Back to the lesson plan builder
Lesson length30 min45 min60 min
Questions🔀 New questions

Print the plan for yourself; the student sheet prints on its own page after it.

Science lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 30 minutes

Designs that reduce damage from weather hazards

Weather and climate

CCSS NGSS.3-ESS3-1England: KS2 Geography links

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Designs that reduce damage from weather hazards.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Severe weather and staying safe

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: Weather maps, Thermometers, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Severe weather and staying safe). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Why do weather forecasters warn people about storms? (to make it rain / so people can prepare and stay safe / to stop the storm / to scare people) → so people can prepare and stay safePrompt: What could you do if you knew a storm was coming?
  2. Which kind of severe weather is this: several days much hotter than normal? (flood / tornado / blizzard / heatwave) → heatwavePrompt: Is it about water, wind, snow or heat?
  3. Severe weather: which statement is NOT true? (Lightning can strike tall objects such as trees. / It is safe to walk through fast-flowing flood water. / Flood water can be dangerous even when it looks shallow. / Weather forecasts help people prepare for storms.) → It is safe to walk through fast-flowing flood water.Prompt: One sentence is a famous myth about lightning.

Hook · 3 min

  • Show today's forecast and ask what it means for the class and how forecasters know.
  • Share the objective: Designs that reduce damage from weather hazards. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Which design best reduces damage from this hazard: blizzard (heavy snow)?
  • Step 1: Ploughs clear snow and grit melts ice.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: snow ploughs and grit (salt) for roads
  • Answer: snow ploughs and grit (salt) for roads
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Which design best reduces damage from this hazard: drought? (flood barriers and houses built on stilts / shade trees, light-coloured roofs and cool public spaces / snow ploughs and grit (salt) for roads / reservoirs and rain barrels to store water) → reservoirs and rain barrels to store waterPrompt: What does the hazard do: bring water, wind, heat, cold or electricity?
  2. Why do weather services send out warnings before big storms? (To make the storm smaller. / To change the storm's direction. / To stop the storm. / So people have time to prepare and get to safety.) → So people have time to prepare and get to safety.Prompt: We cannot stop a storm. What can we do?

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • 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.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Why do cities plant trees and build parks that can soak up rain? (Soil and plants soak up heavy rain, so less water floods the streets. / Concrete soaks up more water than soil. / Trees stop rain falling. / Parks make storms smaller.) → Soil and plants soak up heavy rain, so less water floods the streets.Prompt: What happens to rain that lands on concrete?
  2. True or false? Storing water is useless during a drought. (True / False) → FalsePrompt: Hazards cannot be stopped. What can people do?

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Severe weather and staying safe.
  • Use concrete materials: weather maps.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-3.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

eurekami

Designs that reduce damage from weather hazards

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Which design best reduces damage from this hazard: heatwave?

    • A. reservoirs and rain barrels to store water
    • B. snow ploughs and grit (salt) for roads
    • C. a lightning rod on top of a building
    • D. shade trees, light-coloured roofs and cool public spaces

  2. Question 2

    True or false? We cannot stop weather hazards, but we can reduce their damage.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  3. Question 3

    A town floods every few years. Engineers suggest two plans. How should the town choose?

    • A. Do nothing and hope.
    • B. Choose at random.
    • C. Compare how well each plan works, its cost and its effects on people and nature.
    • D. Pick the one with the longest name.

  4. Question 4

    Which design best reduces damage from this hazard: drought?

    • A. a lightning rod on top of a building
    • B. snow ploughs and grit (salt) for roads
    • C. reservoirs and rain barrels to store water
    • D. shade trees, light-coloured roofs and cool public spaces

  5. Question 5

    True or false? Storing water is useless during a drought.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  6. Question 6

    Why are new homes in flood areas sometimes built with the living rooms upstairs?

    • A. To see the river better.
    • B. Upstairs is warmer.
    • C. Stairs stop water.
    • D. Floodwater is less likely to reach the upper floor.

Free from eurekami.com

for the adult only

Answer key: Designs that reduce damage from weather hazards

  1. 1. D. shade trees, light-coloured roofs and cool public spaces

  2. 2. A. True

  3. 3. C. Compare how well each plan works, its cost and its effects on people and nature.

  4. 4. C. reservoirs and rain barrels to store water

  5. 5. B. False

  6. 6. D. Floodwater is less likely to reach the upper floor.