How do you measure the weather?

NATIONAL SCIENCE STANDARDS:

Content Standard A: Science As Inquiry
Content Standard D: Objects In The Sky – Changes In Earth and Sky

*NOTE: Educators/Parents should consider reading the entire text to their children, if necessary, as they assist the child with the activity.

• Weather conditions can change quickly.
• People outside need to know if (and when) weather conditions will change.
• Weather reporters can tell people about weather changes.
• Weather reporters need to know how to gather weather information.

ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS IN KINDERGARTEN

1. You will need to create a large calendar for this Activity. An adult might help you set up a bulletin board as your calendar.
   
2. Draw, color, and cut out symbols for weather conditions. Examples are sun, clouds, raindrops, clouds with rain falling from them, cloud with lightning from it, snowflake, and others you think you might need to show weather conditions.
   
3. These symbols will be attached to your calendar to show weather conditions for each day. An adult can help you decide the best way to attach your symbol onto your calendar, which will be known as your Weather Log.
   
4. You will need to listen to a weather reporter on TV (or go to your computer) to get weather conditions each day for your Weather Log. If you choose to use your computer, Internet weather websites you can visit with a parent are:
   
http://www.accuweather.com
http://www.usatoday.com/weather
http://www.weather.com

5. Attach the correct weather symbol(s) that represent the weather for that day.
   
6. After a week (7 days) has passed, look at the weather symbols. Do you notice a pattern that can help you predict the weather for tomorrow? Do you think tomorrow will be sunny? Rainy? Cloudy? Attach the symbol for your prediction to the Weather Log calendar.
   
7. Remember to check your weather prediction. Were you correct? Why or why not?
   
8. Complete Worksheet A.
   

FOLLOW-UP DISCUSSION:
Ask students why it is difficult to make correct weather predictions every day.

ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS IN GRADE ONE

*NOTE: Conduct the Kindergarten Activity before you begin this listed Activity.

1. An important part of a weather forecast each day is the temperature. People want to know how they should dress based upon how hot or cold it will be that day.
   
2. You need to obtain a thermometer. Let an adult help you understand how to read the temperature shown on the thermometer. Make sure you don’t touch the “bottom” (the bulb). Your body heat will cause the temperature on the thermometer to rise.
   
3. On most days, the temperature rises as the day passes. Usually, the warmest temperatures are not in the morning. You will see if it is correct.
   
4. You will take temperature readings several times during the day. This will help you see if the temperature really does rise as the day passes.
   
5. Complete Worksheet B.
   

FOLLOW-UP DISCUSSION:
NOTE: An adult may need to assist students with math in this section.
Some people believe that insects can tell you the correct temperature. Let’s check it out. You need to listen for crickets chirping. Using your watch (or a clock), count the number of chirps you hear in 14 seconds. Add 40 to that number. The total will equal the air temperature – at least within one degree.

ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS IN GRADE TWO

*NOTE: Conduct the Kindergarten and Grade One Activities before you begin this listed Activity.

1. Wind direction is a very important part of predicting weather changes. Wind can blow on and move different weather conditions into your area. – or even move it away from you.
   
2. You will build a simple wind vane that shows you wind direction. Worksheet C lists the materials you need to build it. Instructions are included on the Worksheet.
   
3. Once your wind vane is built, you should take it outside to see how well it works. If it does not move in the wind, check the way the materials are put together and adjust it, if needed.
   
4. NOTE: When weather reporters tell you wind direction (such as “We have north winds today”) they are telling you where the wind comes from – NOT where it is going.
   
5. Again, your wind vane will point where the wind comes from. If it points to the north, then you can report that you have northerly winds or you can actually say you have winds from the north.
   
6. SPECIAL NOTE: You may need an adult to help you with your compass directions. They may already know where north is located or they may have and use a directional compass to show the directions.
   
7. Complete Worksheet C.
   

FOLLOW-UP DISCUSSION:
Wind is an important part of our lives. Wind is simply air that moves. Wind at slow speed is usually no problem but high-speed winds can be trouble! To see how wind is an important part of weather, check out a special NASA website at . You’ll learn about weather as seen inside a blimp (a type of balloon so large it can hold people). Obviously, a balloon is affected by wind.

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES FOR ALL GRADE LEVELS

1. What is one part of weather you would like to be able to control? Why did you make that choice?

2. Invent a machine that could control weather. What would the machine look like? How would it work?

REMEMBER: Changing the weather may not help anyone but you!

KINDERGARTEN - WORKSHEET A

Set up your materials to look like this drawing:

1. Draw, color, and cut out your own symbols for weather conditions. Examples are sun, clouds, raindrops, clouds with rain falling from them, cloud with lightning from it, snowflake, and others you think you might need to show weather conditions.

2. These symbols will be attached to your calendar to show weather conditions for each day. An adult can help you decide the best way to attach your symbol onto your calendar, which will be known as your Weather Log.

3. You will need to listen to a weather reporter on TV (or go to your computer) to get weather conditions each day for your Weather Log. If you choose to use your computer, Internet weather websites you can visit with a parent are:
http://www.accuweather.com
http://www.usatoday.com/weather
http://www.weather.com

4. After a week (7 days) has passed, look at the weather symbols. Do you notice a pattern
that can help you predict the weather for tomorrow? Do you think tomorrow will be sunny? Rainy? Cloudy? Attach the symbol for your prediction to the Weather Log.

5. Remember to check your weather prediction. Were you correct? Why or why not?

GRADE ONE - WORKSHEET B

Set up your materials to look like this drawing:

1. You need to obtain a thermometer. Let an adult help you understand how to read the temperature shown on the thermometer. Make sure you don’t touch the “bottom” (the bulb). Your body heat will cause the temperature on the thermometer to rise.

2. On most days, the temperature rises as the day passes. Usually, the warmest temperatures are not in the morning. You will see if it is correct.

3. You will take temperature readings several times during the day. This will help you see
if the temperature really does rise as the day passes.

4. Record your observations on the following chart. This can help you see how the temperature usually changes during the day.

DAY/DATE _________________________
Temp- 9 AM _____
         10 AM _____
         11 AM _____
         NOON _____
           1 PM _____
           2 PM _____
           3 PM _____

5. Does the temperature change (warm up) as the day passes? When is the temperature
warmest?

Air temperature normally gets warmer as the day passes. The warmest temperatures usually happen as the sun gets higher in the sky. The sun is normally highest in the sky at noon. Your recorded temperatures will show you if temperatures really are warmest at noon.

GRADE TWO - WORKSHEET C

Set up your materials to look like this drawing:

1. You will construct a wind vane as shown in the drawing. The materials you need are: construction paper, straw, tape, straight pin, new pencil with eraser

2. Why does a wind vane always point where wind comes from – not where it is going?