Weather Forecasting
An Educator's Reference Desk Lesson Plan
Submitted by: JIM L. TORGERSON, NORTH SEVIER MIDDLE SCHOOL, SALINA, UTAH
Endorsed by: These lesson plans are the result of the work of the teachers who have attended the Columbia Education Center's Summer Workshop. CEC is a consortium of teacher from 14 western states dedicated to improving the quality of education in the rural, western, United States, and particularly the quality of math and science Education. CEC uses Big Sky Telegraph as the hub of their telecommunications network that allows the participating teachers to stay in contact with their trainers and peers that they have met at the Workshops.
Date: May 1994
Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8
Subject(s):
- Science/Meteorology
OVERVIEW: The students will be able to forecast the weather up to 48 hours.
PURPOSE: By gaining an understanding of how to forecast weather, the students will be able use weather reports for their personal benefit.
OBJECTIVE(s):
STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO:
- Tell what weather is.
- Read barometer, anemometer, wind vane, hygrometer, (psychrometer) and thermometer.
- Understand basic cloud formations relationship to weather.
- Forecast the weather for two days.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS:
You will need the following materials:
- thermometer
- barometer (recording barometer would be the best type)
- weather vane
- anemometer
- weather charts
- hygrometer
- paper and pencil for notes.
Make sure students have had experience labeling weather maps before starting this activity.
Resources:
EARTH SCIENCE TEXT BOOK, WEATHER AND CLIMATE TEXT BOOKS, ENCYCLOPEDIA, ANY COMMUNICATION RESOURCES (i.e. : National Weather Service, Local weather service, TV and radio stations) THAT RELATE TO WEATHER THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Students will need to have covered basic weather topics such as fronts, high and low pressure areas, use of meteorological instruments, etc. before beginning this activity. You can do this by having students watch T.V. or newspaper or National Weather Service weather reports daily. Using this information along with the demonstration reading from the instruments in your school the students can make weather charts of cold and warm fronts, high and low pressure systems, etc. Also you need to cover the cloud types with pictures and actual viewing.
ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
Each day, for two or three weeks have students use a thermometer, barometer, wind vane, anemometer, and hygrometer to take measurements of the current weather conditions. MAKE SURE STUDENTS KNOW HOW TO USE EACH OF THE WEATHER GATHERING INSTRUMENTS.
Because of the lack of instruments, you may have to rotate the weather report assignment so each student has an opportunity to participate. Use these measurements to make a current weather map each day. Using their weather maps and view of clouds, have students forecast the weather for the next two days. Have students do this for one week and check their own accuracy. Discuss how knowing what the weather will be doing can save lives and/or make people more comfortable.
CROSS-CURRICULUM IDEAS:
Math: Have students keep track of high and low temperature in both F degrees and C degrees for one week. Graph those temperatures and figure the mean average for the week.
English: Do a narrative of the life of a cloud.
Art: Draw and color different types of clouds.
History: Keep track of location and damage of all significant storms in the next three months.