You will learn
- Describe effects of weather on plants.
- Describe effects on animals.
- Describe effects on people.
- Explain how living things protect themselves.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Weather affects all living things.
- Plants wilt in drought and grow in rain.
- Animals shelter or move.
- People dress and build for weather.
Words to know
a place that protects from weather
to droop from lack of water
to sleep through a harsh season
to react
1. Discover: The wilting garden
After a hot dry week, Naana’s garden plants droop. She waters them in the evening and by morning they stand up again. Birds shelter under leaves when it rains. “Living things feel the weather too,” says her mother.
Think: Why did the plants wilt?
2. Understand: Weather and living things
Idea 1: Plants
Plants need water and light. In hot dry weather they wilt. Rain helps them grow. Strong winds can break stems.
Idea 2: Animals
Animals respond to weather. They find shelter in rain, rest in shade when hot and some hibernate in cold seasons.
Idea 3: People
People wear hats in sun, coats in cold and raincoats in rain. We build houses with roofs and drains to protect us.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Wilting
Plant in drought.
- No water.
- Leaves droop.
- Wilts.
Answer: Plants wilt without water.
Example 2 (We do it together): Shelter
Bird in rain.
- Hides under leaves.
- Stays dry.
- Shelters.
Answer: Birds shelter in rain.
Example 3 (You try): People
A hot day.
Show the steps and answer
- Wear a hat.
- Drink water.
- Stay in shade.
Answer: People protect themselves.
Did you know?
Some frogs freeze almost solid in winter and thaw in spring, alive again.
Why this matters
Knowing how weather affects living things helps us look after plants and animals.
4. Explore: Weather response chart
Make a chart of how living things respond to weather.
- Pick three weather types.
- List responses of plants.
- List responses of animals and people.
- Share.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? Each living thing responds differently.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- Plants ___ without water.
- Animals find ___ in rain.
- Some animals ___ in cold.
- People wear ___ in rain.
Guided practice
Question 1. What do plants do without water?
Wilt.
Question 2. Where do animals go in rain?
Shelter.
Question 3. What is hibernate?
Sleep through a harsh season.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- What do plants do without water?
- Where do animals go in rain?
- What is hibernate?
- What do people wear in sun?
- What can wind do to plants?
Level 2: Grow
- Why water in the evening?
- Why do animals shade?
- Why wear a hat?
Level 3: Stretch
- Fill a response chart.
- Explain wilt.
- Plan to protect plants in drought.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Science in everyday life
How do animals near you respond to rain?
Show a sample answer
They shelter.
Another one. Tell a family member one thing from this lesson. Use the words you learned.
Show a sample answer
A clear sentence that uses at least one word from Words to know.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: It does.
Fix: They do.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can describe effects of weather on plants.
- I can describe effects on animals.
- I can describe effects on people.
- I can explain how living things protect themselves.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Weather affects all living things.
- Plants wilt in drought and grow in rain.
- Animals shelter or move.
- People dress and build for weather.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Weather safety. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Name two weather effects on plants. [2 marks]
- Name two ways animals respond. [2 marks]
- How do people protect themselves? [3 marks]
- What does hibernate mean? [1 mark]
- Safety rule? [1 mark]
Total: 9 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Wilt [1]; growth [1]
- Shelter [1]; rest/move [1]
- Hat [1]; coat [1]; shelter [1]
- Sleep through harsh season [1]
- Shade/inside in storms [1]
Score guide: 8 to 9 = secure. 6 to 7 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- What do plants do without water?
- Where do animals go in rain?
- What is hibernate?
- What do people wear in sun?
- What can wind do to plants?
- Why water in the evening?
- Why do animals shade?
- Why wear a hat?
- Fill a response chart.
- Explain wilt.
Homework
Observe plants and animals on a hot day and on a rainy day. Draw what you see.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. What do plants do without water? | Wilt. | 1 |
| 2. Where do animals go in rain? | Shelter. | 1 |
| 3. What is hibernate? | Sleep through a harsh season. | 1 |
| 4. What do people wear in sun? | Hats. | 1 |
| 5. What can wind do to plants? | Break stems. | 1 |
| 6. Why water in the evening? | Less evaporation. | 1 |
| 7. Why do animals shade? | Keep cool. | 1 |
| 8. Why wear a hat? | Protect from sun. | 1 |
| 9. Fill a response chart. | Chart. | 1 |
| 10. Explain wilt. | Water lack. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Wilt.; 2 Shelter.; 3 Sleep through a harsh season.; 4 Hats.; 5 Break stems.. Level 2: 1 Less evaporation.; 2 Keep cool.; 3 Protect from sun.. Level 3: 1 Chart.; 2 Water lack.; 3 Water and mulch..
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Describe effects of weather on plants | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Describe effects on animals | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Describe effects on people | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Explain how living things protect themselves | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: “Weather does not affect plants.” It does.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Give three examples of living things responding to weather.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child learns how weather affects living things. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Look at plants in dry and wet weather.
- Ask, “What changes?”
- Draw responses.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: describe effects of weather on plants; describe effects on animals; describe effects on people; explain how living things protect themselves.
Prerequisite knowledge. Grade 1 ideas: weather and the sky, describing weather and dressing for weather.
Materials. Paper, crayons and weather charts. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Choose a safe outdoor spot. Prepare sheets.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Show a wilting plant picture and ask, “What is wrong?”
Explanation (10 min). Teach responses.
Guided activity (10 min). Learners make charts.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners share.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. How does weather affect it? How does it respond?
Teacher explanation notes. Start with real objects and safe, hands-on observation. Then talk about what was seen, then draw and write. Always say “how do you know?”. Keep to the safety notes, and use local, safe materials.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use real objects and pictures, short sentences and a partner. Let learners point, show or draw instead of writing. Extension. Ask learners to find a new example at home and explain how they know.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. “Weather does not affect plants.” It does.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 9-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Give three examples of living things responding to weather. Enrichment. Look for one new example near your home or school, draw it and explain it to someone. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Next Generation Science Standards, Cambridge Primary Science and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Research used to shape this lesson. Courseversity Science curriculum, Grade 2 Unit 8, topic 9; Next Generation Science Standards, Earth systems and weather patterns (K-ESS2, 3-ESS2 foundations); Cambridge Primary Science Stage 2, Earth and atmosphere; IB Primary Years Programme, how the world works. These sources informed the lesson.