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What is InfoActive?
- a series of visual literacy books for K-3
- an introduction to reading and writing nonfiction
- interactive books that engage the beginning reader
- cross-curriculum learn-to-read + read-to-learn
- materials for linking classroom and home learning
Available in a Big Book format (19 x 14 inches) and standard size.
Crazy Weather (Grades K–3)
InfoActive series
by David Drew illustrated by Susan Swan
Children learn how to record temperature and rainfall in a week of crazy weather. Illustrations by award-winning artist Susan Swan.
Grade level K–2
Visual literacy
Calendars: to summarize weather patterns over time
Line graphs: to record temperature changes
Column graphs: to visualize rainfall patterns
Symbols: to summarize weather conditions
Subject areas
English/Language Arts
- How to read a simple calendar
- Reading and writing simple graphs to record the weather
- Using graphs as reference when writing about the weather
- Interpreting visual symbols as found in weather forecasts on TV and in newspapers
Science/Technology
- Weather and climate
- Using a thermometer and rain gauge
- Heat and cold; melting and freezing
Mathematics
- Units of measurement for temperature and rainfall
- Counting and measuring temperature
Social Studies
- Safety and shelter
- Clothing for different climates
- Leisure activities are affected by the weather
Learning strategies
Reading instruments (thermometer, rain gauge) in preparation for reading graphs
Reading graphs to collect information
Finding a narrative in pictures
Samples from the book
Weather symbols are used to summarize the weather for each day.
The USA edition shows temperature in degrees Fahrenheit. All other editions show Celsius, as here.
The USA edition shows rainfall in inches. All other editions show millimeters, as here.
Ideas to get you started
Recording the weather
- Before sharing this book, introduce a thermometer and rain gauge and explain how they work.
- Place the thermometer outside, in the shade. Place the rain gauge on a wall where the rain or snow can fall into it. Remember to empty the gauge each day.
- Take measurements every day and record the results as a line graph or column graph, as shown above.
- When showing the book to the children, point out how the book's graphs are like the weather charts that you and the children have made.
- Ask the children to choose any page of the book and write a weather report based on that page.
- Prepare for this by first showing the children a weather report on TV and discussing the language used. Write on a large sheet of paper the phrases used in the weather report.
- Display a picture glossary about the weather. The symbols will help the children to find the words they need when they write their own weather reports:
Looking closely at the pictures
Susan Swan makes her pictures from hand-colored papers, which are cut out and mounted on board, then photographed.
Notice that the pictures tell their own "silent" story. When we commissioned Susan to illustrate this book, we asked her to show in each picture what has changed since the previous day:
On Monday, a puddle remains from the previous day's rain.
On Tuesday the high cirrus clouds have replaced Monday's low stratocumulus clouds. (More about these differences are in the book Clouds.)
On Wednesday the ground is scattered with leaves from windy Tuesday.
On Thursday the tree has lost all its leaves at last.
On Friday the snowman of the day before has melted in the storm. (Look out the window.)
On Saturday we notice a branch that has been washed up on the beach after Friday's storm.
Children can draw the weather for the next day. What can they include from the day before? (Will the girl have a suntan? What will the dog bring back from the beach?)
Contents of Crazy Weather
- Rainy
- Cloudy
- Windy
- Foggy
- Snowy
- Stormy
- Sunny
- This week's weather
The book Clouds (InfoActive Plus) is a simple introduction to clouds and weather for K-3.
To ask a consultant to show you this book
in USA click here (Pearson Learning)
in Canada click here (Scholastic Canada)
in Australia click here (Pearson Education Australia)
To purchase this book
in USA click here
Copyright © Black Cockatoo Publishing PL 2006
InfoActive is a visual literacy series for K–3
Titles in this series: The ball, the stick, the plane, and the feather December Do people eat flowers? Do you ever feel like this? The Earth and the Moon Find the piece that fits From egg to butterfly Great grandma's phonograph Houses How could I clean them? How would you mend it? I like this park Ice, water, steam Insects Inside you It's a farm Last month Make a paper bird Make it go My garden Our plant diary Pet survey Pineapple pizza Real or imaginary? Reptiles Rex and me Sometimes it will float Spring turns to summer Traffic What goes together? What if? What is missing? What will happen? What's your favorite? When I was one Where water comes from Which animals can fly? Why does a cat have whiskers? Will Wright |