Download Grade-5-Text-Features-Science

Teaching Fifth-Grade Text Features Using Doppler Radar, Satellites, and computer Models
Features that help students understand how an informational text is organized:
FeaturePurpose
Title page
Confirms title, author’s name, and publisher
Contents page
Identifies the topics to be presented and their order
Chapter name, heading, or subheading
Helps students identify main topics on a quick pass through the text
Glossary
Defines new and important words
Further Reading and WebsitesHelps students expand their knowledge of the topic by listing other informational texts in print or on the Internet
Index
Lists the main ideas in the text, with page numbers to help students find them
Visual aids that help students understand informational texts:
Visual Aid
Photo, drawing, or illustration
Diagram
Map
Purpose
Shows how something in the text looked or might have looked
Gives a more detailed view of a complex topic
Puts the places in the informational text in the context of space and time
Features that point out important or additional information:
FeaturePurpose
Copyright page
Tells students how current the information in a book is
Bold print
Tells students a word or idea is new and important; sometimes a glossary term
Italic printTells students the word is supposed to stand out. It may be for emphasis or because it is a book name, a newspaper, a movie
title, a foreign word, or the directional for a photo or an illustration.
CaptionPoints out what’s in a photo, a drawing, or an illustration and relates it to the informational text; often gives more information
LabelIdentifies important points of interest in a diagram or photograph that students might otherwise miss
SidebarBoxed or otherwise highlighted bits of information that relate to but are not the same as the main informational text; likely
not a main idea
™
Copyright © 2012 by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. Lerner DigitalTM and Lerner eSourceTM are trademarks of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. www.lernerbooks.com.
From Doppler Radar, Satellites, and Computer Models: The Science of Weather Forecasting. © by Paul Fleisher.
1
title page:
This page tells you
the title, author,
and publisher of
the book.
title
subtitle
S
LERNER PUBLICATIONS COMPANY · MINNEAPOLIS
™
Copyright © 2012 by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. Lerner DigitalTM and Lerner eSourceTM are trademarks of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. www.lernerbooks.com.
From Doppler Radar, Satellites, and Computer Models: The Science of Weather Forecasting. © by Paul Fleisher. Image: © Dennis MacDonald/Alamy.
2
copyright page:
This page tells you the year
the book was published. This
may be important for report
writing when you need upto-date information. On this
page, you can also find the
address of the publisher.
copyright year
Text copyright © 2011 by Paul Fleisher
All rights reserved. International copyright secured. No part of
this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the prior written
permission of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc., except for the
inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.
Lerner Publications Company
A division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.
241 First Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN 55401 U.S.A.
Website address: www.lernerbooks.com
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Fleisher, Paul.
Doppler radar, satellites, and computer models : the science
of weather forecasting / by Paul Fleisher.
p. cm. — (Weatherwise)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978–0–8225–7535–1 (lib. bdg. : alk. paper)
1. Weather forecasting—Juvenile literature. I. Title.
QC995.43.F54 2011
551.63—dc22
2009044919
Manufactured in the United States of America
1 – PC – 7/15/10
™
Copyright © 2012 by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. Lerner DigitalTM and Lerner eSourceTM are trademarks of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. www.lernerbooks.com.
From Doppler Radar, Satellites, and Computer Models: The Science of Weather Forecasting. © by Paul Fleisher.
3
contents page:
This lists the chapters by
chapter title and the pages
on which they begin. It
also lists features, such as a
glossary or an index, that
are in the back of the book.
| the science of the ATMOSPHERE |
| CONTENTS |
4
INTRODUCTION
8
CHAPTER ONE:
19
CHAPTER TWO:
27
CHAPTER THREE:
37
CHAPTER FOUR:
44
45
45
46
47
Gathering Weather Information
Reading a Weather Map
Making a Prediction
Predicting Climate Change
GLOSSARY
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
FURTHER READING
WEBSITES
INDEX
™
Copyright © 2012 by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. Lerner DigitalTM and Lerner eSourceTM are trademarks of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. www.lernerbooks.com.
From Doppler Radar, Satellites, and Computer Models: The Science of Weather Forecasting. © by Paul Fleisher. Image: Eric Kurth, NOAA/NWS/ER/WFO/Sacramento.
4
| CHAPTER ONE |
chapter title:
GATHERING
WEATHER
INFORMATION
This tells you what topic
will be discussed in the
chapter. Chapter titles
often give you the main
ideas of the book.
S
uppose you wanted to predict the weather for
your area. Your first step would be to observe.
You’d keep track of each day’s weather.
You might take measurements several times a day.
