The Skellies: Weather Exploration

Lesson Plan for Ages 7-10 | Duration: 45 minutes | Science & Literacy Focus

Learning Objectives

Materials Needed

Lesson Structure

Introduction (10 minutes)

  1. Begin by asking students about their experiences with different types of weather. Ask questions like:
    • What is your favorite kind of weather? Why?
    • What is the most interesting weather you've ever seen?
    • How does the weather make you feel?
  2. Show images of various weather conditions and introduce key vocabulary that will appear in the story: thunder, lightning, clouds, wind, storm, precipitation.
  3. Explain that today's story involves characters who learn about weather while on an adventure.

Story Reading (15 minutes)

  1. Read "The Skellies" story, pausing to discuss the weather elements in the narrative.
  2. Ask students to identify how Luke, Emily, and Frankie react to different weather conditions in the story.
  3. Highlight the weather vocabulary from the story and add these words to a word wall or vocabulary list.
  4. Discuss how Mr. Serious helps the children understand weather phenomena and why understanding weather is important.

Weather in a Bottle Activity (15 minutes)

  1. Divide students into small groups of 3-4.
  2. Provide each group with a clear plastic bottle, water, blue food coloring, and glitter/confetti.
  3. Guide students to create their own "storm in a bottle" by:
    • Filling the bottle 3/4 with water
    • Adding a few drops of blue food coloring
    • Sprinkling in glitter (explains how particles move in air)
    • Securing the lid tightly
  4. Have students shake the bottle to create a "storm" and observe what happens.
  5. Discuss how this model represents clouds, rain, and turbulence in real storms.
  6. Connect this activity back to the storm experienced by the characters in "The Skellies."

Creative Response (15 minutes)

  1. Have students create a "weather diary" entry from the perspective of one of the characters in "The Skellies."
  2. Ask them to include at least 5 weather vocabulary words from the story.
  3. Encourage students to illustrate their diary entry with a weather scene from the story.
  4. For early finishers, they can start a weather observation chart to use for the next week.

Conclusion and Assessment (5 minutes)

  1. Ask students to share what they learned about weather from the story and activity.
  2. Review the weather vocabulary introduced in the lesson.
  3. Explain the week-long weather observation homework assignment.

Extension Activities

Assessment

Curriculum Standards Alignment

Science:

Literacy:

Notes for Teachers

This lesson works best after students have been introduced to basic weather concepts. The "storm in a bottle" activity can get messy, so consider preparing a designated area with paper towels or conducting this portion outside if weather permits.

The story of "The Skellies" provides an engaging narrative framework for discussing weather phenomena, as the characters' adventure through the sky allows them to experience different weather conditions firsthand. The emotional reactions of the characters to thunder and lightning also provide an opportunity to discuss weather-related fears and safety precautions.

For additional resources and worksheets to accompany this lesson, please visit the Clumsy & Friends teacher resource portal at www.clumsyandfriends.com/teachers.

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For educational use only. May be reproduced for classroom purposes.