Unit Plan 13 (PreK Social Studies): Weather and the Environment
Help preschoolers observe and describe weather, compare outdoor places, and understand simple ways people use natural resources like trees, water, and sunlight every day.
Focus: Help children notice and describe weather and outdoor features (trees, grass, clouds), compare different places (playground, park, home), and talk about how people use resources (clothing, trees, water) in simple ways.
Grade Level: PreK
Subject Area: Social Studies (Geography • Economics)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 15–20 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, children explore weather and the environment by observing what they see and feel outside. They learn to use words like sunny, cloudy, rainy, windy, and notice natural features such as trees, grass, and puddles. Through stories, pictures, and simple comparisons of places (playground vs. park vs. home), they discover that different places look different and that people use resources (trees, water, clothes) in their everyday lives.
Essential Questions
- What is the weather like today?
- What do we see outside (trees, grass, puddles, clouds)?
- How are different places (playground, park, home) the same or different?
- How do people use things from nature (like trees and water) every day?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Observe and name at least one weather condition (sunny, cloudy, rainy, windy) or natural feature (tree, grass, puddle).
- Describe at least one difference between two places (e.g., playground vs. park; home vs. school).
- Identify at least one resource (tree, water, paper, clothing) and a simple way people use it.
- Create a drawing that shows weather, a place, and something people use (e.g., coat, umbrella, paper).
Standards Alignment — PreK (C3-based custom)
- PK.C3.Geo.4 — Observe and describe the environment. Talks about natural features like trees, grass, and weather.
- Example: “It’s windy today, and the leaves are moving.”
- PK.C3.Geo.5 — Compare features of different places. Notices differences between locations (home vs. school, city vs. park).
- Example: “Our playground has sand, but the park has grass.”
- PK.C3.Econ.5 — Describe how people use resources. Notices how we use natural or manmade items for living.
- Example: “We use trees to make paper.”
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can say what the weather is like today.
- I can tell something I see outside (tree, grass, clouds, puddle).
- I can say how two places are different.
- I can tell one way people use things from nature (like trees or water).