Cooling a Playground: Social Studies Lesson
Lesson Plan
55 minutesGradesKScience, Social Studies, English Language Arts
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Written by Susan Poage, Sustainable Jersey for Schools
About this lesson
Students apply previous learning to design a solution for a hot playground with a partner.
Inquire: Students view images of playgrounds and recall previous learning.
Investigate: Students learn about the characteristics and strategies they can use to make decisions with a partner.
Inspire: Students design and build a model of a playground.
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Everything you need to teach it
How to edit these materials (video)Teaching tips
Suggestions
- This lesson can be used at the end of the school year as students get ready for summer.
- Goal-setting and reflection can be continued with other partner or group work.
Prerequisites
- This is lesson 3 of 3 in our Kindergarten Stay Cool on the Playground unit.
- The book, Tick and Legs, It’s So Hot by Jessica Collaço is available online. The video version linked in the slideshow is read with permission from the author.
- Collect materials for students to build their own Stay Cool Stations. The materials can include found and craft materials such as paper towel rolls, toilet paper rolls, popsicle sticks, yarn, paper cups, paper plates, twist ties, masking tape, straws, pipe cleaners, cardboard pieces, tin foil, plastic wrap or leftover laminating film, ribbons, tissue paper, and wrapping paper.
Differentiation
- Students who are able to, can write about their design and share it with school or community leaders.
- Sentence frames and additional questions are provided in the Teacher Slideshow.
From the scientist review
In addition to learning about urban heat islands and the importance of green spaces in urban, suburban, and rural settlements, students will also be able to ideate a playground that will keep them cool and safe on hot, sunny days. After review, the lesson passed our credibility procedure for science.
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About the teacher writers
Susan Poage
Susan Poage holds a Master of Arts in Early Childhood Education, an Advanced Curriculum and Teaching degree, and a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Teaching the Holocaust and Prejudice Reduction from Kean University. She has been teaching since 2002 and has 24 years of experience teaching all subjects in kindergarten and first grade. Susan has also served as an adjunct professor at Kean University and has been recognized with the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science (2010) and her district's Educator of the Year award twice.
Sustainable Jersey for Schools
Sustainable Jersey is a network and movement of municipalities, schools and school districts working collectively to bring about a sustainable New Jersey. Acting with state agencies, non-profit organizations, foundations, academia and industry, Sustainable Jersey researches best practices for what communities could and should do to contribute to a sustainable future.
