Climates Around the World
A 55-minute Grade 3 lesson on obtaining and combining information to describe climates in different regions of the world.
Climates Around the World is a free 55-minute Grade 3 science lesson plan for Common Core standard 3-ESS2-2 — gather information to describe climates in different parts of the world. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the mathematics, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.
- Grade:
- Grade 3
- Length:
- 55 minutes
- Standard:
- 3-ESS2-2
Grade 3 · Earth and Space Science
3-ESS2-2
Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.
Objective
Students will be able to describe a region's climate by combining information from more than one source.
Students are successful when they can
- Uses two sources for one region.
- Describes temperature and rainfall.
- Says how the climate differs from here.
What you need
- A world map, climate graphs and short texts for six regions
- A table with columns for temperature, rain and season pattern
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up
5 min- Ask what the weather is like today, then what the climate is like here.
- Draw out the difference: one day against many years.
Teach — combine two sources
14 min- Take the rainforest: read a climate graph and a short description.
- Fill the table from both: hot all year, rain every month.
- Take a desert: hot days, cold nights, almost no rain.
- Ask what one source alone would have missed each time.
- Compare both with here and name the difference.
- Say the standard's verb: obtain AND combine. One source is not enough.
“What does the second source add that the first did not?”
Investigate — six regions
19 min- Groups take two regions each and fill the table from two sources.
- They place their regions on the world map.
- They write one sentence comparing each with here.
- Groups pool their rows into a class table.
Independent practice
14 min- Students complete the 'Climates Around the World' page.
- Check descriptions cover temperature and rain.
Close
3 min- Ask which region would be hardest to live in, and why.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Confuses weather with climate.
Why: Both describe conditions.
Fix: Weather is today. Climate is the pattern over many years.
Describes temperature only.
Why: Hot and cold is the obvious axis.
Fix: Rain matters as much. A hot wet place and a hot dry place are different climates.
Uses one source and stops.
Why: It answered the question.
Fix: Combine two. The second is what catches what the first left out.
If they are not there yet
- Two regions with the table half-filled.
- Climate graphs with the axes explained.
If they finish early
- Find two regions at the same latitude with different climates.
- Say what causes the difference.
- Describe a region's climate from its plants alone.
Exit ticket
Describe the climate of a rainforest region, using temperature and rain.
What to look for: Hot all year with rain in every month. Temperature alone means the rainfall half needs another run.
Printable practice for 3-ESS2-2
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Climates Around the WorldDraw a line from each region to its climate.
Questions about Climates Around the World
How long does the Climates Around the World lesson take?
55 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 14 min, investigate 19 min, independent practice 14 min, close 3 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.
Which standard does Climates Around the World teach?
3-ESS2-2 — 3-ESS2-2, Earth and Space Science for Grade 3: “Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.” In plain terms, gather information to describe climates in different parts of the world.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
A world map, climate graphs and short texts for six regions, a table with columns for temperature, rain and season pattern and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.
What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?
Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: confuses weather with climate; describes temperature only and uses one source and stops. The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.
How do I know whether the lesson worked?
The exit ticket asks: “Describe the climate of a rainforest region, using temperature and rain.” Hot all year with rain in every month. Temperature alone means the rainfall half needs another run. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.
Is there a worksheet to go with Climates Around the World?
Yes — 1 printable 3-ESS2-2 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.
Is Climates Around the World free to use?
Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on 8 September 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.
Last reviewed 2026-09-08. Aligned to 3-ESS2-2 of the Next Generation Science Standards.