Virginia SOL 4.4.a

Science4th GradeEarth and Space Systems

The Standard

weather measurements create a record that can be used to make weather predictions

Virginia Standards of Learning for Science

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students collect temperature, precipitation, wind, and cloud data over several days. They organize the data and use patterns to predict likely weather.
What Mastery Looks Like: Students choose the correct tool for each measurement and record results accurately in a table or graph. They make a reasonable forecast and support it with specific data.
Common Misconceptions: Students may treat one observation as enough evidence for a forecast. They may confuse weather with climate, mix up measuring tools, or believe predictions are always certain.
How to Assess It: Give students a four-day weather table. Ask them to predict day five and cite two measurements that support their prediction.

Lesson moves

Set up a schoolyard weather station, collect measurements at the same time for five days, and graph each type of data.
Ask students to write which two weather measurements best support tomorrow's forecast and explain why.
Play Forecast Match by pairing weather data cards with forecast cards, then require students to defend each match.
Compare the class prediction with a local meteorologist's forecast, then check both against the next day's observed weather.

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