• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Types of weather). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
• Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

1. What kind of weather would you wear or take shorts for? (a sunny, hot day / a rainy day / a snowy, cold day) → a sunny, hot dayPrompt: Does it keep you cool, dry or warm?
2. What is fog? (a cloud close to the ground / smoke from fires / frozen air / heavy rain) → a cloud close to the groundPrompt: It makes it hard to see far.
3. What would you take on a rainy day? (sunglasses / wellington boots (rain boots) / a thick coat / shorts) → wellington boots (rain boots)Prompt: Think about keeping cool, dry or warm.

• Show today's forecast and ask what it means for the class and how forecasters know.
• Share the objective: Describe the weather from clues. Read the success criteria together.

• Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
• Example: Look at the clues: You cannot see the end of the street because the air is thick and misty. What is the weather like?
• Step 1: So the answer is: foggy
• Answer: foggy
• Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

• Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
• Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.

1. Look at the clues: People holding umbrellas and puddles on the ground. What is the weather like? (snowy / stormy / rainy / sunny) → rainyPrompt: Think about what you would see and feel outside.
2. Why are there puddles on the playground this morning? (It rained while we were asleep. / The wind brought them. / The puddles grew out of the ground. / The Sun made the puddles.) → It rained while we were asleep.Prompt: Where does water on the ground usually come from?

• Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
• Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

• Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.

1. How can you tell how windy it is without any tools? (Count the clouds. / Watch how much trees, flags and leaves move. / Look at how dark the ground is. / Listen for birds singing.) → Watch how much trees, flags and leaves move.Prompt: Stronger wind pushes things more.
2. Look at the clues: A grey sky with no sun to be seen, but it is dry. What is the weather like? (foggy / stormy / snowy / cloudy) → cloudyPrompt: Think about what you would see and feel outside.

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/kindergarten.