LESSON 2 - We're all under (air) pressure!
AIMS: 1. What is air pressure?
2. What instrument measures air pressure?
3. How can we use a barometer to measure air pressure?
GRADE LEVEL: Grade 5 Science Club
ESTIMATED TIME FRAME: 4 weeks
SETTING: Science classroom, computer lab., 5th grade homerooms
INTERDISCIPLINARY AREAS: Science, Art, Math
MOTIVATION: Ask leading questions such as:
1. What do we mean when we talk about a
"blanket of air"? To illustrate the
concept that air has weight, have children lay on the floor, and put 1
blanket on them, then 2, 3, etc.
2. How do the blankets illustrate
and compare to a "blanket of air"?
3. What is a high pressure system?
4. What is a low pressure system?
5. What types of weather are associated
with high and low pressure?
6. What instrument measures the air
pressure?
Show children a weather map indicating high pressure and low pressure
areas. Let children elicit their own questions.
PROCEDURE:
1. Explain and define the vocabulary.
2. Show how to read a weather map, indicating
high and low pressure systems and
fronts.
3. Identify the types of weather associated
with each system.
4. Show how a barometer measures air pressure.
5. Create (build) 2 different classroom
barometers. Both barometers work on the same principle. One
uses water in a bottle, the other uses a straw on top of a balloon covered
jar. Directions for the straw barometer is included on an attachment.
Link for Bill Nye's Barometer in a Bottle is http://nyelabs.kcts.org/homedemos/demo11.html
6. Create a database using a word processing
program (see attached sample)
7. Use the classroom barometers to keep
track of weather systems (database sheet) and make weather predictions.
Compare to the actual weather.
VOCABULARY: high pressure, low pressure, front, air mass, barometer
EVALUATION:
1. Keep a barometric weather database for
two weeks.
2. After two weeks, compare predictions
to actual weather events.
3. Have children produce a report of information
on air pressure, barometers, etc. on Claris Works.
ADDITIONAL:
LINKS:
http://earthlab.com/leveltxt/easy/wxinst/barom.html
FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES:
1. Talk about what other instruments are
used to forecast weather.
2. Relate each weather instrument to what
it is used to predict (humidity, wind pressure, etc.)
DIRECTIONS FOR CLASSROOM BAROMETER
MATERIALS:
jelly jar (or any similar jar)
rubber balloons
rubber bands
scissors
straw
ruler
pen
paper
clear tape
PROCEDURE:
1. Take a balloon and wrap it over the
mouth of the jar.
2. Secure it really tight (so no air can
get in) with a bunch of rubber bands.
3. Cut one end of the straw so it comes
to a point.
4. Tape the straight, non-pointed end of
the straw to the middle of the balloon. Let the straw rest on the
edge of the jar.
5. Put the barometer on a table pushed
against a wall out of the sun.
6. Lean a ruler against the wall, next
to the barometer so that the straw points to the marks on the ruler.
7. For two weeks, take a reading and enter
the information on the database.