Click here for a higher graphics version

Atmosphere Activities

Learner Outcomes - By completing these activities, the learner will:

Exploration

Students view Internet weather sites and begin to formulate ideas about what some of the symbols and maps represent.

Some current maps to view include:

Other Sites Include:

Concept Introduction - Students formulate questions about weather and climate.


Activity 1 - Local Weather Data Collection

  1. Connect to the Weather Data Collection site at the Network Montana Project server (NMP).
  2. Students log and submit weather data at least twice a week.
  3. The following local data is collected at school:
    1. time and date of observation
    2. precipitation over last 24 hours (definitions)
    3. current temperature
    4. wind speed and direction
    5. current wind chill (calculator) or heat index(calculator)
    6. sky condition or description of clouds
    7. relative humidity
    8. comments and self-reflections (unusual weather conditions and/orhow does the weather affects me today)

Activity 2- Analyzing Weather Data

  1. Students gather and record weather data from selected sites on the chart provided.
    1. Weather Channel
    2. Intellicast
    3. CNN Weather
    4. Pathfinder
  2. Students interpret data and create graphs depicting patterns of change in weather. [Example: Bar graph comparing temperatures.]
  3. Students make graphs showing relationships among temperature, wind, and wind chill.
  4. Students create scatter plot showing correlation between precipitation and sky conditions.
  5. Students calculate how many hours and minutes of sunlight near their current location. Compare with New York City and Miami.

Activity 3 - Weather Journal and Predictions

  1. Students draw pictures or take images of the sky and weather phenomena. Students should create stories about how weather affects daily life.
  2. What is weather like for students in other parts of the country? First, look at a map, then look at live images. What would you wear if you lived there?
  3. Predict what the weather will be like in your area 5 days from now. Compare your predictions to today's weather using Weather Now Link.
  4. Discuss the possible effects of wind on weather. Test your theories using Internet resources.

Activity 4 - Creating a Temperature Map

  1. Connect to the Weather Data Collection site at the Network Montana Project server (NMP).
  2. Chart temperatures submitted on a map of the US. You can get more data from the The National Weather Service. Students will draw lines separating areas with varying temperature ranges and color accordingly. These lines are called isotherms.
  3. Compare map to temperature topographs found on the Internet.
  4. Follow current hurricances.
Concept Applications and Extensions - Students use the skills learned in activities one through four to conduct their own investigations.
  1. Create your own weather maps using the JAVA Weather Machine.
  2. Using a digital camera, pictures of the weather outside a school can be posted on the WWW or the Weather Data Collection site on the Network Montana Project server (NMP). Students in other classrooms can see weather elsewhere. Also, many cities have cool "real-time" weather cameras.
  3. Using Internet resources, storm systems can be tracked as they move from west to east.
  4. Children can make predictions about weather changes for other schools.
  5. Students can keep weather journals. This can be in the form of a written journal, an electronic portfolio, or with a program such as Kid Pix.
  6. Using CU-SeeMe, students plan and deliver weather forecasts based on the data they collect.
  7. Students create flip charts that show how clouds look as they change into storms. This could be done by actually drawing the pictures on different cards or by using computer software like NIH Image, Powerpoint, Hypercard or Hyperstudio.
Cross-curricular Literature Connections

BOOKS:
Winds a Blowing, a poem by May Justus
East of the Sun West of the Moon Folktale
Chi Square Pi Charts and Me
Up Periscope
Looking For Data In All The Right Places
Lane County Problem Solving In Mathematics, Dale Seymour Publishing, 1993 - ISBN: 0-86651-181-4
Math Solutions: About Teaching Mathematics, Marilyn Burns, Math Solutions Publications, 1992 - ISBN: 0-941355-05-5
 

CREATIVE WRITING TOPICS:
Now I know what to wear tomorrow.
Will there be snow for skiing?
Shall we cancel our pool party?
What do shape and color of clouds tell you about storms?
Draw a storm cloud, write a poem or story about this type of cloud.