(asynchronous/fully online)

Unit Objective:
Explain the weather instruments used in meteorology; differentiate between
each instrument and explain their uses.
Analyze the benefits of weather instruments when it comes to weather
forecasting.
Lesson Plan Outline
Day
1

Lesson Phase
Introduction
Set a purpose; introduce the
topic with an attentiongrabber and information to
get the students to think.

Activities

Technology

> Watch the following video:

"Weather Instruments Song"

YouTube video

> Participate in the following discussion

board: "Content Introduction"

Discussion Board

> Read chapter 1, sections 1-4

Foundation
Check on previous learning.
Clarify key points of the
lesson, including standards,
goals, and objectives;
building background knowledge and key vocabulary.

Brain Activation
Ask questions; clarify;
provide additional back-

> Respond to three posts made by

other students in the "Content
Introduction" discussion board.

Discussion Board

> Students should review the course

objectives and requirements for the
first assignment.

Online Classroom

> Using the Google Doc available under

the "Contents" tab, each student must
choose a weather instrument, write a
definition and include the uses and
benefits of that instrument. Do not
duplicate instruments; it's first come,
first served.

Web 2.0 tool

> Complete the "Weather Watch"

interactive activity

Online,
Interactive
Activity

ground knowledge.

Body of New Information

Build background knowledge,
lecture, and introduce key
new points of understanding,
correcting misconceptions.
Read text; complete wholeclass problems; conduct
class discussion.

> Participate in the following discussion

board: "Weather Instruments &
Weather Forecasting"

Discussion Board

> Read chapter 1, sections 5-8

Text Reading

> For students who have questions

about content or the course in
general, use the "Unit 1 Help"
discussion board.

Discussion Board

Clarification
Provide sample problems
and situations. Pose
questions to move students
toward independent work.

> Students should reflect on a

the information covered over the last
three days. This assignment should be in
the form of a short essay, no longer than
a few paragraphs. Submit essay under
the "Assignments" tab.

Reflective Essay

Practice and Review

Students work with teacher
and whole class, in small
groups, or with a partner to
clarify learning. Provide
opportunities for reteaching.

> (Optional Activity) Students can

complete the "Windows2Universe"
interactive activity for review on
weather instruments and how they are
used with forecasting.

Interactive
Activity

> Students should respond to at least

two posts made by other students for
discussion topics 2 & 3.

Discussion Board

> Students should complete the online

chapter review that is available through
the textbook website. Answers should
be submitted via the "Assignments" tab.

Interactive
Assessment

> Continue responding to discussion

board posts, work on Unit 1 Assignment

Discussion Board

> (Optional) Students can complete

the chapter review at the end of chapter

Discussion Board

Independent Practice
Students practice on their
own. Struggling students
get additional practice.

Closure
Connect the lesson details

together. Answer questions

and respond to whole-class
difficulties.

one. Any questions about content can

be addressed in the "Unit 1 Help"
discussion board.

Assessment
Evaluate the student's
understanding of concepts.

> Students should complete and turn in

the Unit 1 Assessment to the
"Assignments" tab. See "Contents" for
assignment specifics.

Unit Assessment

Day 1:
Activities
Watch the following video- Weather Instruments Song, which can be found at the
following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBfaAn_tWW4
Participate in the following discussion topic: Content Introduction, which asks
students to discuss what they found interesting in the Weather Instruments Song video
Read chapter 1, sections 1 4
Justification:
Day one starts with an attention-grabber, the Weather Instruments Song video. Students are
then asked to discuss what they found interesting about the video in the Content Introduction
website, and they are to respond to two other students posts to get the conversations going.
These two activities set the purpose for this unit and get students thinking about the content for
this unit. The last task, reading the first few sections of chapter one, provides access to the bulk
of this units content. Students will learn key points and vocabulary that will be important
throughout the unit.
Day 2:
Activities:
Continue responding to posts in the Content Introduction discussion board
Students should ensure they are familiar with the course objectives and requirements for
the first assessment
Using the Google Doc the instructor created, available under the Contents tab, students
are asked to choose a weather instrument. On the Google Doc, students will add their
weather instruments definition and should include key uses and benefits of the