You’d record the temperature. You’d measure air pressure
and humidity (the amount of moisture in the air). You’d
measure the day’s rainfall or snowfall. You would study
text or main text:
the clouds overhead. You’d record the wind speed and
These are the words and
sentences that discuss and
explain the main ideas of the
book. Main text looks different
from chapter titles or captions.
direction. Before long, you’d start to see patterns.
Some days you might see thick, puffy cumulus
clouds building up early in the morning. You’d notice
that thundershowers often happen on those days.
On other days, you might see layered stratus clouds
getting thicker. You’d find that steady rain or snow
often follows those clouds.
8
™
Copyright © 2012 by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. Lerner DigitalTM and Lerner eSourceTM are trademarks of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. www.lernerbooks.com.
From Doppler Radar, Satellites, and Computer Models: The Science of Weather Forecasting. © by Paul Fleisher. Image: © Steve Allen/The Image Bank/Getty Images.
5
caption: These
words tell you what is in
the picture on the page.
A caption is usually close
to the picture it describes.
Sometimes a caption will
tell you if the picture is
a photo or a drawing. A
caption may also give you
additional information
that is not in the main text.
THE EQUIPMENT ON BOARD THIS AIRPLANE HELPS METEOROLOGISTS
GATHER INFORMATION ABOUT WEATHER CONDITIONS AND EVENTS.
THIS SPECIALLY DESIGNED PLANE CAN SAFELY FLY INTO
HURRICANES TO COLLECT STORM DATA.
In the United States, the National Weather Service (NWS) is in
charge of weather analysis. The NWS is a government agency. Its job
is to observe and predict the weather. Collecting weather information
is a huge task. The job never ends. It goes on twenty-four hours a day,
headings and
subheadings:
every day of the year.
These separate the
main text into smaller
chunks of information. A
heading tells you what
the section is about.
MEASURING FROM EARTH’S SURFACE
Weather stations gather information about the weather at Earth’s surface.
The NWS operates 121 weather stations around the country. Each station
has a complete set of instruments for measuring and recording weather
conditions. Stations report their findings to the NWS four times a day.
Instruments at weather stations include thermometers to measure
temperature. Hygrometers measure humidity. Anemometers measure
wind speed, and wind vanes show wind direction. Air pressure is
measured with barometers. Rain gauges measure rainfall. Weather
stations also identify the kinds of clouds overhead.
10
DOPPLER RADAR, SATELLITES, AND COMPUTER MODELS
™
Copyright © 2012 by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. Lerner DigitalTM and Lerner eSourceTM are trademarks of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. www.lernerbooks.com.
From Doppler Radar, Satellites, and Computer Models: The Science of Weather Forecasting. © by Paul Fleisher. Image: Courtesy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
6
map: This flat
drawing shows the
shape and features
of a place, such as
a country, a state,
or a city.
label: These are
words on a diagram or
photo that point out
important parts of the
diagram or photo. On
a map, labels name
important features,
such as rivers or cities.
This map shows areas of high (H) and low (L) pressure. Low pressure
conditions often bring storms.
Air pressure affects winds and storms.
FASCINATING
FACT:
Weather maps are
also called synoptic
charts. A synopsis is
a summary. Synoptic
charts summarize the
weather.
Large, spinning storms called cyclones
form around low pressure. North of the
equator, cyclones spin counterclockwise
around low pressure. Cyclones spin
clockwise south of the equator. Winds also
circle around high pressure centers, which
have fair weather. These winds circle in the
opposite direction from cyclone winds.
Scientists measure air pressure in
millibars. Often, where air pressure is low,
the weather is stormy. Where the pressure
is high, the weather is usually fair. Average
20
DOPPLER RADAR, SATELLITES, AND COMPUTER MODELS
™
Copyright © 2012 by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. Lerner DigitalTM and Lerner eSourceTM are trademarks of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. www.lernerbooks.com.
From Doppler Radar, Satellites, and Computer Models: The Science of Weather Forecasting. © by Paul Fleisher. Image: © Courtesy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
7
The radar scans the sky for several hundred miles. It shows where rain is
falling and how heavy the rain is. It shows which way a storm is moving.
Doppler radar also displays movement within a cloud. Spinning clouds
may signal severe thunderstorms or tornadoes.
Sometimes scientists at a weather station see a severe storm
forming on their radar screens. They check the direction it is moving.
They trace the likely path of the storm using computers. Scientists
then send alerts to local radio and TV stations. The alerts name towns
in the storm’s path. They warn people to take shelter.
sidebars:
These are short
bits of text with
their own headers.
