Welcome to our Weather and Climate Unit! Throughout this unit, students will become meteorologists as they explore weather patterns, collect and analyze data, and learn the difference between weather and climate. Students will use hands-on activities, technology resources, class discussions, and observations to better understand the world around them.
Lesson 1
Collecting Weather Data
Learning Objective
Students will be able to record temperature, precipitation, wind, and cloud cover by using a mix of observations and retrieved data over a one-week period using accurate vocabulary and symbols.
Student Activity
Students will explore the NASA Kids article “What Is Climate Change?” and discuss weather and climate patterns. Students will then become weather scientists by recording daily weather data in their own weather journals for one week.
Lesson 2
Weather Patterns and Seasons
Learning Objective
Students will be able to analyze seasonal weather data to identify recurring patterns in temperature, precipitation, and wind across different seasons using accurate scientific vocabulary.
Student Activity
Students will explore NASA’s interactive activity “Predicting Earth’s Climate with NASA Data” and examine real satellite visuals and weather patterns. Students will analyze class weather data and create graphs to identify weather trends over time.
Lesson 3
Weather vs. Climate
Learning Objective
Students will be able to analyze weather data from the one-week period to determine the typical weather conditions expected during a particular season using accurate data-based reasoning and scientific vocabulary.
Student Activity
Students will complete an interactive Weather vs. Climate matching game and classify examples into the correct category. Students will then create a graph or digital slide explaining whether their observations represent weather events or climate patterns.