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• create collages that demonstrate an understanding of the four seasons; and
• verbally describe characteristics of the seasons.

• White construction paper, four 8 ½-by-11-inch sheets per student
• Glue or glue sticks
• Scissors, one per student
• Magazines or calendars with landscape and animal pictures
• Crayons, colored pencils, or markers (optional)
• Computer with Internet access (optional)
• Our Natural World video and VCR or DVD and DVD player

1. Introduce the lesson by talking about the weather. Ask your students to describe the weather outside: Is it sunny, cloudy, or raining? Talk about the current season of the year. What is the weather during this season? Ask your students to tell you about the weather during the other three seasons. Is it usually hot in the summer? Is it very cold in the winter? Does it rain more in the summer or winter? Talk about how the weather changes from season to season.

2. A good way to illustrate this topic is to view the segment entitled "The Four Seasons." Afterwards, show landscape and animal pictures. Ask students to raise their hands and tell you what season they think each one illustrates. Talk about what identifies each season. Is there snow? What color are the tree leaves? Are there baby animals? When are most baby animals born?

3. Once your students understand how to tell the differences between the seasons, have them create collages of the four seasons using the pictures you have provided. Additional pictures, including clip art, can be found on the following Web sites:

   http://www.photon-echoes.com/seasons_images.htm
   http://school.discovery.com/clipart/category/seas0.html
   http://www.coolclips.com/nature/seasons.htm
   http://www.nenature.com/FreePhotos/FreePhotos.htm
   http://www.barrysfreephotos.com/barrysfreephotos.com/showgallery.php?cat=538&password
   http://gardening.about.com/cs/phototips/l/blphotoindex1.htm

4. Tell students to use one sheet of construction paper for each season's collage. Demonstrate collecting and cutting out pictures, and arranging and gluing them to the paper.

5. Give students class time to collect their pictures and create their collages. More advanced students may write words, phrases, or sentences that describe the season on a separate page; they can cut and paste these to their collages. Have students share their collages. Hold a class discussion about why the pictures fit a particular season. Talk about the cycle of the year: What is the sequence of the seasons?

6. When the lesson is complete, display collages in the classroom next to words describing the correct season so that students can look at the collages and be reminded of what makes each season unique.

Adaptation for Grades 3-5
Have students write a paragraph about weather for all four seasons and attach them to the bottom of each collage. Then ask students to compare and contrast the different seasons. What makes winter different from spring? Why do wild animals usually give birth in the spring? Have students use the Internet or library reference materials to research seasonal weather patterns on either side of the equator. Then hold a class discussion about the differences.

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• Three points: Students actively participated in class discussions; used materials appropriately; made unique and creative collages that appropriately depicted the seasons; and gave a clear explanation of characteristics for each season.
• Two points: Students participated somewhat in class discussions; used materials appropriately; made unique and creative collages that for mostly depicted the appropriate seasons; and gave a somewhat clear explanation of characteristics for each season.
• One point: Students did not participate in class discussions; were unable to use materials appropriately; did not finish their collages or made collages that did not correctly depict the four seasons; and could not give an explanation clear explanation of characteristics for each season.

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seasons
Definition: The four divisions of the year: spring, summer, fall, and winter
Context: The four seasons have different types of weather.

spring
Definition: the season following winter and before summer
Context: Young bison, born in the very early spring, graze on grass and run and play.

summer
Definition: the season following spring and before fall
Context: The days are usually warmest in summer.

weather
Definition: the state of the atmosphere at a place in time in terms of the temperature and level of precipitation
Context: The weather changes every month.

winter
Definition: the season following autumn and before spring
Context: As winter arrives on the prairie, the days and nights turn cold.

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This lesson plan addresses the following national standards:

• Earth and Space Science: Objects in the sky; Changes in earth and sky

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