Science lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 45 minutes
Compare rainfall month by month
Weather and climate
CCSS NGSS.3-ESS2-1CCSS NGSS.SEP 4England: KS2 Y3–Y4 Working scientificallyEngland: KS2 Geography links
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Compare rainfall month by month.
- 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: Reading weather data
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 · 5 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Reading weather data). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Temperatures (°C) on five days were 7, 10, 7, 12, 10. What was the mean temperature? Give 1 decimal place. → 9.2 °CPrompt: Add the temperatures.
- Temperatures (°C) on five days were 9, 14, 9, 14, 13. What was the mean temperature? Give 1 decimal place. → 11.8 °CPrompt: Add the temperatures.
- Temperatures (°C) on five days were 20, 24, 23, 17, 17. What was the mean temperature? Give 1 decimal place. → 20.2 °CPrompt: Add the temperatures.
Hook · 5 min
- Show today's forecast and ask what it means for the class and how forecasters know.
- Share the objective: Compare rainfall month by month. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 10 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: The rain gauge shows 0 mm for a whole month. What does this tell you?
- Step 1: An empty gauge means a dry month (if the gauge was working and not blocked).
- Step 2: So the answer is: No rain fell that month.
- Answer: No rain fell that month.
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 10 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- What instrument measures rainfall? (a barometer / a rain gauge / a thermometer / a wind vane) → a rain gaugePrompt: It collects rain in a container marked in millimetres.
- The rain gauge shows 0 mm for a whole month. What does this tell you? (The month was very cold. / The gauge measures sunshine. / It rained every day. / No rain fell that month.) → No rain fell that month.Prompt: What does the gauge collect?
You do: independent practice · 10 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 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 5 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- The rain gauge shows 0 mm for a whole month. What does this tell you? (The month was very cold. / It rained every day. / The gauge measures sunshine. / No rain fell that month.) → No rain fell that month.Prompt: What does the gauge collect?
- Rainfall data for many years shows a place is wet in winter and dry in summer. What can people use this pattern for? (to plan when to plant crops and store water / to decide what colour to paint houses / to change the weather / nothing; patterns are not useful) → to plan when to plant crops and store waterPrompt: Farmers need to know when water will come.
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: Reading weather data.
- 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