Rain or sunshine
Module
Connecting with the Natural World
Unit
Weather
Key Stage Targets (KS2)
To develop an ever-improving capability to use English
- to interpret and use given information through processes or activities such as matching, sequencing, describing, classifying, comparing, explaining, predicting, drawing conclusions; and to follow instructions (Knowledge Strand/Dimension b)
Programme Outline
A family of gnomes* live in the garden. Funny things always happen to them. When they are preparing their lunch in the garden on a sunny day, the weather suddenly changes. It becomes cloudy and windy. It also pours with rain. Then John finds something he has never seen before in the garden. This “object” makes music and has a voice to tell the weather. John has a great idea. He listens to the weather reports and writes down the daily weather on a black board outside his house for everyone in the village to see. One day, Mummy wants Biddy and Adam to help her do the shopping. The children are busy making a model. They do not want to go. Adam asks Mummy, “Do we have to go if it rains?” “No.” Mummy says. So Adam makes some “rain”. But how does he do it?
*In children’s stories, a gnome is an imaginary creature that is like a small old man with a beard and pointed hat. In Europe people sometimes put small statues of gnomes in their gardens.
Communicative Functions
1. Describe the daily weather
2. Give a simple description of oneself and others in terms of name
Pre-viewing Activities
1. Introduce the characters (gnomes): the presenter - Jack, Daddy - John, Mummy – Mary, daughter – Biddy, son – Adam.
2. Invite the pupils to tell the weather of the day and introduce some words to describe the daily weather.
3. For motivation, ask them to draw some symbols to describe the weather, for example, sunny – draw a smiling sun and so on.
4. Introduce the beginning of the story. It’s a sunny and fine day, the family wants to have lunch in the garden. Ask the pupils to guess what will happen to the weather.
5. Introduce the programme outline.
While-viewing Activities
Ask your pupils to interact with the presenter as much as possible by answering his questions.
(1) The presenter asks, “So girls and boys. What is the weather today?” Next, he shows a scroll of paper with the words “It is fine today.” Encourage the pupils to read aloud together.
(2) The presenter asks, “What is the weather?” Next, some dark clouds and wind appear. Pupils will hear a child’s voice answering “It is cloudy and windy.” Then the presenter shows a scroll of paper with the words. Encourage the pupils to answer “It is cloudy and windy.”
(3) The presenter asks, “What is the weather today?” Next, words “Please answer together.” will appear on the screen. Then, two key words appear on the screen one by one. Please ask the class to respond and answer according to the sequence, for example, the first one is: “It’s hot and sunny.”
(a) Hot Sunny
(b) Cold Windy
(c) Cloudy Rainy
(4) The presenter says, “And the temperature? The temperature is thirty degrees.” Pupils can see the thermometer rising to 30 degrees C. Next, words “Please answer together.” appear on the screen. Then, the prompt “Is it hot? Cold? Warm?” will appear in sequence. Please ask the class to respond and answer according to the sequence.
(i) The temperature is thirty degrees. (Answer: It’s hot.)
(ii) The temperature is ten degrees. (Answer: It’s cold.)
(iii) The temperature is twenty degrees. (Answer: It’s warm.)
Post-viewing Activities
COPYMASTER 1
Worksheet 1. What is the weather? Describe the pictures.
Answers: 1. It’s cloudy. 2. It’s hot. 3. It’s cold. 4. It’s cloudy and rainy.
COPYMASTER 2
Worksheet 2. Is it hot? Is it cold? Is it warm? Look at the pictures and answer the questions.
Answers: 1. It’s cold. 2. It’s warm. 3. It’s hot.
COPYMASTER 3
Worksheet 3. (Optional activity)
Draw a symbol to describe the weather.
COPYMASTER 1
Rain Or Sunshine
Post-viewing activities Worksheet 1 What is the weather?
______
Please look at the pictures. Choose the most appropriate answers below to describe the pictures.
(a) It’s hot. (b) It’s hot and rainy. (c) It’s cloudy and rainy.
(e). It’s cloudy. (d) It’s cold.
1. ______.
2. ______.
3. ______
4. ______
COPYMASTER 2
Rain Or Sunshine
Post-viewing activities Worksheet 2
______
Please look at the temperature in each picture and answer.
Is it hot? Is it cold? Is it warm?
1. ______
2. ______
3. ______
______
COPYMASTER 3
Rain Or Sunshine
Post-viewing activities Worksheet 3 (Optional)
______
Draw the weather, for example, a smiling sun for sunny weather.
1. It’s sunny today.
______
2. It’s cloudy today.
______
3. It’s rainy today.
______
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