instrument. Students are asked not to duplicate instruments; its first come, first served
and we want to ensure we have a comprehensive class-glossary
Justification:
Day two checks on the learning completed after reading the first sections of chapter one. By
continuing to post to the first discussion board, well-developed conversations are occurring and
students are building a sense of community where students are being creative and are engaged
with what is being posted. The Google Doc activity allows students to work in a collaborative
environment using a Web 2.0 tool. The point of this assignment is to create a thorough and
complete class-glossary of terms that students can refer back to for the remainder of this unit.
Day 3:
Activities:
Complete the Weather Watch interactive activity, found at the following website:
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/wwatch/
Participate in the following discussion board: Weather Instruments & Weather
Forecasting; students are asked to discuss how weather instruments help with weather
forecasting; they are asked to provide a time where they experienced severe weather and
to think of the weather instruments that helped weather forecasters predict that weather
event
Read chapter 1, sections 5 8
For students who may have questions about the content or the course in general, use the
Unit 1 Help discussion board
Justification:
Day three allows students to ask questions and have concepts clarified. Students are also
introduced to new concepts and points of understanding. On day three a new discussion board is
available so students can discuss the relationship between weather instruments and weather
forecasting. They are also asked to reflect on a personal experience with severe weather and to
think of the weather instruments that helped weather forecasters predict that weather event. With
this discussion board, students must rely on prior knowledge to create new knowledge. This is
central to the constructivist approach.
Day 4:
Activities:
Students are asked to write a reflection essay on what has been covered in the last three
days; the essay should be no longer than a few paragraphs and should be submitted under
the Assignments tab

 (Optional Activity) Students can complete the Windows2Universe interactive activity

that provides a review on weather instruments and how they are used with forecasting;
this activity can be found at the following link:
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/wwatch/gather_data/
Students should continue to respond to both discussion boards to keep conversations
active and engaging
Justification:
Day four allows students to move more towards independent work, and they are able to pose
questions to the class in the Unit 1 Help discussion board. The opportunity for re-teaching is
available through an optional activity and through the help discussion board. This allows
students to prepare for the second half of the unit.
Day 5:
Activities:
Students should complete the online chapter review that is available through the
textbook website. A link to the textbook website is available under the Resources tab.
Answers should be submitted via the Assignments tab
Continue responding to discussion board posts
Students should spend time working on their Unit 1 Assessment
Justification:
Day five allows students to work individually; practicing on their own. Students that are
struggling can use the Unit 1 Help discussion board for additional assistance with content.
Students are preparing to wrap up the unit.
Day 6:
Activities:
(Optional) Students can complete the chapter quiz located at the end of chapter one;
answers can be posted in the Unit 1 Help discussion board and the instructor will check
answers and provide feedback
Students are asked to continue posting to previous discussion boards; continue
conversations using prior experiences and knowledge gained in this unit
Students should be completing the Unit 1 Assignment; students can post their final drafts
to the Unit 1 Assessment- Draft discussion board for peer review and instructor
feedback
Justification:

