This curriculum unit is a “hands-on” approach on a primary level (which can be extended to the intermediate grades) to explaining the different effects certain weather conditions and a few other influences have on our Earth. This is done through hands-on activities and a series of experiments.
The curriculum unit is introduced by way of the seashore using Eric Carle’s
A House for Hermit Crab
which is especially meaningful for children who live near the coast. This is also done in a hands-on manner.
Prior to the main part of the curriculum, the continents, the continents’ formation and the geography of the Earth are explained—again in a hands-on manner.
The following weather conditions and environmental influences are covered:
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1. Winds 6. Monsoons
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2. Hurricanes 7. Heat and Temperature
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3. Ocean Currents 8. Volcanoes
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4. Tidewater Basins 9. Erosion
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5. El Ni–o 10. Global Pollution
Also included are a sequence, a glossary, adult and children’s bibliographies, a pacing chart and additional resources.
I HEAR, AND I FORGET . . . I SEE, AND I REMEMBER . . .
I DO, AND I UNDERSTAND. Chinese Proverb
(Recommended for Science, grades K-6)
