Seasons

Designed by: Sallie Jameson    School: Meadowfield Elementary

Grade Level: Kindergarten     Subject: Math

Core Curriculum:  Use words associated with time (such as morning, afternoon, evening, yesterday, today, tomorrow, week, month, year, winter, spring, summer, fall).  (KME2-1)

Overview: The students will choose a tree on the school ground and observe the changes throughout the year. During each season, the students will draw that tree and make a book at the end of the year.

Essential Question: Can you name the four seasons?

Time Frame: Six Lessons, 20 minutes each (to be completed throughout the year)

Resources: 

Book: Seasons by John Burningham 

Chart paper divided into four parts - labeled summer, fall, winter, spring Lap boards or individual chalkboards for each student 

Drawing paper - five pieces for each student 

A pack of crayons for each student 

A variety of pictures representing each season 

Books about the seasons and trees (use Amazon.com to find books) 

Digital camera

Assessment: Rubric

Students can name the four seasons. Proficient 

Students can name three of the seasons. Partially proficient 

Students can name one or two of the seasons. Needs Development

Instructional Activities: Before beginning lesson one, set up a paper tree in the science center. Have books and pictures depicting the different seasons available for the students to share with a friend. For the "summer" tree have students make leaves to add to the tree to look like summer. (Make green leaves out of green construction paper. Allow students to work together to create leaves). During the Fall season allow students to work together to make leaves of green, orange, red, and brown and attach to the tree. During the Winter season take all leaves off of the tree. During the Spring season allow students to work together to make buds and/or flowers for the tree. During each season pictures can be taken of the adopted tree with a digital camera. The pictures of the tree can be displayed in the science center for student share the changes that take place throughout the year.

Lesson one (to be completed at the beginning of school)

l. The teacher will show the students the chart divided into four groups (labeled summer, fall, winter, spring). 

2. The teacher will tell the students the year is divided into four parts and tell the season's names. Also, they will learn about the characteristics of each season. 

3. Before reading the book, Seasons tell the students to listen for events and observe changes that occur in each of the seasons. 

4. Read the book, Seasons. 

5. After reading the book, discuss the changes and events that happened during each season. Make a list on chart paper under the appropriate season (ex. under fall: leaves change colors, Halloween, football, red, green etc) Display the chart in the science center to be used throughout the year.

Lesson Two: summer tree (to be completed the same week of the first lesson) Have ready the lapboards, one piece of paper, and crayons for each student to take on walk.

1. Show the students the chart with the characteristics of the four seasons. Review each season. Asking who can remember something about each season. 

2. Tell the students they will choose a tree on the playground and observe the changes that occur throughout the year. 

3. The teacher and students will find a tree on the playground together. (Before taking the students, scout for trees that are suitable to observe) 

4. Model for the students how you would draw the summer tree. Talking about the shape and colors of the tree). 

5. Pass out lapboards, one piece of paper and crayons to each student. Tell the students to draw the tree and write the word summer. Remind them to look at the shape of the tree and colors. Help them spell the word summer. 

6. As students are drawing, walk around encouraging them to look at the tree and draw what they see. Use descriptive words when talking about the tree and their picture. 

7. Keep pictures to make individual books at the end of year.

Lesson Three: Fall Tree (to be completed during the fall season) Have lapboards, one piece of paper and crayons ready to take on walk) 

1. To review with the students divide the class into four groups. Give each group a season and have them brainstorm about the characteristics of their season. Let each group share with the class. Review the chart you made at the beginning of the school on seasons. 

2. Take children back to the adopted tree. Have students sit in front of tree and observe the changes that have occurred. Encourage the students to use descriptive words. 

3. Model for students how you would draw the fall tree and write the word fall. 

4. Pass out lapboards, one piece of paper and crayons to each student. Tell the students to draw the tree and write the word fall. Remind them to look at the shape of the tree and colors. 

5. As students are drawing, walk around encouraging them to look at the tree and draw what they see. Use descriptive words when talking about the tree and their picture. 

6. Keep pictures to make individual books at the end of year.

Lesson Four: Winter Tree (to be completed during the winter season) Have lapboards, one piece of paper and crayons ready to take on walk

1. Show the students the chart you made at the beginning of the year of the four seasons. Ask students to describe each season, reminding them about the colors of the seasons, events that take place, what happens to people, plants, and animals during each season.

 2. Also, show the student's summer and fall pictures of the adopted tree and have a few students describe what they drew. Ask students to guess what the tree will look like in the winter season. 

3. Take the students to the tree. Divide the class into two groups. The teacher takes one group and the assistant takes the other. Each group brainstorms together to discuss changes in the tree. 

4. Bring students together and have a few students from each group tell about what they saw. 

5. Pass out lapboards, one piece of paper, and crayons to each student. Tell the students to draw the tree and write the word winter. 

6. As students are drawing walk around encouraging students to look at the shape and colors of the tree. Help students write the word winter. Use descriptive words. 

7. Save the pictures to make book at the end of year. (every student should have three pictures saved)

Lesson Five: Spring Tree (to be completed during the spring season) Have lapboards, one piece of paper, and crayons ready to take on walk

1. Show students the pictures they drew of the adopted tree, (summer tree, fall tree and winter tree). 

2. Have students share a tree from one of the seasons and describe what they drew. Have some students share characteristic of a season. Show and read the chart they made at the beginning of the year. 

3. Take the students to the tree. Have students sit in front of the tree and discuss the changes that have taken place. 

4. Pass out lapboards, one piece of paper, and crayons to each student. Tell the students to draw the tree and the word summer. 

5. As students are drawing walk around encouraging students to look at the shape and colors of the tree. Encourage them to draw what their see and the word summer. 

6. Save the pictures to make book at the end of year.

Lesson Six: Cover for Book (to be completed the same week as lesson five). 

1. Show students the chart they made about the four seasons. Read the characteristics. Ask the student if they can think of any events or characteristics that were not mentioned. Add to the chart. 

2. Tell the students they are going to make a book with the pictures they drew of the adopted tree. 

3. Brainstorm a title for the book and model for the students how to write it on a blank piece of paper, capitalizing each word. Remind the students the cover should be bright and colorful. 

4. Give each student their four pictures and one blank piece of paper. Pass out the crayons to each student. 

5. Allow each child to think of his/her own title and help them spell the words. This can be done by walking around the room and writing titles on sentence stripe for students to copy. 

6. Display finished books in the library and enter the books in the "Literacy Book Contest".