Day six allows students to connect the lesson details together by participating in this units
discussion boards. Students should be finishing up conversations and providing feedback to each
others Unit 1 Assessment rough drafts. Peer to peer feedback is another layer of collaboration,
where students are able to further develop a sense of community. The Unit 1 Help discussion
board is still available for students to ask questions for peer and instructor feedback. Day six
allows students to finish up work for Unit 1 and complete their Unit 1 Assessment.
Day 7:
Activities:
Students are asked to complete the Unit 1 Assessment. Completed assessments should
be submitted via the Assignments tab; assessment is worth 10% of final grade
Complete an unfinished work for Unit 1
Justification:
Day seven serves as an evaluation of each students progress throughout the unit. The
assessment allows the instructor to get a comprehensive view of the students understanding of
this units concepts, key ideas, and vocabulary. By allowing students to turn in any unfinished
work, the instructor is providing students with an opportunity to ensure they understand and are
able to retain the information learned in this unit.
Unit 1 Assessment
For the Unit 1 Assessment, students are given two choices to complete this assessment:
1st choice - students are asked to write a 450-800 word essay that discusses four weather
instruments that they feel is the most important to meteorology today. Students should discuss
how they benefit weather forecasters now and in the future. Students are required to include
details regarding at least one experience with severe weather, showing how the instruments were
beneficial.
2nd choice students are asked to create a PowerPoint presentation that provides information
about five weather instruments that they feel are the most important in meteorology today.
Students should provide a detailed description of each instrument, including its uses, using no
less than 8 slides. Students should include images, graphics, charts, etc. to create a visually
appealing presentation.
With both choices, please include a references page for all sources used that is included at the
end of your paper/presentation. Papers/presentations should be submitted via the Assignments
tab by midnight on the last day of the unit (day 7). Do not be scared to get creative youre your
Unit 1 assessment!

Unit 1 Grading Rubric:

Criteria

STRUCTURE

WRITING

TECHNICAL/
GRAMMAR/
SPELLING

100 - 90
Student addresses
four instruments
in great detail;
student includes
uses and benefits
of instrument and
includes at least
one personal
experience that
ties in well with
instrument and its
uses

WRITTEN PAPER
89 - 80
Student addresses
four instruments
and includes the
benefits and uses;
student includes
a personal
experience that is
adequately
described

79 - 70
Student addresses
less than four
instruments,
includes benefits
and uses; student
includes a personal
experience, but
lacks detail and
does not link
experience with
instruments,

F
Student addresses
less than 2
instruments and
fails to include
benefits and uses;
student fails to
include a personal
experience

Student's topics
flow well from one
to the other; main
ideas are clear
and explained in
detail; there is a
clear introduction,
body, and
conclusion

Student's ideas
are presented in an
organized fashion;
topics flow, but
could use more
supporting detail;
student includes
a introduction,
body, and
conclusion

Student has an
introduction, body,
and conclusion;
topics are not tied
together well
from paragraph to
paragraph, but
address key
points in an
organized fashion

Student fails to
include an
introduction, body,
and conclusion;
topics are not
well-thought out
and paper is not
very organized

Student addresses
all elements
required for this
assessment;
student followed
all technical
requirements and
there were very
few grammar/
spelling errors;
there are no APA
formatting errors

Student addresses
required elements,
but there are
some mistakes
regarding the
technical
requirements;
there are a few
grammar/spelling
errors; there
are a couple APA
formatting errors

Student addresses
most of the
required elements;
there are a few
mistakes
regarding technical
requirements;
there are many
grammar/spelling
errors; there are a
few APA formatting
errors; there are a

Student only
addresses a couple
of the required
elements; there
are many technical
requirements
that were not met;
there are a lot of
grammar/spelling
errors; there are
many APA
formatting errors

Criteria

STRUCTURE

PRESENTATION

TECHNICAL/
GRAMMAR/
SPELLING

100 - 90
Student addresses
five instruments
in great detail;
student includes
uses and benefits
of instrument that
they feel are most
important in
today's meteorology; very detailed
description, including uses and
benefits; eight or
more slides used

PRESENTATION
89 - 80
Student addresses
five instruments
and includes the
benefits and uses;
student addresses
the importance of
these tools in
today's meteorology; good details
and at least eight
slides used

79 - 70
Student addresses
less than four
instruments,
includes benefits
and uses, but does
not provide a lot
of detail; addresses
the importance of
instruments in
today's meteorology, but could
include more
detail; at least six
slides used

F
Student addresses
less than 2
instruments and
fails to include
benefits and uses;
student fails to
include address
why instruments
are important in
today's
meteorology; less
than six slides
used

Student's presentation includes

graphics, images,
and charts that
go well with main
concepts; slides
flow well from one
to the next;
cohesive project

Student's imagery
goes well with main
concepts; slides
flow well from one
to the next;
project is designed
well, but could
use more detail

There are very few

images, graphics,
or charts included;
slides each have
main concepts, but
do not flow well
from one to the
next; could use
more detail

