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Notes for teachers

Notes

For guidance on graphing a double line plot or help instruction, see: https://study.com/academy/lesson/double-line-graph-definition-examples.html

List of Materials

Simon, Seymour. Global Warming. can be purchased online at: https://www.amazon.com/Global-Warming-Smithsonian-science-Seymour-Simon/dp/0061142522 ($10)
Anchor Chart Paper
Graphing Paper (or line plot template)
Data Recording Table Worksheet
Laptops/Access to the internet for students

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Science Standards

4.E1U1.8 : Collect, analyze, and interpret data to explain weather and climate patterns.

7.E1U2.7 Crosscutting Concepts and Background Information for Educators Analyze and interpret data to construct an explanation for how advances in technology has improved weather prediction.

From: https://www.azed.gov/sites/default/files/2018/10/Full%20Set%20of%20Standards%20K_12_%20Updated_10_19_19.pdf?id=5bd336131dcb250184c8ced9

Math Standards

4.MD.B.4: Make a line plot to display a data set of measurements

5.MD.B.2: Make a line plot to display a data set

6.SP.B.4: Display and interpret numerical data by creating plots on a number line including histograms, dot plots, and box plots.

From: https://www.azed.gov/standards-practices/k-12standards/mathematics-standards

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Objective(s):

Today we will ask questions, research, interpret, analyze and graph data of temperatures and relate that information to the world around us.

Today we will obtain, evaluate and communicate information about the patterns in earth’s temperatures.

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Agenda (1-4 Days)

Day 1 Introduction (30-45 minutes):Students brainstorm, class discussion and reading of Global Warming by Seymour Simon

Day 2-3 (30 minutes-1 hour/daily): Students research and input data into the provided data table. Students may begin graphing on Day 3, or the teacher may graph the line plot as a class on Day 3.

Day 4 (15 minutes): Revisit anchor chart and prior thoughts

Day 5: Assessment

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Intro/Driving Question/Opening

Day 1 Introduction: (15-30 minutes): First, the teacher will ask students a series of questions to spark a class discussion: What is Climate? What is global warming? What is temperature? How are climate & temperature different? How does our climate affect us? An alternative to having a class discussion would be for students to complete a quick write answering these questions and share within table groups. An additional activity could include writing the posing questions on anchor chart paper and posting them around the classroom. Students could then move in a carousel manner, discussing and writing their responses on the anchor charts. Afterward the discussion, the teacher should save the charts and revisit them on the concluding day of the unit. In total, pre-assessing student knowledge should take no longer than 15 minutes.

The teacher should then read Global Warming, by Seymour Simon to students.

Afterwards, ask students if they have any final answers or thoughts to add to the anchor chart.

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Hands-on Activity Instructions

It is important for teachers to model the research and graphing process for students.
With a partner students will visit http://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=psr and select “climatology for a day”. Use a 10 day date range, (ex: June 1st-June 10th), then have students select the Phoenix Area (or your local area) and record the high and low for the ten days this year. (see slide 9)
After recording the high and low for the ten days students should make predictions about what the temperature was one hundred years ago on the same date. After predictions are made students will go back and record the highs/lows from June 1st-10th, 1923. Students will record any trends they observe notice while looking at the data from 1923 vs. 2023.
At the end of the unit create a 2 double line plots displaying the low temperatures of the ten dates in 1917 and the ten dates in 2017. A second line plot should display the high temperatures in the two years. Students will also explain any trends they observe and how they may or may not be related to global warming. Encourage students to graph using two different colors to visually represent each set of years.

example of a double line plot:

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Template for Graphing Data

Date	Low (1923)	High (1923)	Low (2023)	High (2023)
June 1st
June 2nd
June 3^rd
June 4^th
June 5^th
June 6th
June 7^th
June 8th
June 9th
June 10th

Students should use the following template or a similar template to document the data they collect from the National Weather Service during the lessons on Day 2.

Data Tracking Worksheet

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Assessment

Science Assessment: Throughout the unit, the teacher will informally assess student knowledge through discussions and observations. The teacher must observe what students know prior to beginning the unit. As students began researching, the teacher must also assess whether students can successfully use technology to gather data and construct line plots. Those line plots can be used as a formal assessment in connection with math standards regarding graphing.

Math Assessment Option: Provide Students with additional data regarding snowfall to assess their understanding of graphing. Students could then create a line plot of bar graph based on the additional data provided.

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Differentiation

Teachers could reduce the data set from 10 days to 5 days. Or only document the lows, or only the highs.

Additionally, consider giving students the data instead of using technology to research the data. This allows for a little more control and ensure information is correct. This should be considered with younger students or students who may not use technology correctly.

Provide students with a blank table graph to plot data.

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

Have students choose a different region of the United States and graph the same 10 days of data (i.e, Alaska from June 1st-10th or Texas from June 1st-10th)

Have students construct an explanation on why they think the temperatures are different and/or the same.

Have students buddy with a younger class to help teach other science standards like kindergarten: K.E1U1.3: Observe, record, and ask questions about temperature, precipitation, and other weather data or 2nd Grade’s 2.E1U2.6: Analyze patterns in weather conditions of various regions of the world.