They are usually
boxed and
separated from the
main text. Sidebars
give additional
information.
When severe weather may be on
the way, the NWS alerts
the public. It issues a watch, a war
ning, or an advisory.
A watch means dangerous storms
are possible. For
example, a thunderstorm watch tells
people thunderstorms
may develop.
A warning means a storm has been
spotted. A severe
thunderstorm warning means the
weather station is tracking
a dangerous storm that is expected
to travel through the
local area.
Advisories are used for less severe
conditions. For
example, wind advisories alert peop
le if winds are blowing at
25 to 39 miles (40 to 63 km) per hour
. A high wind warning is
for winds of 40 miles (64 km) per
hour or more.
14
™
Copyright © 2012 by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. Lerner DigitalTM and Lerner eSourceTM are trademarks of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. www.lernerbooks.com.
From Doppler Radar, Satellites, and Computer Models: The Science of Weather Forecasting. © by Paul Fleisher. Image: © Ilene MacDonald/Alamy.
8
diagram: This is
a drawing that gives a
simpler view of complex
information. Short labels
point out important
parts of the drawing.
Warm Front
Cold Front
col
df
RM
WA
ro
nt
COLD
AIR
AIR
rm
wa
WARM
AIR
movement of front
nt
fro
COLD AIR
movement of front
When cold air pushes under warmer air, a cold front forms. On the
map, a cold front is a line of triangles. It is often printed in blue. The
triangles point in the direction the front is moving.
A warm front forms when warm air moves over colder air. A warm
front is shown on a map by a line of half circles. It is often printed in
red. The half circles point in the direction the front is moving.
Sometimes two air masses sit side by side. Neither one can push
the other out of the way. This is a stationary front. It appears on a
map as a line of alternating triangles and half circles. The half circles
point in one direction. The triangles point in the other. The line may
be printed in alternating red and blue.
When a fast-moving cold front catches up to a slower-moving
warm front, it is called an occluded front. In an occluded front, warm
air is squeezed up above two colder air masses—the cold air that was
ahead of the warm front and the cold air that caught up to the warm
front. A map may show this front as a line of purple triangles and half
circles. Or it may be a line of alternating blue triangles and red half
circles. The shapes all point in the same direction. They show which
way the front is moving.
24
DOPPLER RADAR, SATELLITES, AND COMPUTER MODELS
™
Copyright © 2012 by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. Lerner DigitalTM and Lerner eSourceTM are trademarks of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. www.lernerbooks.com.
From Doppler Radar, Satellites, and Computer Models: The Science of Weather Forecasting. © by Paul Fleisher. Image: © Laura Westlund/Independent Picture Service.
9
glossary:
GLOSSARY
This is a list of the
book’s unfamiliar
or important
words or phrases
with a definition
after each term.
air pressure: the force of air pushing evenly in all directions against any object
anemometer: a device that measures wind speed
atmosphere: the blanket of gases that surrounds Earth’s surface
barometer: an instrument that measures air pressure
buoy: a device that floats in the water, usually anchored in place. Weather buoys carry
instruments to measure weather conditions.
climate: the average weather or typical weather patterns of a region
climate change: long-term changes in Earth’s weather patterns and averages
cyclone: a region of low pressure with winds that circle counterclockwise in the Northern
Hemisphere. Cyclones usually produce storms.
dew point: the temperature at which water vapor in the air condenses into liquid. The
dew point is a measure of humidity.
forecast: a prediction of future weather
front: the zone where two different air masses meet
global warming: the recent rise in the average temperature of Earth’s lower atmosphere.
Most scientists think this is due to more heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere.
greenhouse effect: the natural process by which the atmosphere traps heat near Earth’s
surface, keeping the heat from escaping into space
bold print:
greenhouse gases: gases, including water vapor and carbon dioxide, that hold heat in the
atmosphere
Words in bold print
have thick, black
letters. You might
not know what these
words mean. They are
usually in a glossary,
or a list with meanings,
at the end of the book.
humidity: the amount of water vapor in the air
hygrometer: a device that measures relative humidity
isobar: a line on a weather map that shows locations with the same air pressure
isotherm: a dashed line on a weather map that shows locations with the same
temperature
meteorologist: a scientist who studies weather and climate
outlook: a long-range weather prediction that covers one to three months
prog: a computer-drawn weather map that predicts future weather conditions. Prog is
short for “prognostic chart.”
radar: a device that locates distant objects, such as moisture droplets, using radio waves.
