Download Rain or Shine: Understanding Weather

Rain or Shine: Understanding Weather
Teacher’s Guide
Grade Level: 3–5
Curriculum Focus: Earth Science
Lesson Duration: Two class periods
Program Description
Rain or Shine: Understanding Weather—When a hurricane pounds a coastline or flooding turns
hillsides to mud slides, people have to pay attention to the weather. Even on ordinary days,
human activities depend on what’s happening in the sky. This program explains what weather is,
why and how weather events happen, and how people use technology to predict how weather will
change. It explains the fundamental cause of all weather: masses of air that have different
temperatures. The program then shows how heat, water, and air interact to form clouds, cold
fronts, warm fronts, and precipitation. The program also tours modern weather stations and
demonstrates how satellites, computer models, and other technologies help meteorologists forecast
weather.
Discussion Questions
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What is the fundamental cause of all weather?
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What is the difference between a cold front and a warm front?
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What kinds of information do meteorologists collect and how do they collect it?
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How does human activity depend on the work of meteorologists?
Lesson Plan
Student Objectives
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Identify the fundamental cause of all weather: differences in temperature between air masses.
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Compare cold fronts and warm fronts in terms of how they are formed and what kinds of
precipitation they produce.
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Predict the weather by reading and interpreting a regional or continental weather map.
Materials
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Rain or Shine: Understanding Weather video
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Computer with Internet access
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Globe (optional)
Rain or Shine: Understanding Weather
Teacher’s Guide
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Print resources about weather, including encyclopedia articles, science textbook entries, and
weather pages from local and national newspapers
Procedures
1. Before students view the program, have them describe today’s weather, by direct observation if
possible. In addition, ask volunteers to share what they have heard about today’s forecast.
Suggest that students look for explanations of today’s weather as they watch and listen to the
program.
2. After students have viewed the program, ask them to recall details and draw conclusions from
what they saw and heard. The following suggestions for discussion review the program’s main
topics.
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According to the program, differences in temperature between two air masses cause all
weather. Remember what you learned from watching the hot air balloon. Then explain
how a mass of hot air acts differently from a mass of cold air. (A mass of hot air rises and
expands, while a mass of cold air falls and condenses.)
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The program told us that an air mass takes on the characteristics of the land or water
underneath it. Describe how an air mass over the ocean is probably different from an air
mass over land. (The air mass over the ocean is probably wetter than an air mass over
land.)
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Compare cold fronts and warm fronts in terms of how they are formed and what kinds
of clouds and precipitation they produce. (A cold front is formed when a cold air mass
moves into an area of warm air. Cold fronts create thick, cottony clouds that can develop
into dark thunderclouds. Precipitation comes in quick, violent storms. A warm front is
formed when a mass of warm air moves into a mass of cool air. Warm fronts create high,
feathery clouds that gradually lower and produce slow, drizzling precipitation.)
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Compare cold fronts and warm fronts in terms of where they begin and how they
spread. Ask students to recall the global views in the program or use a classroom globe
to locate tropical and polar areas. (Students should recognize that warm air masses are
formed in the tropics and cold air masses are formed at the poles.) Have students spin
the globe or imagine a globe spinning in order to form a mental image of giant masses of
hot and cold air perpetually in motion.
3. Discuss modern weather-watching technology and why predicting the weather is still not an
exact science. Go back to the imaginary or actual spinning globe as you discuss all the factors
that affect the constantly moving air. Ask students to identify kinds of information that are
gathered by meteorologists. (Students should recall that meteorologists gather data on
temperature, humidity, wind speed, and wind direction. They also track air masses that are
approaching and record long-term weather patterns.) Discuss how each type of data contributes
to a weather prediction. For example, wind direction helps scientists predict whether a cold
front will pass through your region.
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Rain or Shine: Understanding Weather
Teacher’s Guide
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4. Have students use print and Web resources to research weather and weather forecasting. The
URLs listed below link to academic and government Web sites. In addition, there are excellent
commercial online weather services, including the Web sites of local newspapers and television
stations. As they research, encourage students to pay attention to how weather information is
presented on maps, diagrams, and graphs. Ask them to look up your local weather whenever
possible, as well as weather events such as hurricanes and tornadoes that sometimes affect your
region. The following Web sites are good starting points:
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Eco Kids: Be a Weather Watcher
http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/eco_info/topics/climate/weather/index.cfm
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Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): FEMA for Kids
http://www.fema.gov/kids/
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Franklin Institute: Franklin’s Forecast
http://sln.fi.edu/weather/
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Vocabulary Hangman Game (Select word sets under “Meteorology and
Oceanography.”)
http://education.jlab.org/vocabhangman/
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National Geographic: Forces of Nature (Select “Tornadoes” and “Hurricanes.”)
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/forcesofnature/
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National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) Earth Observatory
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/
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NASA for Kids Only (Select “Air” and “Natural Hazards.”)
http://kids.mtpe.hq.nasa.gov/
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National Weather Service Interactive Weather Information Network (IWIN)
http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov/iwin/graphicsversion/bigmain.html
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
http://www.noaa.gov/
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NOAA Jetstream: An Online Weather School
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/srh/jetstream/
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NOAA’s National Weather Service: Playtime for Kids
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/reachout/kidspage.shtml
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NOAA Photo Library
http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/collections.html
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USGS: The Water Cycle
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycle.html
Published by Discovery Education. © 2005. All rights reserved.
