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2nd Grade  Project 3 weeks

Weather Wizards: Family Fun Forecasts!

Skylie W
Feb 21, 2026
Updated Mar 24, 2026
SCI.2.ESS.1
SCI.2.ESS.3
ELA.2.R.1
ELA.2.W.2.b
M.2.MD.D.10
+ 6 more
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Purpose

The purpose of this project is to engage second-grade students in hands-on learning experiences where they explore the connection between weather changes and community life using authentic materials. Through collaborative activities, students will interact directly with local climate data, hear real stories from family members, and partner with community meteorologists. This immersive project encourages critical thinking, effective communication, and teamwork as students understand how weather impacts lifestyle adaptations, transportation, and cultural practices. By creating diverse projects rooted in community stories and scientific observations, students will gain a deeper appreciation of how weather shapes identity and culture.

Learning goals

Students will deepen their understanding of how weather affects community life by engaging in hands-on activities, such as recording and analyzing real-world weather data, rather than simulations. They will build communication skills through authentic interviews and presentations, using actual data and narratives from their community. Collaboration is central, as students work together on projects, partner with a real meteorologist, and present findings in real-world scenarios. Math skills will be applied to graph data, with tools used to measure and represent actual weather conditions, while writing skills will be honed by crafting informative texts based on genuine observations and interviews.

Standards
  • [Wisconsin] SCI.2.ESS.1 - Students use science and engineering practices, crosscutting concepts, and an understanding of Earth’s place in the universe to make sense of phenomena and solve problems.
  • [Wisconsin] SCI.2.ESS.3 - Students use science and engineering practices, crosscutting concepts, and an understanding of the Earth and human activity to make sense of phenomena and solve problems.
  • [Wisconsin] ELA.2.R.1 - Develop and answer questions to demonstrate an understanding of key ideas and details in a text. (RI&RL)
  • [Wisconsin] ELA.2.W.2.b - Informative/explanatory text in which they introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding statement or section.
  • [Wisconsin] M.2.MD.D.10 - Draw a picture graph and a bar graph (with single-unit scale) to represent a data set with up to four categories. Solve simple put together, take-apart, and compare problems using information presented in a bar graph.
  • [Wisconsin] M.2.MD.D.9 - Generate measurement data by measuring lengths of several objects to the nearest whole unit, or by making repeated measurements of the same object. Show the measurements by making a line plot, where the horizontal scale is marked off in whole-number units.
  • [Wisconsin] SS.Geog4.a.2 - Categorize characteristics of the local community (e.g., weather and climate, population, landforms, vegetation, culture, industry). Describe how certain places have meanings that distinguish them from other places. (e.g., shopping mall, park, places of worship).
  • [Wisconsin] SS.Geog3.b.2 - Compare and contrast the different modes of transportation and communication used by families in work and daily lives.
Competencies
  • Critical Thinking & Problem Solving - Students consider a variety of innovative approaches to address and understand complex questions that are authentic and important to their communities.
  • Effective Communication - Students practice listening to understand, communicating with empathy, and share their learning through exhibiting, presenting and reflecting on their work.
  • Collaboration - Students co-design projects with peers, exercise shared-decision making, strengthen relational agency, resolve conflict, and assume leadership roles.

Products

Throughout the project, students will create a collaborative storybook using authentic materials, illustrating characters from their community experiencing various weather conditions and adaptations. They will also produce short animated films or presentations, incorporating actual data and real interviews to narrate weather impacts on community life. By the project's end, student creations will be showcased at the Weather Fair Day, offering insights through genuine storytelling and visual representation.

Launch

Kick off the learning experience with the 'Seasons of Our Community Fair,' where students actively engage with diverse weather-themed stations, offering hands-on experiences with authentic materials like local clothing and tools for different weather conditions. Include interactive storytelling of community culture influenced by climate and collaborative mural art projects using outdoor elements to depict seasonal changes. This immersive event aims to spark curiosity and set the stage for exploring how weather shapes our community identity and lifestyle.

Exhibition

Participate in "Weather Fair Day," where students become 'news reporters' presenting live stories about weather conditions and their impacts. Use authentic materials such as real-time weather data and interviews conducted with local meteorologists and community members. Encourage students to include multimedia elements like video clips or animations to vividly showcase how weather influences their community's lifestyle and identity throughout the seasons.

Plan
By Phase By Day Calendar
Empathize Define Ideate Prototype Test/Present
Empathize
Students will investigate how weather affects real people in their community by listening to family stories, organizing interview evidence into empathy maps, and identifying patterns in how families adapt clothing, play, and transportation choices during different weather conditions.
Days 1 - 2
🎉 Seasons of Our Community Festival
Launch 45m
☁️ Weather & Community Needs Mini-Lesson
Knowledge/Skill Building 25m
🎤 Family Weather Interviews
Community Experience 20m
No activities have been added to this phase yet.

