Positives

• This resource is easy to read and understand and would make an excellent differentiated resource for students who struggle with reading scientific texts.
• The data is interactive and will keep curious students engaged.

Additional Prerequisites

• Students should know the terms "heating degree days" and "cooling degree days."
  

Differentiation

• Cross-curricular connections can be made in math classes by using the data to practice working on skills taught in current units. Students can create algebraic equations for different data points or use the data to predict future data points.
• This resource is well suited for a gradual release lesson.
  • Begin by exploring the data for New Jersey as a whole class. Teachers can model writing down observations about the data or answer a specific set of questions. 
  • Teachers can assign groups of students to work on the various regions of New Jersey. Have them write down their own observations or answer the questions. Each group can share their findings. 
  • Individual students can work to complete the same tasks using data from the counties of New Jersey. Students can volunteer to share what they learned. 
• Other related resources include this lesson on graphing temperatures and this article about the climate of New Jersey.