Submitted by Gladys Williams ,
Objectives:
Content:
Science Indicator: Describe the weather and relate how it affects our decisions.Science Indicator: Distinguish the instruments used to describe weather conditions.
Math Indicator: Create a weather chart for a week.
Cultural:
Language: Content Obligatory
Vocabulary words: thermometer, windvane, rain gauge, barometerLanguage: Content Compatible
Compare and contrast instruments used to predict weather.Compare and contrast video on Weather for Children: All about Wind and Clouds by Schlessinger Science Library.
Learning Strategies / Social and Skills Development:
Time Frame:
60 minutes
Materials Needed:
weather instruments such as, thermometer, rain gauge, barometer, anemometer and hygrometer
construction paper, markers, pencils
Description of Assessment (Performance Project):
Task Demands:
Ask questions: How is the weather outside? Will a hurricane strike today? How fast is the wind blowing outside? What is the name of our local meteorologists? What do you think when you hear the word "weather"?
After student responses, explain that weather is the state of the atmosphere at any given time and place. Some factors to help predict weather conditions are temperature, precipitation, fronts, clouds, and wind. The severe weather conditions are hurricanes, tornadoes, and thunderstorms. Weather systems occurs because the atmosphere is in constant motion from the Sun's energy reaching the surface.
Display five weather instruments and have students to predict instrument is used to measure a weather factor.
Discuss the weather instruments as thermometer is used to measure the temperature. There are two types of temperature scales: Fahrenheit and Celsius. The rain gauge is used to measure rainfall. The Hygrometer is used to figure out the relative humidity. The barometer is used to measure the amount of air pressure. The anemometer is used to read the wind speed. The weather vane is used to provide the direction of the wind.
Arrange students into groups of fours, then go outside to use the instruments to measure weather factors. On a day when its not raining, the students can still measure water into a container using the rain gauge. Groups will rotate the instruments until all students have measured the factors of a weather system.
Closure is bringing the students back inside to create a graph or chart of the weather instruments.
Assessment:
Homework: Students will need to watch the local weather channel, use the internet, or newspaper to construct a week long weather prediction.
References and Resources:
Boardman, Idaho National Lab
Attachments:
NOTE: some attachments are in PDF form (get Acrobat Reader)List only Attachments specific to this Lesson.