Student does not

include imagery;
slides show very
little understanding of concept
and do not flow
well from one to
the next;
presentation
needs more detail

Student addresses
all elements
required for this
assessment;
student followed
all technical
requirements and
there were very
few grammar/
spelling errors;
there are no APA
formatting errors

Student addresses
required elements,
but there are
some mistakes
regarding the
technical
requirements;
there are a few
grammar/spelling
errors; there
are a couple APA
formatting errors

Student addresses
most of the
required elements;
there are a few
mistakes
regarding technical
requirements;
there are many
grammar/spelling
errors; there are a
few APA formatting
errors; there are a

Student only
addresses a couple
of the required
elements; there
are many technical
requirements
that were not met;
there are a lot of
grammar/spelling
errors; there are
many APA
formatting errors

Student Learning Advancement:

This lesson plan is development with student learning advancement in mind. In an asynchronous
online learning environment, choosing the right technologies to convey content is crucial to
student success. According to Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Zvacek (2009), it is important
that students demonstrate learning outcomes by accessing learning outcomes using a variety of
technology-based activities (p. 116). This lesson plan also takes advantage of group discussion
with online discussion boards, interactive activities, collaborative documents for group work, and
online video clips. The prepared learning experiences and instructional activities of this lesson
plan reflect a constructivist, or learner-centered. The constructivist approach allows students to
encounter a variety of instructional methods, including reading from textbooks, working
collaboratively, completing interactive activities, watching videos, or viewing presentations
(Simonson, et. al., 2009, p. 119). A constructivist approach helps address multiple learning
styles and emphasizes learner needs, instead of instructor needs.
A great deal of the constructivist approach relies on encouraging students to reflect upon
past experience in order to understand new concepts. According to Cavanaugh, Gillan,
Kromrey, Hess, & Blomeyer (2009), each of us generates our own rules and mental models,
which we use to make sense of our experiences (p. 3). Ultimately, learning can be considered a
simple process where we adjust our mental models to accommodate new experiences
(Cavanaugh, et. al., 2009). Children in grades K-12 do not have the experiences adults have to
reflect upon, so the use of scaffolding is important to mediate their learning. Scaffolding is
important when helping students achieve cognitive understandings that are essential components
of web-based learning experiences (Cavanaugh, et. al., 2009). This is seen in the lesson plan, as
there is a lot of instruction and assistance in the beginning of the unit that tapers off towards day
7, where students are working more autonomously than in previous days.
While the bulk of this lesson plan reflects a constructivist approach, the ideas adapted by
Piaget served as a foundation for the development and design of the lesson plan. Piaget believed
that there should be less emphasis on isolated skills aimed at teaching individual concepts, and
more emphasis on authentic activities where students are more likely to learn skills while
engaged in authentic, meaningful activities (Cavanaugh, et. al., 2014). This approach is known
as the cognitive approach, and can be seen in the way this lesson starts with an attention-grabber
that is modern and engaging to students in 12th grade. Additionally, the week is designed so that
learners can take the initiative to learn what they need to know regarding content, and to improve
their understanding as they re-encounter this content in the future (Linn, 1996).
Ensuring students are able to build a sense of community within the classroom,
interaction is absolutely necessary. Holmbergs theory of distance education, also called guided

didactic conversation, focuses on creating a feeling of belonging and cooperation, as well as to

the actual exchange of questions and answers and arguments in mediated communication
(Simonson, et. al., 2009). This lesson plan emphasizes student-student and student-teacher
interaction, as there are multiple avenues for discussion of content relating to this unit.
According to Simonson, et. al. (2009), a friendly, personal tone and easy access to discussion
boards contribute to learning pleasure and learning pleasure is a form of student motivation that
facilitates learning. This unit presents an opportunity for students to develop a learning
community where they can absorb new content for a more meaningful learning experience.
The pedagogical approaches listed above assist in the advancement of student learning by
creating a classroom environment that facilitates online learning. With the cognitive approach
serving as a foundation, the bulk of this lesson plan reflects a constructivist approach. The
constructivist approach advances learning by allowing students to rely on prior knowledge when
confronted with new concepts. This reflection allows students to connect with the material on a
personal level, ensuring they will remember the material long-term. Collaboration and
communication are crucial components of instructional design for distance education. Building a
sense of community helps students feel more comfortable when discussing topics in a discussion
board.

