Unit study: Weather

The weather is something that we experience daily and talk about nearly as often. But how much do kids (or adults!) really know about weather? Weather is a great topic for a unit study because it can easily be connected to children’s daily lives. Plus, there is a rich array of topics to cover during any unit on weather, including the water cycle, wind, clouds, rain, snow, hurricanes, tornadoes, weather forecasting, and more!

My kids and I did this weather unit together when they were in kindergarten and first grade. As an adult, I learned a ton by doing this unit with my kids as well, so I have no doubt that most of the activities we did would be enjoyed by kids from preschool through elementary school (and maybe beyond).

When I plan a unit study for my kids, I usually have several learning objectives in mind. Here are some of the content related learning objectives for our weather unit:

Kids will understand what “weather” is
Kids will understand different components that make up the weather (e.g., temperature, moisture, wind, air pressure)
Kids will be able to describe the steps in the water cycle and explain its role in creating our weather
Kids will learn how clouds form and be able to classify clouds based on their shape and altitude
Kids will understand how rain and snow form
Kids will learn about extreme weather (hurricanes, tornadoes)

If you are planning to do a weather unit with your kids or students, the resources and ideas below should help make your weather unit a success!