I will choose to complete hands-on classroom themed activities based on weather. I teach 1st class in a DEIS school and I have to cater for a wide range of learning abilities in every lesson.
I think weather is a very broad topic that has many cross curricular opportunities.
I would begin by starting a mind map with the children to see how much vocabulary relating to weather they already know.
I would read the story “whatever the weather” from Twinkl to start a discussion about types of weather and appropriate clothing.
I would set up a sorting activity. The children would work in mixed ability groups for sorting out bags of clothes. They would assign each piece of clothing to a particular season. There would be a sheet with the name of one season on the wall in the 4 corners of the classroom. we would then work as a whole class to discuss which clothing they assigned to each season.
I would then set up an experiment for the children to explore which materials are waterproof. Again in mixed ability groups, they would explore a range of materials and see which ones are waterproof. Which materials would make a good umbrella? They would record their results on a simple checklist.
We would then discuss as a class which materials would be most suitable for an umbrella.
The children would then design and make their own umbrella in groups. They would use appropriate materials that are waterproof . They could use straws to make the parts of an umbrella that hold up the material.
Another STEM activity would be to design and make a house to protect your favourite toy from weather. In small groups, children could use blocks, magnets, lego etc and design houses with aa waterproof roof.
Recording the weather daily on a weather chart is another SESE activity that would link well with this topic.
As an art lesson this could be further extended to painting an umbrella, mixing primary colours to create the colours of a rainbow for their umbrella.