Download Weather Measurement

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Lesson Plan Idea Format
Grade Level & Subject Area: ___7__Earth and Space Science____
Standards/Framework:
-ESS 8.7.6-Conduct investigations using weather measurement devices:
anemometers, barometers, sling psychrometers, thermometers, and weather
charts.
Theme/Series of Lessons:
-This lesson is in the center of a section on weather and its causes, and
phenomena related to it. This lesson will focus on the various devices used to
measure different types of weather. In this lesson students will observe the tools
used to measure weather. Next, students will learn to predict weather conditions
using data on the temperature, air pressure highs & lows, fronts, clouds, wind
speed, wind direction, and humidity.
Time:
-This will be a 1 day 50 minute lesson. * Dependent on weather due to outside
activity (may carry over to another day).
What do the students already know?
-The students have recently learned to identify the major elements of weather:
temperature, air pressure, wind speed, wind direction, and humidity. Now they
will learn about the ways of measuring it.
Objective:
-The student will demonstrate accurate knowledge about the uses and elements
measure by anemometers, barometers, sling psychrometers, thermometers, and
weather charts.
Materials:
-Students will have internet access in the classroom and will be using Windows
Movie Maker.
Procedure:
-The teacher will deliver a brief 10-15 minute lecture about the various
instruments used to measure the different types of weather. Next student will take
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a 10 minute trip outside to observe the teacher use one of the instruments to
actually measure an element of weather. Finally, the students will have the
remaining 30 minutes to divide into their groups of 4 and create a (10 slide
minimum) movie to share with the class later in the week about the uses of the
weather measuring instruments.
Assessment:
-Students will be graded on their group movie activity. Students must include a
title, 10 topic related slides, a written dialogue to be read while the film pays, and
formal credits. Students will receive an additional 30 minutes after the next day’s
lesson has ended to finalize their projects.
A Brief Description Of The Entire Lesson - Plus Any Additional Information to be
Included:
-1) Students will learn to identify the major elements of weather: temperature, air
pressure, wind speed, wind direction, and humidity. 2) In this lesson students will
observe the tools used to measure weather, and conduct investigations about
weather measurement devices. 3) Students will learn to predict weather
conditions using data on the temperature, air pressure highs & lows, fronts,
clouds, wind speed, wind direction, and humidity.
Written Dialogue:
How do we measure weather?
-A cup anemometer measures wind speed. The cups catch the wind, turning a
dial attached to the instrument. The dial shows the wind speed.
-A barometer measure air pressure. It tells you whether or not the pressure is
rising or falling. A rising barometer means sunny and dry conditions, while a
falling barometer means stormy and wet conditions.
- A sling psychrometer measures relative humidity, using the cooling effect of
evaporation. Two thermometers are used in a sling psychrometer. Wet the cloth
of one of the thermometers and swing the psychrometer around a few times.
Water evaporates from the cloth, causing the temperatures on that thermometer
to be lower than the other.
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- A thermometer measures the air temperature. Most thermometers are closed
glass tubes containing liquids such as alcohol or mercury. When air around the
tube heats the liquid, the liquid expands and moves up the tube. A scale then
shows what the actual temperature is.
- Weather charts indicate atmospheric conditions above a large portion of the
Earth's surface. Meteorologists use weather maps to forecast the weather.