Unit 7 — Weather and Seasons

Track G+M · Klasse 5 · Niveau G/M

Template: Activate → Input → Practise → Produce → Reflect.
Niveau: G/M parallel. class test (“Klassenarbeit”) at Niveau M (30 BE).

Learning objectives Link to heading

  • I can describe today’s weather.
  • I can name the four seasons and 6 weather words.
  • I can use the present continuous (it is raining).

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 raining. Mia is wearing her yellow boots. Theo is wearing his green raincoat. Frida the fox is sitting under a plastic umbrella that she found near the bins. “This is fine weather,” Frida says. “Foxes love puddles.” “We don’t,” Theo says, sneezing.

1. Activate Link to heading

Weather window. Look outside for 30 seconds. Write two adjectives in your notebook (sunny? cloudy? cold?).

2. Input Link to heading

Vocabulary — weather and seasons Link to heading

Seasons: spring, summer, autumn (US: fall), winter. Weather: sunny, cloudy, rainy, windy, snowy, foggy, hot, warm, cool, cold.

Grammar — present simple vs. present continuous Link to heading

  • Present simple for facts and routines: It rains a lot in November.
  • Present continuous (am/is/are + -ing) for right-now actions: It is raining. / Mia is wearing her boots.

Spelling for -ing: sit → sitting, make → making, run → running, play → playing.

3. Practise Link to heading

Niveau G Link to heading

  1. It __________ (rain) right now.
  2. The wind __________ (be) cold today.
  3. We __________ (wear) coats.
  4. In summer it __________ (be) hot.

Niveau M Link to heading

  1. (look outside) → ___
  2. (today: cloudy and cool) → ___
  3. (autumn: leaves / fall) → ___
Answer key

G. 1. is raining, 2. is, 3. are wearing, 4. is.

M. 5. Look outside — it is raining. (any present cont.) 6. Today is cloudy and cool. 7. In autumn the leaves fall.

4. Produce Link to heading

Weather diary — one week. For seven days at home, write one sentence per day in English: Today it is …

Sample Link to heading

Monday: Today it is sunny and warm. Tuesday: Today it is raining. Wednesday: Today it is windy and cold.

5. Reflect Link to heading

  • I can describe today’s weather.
  • I can name four seasons and six weather words.
  • I can use the present continuous for right now.

One thing in your notebook: Write one sentence that uses something you learned in this Unit.

Exam example Link to heading

class test ("Klassenarbeit") — Niveau M (45 minutes)
Time. 45 minutes. Total. 30 points.

Task 1 — Listening (8 BE) Link to heading

Listen twice to the weather forecast for the week.

“Monday will be sunny. Tuesday: rain in the morning. Wednesday: windy and cool. Thursday: snow possible. Friday: cloudy.”

  1. Monday: ___ , 2. Tuesday: ___ , 3. Wednesday: ___ , 4. Friday: ___ .

Task 2 — Reading (8 BE) Link to heading

Read.

“Today is November 15. It is cold and grey. There is no sun. The trees have lost their leaves.”

T or F: 1. It is summer. 2. It is cold. 3. The sun is shining. 4. The trees have leaves.

Task 3 — Use of English (8 BE) Link to heading

Present simple or present continuous?

  1. Right now: it __________ (snow).
  2. In Stuttgart it often __________ (rain) in November.
  3. Today the children __________ (wear) coats.
  4. In summer we __________ (go) to the lake.

Task 4 — Writing (6 BE) Link to heading

Write 4 sentences: today’s weather + your favourite season + one thing you do in that season.

Answer key
T1. sunny, rain, windy/cool, cloudy. T2. F, T, F, F. T3. 1. is snowing, 2. rains, 3. are wearing, 4. go. T4. Open.
Notenschlüssel (von 30)
| 28–30 | 1 | 24–27 | 2 | 20–23 | 3 | | 15–19 | 4 | 9–14 | 5 | 0–8 | 6 |

Downloads Link to heading

**Slide deck timing.** 45 minutes total. Lead-in 3 min · Activate 4 min · Input 12 min · Practise 8 min · Produce 13 min · Reflect 5 min.

Differentiation. Niveau G: extra picture support and a printed reference card. Above Niveau M: ask one extension question that links to the next Unit.

Common pitfalls Link to heading

  • It is rain → ✗ / It is raining → ✓.
  • It rains today (general fact) vs. It is raining today (right now) — context matters.
  • L1 trap: German has no real -ing form; you must add am/is/are + -ing in English.

Further reading / listening Link to heading

Downloads

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