## Lesson Plan: Seasons and Weather
### Age Group: Reception (Ages 4-5)
### Duration: 60 minutes
### Topic: Seasons and Weather
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### Learning Objectives:
- To introduce students to the four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
- To explore different weather conditions associated with each season.
- To engage students in a hands-on activity to reinforce their understanding of seasons and weather.
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### Materials Needed:
- Picture cards of the four seasons
- Weather symbols (sun, rain, snow, clouds, wind)
- A large piece of chart paper or whiteboard
- Colouring sheets of different seasons
- Crayons, markers, or coloured pencils
- Glue, scissors
- A storybook about seasons (e.g., "The Tiny Seed" by Eric Carle)
- Seasonal items (leaves, flowers, woolly hat, sunglasses, etc.)
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### Lesson Activities:
#### Introduction (15 minutes)
1. **Greeting and Circle Time:**
- Gather students in a circle.
- Briefly introduce the topic: "Today we are going to learn about the different seasons and the kinds of weather we experience in each one."
2. **Show and Tell:**
- Display the picture cards of the four seasons.
- Briefly discuss each one, asking questions like:
- "What do you see in this picture?"
- "What clothes are the people wearing?"
- "What is the weather like?"
#### Main Activity 1: Story Time (15 minutes)
1. **Read Aloud:**
- Read the storybook "The Tiny Seed" by Eric Carle or another suitable book about seasons.
- As you read, pause to ask questions and engage the children:
- "What do you notice about the weather in this picture?"
- "What season do you think it is?"
#### Main Activity 2: Seasons Chart (15 minutes)
1. **Creating a Seasons Chart:**
- On a large piece of chart paper or whiteboard, draw a large circle divided into four sections, labelled with the seasons.
- Hand out the weather symbols to the children.
- Ask them to come up one by one and stick the weather symbol in the appropriate season.
#### Hands-On Activity: Seasonal Collage (10 minutes)
1. **Craft Time:**
- Provide colouring sheets or pre-cut seasonal items and allow children to colour and decorate them.
- Assist the children in creating a small collage for each season. For example:
- Spring: flowers, birds
- Summer: sun, beach, ice creams
- Autumn: coloured leaves, pumpkins
- Winter: snowflakes, mittens, woolly hats
#### Conclusion (5 minutes)
1. **Recap and Reflection:**
- Gather the children back in a circle.
- Recap what they have learned by asking:
- "Can anyone tell me something about spring?"
- "What kind of weather do we see in winter?"
- Praise the children for their participation and creativity.
#### Extension Activities (Optional):
- **Weather Forecasting Role-Play:**
- Set up a pretend "weather station" where children take turns being the weather reporter.
- **Weather Observation Journal:**
- Give each child a simple journal to draw pictures or write about the weather each day for a week.
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### Assessment:
- Observe and note participation and engagement during discussions and activities.
- Review the seasonal collages for understanding of the seasons and weather concepts.
- Ask individual students to explain a season or type of weather for informal assessment.
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### Adaptations:
- For students needing additional support, provide one-on-one assistance during activities.
- For advanced learners, introduce more complex concepts like the changes in day length with the seasons or different weather phenomena.
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### Reflection for Future Lessons:
- Note which activities were most engaging and effective.
- Consider any adjustments for students who struggled with certain concepts or activities.
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This lesson plan combines visual aids, storytelling, interactive discussions, and hands-on activities to ensure a comprehensive and engaging approach for young learners in Reception.