Lesson 4: Measuring the weather
This Year 1 rain gauge science lesson introduces pupils to measuring weather and using simple weather instruments. Pupils explore how scientists collect information about the weather before making their own rain gauge and using it to investigate rainfall.
The lesson supports the Year 1 National Curriculum requirements to observe changes across the four seasons and observe and describe weather associated with the seasons. It also develops Working Scientifically skills as pupils ask simple scientific questions, make a prediction and use simple equipment to measure weather.
How do we measure rainfall?
Pupils explore weather stations and different weather instruments before focusing on how rainfall can be measured. They make a simple rain gauge from a plastic bottle, create a measurement scale and choose a suitable place outside to collect rain. Pupils then predict how much rain might fall and explain their prediction using what they know about the current season.
Year 1 rain gauge lesson and resources
This lesson includes:
- Teacher lesson plan with National Curriculum links, Working Scientifically, vocabulary, misconceptions and assessment questions
- teaching slides exploring weather instruments and measuring rainfall
- rain gauge instruction sheet
- Changing Weather A3 recording sheet
- practical rain gauge investigation with differentiated approaches to creating the measurement scale
✨ How to use the launchable slides
Launch the presentation directly in your browser and use it on your interactive whiteboard.
📝 Click Notes to see teacher guidance, answers and additional information where included.
⬅️ ➡️ To move through the presentation, click on the slides first, then use the left and right cursor arrow keys on your keyboard.
For technical and copyright reasons, these presentation slides are available to launch online rather than download.
Explore more Year 1 Seasonal Changes lessons and resources, or see our Year 1 science scheme.
This resource is part of the Mrs Mactivity Science Scheme of Work →
