Unit 7 — Weather and Seasons
Track E · Klasse 5 · Niveau E
Learning objectives Link to heading
- I can describe today’s weather in 3 sentences.
- I can name the four seasons and 8 weather words.
- I can use the present continuous for right now and the present simple for general patterns.
Bildungsplan alignment Link to heading
- 3.1.1 Soziokulturelles Orientierungswissen / Themen
- 3.1.3.1 Hör-/Hörsehverstehen
- 3.1.3.5 Schreiben
- 3.1.3.7 Verfügen über sprachliche Mittel – Wortschatz
(Source: https://www.bildungsplaene-bw.de/,Lde/LS/BP2016BW/ALLG/SEK1/E1)
Lead-in story Link to heading
It is November. The sky is the colour of cold tea. Mia is wearing two jumpers. Theo is wearing his beloved green raincoat. Frida the fox is sitting in a puddle, looking comfortable. “For you,” she explains, “this is bad weather. For me, this is a spa.”
1. Activate Link to heading
Window report. Look outside for 30 seconds. Write three sentences: Today it is …, the sky is …, I am wearing …
2. Input Link to heading
Vocabulary — weather and seasons Link to heading
Seasons: spring, summer, autumn (US: fall), winter. Weather adjectives: sunny, cloudy, rainy, snowy, foggy, windy, hot, warm, cool, cold, mild, frosty, stormy. Phrases: it’s pouring, it’s freezing, it’s boiling, it’s drizzling.
Grammar — present simple vs. present continuous Link to heading
Present simple for general truths and habits:
- It rains a lot in November.
- We have snow every January.
Present continuous (am/is/are + -ing) for what is happening right now:
- It is raining right now.
- Mia is wearing two jumpers because she is cold.
Spelling for -ing: sit → sitting, run → running, make → making, fly → flying.
3. Practise Link to heading
Niveau E — controlled Link to heading
- Right now: It __________ (rain). The wind __________ (blow) hard.
- General: In Stuttgart it often __________ (snow) in January.
Niveau E — productive Link to heading
- Build a 3-sentence weather report for today: general (this season) + right now + your clothes.
- Negative right-now: It isn’t snowing. Build three true negative sentences about the weather right now.
4. Produce Link to heading
Weather diary — one school week. For five days, write two sentences in English: Today it is … + what you are wearing or doing because of it.
Sample Link to heading
Monday: Today it is foggy and cool. I am wearing my scarf and walking slowly because the path is slippery.
5. Reflect Link to heading
- I can describe today’s weather.
- I can use present simple for habits and present continuous for now.
- I can keep a 5-day weather diary.
One thing in your notebook: Write one sentence that uses something you learned in this Unit.
Exam example Link to heading
Task 1 — Listening (8 BE) Link to heading
Listen twice to the forecast.
“Tomorrow morning will be foggy. By midday the fog will lift and we will have sun. Late afternoon, thunderstorms in the south. Friday: heavy rain all day, with strong wind from the west.”
- Tomorrow morning: ___ . 2. Midday: ___ . 3. Friday: ___ . 4. Wind direction: ___ .
Task 2 — Reading (8 BE) Link to heading
Read.
“In Stuttgart it usually rains a lot in November. December is colder and we sometimes have snow. The best month for a long walk is May.”
T or F: 1. November is dry. 2. December is colder than November. 3. Snow in December. 4. May is good for a long walk.
Task 3 — Use of English (8 BE) Link to heading
Present simple or present continuous?
- Right now it __________ (snow).
- In Sweden it often __________ (be) cold.
- Look! The trees __________ (lose) their leaves.
- We always __________ (go) skiing in January.
Task 4 — Writing (6 BE) Link to heading
Write 5–6 sentences: today’s weather, your favourite season, two things you do in that season.
Downloads Link to heading
Differentiation — support (below Niveau E).
Copy and finish one line each day for your weather diary. Fill every gap with a word from Unit 7:
- Today it is __________ (sunny / cloudy / rainy / cold / warm).
- The sky is __________ (grey / blue / bright).
- I am wearing my __________ (jacket / scarf / boots / cap).
- I am __________ because of the weather (staying inside / carrying an umbrella / walking slowly).
Extension (above Niveau E / Oberstufe).
Keep your five-day weather diary, then add a short “weather reporter” paragraph comparing your real week with the forecast a website gave for the same days: where were the predictions right, where were they wrong, and how did the difference change your plans? Use present simple for the usual pattern and present continuous for what was happening, and finish with one sentence arguing whether a printed forecast or a look out of the window is more useful for a Stuttgart winter.
Common pitfalls Link to heading
- It is rain → ✗ / It is raining → ✓.
- It always is snowing in January → ✗ — habit takes present simple: It always snows in January.
- L1 trap: German has no -ing form; the English am/is/are + -ing must be added.
Further reading / listening Link to heading
- BBC Weather — child-friendly forecast.
- Met Office Kids — Weather words.
Downloads
Listen
The vocabulary, dialogues and reading texts of this unit as audio, spoken by a native voice. The spoken text is shown beneath each clip.
Show text
"Monday will be sunny. Tuesday: rain in the morning. Wednesday: windy and cool. Thursday: snow possible. Friday: cloudy."