Make Your Own Rain Gauge S

Make Your Own Rain Gauge

Lesson Plan:

Activity:

Make Your Own Rain Gauge

Lesson plan developed by Ms. Erika Geelhoed, BA Ed

Age Group:

School-Age

* Lesson plan objective and assessment can be adapted to use this activity with preschoolers.

Objectives:

Children will:

practice measuring skills.
practice counting skills.
practice estimating skills.

Washington Common Core Standard

2.M

Washington State K–12 Learning Standards (Common Core State Standards): Measurement and Data 2.M

Measure and estimate lengths in standard units.

o 1. Measure the length of an object by selecting and using appropriate tools such as rulers, yardsticks, meter sticks, and measuring tapes.

Materials:

large empty plastic bottle
scissors or box cutter
black permanent marker

Procedure:

Prepare for the activity by creating the rain gauge with the children.
Cut the top off of the plastic bottle.
Have the children measure and create the line around the bottle in regular intervals using measuring tools and a permanent marker.
Flip the top of the bottle and place it back inside the rain gauge to act as a funnel.
As it rains, encourage the children to practice their math skills by estimating what the level will be at that day, measuring, and counting.
The children can keep a log of the change in water over a week.

**This lesson is designed for children who already have some measuring skills. It is not intended to be an introductory lesson, and should be used as hands-on practice.

Assessment:

Observe and record the children’s ability to measure using standard units (inches or centimeters). Take notes on their counting skills and ability to estimate as well. If needed, you can go back and review these skills with them at a later time.

Online Early Childhood Education

Click on the course icon for enrollment information.

Weather Station

Here is what you will need:

Markers
velcro (the sharper side)
template (Ours came from Green Kids Crafts or you could easily draw your own)
felt
pipe cleaner

Make the following: A thermometer with the words, freezing cold, cold, cool, warm, hot, and burning hot. My weather station. Today is. Sunny, cloudy, icy, snowy, rainy, stormy, windy.
Color everything.
Using the Velcro peel off and attach them to the backs of all of the above.
Cut 2 slits in the top of the felt and attach the pipe cleaner so your child can carry their weather station.
Let your child change their weather station everyday.