Weather and Climates: Epic 3rd/4th Grade Classroom Mission

Storyline

Alaska's annual ice sculpture festival is in danger when an unknown creature crashes through the atmosphere right into the middle of the festival!

When a strange creature crashes into the middle of the festival, the ice sculptures begin to melt. It's up to the crew to analyze different climates from around the world and choose one that is better suited to this hot-blooded creature!

Est. time: 39 min

Targeted Standards

3-Dimensional Science

Science and Engineering Practices

Asking questions or defining problems

Ask questions that can be investigated and predict reasonable outcomes based on patterns such as cause and effect relationships.

Developing and using models

Develop and/or use models to describe and/or predict phenomena.

Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

Make observations and/or measurements to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence for an explanation of a phenomenon or test a design solution.

Analyzing and Interpreting Data

Represent data in tables and/or various graphical displays (bar graphs, pictographs and/or pie charts) to reveal patterns that indicate relationships.

Analyzing and interpreting data

Compare and contrast data collected by different groups in order to discuss similarities and differences in their findings.

Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Read and comprehend grade appropriate complext texts and/or other reliable media to summarize and obtain scientific and technical ideas and describe how they are supported by evidence.

Crosscutting Concepts

Patterns

Students identify similarities and differences in order to sort and classify natural objects and designed products. They identify patterns related to time, including simple rates of change and cycles, and to use these patterns to make predictions.

Disciplinary Core Ideas

ESS2.D: Weather and Climate

Climate describes patterns of typical weather conditions over different scales and variations. Historical weather patterns can be analyzed.

Melting Point