Download Classroom Teacher Preparation Earth Science 16: Weather

Classroom Teacher Preparation
Earth Science 16: Weather
Please use the following to prepare for the next SfS lesson.
Description:
This lesson provides an introduction to weather and its key components that influence it. Key components include
temperature, humidity, pressure, ocean currents and air currents. The four main types of precipitation are also included in
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the lesson. This lesson was designed to focus on weather concepts that are introduced in 4 and 5 grade, or for
students who have not yet had an introduction to weather.
Lesson Objectives – SWBAT (“Students Will Be Able To…”):
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Define weather and where it occurs in the atmosphere
Understand how earth’s rotation affects the weather
Understand that there are several different factors that make up the weather in a place or time, including
temperature, humidity and pressure.
Identify the four main types of precipitation
Preparation:
No special preparation is needed; this lesson is an introduction to the topic.
Vocabulary:
Introduce these terms:
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Longitude – lines that measure distances in degrees that run east to west on a globe
Latitude – lines that measure distances in degrees that run north to south on a globe
Condensation – water vapor (gas) changes to liquid water
Evaporation – liquid water changes to water vapor
Freezing – liquid water changes to solid water (ice)
These terms will be defined in lesson:
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Fronts – boundaries between warm and cold air
Pressure – the weight of air pressing down on earth
Rain – drops of liquid water that fall to earth’s surface
Snow – water vapor frozen into ice crystals
Sleet – ice pellets that form when raindrops hit a subfreezing patch of air near earth’s surface
Hail – a mixture of liquid precipitation made up of layers of ice
Room Set Up for Activities:
The activities for this lesson will be in stations where 4-5 students will work as a group.
Tables or desks pushed together are ideal for these stations. There should be some paper towels kept at every station
that contains water. Instructors will need a place to dump the used water from the Thunderstorms activity – if there is a
sink available that would be best.
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Safety:
If access to a sink is not readily available, instructors will use an electric kettle to heat water for an activity. Students
should be aware of the location of the kettle and not touch it. One activity involves a mixture of 70% rubbing alcohol with
water and food coloring. Students are not allowed to drink this.
Related Modules:
This lesson may be taught as part of a sequence or group of related modules on Weather. Other modules in this
sequence include:
Chemistry 11: States of Matter – For younger students, this module introduces the three commonly-observed states of
matter (solid, liquid, gas), the most commonly-occurring one (plasma, which makes up the stars), and allows them to
observe many of the transitions between the different states. For older students, the topic is connected to heat transfer, as
they consider how the flow of energy between materials allows the transitions to occur.
Earth Science 17: Meteorology and Weather Mapping - Students will learn about weather patterns, weather symbols, and
how to interpret a weather map. They will then use the skills they have learned to highlight the weather on a national
weather map and identify pressure systems and weather fronts.
For other module sequences and groups, look here: www.sciencefromscientists.org/sequences
Standards Covered:
Please click the following link to our website to review the standards covered by this lesson, listed by state:
http://www.sciencefromscientists.org/standards/
Lessons are matched to both national NGSS and local state standards.
Classroom Post and Activities:
A link to the Follow Up Student activity can be found in the Classroom Post on our website at
sciencefromscientists.org/cohorts. Use the name of your school/cohort and password to log in. Students will build and test
their own barometer for measuring atmospheric pressure, which can help predict weather.
Additional Resources:
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Wind and ocean circulation: http://www.nc-climate.ncsu.edu/edu/k12/.oceancirculations
More about snow: http://nsidc.org/cryosphere/snow/science/formation.html
Predicting Weather: http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/idptv11.sci.ess.watcyc.d4kwea/weather/
Science from Scientists
617-314-7773 • [email protected] • www.sciencefromscientists.org
Copyright © 2014 Science from Scientists
Page 2