Air Masses Lesson Plan

l. Air Masses /Science Grade 6

II. Objectives

Students will be able to research air masses and understand their connection to weather conditions Students will be able to draw an air mass on a map and list it’s affect on local weather conditions

III. NYS Standards:

NYS Science Standard 4: The physical setting 2.21: air masses form when air remains nearly stationary over a large section of earth's surface and takes on the conditions of temperature and humidity from that location. Weather conditions at a location are determined primarily by temperature, humidity, and pressure of air masses over that location. NYS Standard 2- Information Systems Students will access, generate, process and transfer information, using appropriate technologies. Key Idea1: Information technology is used to retrieve, process, and communicate information as a tool to enhance learning. 1.1 Use a range of equipment and software to integrate several forms of information in order to create good-quality audio, video, graphic, and text-based presentations.

IV. Materials Needed to Accomplish Objective KWL chart

Paper and pencil/pen

Computers

Websites for information (pre-linked)

Glogster/Prezi

Map of the United States

V. Introduction (Anticipatory Set) (Focuses, motivates, sets the stage)

The students will first fill in a KWL chart of what they already know and want to know about air masses. This will get the students focused on the lesson and connect their prior knowledge to the new learning. Then the students will make their own hypothesis/prediction of what air masses are and write it down before they research information on air masses. This will allow the students to get interested and involved with their new learning because they are coming up with their own hypothesis/prediction for air masses.

VI. Procedure (Prioritize steps)

First the students will get and fold a piece of paper into six equal parts

Label the first box “what air masses are”, label the second box “how air masses form” and label the rest of the four boxes with each type of air mass

The students will go to the websites listed on the air masses page and fill in the appropriate boxes with the appropriate information including at least three weather conditions for each air mass

When their done filling in the boxes the students will draw how one of the air masses are represented on a map on the back side of the paper

After the students collect their data and fill in the paper they will create their own Glogster or Prezi

The Glogster or Prezi will include what air masses are, how air masses form, each type of air mass, and a drawing or picture of one air mass as represented on a map

Then the students will find out which air mass affects them the most locally

They will write down on a piece of paper which air mass most affects them locally and its weather conditions for them to reference

Then the students will get a map of the United States to draw the air mass they think affects their local weather conditions

They will draw the air mass on the map as an arrow in the correct direction they think the air mass moves to affect their local weather conditions

They will list the weather conditions the air mass is going to bring next to the drawing of the air mass arrow

VII. Closure The students will fill in their KWL chart of what they learned at the end of the lesson to represent and show what they learned throughout the lesson. Then the students will go back and read their prediction and write underneath it how their hypothesis/prediction changed from their new learning if it did.

VIII. Evaluation of the Learner/Assessment The assessment of the students learning will be their KWL chart, their Glogster or Prezi, and the map of the United States where they show the air mass that affects them most locally.

IX. Opportunities for Differentiation The websites the students need to use for their research has a zoom option for students who are visually impaired. Students who have difficulty with writing utensils or have illegible handwriting will have the option to type up the information they find from the websites. The Glogster or Prezi will give visual learners an opportunity to be creative and visualize what they learned in an online way. The drawing on the United States map will also give the visual learners a way to visualize the air mass that affects their local weather. Students who need directions repeated can go back and refer to the page as much as they need to.