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Comparing Climates

General Information
Grade 6th Grade Class Length of Lesson 50 minutes
Lesson Title Comparing Climates
Unit Title Iowa vs. Regions of the World
Unit Compelling Question

Why would someone choose to live in Iowa?
Historical Context:

Students will read an informational text accompanied by a historic photo of the 1936 blizzards in Iowa. While the photo demonstrates an extreme of Iowa's climate, it is easy to understand what is happening in the image. Iowa experiences four distinct seasons throughout the year: summer is very hot and humid, temperature drop in the fall, winter is extremely cold with snow throughout, and spring brings rain and warmer temperatures.

During the winter of 1936, a series of blizzards struck Iowa. Many towns were forced to shut down completely due to giant snow drifts caused by heavy snowfall and strong winds. Across the state, trains were halted, schools were closed, and roads into towns were impassable. Iowans worked together to shovel and remove snow from roads to allow people to enter town. Some people consider the winter of 1936 to be the worst winter in Iowa's modern history.
Lesson Supporting Question
Lesson Overview

Students will examine authentic photos of Iowa, Mexico, England, and Japan to determine the climate in each place. Student will read an information text to learn about the seasonal patterns, natural disasters, and other weather averages of Iowa and regions around the world.
Primary Sources Used
Print, Photographic 2018.059.005
Resources Needed

Printed worksheets Printed informational handouts
Standard
Lesson Target

Students will be better able to gather relevant information from primary and secondary sources and explain the climate of the state of Iowa.
Lesson Themes Environments, Natural Disasters, Weather
Lesson Procedure
StepProcedureTimeDifferentiation plan / Additional Information
1Handout 1 worksheet and 1 informational sheet to each student.1 minuteYou can save paper by projecting the informational sheet.
2Have a student read aloud the section about London, England to the class. Then direct the students’ attention to the image next to the text and ask them what time of year they think is shown in the picture.3 minutesYou could have students work in partners to read and complete the worksheet or do it as group.
3Give students time to fill out the rest of the worksheet area for London using the text. Then go over each box as a class.7 minutesStudents should write answers in each box – look at key.
4Repeat steps 2 and 3 for Tokyo, Japan.10 minutes 
5Repeat steps 2 and 3 for Mexico City, Mexico.10 minutes 
6Repeat steps 2 and 3 for Iowa.10 minutes 
7As a whole group, discus with your student how Tokyo, Mexico City, and London compare to Iowa’s climate.9 minutesAsk students questions like which place is the coldest, which place experiences more rainfall, which places have the same kinds of natural disasters, etc.
Assessment
Formative Assessment
(How will you use the formative assessments to monitor and inform instruction?)

Large group discussions should allow all students to demonstrate the understanding of the text and images.
Summative Assessment
(How does the lesson connect to planned summative assessment(s)?)

Accurately completed worksheets that are similar to the key provided indicate that this lesson was a success.
Author Information
Author Shelby Nelsen Created Last Edited
Reviewer: N/A
Lesson Plan Development Notes: developed by a museum educator
Print, Photographic
2018.059.005 [Print, Photographic]