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| Ready-Set-Tech: Weather Wise |
Jennifer Williams,
Miami, FL
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| Grade Level |
3 - 5 |
| Subject |
Science and Language Arts |
| Background |
The weather affects everyone on
Earth, from daily to long term planning. The weather is one of the
most watched segments in the news. Predicting the weather is big
business. In this lesson, students use the Internet to become
junior meteorologists. They visit weather web sites and create a
database of weather conditions. |
| Objectives |
The student uses the scientific processes to record,
interpret, and predict weather data.
The student uses online resources to create, revise, retrieve and verify
information. |
| Materials |
Computer with Internet access,
Weather Wise work sheet, word processing program with a database
application |
| Procedure |
1. Discuss with students the three main types
of clouds and their characteristics:
cumulus- white, puffy, and lumpy
stratus- gray, sheetlike, and layered
cirrus- light, wispy, and feathery
2. Discuss the various cloud types and the kind
of weather they bring:
cumulonimbus- storms
stratus- overcast day, drizzle or mist
cumulus- fair weather clouds
nimbostratus- rain
3. Distribute Weather Wise work sheet and
demonstrate how to set up a database.
4. Ask students to visit various book marked
weather sites to check cloud conditions and specific weather
locations for several weeks. Some sites to visit:
National Weather Service http://www.nws.noaa.gov/ - tons of interesting facts
NASA Kids http://kids.msfc.nasa.gov/ - current information and
great links
USA Today http://www.usatoday.com/weather/wfront.htm -rich site
with regional weather maps and domestic and international
forecasts
5. After accessing weather sites, record
information on Weather Wise work sheets. |
| Evaluation |
Students will be able to answer
the following questions in a short essay: Were you accurate in
your predictions? Do cloud conditions really affect the weather?
Were you able to identify clouds?
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