Guess, Graph and Dress for Today's Temperature

Thank you to Open Door Learning Center for sharing this Tutor Tip!

Purpose: In this warm-up activity students make predictions and collect and graph data while becoming familiar with Fahrenheit temperature, a calendar, line graphs and appropriate dress for the temperature.

Prep: 20 minutes to gather materials.

Materials: Internet access, whiteboard, copies of the current month’s calendar (1 per student), a graph, pictures of people wearing clothing for various types of weather.

Procedure:

1. Ask students to guess today’s temperature. You may say, “What’s the temperature today?”
2. List several guesses on the board.
3. Check the temperature using the Internet.
4. Ask students who “won.” Circle the name of the student who came closest to the actual temperature. 
5. Students write the temperature on their calendars.
6. Teacher graphs the temperature on a line graph. After practicing this activity often enough, have students come up and plot the point on the graph or students could keep up their own graphs.
7. As you draw the line on the graph say, “The temperature went _____ today.” Students fill in the blank by saying “up” or “down.”
8. Show pictures of people dressed in various outdoor attire. Students say “okay” or “no” to indicate if clothing is appropriate for that day’s temperature.