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Science lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 45 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 · 5 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. You hear thunder while playing in a field. What should you do? (hold up a metal pole / go swimming / stand under a tall tree / go indoors as soon as you can) → go indoors as soon as you canPrompt: Lightning tends to strike tall objects and open ground.
  2. Which kind of severe weather is this: rivers bursting their banks after days of heavy rain? (flood / tornado / blizzard / heatwave) → floodPrompt: Is it about water, wind, snow or heat?
  3. Severe weather: which statement is NOT true? (In a heatwave you should drink water and stay in the shade. / Weather forecasts help people prepare for storms. / Lightning can strike tall objects such as trees. / Lightning never strikes the same place twice.) → Lightning never strikes the same place twice.Prompt: One sentence is a famous myth about lightning.

Hook · 5 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 · 10 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 · 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.
  1. Which design best reduces damage from this hazard: blizzard (heavy snow)? (snow ploughs and grit (salt) for roads / flood barriers and houses built on stilts / shade trees, light-coloured roofs and cool public spaces / storm shutters and strongly fixed roofs) → snow ploughs and grit (salt) for roadsPrompt: What does the hazard do: bring water, wind, heat, cold or electricity?
  2. Why do cities plant trees and build parks that can soak up rain? (Parks make storms smaller. / Concrete soaks up more water than soil. / Trees stop rain falling. / Soil and plants soak up heavy rain, so less water floods the streets.) → Soil and plants soak up heavy rain, so less water floods the streets.Prompt: What happens to rain that lands on concrete?

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.
  1. True or false? We cannot stop weather hazards, but we can reduce their damage. (True / False) → TruePrompt: Hazards cannot be stopped. What can people do?
  2. Why do weather services send out warnings before big storms? (So people have time to prepare and get to safety. / To change the storm's direction. / To stop the storm. / To make the storm smaller.) → So people have time to prepare and get to safety.Prompt: We cannot stop a storm. What can we 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

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Designs that reduce damage from weather hazards

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    True or false? Weather warnings are only for scientists.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  2. Question 2

    Why do cities plant trees and build parks that can soak up rain?

    • A. Concrete soaks up more water than soil.
    • B. Trees stop rain falling.
    • C. Soil and plants soak up heavy rain, so less water floods the streets.
    • D. Parks make storms smaller.

  3. Question 3

    Which design best reduces damage from this hazard: tornado?

    • A. storm shutters and strongly fixed roofs
    • B. a lightning rod on top of a building
    • C. reservoirs and rain barrels to store water
    • D. underground storm shelters

  4. Question 4

    True or false? Planting trees in cities helps during heatwaves.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  5. Question 5

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

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

  6. Question 6

    Which design best reduces damage from this hazard: hurricanes (strong storms)?

    • A. storm shutters and strongly fixed roofs
    • B. reservoirs and rain barrels to store water
    • C. a lightning rod on top of a building
    • D. flood barriers and houses built on stilts

  7. Question 7

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

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

  8. Question 8

    Which design best reduces damage from this hazard: blizzard (heavy snow)?

    • A. underground storm shelters
    • B. snow ploughs and grit (salt) for roads
    • C. reservoirs and rain barrels to store water
    • D. storm shutters and strongly fixed roofs

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Answer key: Designs that reduce damage from weather hazards

  1. 1. B. False

  2. 2. C. Soil and plants soak up heavy rain, so less water floods the streets.

  3. 3. D. underground storm shelters

  4. 4. A. True

  5. 5. C. Floodwater is less likely to reach the upper floor.

  6. 6. A. storm shutters and strongly fixed roofs

  7. 7. D. Compare how well each plan works, its cost and its effects on people and nature.

  8. 8. B. snow ploughs and grit (salt) for roads