Edit Phase

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Define
Students will synthesize family and meteorologist interview insights and class weather data to define a clear, user-centered weather challenge using a grounded How Might We statement supported by evidence.
Days 3 - 4
🗂️ Interview Take Aways
Deliverable 30m
Identifying Weather Needs Using Sentence Frames
Knowledge/Skill Building 15m
✏️ Team Weather Poster
Deliverable 25m
Peer Feedback Carousel
Assessment 20m
No activities have been added to this phase yet.

Edit Phase

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Ideate
Students will generate many possible weather adaptation solutions grounded in real user interviews and data, then narrow their ideas to 2–3 strong concepts using user-need criteria before moving to prototyping.
Days 5 - 7
💡 15 Weather Adaptation Ideas
Deliverable 45m
Weather Sketches
Knowledge/Skill Building 45m
🔎 Weather Research Gallery
Deliverable 45m
No activities have been added to this phase yet.

Edit Phase

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Prototype
Students will build, test, and improve weather adaptation models for their community by creating low- and higher-fidelity prototypes, gathering real user feedback, measuring and labeling model features, and documenting how feedback leads to design changes before Weather Fair Day.
Days 8 - 11
✂️ Cardboard Weather Model Draft
Project Work 45m
🗣️ User Testing & Feedback Notes
Deliverable 45m
🤝 Community Weather Panel
Deliverable 45m
🔁 Prototype Iteration & Change Log
Assessment 45m
No activities have been added to this phase yet.

Edit Phase

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Test/Present
Students will validate their weather adaptation models with new users, refine their designs based on real feedback, and present their full design journey at Weather Fair Day, clearly connecting user research, data graphs, interviews, and prototype revisions.
Days 12 - 15
🧪 New User Model Testing
Project Work 45m
🧭 Weather Data Review
Deliverable 20m
🧭 Analyzing Community Weather Tales
Deliverable 25m
🛠️ Final Model Revisions
Deliverable 45m
🎤 Weather Fair News Report
Assessment 45m
No activities have been added to this phase yet.

Edit Phase

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Empathize Days 1–2
Day 1
🎉 Seasons of Our Community Festival
Launch 45m
Day 2
☁️ Weather & Community Needs Mini-Lesson
Knowledge/Skill Building 25m
🎤 Family Weather Interviews
Community Experience 20m
Define Days 3–4
Day 3
🗂️ Interview Take Aways
Deliverable 30m
Day 4
Identifying Weather Needs Using Sentence Frames
Knowledge/Skill Building 15m
✏️ Team Weather Poster
Deliverable 25m
Peer Feedback Carousel
Assessment 20m
Ideate Days 5–7
Day 5
💡 15 Weather Adaptation Ideas
Deliverable 45m
Day 6
Day 7
Weather Sketches
Knowledge/Skill Building 45m
🔎 Weather Research Gallery
Deliverable 45m
Prototype Days 8–11
Day 8
✂️ Cardboard Weather Model Draft
Project Work 45m
Day 9
Day 10
🗣️ User Testing & Feedback Notes
Deliverable 45m
Day 11
🤝 Community Weather Panel
Deliverable 45m
🔁 Prototype Iteration & Change Log
Assessment 45m
Test/Present Days 12–15
Day 12
🧪 New User Model Testing
Project Work 45m
Day 13
🧭 Weather Data Review
Deliverable 20m
🧭 Analyzing Community Weather Tales
Deliverable 25m
Day 14
🛠️ Final Model Revisions
Deliverable 45m
Day 15
🎤 Weather Fair News Report
Assessment 45m

May 2026

Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
11 Day 1
Empathize
🎉 Seasons of Our Community Festival
12 Day 2
☁️ Weather & Community Needs Mini-Lesson
🎤 Family Weather Interviews
13 Day 3
Define
🗂️ Interview Take Aways
14 Day 4
Identifying Weather Needs Using Sentence Frames
✏️ Team Weather Poster
Peer Feedback Carousel
15 Day 5
Ideate
💡 15 Weather Adaptation Ideas
18 Day 6
19 Day 7
Weather Sketches
🔎 Weather Research Gallery
20 Day 8
Prototype
✂️ Cardboard Weather Model Draft
21 Day 9
22 Day 10
🗣️ User Testing & Feedback Notes
25 Day 11
🤝 Community Weather Panel
🔁 Prototype Iteration & Change Log
26 Day 12
Test/Present
🧪 New User Model Testing
27 Day 13
🧭 Weather Data Review
🧭 Analyzing Community Weather Tales
28 Day 14
🛠️ Final Model Revisions
29 Day 15
🎤 Weather Fair News Report
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