Rain or Shine: Understanding Weather
Teacher’s Guide
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University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR): Web Weather for Kids
http://www.ucar.edu/educ_outreach/webweather/
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World Meteorological Association: World Weather Information Service
http://www.worldweather.org/
5. After students have completed their research, ask them once again to describe today’s weather,
this time using information they have learned. Ask individual students or study teams to
prepare and presents weather predictions for tomorrow and the next few days. Ask different
students or teams to report on different places. This is a good opportunity to connect
meteorology with geography or social studies lessons. Encourage students to print maps from
online sources or to draw their own weather maps.
6. Have students or teams take turns presenting their weather predictions to the class and
displaying their maps.
Assessment
Use the following three-point rubric to evaluate students’ work during this lesson.
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3 points: Students were highly engaged in class discussions; recalled most significant details
from the program; followed directions for online research; and produced accurate weather
reports and predictions based on weather maps.
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2 points: Students participated in class discussions; recalled some significant details from
the program; followed most directions for online research; and produced adequate weather
reports and predictions.
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1 point: Students participated minimally in class discussions; recalled few significant details
from the program; did not follow directions for online research; and did not produce
adequate weather reports and predictions.
Vocabulary
air mass
Definition: A large, uniform body of air
Context: An air mass moves slowly if it is next to another air mass of about the same
temperature.
atmosphere
Definition: The blanket of air that surrounds the earth
Context: The atmosphere gets thinner and colder as it get farther from the earth’s surface.
cold front
Definition: The boundary between two air masses when a mass of cool air is moving into an area
of warm air
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Rain or Shine: Understanding Weather
Teacher’s Guide
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Context: In summer, cold fronts from Canada create thunderstorms over the central part of the
United States.
condense
Definition: To become denser, heavier, and more compact
Context: When an air mass cools, its water condenses and forms clouds that can produce rain or
snow.
forecast
Definition: To calculate or predict a future event based on the study of scientific data
Context: Satellites have made it easier to forecast the weather accurately.
front
Definition: A boundary between two air masses
Context: A stationary front is the boundary between two air masses of almost equal
temperatures.
hurricane
Definition: A circular storm that originates in the tropics and in which circulating winds reach
speeds of 74 miles (118 kilometers) per hour or more
Context: Most hurricanes that reach North America take place during the summer and early fall.
hydrogen
Definition: The lightest element and the most abundant material in the earth’s atmosphere
Context: Because they weigh so little, weather balloons filled with hydrogen rise high enough to
record data from the upper atmosphere.
meteorologist
Definition: A scientist who studies weather
Context: Among the tools of meteorologists are satellites, computer models, weather balloons,
and thermometers.
model
Definition: In math and science, a calculation of probable results based on past patterns and
performance
Context: Meteorologists use data from past hurricanes to create computer models that predict
the paths of future storms.
monitor
Definition: To keep track or follow the progress of an event; the screen on which a computer
displays information
Context: A meteorologist can monitor data from several weather stations on one monitor.
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Rain or Shine: Understanding Weather
Teacher’s Guide
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observation
Definition: In science, the act of measuring and recording a series of events
Context: Thousands of observations go into making a single computer model.
system
Definition: In meteorology, a group of related air masses or weather events
Context: A large storm system can bring a chain of thunderstorms that lasts for several days.
tornado
Definition: A violent, destructive whirling wind that passes over the land in a funnel-shaped
cloud
Context: On the Great Plains, tornadoes sometimes accompany summer storm systems.
warm front
Definition: The boundary between two air masses when a mass of warm air is moving into an
area of cool air
Context: Steady, sustained precipitation often follows a warm front.
Academic Standards
National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences provides guidelines for teaching science in grades K–12 to
promote scientific literacy. To view the standards, visit this Web site:
http://books.nap.edu/html/nses/html/overview.html#content.
This lesson plan addresses the following national standards:
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Earth and Space Science (Grades K-4): Changes in earth and sky
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Earth and Space Science (Grades 5–8): Structure of the earth system
Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL)
McREL’s Content Knowledge: A Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K-12 Education
addresses 14 content areas. To view the standards and benchmarks, visit
http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/browse.asp.
This lesson plan addresses the following national standard:
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Science—Earth and Space Sciences: Understands atmospheric processes and the water cycle
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Language Arts—Viewing: Uses viewing skills and strategies to understand and interpret
visual media
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Teacher’s Guide
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Support Materials
Develop custom worksheets, educational puzzles, online quizzes, and more with the free teaching tools
offered on the DiscoverySchool.com Web site. Create and print support materials, or save them to a
Custom Classroom account for future use. To learn more, visit
http://school.discovery.com/teachingtools/teachingtools.html.
Credit
Judith Conaway, curriculum writer, editor, and instructional designer
Published by Discovery Education. © 2005. All rights reserved.