Field Trip Forecast

Let students argue like scientists with this claim-evidence-reasoning activity for grades 3-5. A class needs to pick the best day for an outdoor field trip, and students use a five-day weather table to make the call.

The sheet walks students through a full CER scaffold: state a claim (which day), back it with two pieces of evidence from the data, and explain their reasoning using temperature, rain, and wind. Follow-up questions ask why the rainy, windy days are poor choices and why temperature alone is not enough to plan a trip.

This is the reasoning capstone of a weather measurement unit, turning data reading into evidence-based argument. Sentence starters and a clear structure keep the writing accessible for younger students, and a full answer key with sample responses is included.

Aligned to NGSS 3-ESS2-1, it builds the science-practice skill of arguing from evidence. Use it after the graphing activity to close the teach-observe-analyze arc. Just print and teach.