Wyoming Weather

Overview

A team of elementary science teachers (Liz David, Andrea Hayden, Kelli Petrick, and Becky Qualm) created this lesson bank for K-5 educators to help students engage with weather data. The lesson bank integrates weather concepts into classroom instruction using student-collected data and Wyoming-specific data sources. Through investigations, graphing activities, and hands-on experiences, students connect weather patterns to their local communities and everyday lives while building foundational data literacy skills.

The team's overview of this activity is linked HERE. Scroll down to the Resources & Links section of this page to check out their specific materials.

Goals

• Create, implement, and share standards based lessons for K-5 teachers
• Utilize student collected weather data from towns across Wyoming
• Increase students' interaction with weather data available through WY-Adapt
• Facilitate students' sense of place in their community and throughout the state
• Increase students' knowledge and awareness of weather and its impact on their everyday lives

Implementation & Outcomes

• Implemented with elementary students from Buffalo, Jackson, Laramie, and Pinedale
• Students used weather observations and collected data to identify patterns and create visualizations of weather information
• Activities are designed to align with elementary science standards while promoting inquiry and data literacy skills
• Teachers are provided with ready-made lesson materials, templates, and step-by-step guides to support classroom implementation
• Strengthened statewide collaboration among teachers through shared resources and lesson exchanges
• Future plans include creating extension activities and expanding resources to incorporate additional water and climate-related topics and standards

Resources & Links

• Wyoming Weather Lesson Plan Bank
• Step-by-Step Guide to using WY-Adapt

Contact for More Information

For more details about this program or to learn how to incorporate similar activities in your school, please reach out to the TRKE program coordinators at smtcpd@uwyo.edu.