Frost Watchers Slides
FROST WATCHERS
How to Predict a Sparkling Morning
1st - 2nd Grade Weather Science
Morning Mystery
Monday
32°
FAHRENHEIT
Check the weather app!
What do these numbers tell us?
Why do we look at the temperature before we go outside?
The Magic Number
Something special happens when it hits 32°F!
Observation Lab
Embedded media
Watch for the "Frost Recipe" clues!
Expert Mode: On
The Frost Recipe
Humid Air
Lots of water vapor (invisible gas) in the air.
Clear Night
A sky with no clouds to trap the heat.
Below 32°F
The air must be cold enough to freeze water drops!
Be a Forecaster
1
Look at your Weather Report Card.
2
Check the Temp and the Sky.
3
Is the Recipe complete? Circle YES or NO.
Scenario X: ??°F
Weather Data
YES
NO
The Morning Guess
Based on the weather forecast for tonight, will we find frost tomorrow morning?
Frosty Morning! No Frost Today
Frost Expert Guide Teacher Resource
FROST EXPERT GUIDE
Lesson Facilitation & Teacher Resources
Objective
Students will use weather data (temperature, humidity, sky conditions) to predict the formation of frost.
Duration
45 - 50 Minutes
Materials
Slides, Forecaster Worksheets, Anchor Chart, Pencils, Weather App.
1
Warm-Up: The Temperature Hook (5 min)
Show a weather app. Ask: "What do these numbers tell us?" Guide students to understand that temperature tells us how fast water molecules are moving (heat). Key Question: "What happens to water when it gets really, really cold?"
2
Video Investigation: SciShow Kids (10 min)
Play the video. Pause at 1:47 to discuss "The Freezing Point" (32°F / 0°C). Pause at 3:29 to introduce the "Frost Watching Expert" challenge.
Teacher Script:
"Jessi and Squeaks found a 'Frost Recipe.' For frost to appear, we need a special mix of three things. Let's write them down on our Anchor Chart!"
3
The Frost Recipe Anchor Chart (5 min)
Construct the anchor chart with students. Draw icons for each ingredient: Humid Air (water drops), Clear Sky (moon/stars), and Freezing Temp (thermometer showing <32°F).
4
Activity: Frost Forecasters (15 min)
Distribute the Weather Report Cards. Students analyze the data provided for each scenario and decide if the recipe is complete.
Scenario A: Rainy + 50°F → NO (Too warm)
Scenario B: Clear + 30°F → YES (Recipe matches)
Scenario C: Cloudy + 35°F → NO (Too warm/Cloudy)
5
Closure: Tomorrow's Prediction (5 min)
Look up tonight's actual forecast. Have students vote by standing up if they think there will be frost. Revisit the prediction the next morning!
CONCEPT CRYSTAL
Water Vapor
Invisible water gas in the air. Like the steam from a hot shower, but it's always around us, even if we can't see it.
Condensation
When water gas gets cold and turns into liquid drops. This is why grass is wet in the morning even without rain!
The Freezing Point
The specific temperature where water turns to ice: 32°F (0°C). If it's 33°F, it's just cold water. If it's 32°F, it's ice!
Troubleshooting the "Recipe"
Why a clear sky? Clouds act like a blanket, trapping heat. Clear skies let the heat escape into space, making the ground get very cold very fast.
Why humid air? Frost needs water! If the air is very dry, there isn't enough water vapor to turn into ice, even if it's freezing cold.
This lesson supports NGSS K-ESS2-1: Use and share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns over time.
