25 Days of Classrooms: Convening to Plan a Weather Forecast

This month I am sharing stories from

classrooms in Berwyn South District 100.

Day 8: Convening to Plan a Weather Forecast with Rachel Letizia (Science at Heritage)

  

     At the beginning of the school year, I walked past Rachel Letizia's middle school classroom, and they were sitting in a circle.  From the hallway, I was instantly intrigued.  But, since it was the first week, and I was new in my role, I hesitated from walking in for fear that she would wonder why on earth the Literacy Coordinator was walking into her science classroom.  Instead, I waited until I saw her at Institute Day, and told her about how I wanted to visit.  She told me that she started those convening circles to build classroom community.  I knew I had to pop in.

     Today was the day!  Michelle Brezek had scheduled a Pineapple Classroom day, where teachers at Heritage could go into other classrooms and informally observe each other.  I saw Rachel on the list and made a beeline!

 

     When we walked in, Tom Schilling was telling them that snow is in the forecast.  Yep, they were in their circle, watching a weather forecast and writing things down in their notebooks.  When the clip ended, Rachel walked up to the board and made a T-chart with the categories "transitions" and "scientific terms."  As it turns out, they are preparing to write their own weather forecasts, and they were watching Tom Schilling to listen for specific transitions and weather vocabulary that forecasters use.  This was happening in a science class, not an ELA class, to help prepare them to write a script for a forecast.  #proudlitcoach

      How did she generate the conversation, you ask?  Rachel has name pyramids, so she just started going through the stack, calling on students and giving them an option which category they wanted to add to.  With each entry, thoughtful conversation about shades of meaning between words, or how transitions could be modified or used with different types of weather, occurred.  I loved that the students knew right from the start that everyone was accountable for contributing to the conversation, and everyone did.  

    As an added bonus to this Pineapple visit, I happened to be with Michelle Brezek, the HMS literacy coach.  She was able to tell me how this lesson evolved from last year because of thoughtful planning and reflection by Rachel and her team.  My lit coach heart was happy.

     Thanks, Rachel, for using the NGSS and the CCSS to create a meaningful set of lessons for your students.  I can't wait to see their weather forecasts when they're completed!

     Also, in the wise words of advice of Rachel Letizia to her science class, "You cannot guarantee future weather."  Here's hoping Schilling and his call for snow is not guaranteed.  :)