eco Lesson 1 • 60 minutes

Wonder: What is the Power of Nature?

See • Think • Make • Share: explore the forces that shape our world, then build and explain a structure that tackles a real hazard.

🌍 Geography

🔬 Science

🛠️ D&T

💻 Computing

🌟 Curiosity

🤝 Collaboration

🎨 Creativity

📌 Evidence

landscape

Nature Phenomena Carousel

Discover 6 mind-blowing natural phenomena that showcase nature's incredible power

🌊

Tsunami Speed

In deep ocean, a tsunami can move as fast as a jet plane - up to 800 km/h!

That's faster than most cars on a motorway!

🌋

Volcano Lightning

Ash clouds can create spectacular lightning storms above erupting volcanoes!

The ash particles rub together and create static electricity!

⚡

Lightning Heat

A lightning bolt can be 5 times hotter than the surface of the Sun!

That's about 30,000°C compared to the Sun's 5,500°C!

🌈

Full Circle Rainbow

From an aircraft, you can see a rainbow as a complete circle!

We usually only see half because the ground blocks the bottom!

🌪️

Tornado Winds

The strongest tornadoes can have winds over 480 km/h!

That's strong enough to lift cars and destroy buildings!

❄️

Snowflake Uniqueness

No two snowflakes are exactly the same - each one is unique!

They form differently depending on temperature and humidity!

🌊

Ocean Currents

Ocean currents can move water thousands of kilometers across the globe!

The Gulf Stream carries warm water from the Caribbean to Europe!

🌪️

Dust Devils

Small whirlwinds called dust devils can form on hot, dry days!

They're like mini tornadoes but much weaker and more common!

play_circle

Essential Video Clips

Two key videos that explain weather vs climate - essential for understanding!

Teaching moment: Pause after each video to ask: "What's the difference between weather and climate?"

bolt

Technology today

Projector slides with built‑in timers and polls
Two short clips: NASA & SciShow Kids (pause to discuss)
Optional: live wind view — 60 seconds of wonder
Evidence in Seesaw: photo + 20‑sec voice note

library_books

Essential Vocabulary

Key terms students must understand - display these prominently!

Weather

What the air is like today (sunny, rainy, hot, cold).

Climate

The usual pattern in a place over many years.

Structure

Something built.

Brace

A triangle piece that makes it stronger.

Feature

A part of the model.

Hazard

Something in nature that can cause harm (e.g., flood, wind, storm).

Wind

Moving air that can push things over.

Storm

Heavy rain with strong wind.

edit_note

Teaching Notes

Add your observations and adaptations for this class

forum

Talk Moves

Guide meaningful classroom discussions with proven techniques

Turn and Talk: "Share your thinking with a partner about what you just saw"

Revoice: "So you're saying that nature's power is..."

Wait Time: Allow 3-5 seconds for thinking before calling on students

Probe: "Can you tell me more about that?"

Connect: "How does that relate to what we learned about weather vs climate?"

analytics

Quick Check - Hands Up

Track student understanding with simple tallies

How to use this tool:

Ask your class a question (e.g., "Who understands the difference between weather and climate?")

Count hands raised and use the + button to tally the number

Track progress across different topics to see where students need more support

Example questions:

"Raise your hand if you can name a natural hazard"
"Who can explain what makes a structure strong?"
"Show me if you understand weather vs climate"

Weather vs Climate understanding:

Natural hazards knowledge:

Structure design ideas:

map

Optional: Local hazards map (extension)

Add a few pins to discuss where hazards might affect people locally. Keep this short so we stay focused on today’s big ideas.

Try this if time: Click the map to drop a pin and name the hazard (flood, wind, storm). One idea per table.

quiz

Pre-Check Questions

Quick assessment of what students already know

1. What's the difference between weather and climate?

Weather is short-term, climate is long-term They're the same thing Climate is short-term, weather is long-term

2. Name one way nature shows its power:

3. What makes a structure strong against weather?

engineering

Materials & Setup

Everything you need for the build challenge

Team kit: 20 paper straws; 1 × A5 card base; 30 cm masking tape; a small piece of Blu‑Tack
Shared: scissors; ruler; felt pen for labels
Class set (visible): extra straws; bin liners for quick wind/rain tests
Write team name & class on the base before building

checklist

Success Criteria

Clear goals for student achievement

✓ Model stands without wobbling

✓ One strong feature linked to a real hazard

✓ Label shows feature + hazard

✓ Team name & class on base

timer

Build Timer

15-minute focused building session

24:00

Pause at 12:00 for a class tip.

slideshow

Lesson Slides - Wonder: What is the Power of Nature?

Complete lesson presentation optimised for classroom projection

play_circle Click slides below to start presentation

fullscreen Use "Full Screen" for projection

edit Click "Edit" to customise content

timer Built-in timers and polls included

open_in_new Open in Full Screen edit Edit Slides arrow_back Back to Present

What's Included in These Slides:

timer Embedded Timers: 15-minute building timer, 5-minute reflection

poll Interactive Polls: Quick thumbs up/down, multiple choice questions

image High-Quality Visuals: Phenomena images, diagrams, real examples

accessibility Accessibility: Large fonts, high contrast, screen reader friendly

psychology Talk Moves: Built-in discussion prompts and sentence starters

school Differentiation: Support slides and extension activities included

🎯 Teacher Mode Active

This page does not collect data. Capture evidence in Seesaw (photo + short voice notes).