Introduction to Weather Learning Activities

This zip file contains many different activities (72 pages of student handouts which includes worksheets, quizzes, two labs and cloze notes handouts. as well as a PowerPoint with a total of 96 slides) which can be used to introduce students to basic concepts about weather. While these lessons were originally designed to correlate to the performance indicators of the New York State Intermediate Science curriculum, the components of this lesson may be easily used in other physical science or basic introductory earth science courses as well. The components this unit addresses in the NGSS Standards and Common Core Standards are indicated at the end of this description.

Some of the topics addressed in this learning packet include weather versus climate, components of weather, cold and warm fronts, basic weather instruments, high and low pressure areas and their movement in the United States, the Coriolis effect, atmospheric relationships, human influences on the atmosphere (global warming, ozone depletion and acid precipitation), hazardous weather conditions (tornadoes, hurricanes, thunderstorms, windstorms, and winter weather) including some facts about them, why they are dangerous and safety considerations.

Many documents are included in both word format as well as pdf format to allow editing for specific teacher needs.

The specific contents of the learning package includes the following items (the page count for these items are actual student handouts as answer key page counts are not included):

• Scaffolded completion notes handout for students (28 pages)
• 96 slide PowerPoint to accompany the cloze notes
• Greenhouse Effect/Global Warming Common Core Reading Activity and Lab with key (12 pages)
• Interpreting Weather Maps Activity with key (3 pages)
  Introduction to Weather Worksheet (36 completion and multiple choice questions) (5 pages)
• Weather Worksheet One with answer key (32 mixed type questions) (10 pages)
• Weather Worksheet Two with answer key (74 multiple choice and true-false questions) (6 pages)
• Severe Weather Worksheet with answer key (24 mixed questions) (3 pages)
• Weather quiz one with key (20 questions) (2 pages)
• Weather quiz two with key (26 questions) (3 pages)
• NGSS, Common Core and Local Learning Standards (4 pages)
• 40 question Easel Assessment

NGSS Learning Standards

Students who demonstrate understanding can:

MS-ESS2-4. Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth’s systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity.

MS-ESS2-5. Collect data to provide evidence for how the motions and complex interactions of air masses results in changes in weather conditions

MS-ESS2-6. Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates.

Common Core State Standards Connections:

ELA/Literacy

RST.6-8.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts.

RST.6-8.9 Compare and contrast the information gained from experiments, simulations, video, or multimedia sources with that gained from reading a text on the same topic.

WHST.6-8.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources; assess the credibility of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and providing basic bibliographic information for sources.

Mathematics

MP.2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively.

6.NS.C.5 Understand that positive and negative numbers are used together to describe quantities having opposite directions or values (e.g., temperature above/below zero, elevation above/below sea level, credits/debits, positive/negative electric charge); use positive and negative numbers to represent quantities in real-world contexts, explaining the meaning of 0 in each situation.

Learning Objectives

Upon the completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

1. distinguish between weather and climate.
2. recognize that weather is caused by unequal heat distribution in the atmosphere.
3. recognize that as sunlight intensity increases, average temperature tends to increase.
4. describe the average change in sunlight intensity as you approach the equator.
5. explain why large bodies of water moderate the climate of land areas adjacent to them.
6. list an example of an ocean current modifying a climate.
7. explain why snow and ice cool local temperatures.
8. describe the usual influence of increasing elevation on temperature and precipitation.
9. explain how plants influence local weather conditions.
10. describe how the sun's heating effects at different latitudes influence global air pressure and precipitation patterns.
11. recognize weather is defined by temperature, air pressure, humidity, precipitation and wind conditions at a fixed location.
12. define the term humidity.
13. recognize the water cycle is involved in the transfer of water and heat.
14. recognize the global movement of water is driven by the sun and gravity.
15. understand that differences in temperature and salinity result in the formation of ocean currents.
16. explain how the addition or removal of heat energy may result in a change in substance state.
17. list and define the following processes associated with the water cycle; melting, freezing, crystallization, evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation and runoff.
18. state the function of the following weather instruments; thermometer, barometer, anemometer, wind (weather vane), wind sock, rain gauge, hygrometer and sling psychrometer.
19. discuss the weather indicated by a rising or a falling barometer.
20. briefly describe the gas composition of the atmosphere.
21. recognize nearly all weather occurs in the troposphere.
22. explain why weather can only be predicted in terms of probabilities.
23. explain what is meant by an air mass.
24. explain how air masses are identified.
25. describe the characteristics of the major air masses influencing the continental United States; continental polar, continental tropical, maritime polar and maritime tropical.
26. recognize that most air masses tend to move from west to east across the United States.
27. define the term air pressure.
28. describe the typical weather conditions and wind flow associated with a high pressure system.
29. describe the weather conditions and wind flow associated with a low pressure system.
30. describe where fronts are formed.
31. explain why weather changes tend to occur across fronts.
32. explain why precipitation tends to occur at fronts.
33. explain why different air masses tend not to mix.
34. describe the air mass interactions and typical weather associated with the passage of a cold front.
35. describe the air mass interactions and typical weather associated with the passage of a warm front.
36. describe the air mass interactions and typical weather associated with a stationary front.
37. describe the air mass interactions and typical weather associated with an occluded front.
38. recognize that surface weather maps use observations taken simultaneously at many locations.
39. recognize surface weather maps, satellite photographs, Doppler radar and computer modeling are technologies that have facilitated great improvements in weather forecasting.
40. recognize that wind velocity is stated in terms of both speed and direction.
41. recognize winds are named for the direction they come from.
42. interpret basic features on a surface weather map.
43. list two examples of weather elements varying with the time of day and the seasons.
44. recognize that weather conditions tend to remain similar from day to day.
45. recognize that increasing carbon dioxide levels chiefly caused by the burning
of fossil fuels are contributing to global warming.
46. list two negative impacts of global warming.
47. explain how volcanic eruptions may produce temporary atmospheric cooling.
48. state the chief cause of acid rain.
49. list several problems associated with acid rain.
50. recognize the ozone layer was being destroyed by our use of CFCs.
51. list several products containing CFCs.
52. list several problems associated with ozone depletion.
53. recognize the world-wide reduction of CFC use reduced ozone depletion and is a human environmental success story.
54. explain the difference between a weather watch and a weather warning.
55. identify conditions associated with the formation and motion of thunderstorms, tornadoes and hurricanes.
56. list several safety rules to follow during a thunderstorm.
57. list several safety rules to follow when flash flooding is occurring.
58. list several safety rules to follow when a tornado is imminent.
59. explain what is meant by storm surge.
60. list several safety rules to follow to protect yourself and family from hurricanes.
61. list several safety rules to follow during a heat wave.
62. list several safety rules to follow during winter storms.

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