Doppler radar can also measure speed and direction.
radiosonde: a package of weather instruments carried beneath a weather balloon
rain gauge: a device that measures the amount of rain that has fallen
44
™
Copyright © 2012 by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. Lerner DigitalTM and Lerner eSourceTM are trademarks of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. www.lernerbooks.com.
From Doppler Radar, Satellites, and Computer Models: The Science of Weather Forecasting. © by Paul Fleisher.
10
satellite: a machine in orbit around Earth
supercomputer: a very fast computer with huge amounts of memory and computing
power
thermometer: a device that measures temperature
weather: the current condition of the atmosphere
weather model: also called atmospheric model; a computer program that collects
weather data and uses it to predict future changes in the weather
weather station: a center with a set of instruments for measuring and recording weather
conditions, including temperature, air pressure, wind speed and direction, and rainfall
wind barb: a symbol on a weather map that shows wind direction and speed
wind vane: a device that indicates wind direction
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Aguardo, Edward, and James E. Burt. Understanding Weather & Climate. 3rd ed. Upper
Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2004.
Ahrens, C. Donald. Meteorology Today. 8th ed. Belmont, CA: Thompson Higher Education,
2007.
italic: This type
is slanted to make a
word or phrase stand
out. Italicized words
may be names of
books, newspapers,
movies, ships, or
foreign words. They
may also tell you
which caption goes
with which photo.
Allaby, Michael. The Facts on File Weather and Climate Handbook. New York: Facts on File,
2002.
Dunlop, Storm. Weather. New York: HarperCollins, 2006.
Lutgens, Frederick and Edward J. Tarbuck. The Atmosphere: An Introduction to
Meteorology. 10th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2006.
Mayes, Julian. Understanding Weather: A Visual Approach. New York: Oxford University
Press, 2004.
further reading:
This is a list of books and
websites on the same subject
as the book you just read.
This list is at the end of your
book. It can be helpful in doing
research for reports.
FURTHER READING
Allaby, Michael. DK Guide to Weather. New York: DK Pub., 2006. Lots of vivid photos and
information are packed into this book to help readers explore the various aspects of
weather.
Carson, Mary Kay. Weather Projects for Young Scientists: Experiments and Science Fair
Ideas. Chicago: Chicago Review Press, 2007. This book offers comprehensive weatherrelated activities, putting a fun spin on learning about the weather.
Johnson, Rebecca L. Satellites. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications Company, 2006. Get an
in-depth look at satellites through the many facts and real-life photos this book has to offer.
45
™
Copyright © 2012 by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. Lerner DigitalTM and Lerner eSourceTM are trademarks of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. www.lernerbooks.com.
From Doppler Radar, Satellites, and Computer Models: The Science of Weather Forecasting. © by Paul Fleisher.
11
index: This is a list
of the main ideas in
the book, with page
numbers to tell you
where to find them.
INDEX
air pressure, 7–8, 10, 13, 19–20, 26, 28–29,
35, 43
National Hurricane Center, 11, 32
atmosphere, 5, 15–16, 37
National Weather Service (NWS), 10–15,
17–18, 26, 28, 35
barometer, 10, 35
precipitation, 17, 22, 26
clouds, 4, 8, 14, 16, 26, 29, 42–43
Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellites
(POES), 16–17
cumulus cloud, 8, 29, 36
prognostic chart (prog), 30–31
Doppler radar, 13–14
radar, 9, 14–15, 18, 31
Florida, 4, 11, 30
radiosonde, 12–13
forecasters, 5–7, 13, 15–16, 18, 23, 26,
30–32, 34
satellite, 9, 15–16, 18, 31, 41
forecasts, 5–7, 9, 13, 15, 17, 28, 30–35,
37–38, 41
stratus cloud, 8, 29
front, 22, 24–25, 29
thermometer, 10, 35
Geostationary Operational Environmental
Satellites (GOES), 15–17
weather balloon, 12–13
global warming, 40
humidity, 8, 10, 13, 16–17, 23, 28–29, 35
hurricane, 4, 11, 30
hygrometer, 10, 35
Storm Prediction Center, 11
weather map (synoptic chart), 19–22, 25
weather stations, 10–15, 17–18, 25–26, 35
wind vanes, 9–10
World Meteorological Organization
(WMO), 12
isobar, 21
isotherm, 22
meteorologist, 4, 6, 9–10, 12–13, 16–18, 28,
31, 33–34
47
™
Copyright © 2012 by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. Lerner DigitalTM and Lerner eSourceTM are trademarks of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. www.lernerbooks.com.
From Doppler Radar, Satellites, and Computer Models: The Science of Weather Forecasting. © by Paul Fleisher.
12