Media/Technology
This unit relies heavily on media and technology to present instructional content. When
determining which form of media/technology will be used in a particular online classroom, the
instructor needs to focus on selecting something that will engage all learners in active learning
(Simonson, et. al., 2009). The media/technology selections for this lesson plan were determined
based on the pedagogical approaches driving this unit. The YouTube video used during day one
of instruction was chosen as an attention-grabber, as the video includes a popular song most
students will be familiar with. This video draws them in, and they are learning about the different
weather instruments without realizing it.
Discussion boards are a form of technology utilized in an online classroom to develop a
strong sense of community among students. The discussion board represents what would be
open discussion in a traditional brick-and-mortar classroom. Students are able to present their
ideas and respond to the ideas of others, just like they would in a traditional classroom. While
teachers often respond to and comment on student posts, their main role is to guide conversation,
not dictate it. Teachers may ask students to consider different views, approaches, and solutions,
as they are there to observe and guide conversation, not dictate it (Simonson, et. al., 2009). The
discussion boards for this lesson plan allow students to discuss content, reflect up prior
experiences, and develop new knowledge as they progress through the unit.

This lesson plan utilizes online interactive activities to facilitate the learning process.
Since learning styles differ from student to student, providing this medium serves as an indirect
form of teaching that may add to the learners understanding of the content being presented
(Weimin, 1999). The interactive activities are not meant to be supplementary to the course
content, but are designed to be an integral part of the learners experience, where the learner has
control over the time spent on the activity. According to Weimin (1999), integrating interactive
activities offers learners the opportunity to use media most appropriate to individual learning
styles and preferences:

For those who learn best by watching and then doing

Others may learn better by listening than by reading
Others may learn most effectively by this type of media, as the material is densely packed
with conceptual terms and require a great deal of thought and reflection

Web 2.0 tools are multifaceted and dynamic variables that require active participation in the
content of creation process (Weimin, 1999). The Web 2.0 tools that are used in this lesson plan
include the activity with Google Doc and the discussion board. The Google Doc activity serves
as an effective tool for learning and teaching as they facilitate collaborative learning,
collaborative writing, support project based learning, promote creativity, encourage critical
thinking, support inquiry based and social constructivist learning (Weimin, 1999). Participation
on the discussion board is somewhat different, but serve the same purpose. Conversations within
the discussion board support collaboration, knowledge sharing, interaction and communication
from users who come together with a common interest, need or goal (Usluel & Mazman, 2009).
Discussion boards can be considered pedagogical tools, because they allow for the sharing of
knowledge, they support the sense of community that arises, they engage students, and bring
about creativity and expression.

References
Cavanaugh, C., Gillan, K. J., Kromrey, J., Hess, M., & Blomeyer, R. (2014). The effects of
distance education on K-12 student outcomes: A meta-analysis. North Central Regional
Educational Laboratory. Retrieved from
http://faculty.education.ufl.edu/cathycavanaugh/docs/EffectsDLonK-12Students1.pdf
Linn, M. C. (1996). Cognition and distance learning. Journal of the American Society for
Information Science, 47(11), 826-842. Retrieved from
http://www.qou.edu/arabic/researchProgram/distanceLearning/cognitionDistance.pdf
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and learning at a
distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Usluel, Y. K., & Mazman, S. G. (2009). Adoption of web 2.0 tools in distance education.
International Journal of Human Sciences, 6(2), 89-98. Retrieved from
http://researchgate.net
Weimin, Y. (1999). Use and integration of media open and distance learning. The
Commonwealth of Learning and Asian Development Bank. Retrieved from
http://www.col.org/PublicationDocuments/pub_Use_Integration_of_Media_04_web.pdf