Science & Engineering Practice (SEP).

Vocabulary:

Weather- The conditions such as rain, sun, wind, and temperature outside right now.

Wind- When the air near earth is moving

Windbreak - a physical barrier to block the wind

(See weather words below)

Materials:

Prep:

If you have time, create one wind sock and hang it up in your school garden for your 2nd graders to see.

Check out a weather book from your local library or your school library. Sun by Sam Usher or Come on, Rain! by Karen Hesse are recommended, though any fictional book about the weather will do!  

Print visuals (see materials list) and gather art supplies

Activity Procedure:

Engage: 

What is the weather like today (Think, Pair, Share)?

Sentence frame: Today the weather is __________________.

Why do you think it is important for gardeners to think about the weather (Think, Pair, Share)? It helps them prepare for when plants might get too cold or too hot, or too dry or too wet, and to plan accordingly. 

(Optional) Ask students if they know any weather songs and have them teach you! OR sing Mr. Golden Sun

Explore:

Have each group go into the garden and make observations about the weather. If you want, encourage students to lie down to watch the clouds, lick their fingers to determine wind direction and so forth. You can also ask students to feel the soil and observe plants in different parts of the garden to determine if some areas receive more rain, sun or wind than other spots.

Explain:

Do you notice that in the summer months we get a lot of fog in the mornings? (Thumbs up/down). What other weather patterns do you notice throughout the day? (Think/Pair/Share).

Sentence frame: I notice that it gets _________ at night when the sun goes down.

Do we always get rain all year round? (Thumbs up/down). When do we get a lot of rain, usually? (Think/Pair/Share). These weather patterns are important for us to notice because it can help us do different activities throughout the year. It also helps us take good care of our plants!

Action:

Option 1 ( ideally Kinder and 1st Grade) Activity: Sunny Days

  1. Review your Garden Agreements
  2. Read Sun by Sam Usher or Come on, Rain! By Karen Hesse
  1. As you read, help students notice the words about the weather
  2. Remember not to sit still longer than 8 minutes! If the story is too long, shorten it by doing a picture walk (skip the reading and look at the pictures together)
  1. After the story, do a quick sensory walk around the garden to feel the weather! (optional)
  1. Have them walk on their tippy toes to get closer to the sun
  2. Have them take slow heel- toe steps to feel the warm ground
  3. Have them lift their hands up high to feel the breeze etc
  1. Returning to the stumps / tables, have them start an art project! They can draw what the weather is like today using any available materials (Crayons, leaf rubbings, flower petals, etc)

Option 2 (ideally 2nd Grade) Activity: Slowing the Wind

  1. Review your Garden Agreements
  2. Show students your wind sock hanging in the garden - notice if it is windy or not today
  3. Have students create windbreak designs - How can we slow the wind? 
  1. Start by explaining the problem -ex: there is too much wind for our little plants to grow in this specific garden bed (ideally, you could walk over to a windy spot in your garden and point out the problem)
  2. Think, Pair, Share: What are some ways we can protect our little plants from the wind?
  1. Present one or two visuals to give example
  1. In pairs, have students draw out their designs (OR you could have students build their designs using scrap materials)
  1. If time, have students present their ideas to small groups or to the whole class

Reflect:

Kinder and 1st: What weather words did we see in the book today? How can the weather patterns help us take care of our plants in the garden?

2nd: How do your designs compare to each other? What are some similarities and differences between your ideas? How do our windbreaks prevent wind from changing the landscape?

Extension Activities:

Cited Curriculum:

Gardens Change Lives!                                                          Page  of