| Crazy Weather by David Drew • InfoActive series |
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An introduction to how graphs and calendars help us understand the weather.
The book is in US measurements (Fahrenheit and inches). The e-book is in Celsius and mm.
Grades K-2 16 pp + cover 175 x 240 mm • 7 x 9.5 inches Ask a rep to show you the book (USA only) (Fahrenheit and inches) Buy the e-book (PDF) Coming soon
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| Visual texts in this book
line graph • column graph • 1-week calendar • weather icons |
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?)
Ask a rep to show you the book (USA only) (Temperatures in degrees Fahrenheit. Rainfall in inches)
Buy the e-book (PDF) Coming soon (Temperatures in degrees Celsius. Rainfall in mm)
The book Clouds (InfoActive Plus) is a simple introduction to clouds and weather for K-3.
