Autumn—

Flooding—Descriptive Most of the time rainwater soaks into the ground. The water drains into rivers and sewers. Flooding happens when heavy rain cannot drain away quickly after heavy, fast rainfalls. During floods, the river or bayou water rises about the banks. The ground nearby is full of water, so the water just sits on top of the ground. In cities, low spots on the road fill with water. Drivers have to be careful. A car can float in only two feet of water! Floods can damage homes and cars. Animals and their homes can be destroyed, too. With time the water recedes, or goes back to its normal leve. Writing Prompt: Where could a flood happen in your neighborhood? Is there a bayou near? Is there a low-lying area where the water stands after a big storm?

Flooding—Narrative Most of the time rainwater soaks into the ground. The water drains into rivers and sewers. Flooding happens when heavy rain cannot drain away quickly after heavy, fast rainfalls. During floods, the river or bayou water rises about the banks. The ground nearby is full of water, so the water just sits on top of the ground. In cities, low spots on the road fill with water. Drivers have to be careful. A car can float in only two feet of water! Floods can damage homes and cars. Animals and their homes can be destroyed, too. With time the water recedes, or goes back to its normal leve. Writing Prompt: Write what might have happened to the organisms that live in this flooded park. Did the animals stay? Did they leave? Where did they go? When did they come back?

Lightning Storm—Descriptive Lightning finds the shortest path to the ground or a tall object on the ground. That’s why it hits buildings or trees. Lightning is very dangerous—it can start fires or damage trees. Lightning is a burst of energy from a storm cloud. The lightning travels down from the cloud to the ground and right back up to the cloud as electricity. All we see is a bright flash. Many people have been hurt by lightning. If you are outside see lightning or hear thunder, get inside as quickly as you can. Writing Prompt: Write a poem about thunder and lightning. Describe the shapes the lightning makes. What does the thunder sound like?

Lightning Storm—Expository Lightning finds the shortest path to the ground or a tall object on the ground. That’s why it hits buildings or trees. Lightning is very dangerous—it can start fires or damage trees. Lightning is a burst of energy from a storm cloud. The lightning travels down from the cloud to the ground and right back up to the cloud as electricity. All we see is a bright flash. Many people have been hurt by lightning. If you are outside see lightning or hear thunder, get inside as quickly as you can. Writing Prompt: Imagine you have a younger brother or sister who is frightened of lightning. Explain to them what lightning is. Tell them how to be safe during a lightning storm.

Writing Prompt: Think of an animal, bird, or insect that lives outside. Write about what the animal does in the spring. Where does it live? Where does it find food?

Writing Prompt: Imagine it is a warm spring day and you are outside. Use all your senses to describe what it is like. What do you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch on this beautiful spring day?

Summer In the summer

Summer In the summer

Winter—Expository Wow! It’s cold outside! In winter, the Earth tilts away from the sun. The days are shorter and the nights are longer. It is colder because we get less sunlight. Many places get freezing temperatures and snow. In winter, some plants rest. They have dropped their leaves and stopped growing for the season. Animals have a hard time finding food and keeping warm. Many of them hibernate. Others migrate to warmer areas. People have to be ready for the winter, too. We need heavier clothes. Sometimes we stay inside and keep warm! Writing Prompt: How is winter different than summer? Describe how the climate in your area is different in the winter. Be sure to talk about temperature, rainfall or snowfall, etc.

Winter—Persuasive Wow! It’s cold outside! In winter, the Earth tilts away from the sun. The days are shorter and the nights are longer. It is colder because we get less sunlight. Many places get freezing temperatures and snow. In winter, some plants rest. They have dropped their leaves and stopped growing for the season. Animals have a hard time finding food and keeping warm. Many of them hibernate. Others migrate to warmer areas. People have to be ready for the winter, too. We need heavier clothes. Sometimes we stay inside and keep warm! Writing Prompt: Do you like the cold and snow? How would you persuade your parents to let you go to Alaska to study the climate there? Give examples of what you might see and do while you were there.