Weather - it's in the bag!

Hi readers,

I want to introduce you to Jess Ted who is an educator of young children (ages four and five) in Australia. She is such a creative and fun teacher I am always inspired by her hands on lessons that she posts on Instagram. Be sure to check out her feed on Instagram to see what she is up to in her classroom. Below, she shares about her experience creating a hands on and interactive lesson about weather for her young learners. Here she is in her own words, Jess Ted:

“Our team plans an inquiry unit together each term. This term the concept was weather. I based my lesson around the students' questions and wonderings about the concept of weather and went from there. One topic that kept coming up was storms. Many students asked about storms, so this lesson was based around creating their own storms....in a bag!

Lots of problem solving and spit everywhere but so much fun! I think was more excited when mine worked than the kids were!

I got creative and decided to have students participate in a mini experiment and create storms in a bag. I gathered materials – Ziplock bags, straws, markers, tissue paper, printer paper, cotton, etc. Then the rest was up to the students to explore this idea of making a storm in a bag. Students put different materials into their ziplock bag.

First, the children had time to decorate their plastic zip lock bag with a Sharpie showing a winter storm and demonstrating their knowledge of weather and what you might need to wear in winter. Then I gave them a straw to use as the wind and explained their breath was going to be the catalyst for the storm – the excitement level went up to 100!

Students then brainstormed about things around the classroom that we thought might blow around inside the bag. Children experimented with ripped up paper, cellophane, tissue paper, tissues and cotton, etc. They were excited to see that all those materials worked! They LOVED the mini experiment and it was such a rich learning experience for them!"

Meet Jess

I'm an Early Years teacher from Australia and have been teaching Reception for 5 years running (am I crazy!?!).

Connect with me on Instagram @teach.sleep.caffeinate.repeat

Now what? Do you have a great mini lesson to share? Share it below in the comments. Or respond below about how you incorporate hands on lessons in your classroom or how you have your students engage in episodic learning.

Remember my friends, you have the EduMagic in you!