Overview

Weather is a part of everyday life and can affect little things such as your choice of clothes or activities. Weather can also be severe and affect your life in bigger ways, as seen in the damage done by a hurricane or tornado. Meteorologists study the components of weather--the conditions of the atmosphere such as temperature, precipitation, wind, and clouds—in an effort to predict the weather and help people be better prepared. In this lesson, students use daily observations, videos, and activities to learn about meteorology and the changing nature of weather. Students also identify weather events that are commonly reported in the news and discuss how weather affects lives.

Objectives: To learn the 5 types of clouds and be able to describe the differences in them. To also learn what a cloud is and how it is formed.

Procedure:

Explain to the class the definition of a cloud. It is a visible collection of a large number of tiny water droplets or ice particles being carried by current of air. Clouds are an indicator of approaching weather. Some clouds indicate weather that is fine and others tell of approaching storms.

Discuss the different types of clouds.

1. Cirrus: thin wispy and white. They are located high in the sky and are almost entirely made up of ice particles. These types of clouds often are seen before rain or snow.

2. Cumulus: white, fluffy and round. They are seen on nice days.

3. Cumulonimbus: tall vertical clouds. Often called thunderheads. They usually produce lightening and storms.

4. Stratus: low hanging clouds that are in layers that look like a gray blanket. They look like haze in the sky. These types of clouds can become fog if they get low enough in the air.

5. Nimbostratus: dark clouds that normally are seen when rain or snow is happening all day long.

Project 1: Have students use a digital camera to take pictures of clouds.

8. Have students share what they already know about clouds. Ask:

1. What do clouds look like?
2. Do all clouds look the same?
3. Can a cloud change shape?
4. How do clouds affect the weather?

9. Show the Observe Clouds QuickTime Video. Ask:

1. What did you see happen to the clouds?
2. Why do you think the clouds changed shape?
3. Why do you think the clouds moved?

Discuss how different clouds look and behave differently. If there are clouds in the sky, have students go outside take pictures of the clouds. Show the images from the Cloud Types . Use Flipgrid and have students compare the different types of clouds.

Project 2: Students will produce a weather broadcast using video camera and green screen.

• Understand that weather can change daily and that weather patterns change over the seasons
• Understand that weather has characteristics that can be measured and predicted
• Recognize how weather affects humans

Suggested Time

Two to three class periods

Multimedia Resources

• Kid Meteorologist QuickTime Video
• Observe Clouds QuickTime Video
• Cloud Types Flash Interactive
• Observe Precipitation QuickTime Video

Materials

• This Week's Weather Worksheet PDF Document
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Before the Lesson

• Make copies of the This Week's Weather Worksheet PDF Document for all students.
• Familiarize yourself with the Cloud Types Flash Interactive and choose the cloud types that you would like to show your students.

The Lesson

Part I: What Is Meteorology?

1. Have students look outside, and ask them to describe the weather. Record their observations on the board as students report what they see. Encourage details.

2. Show the Kid Meteorologist QuickTime Video, which introduces the branch of science called meteorology. Discuss the following:

1. What is a meteorologist?

4. Distribute the This Week's Weather Worksheet PDF Document to each student. Have students fill in today's date and use the agreed upon symbols to illustrate today's weather.

6. Divide the class into teams and have them rotate through the different instruments. Have students record the data in the appropriate boxes on their worksheet.

7. (Optional) Set aside some time each day to observe and record the weather throughout the week. The daily record could include:

1. weather symbols representing the general weather observed
2. description of cloud cover
3. the type and amount of precipitation
4. the wind direction and speed
5. the air pressure
6. the temperature

Part II: The Changing Weather

8. Have students share what they already know about clouds. Ask:

1. What do clouds look like?
2. Do all clouds look the same?
3. Can a cloud change shape?
4. How do clouds affect the weather?

9. Show the Observe Clouds QuickTime Video. Ask:

1. What did you see happen to the clouds?
2. Why do you think the clouds changed shape?
3. Why do you think the clouds moved?

Discuss how different clouds look and behave differently. If there are clouds in the sky, have students go outside take pictures of the clouds. Show the images from the Cloud Types . Use Flipgrid and have students compare the different types of clouds.

Flash Interactive and have students describe what they see. Have students match their drawings with the cloud types in the interactive. Students may like learning the names of the cloud types.

11. Remind students that clouds change shape over time but that it often requires patience to notice the changes. Have students take pictures of the clouds daily. Note: Caution students that it is dangerous to look directly at the Sun.

12. Show the images from the Cloud Types Flash Interactive and have students describe what they see. Have students match their drawings with the cloud types in the interactive. Students may like learning the names of the cloud types, but it is not necessary that they learn how to spell them.

13. Discuss how some clouds produce precipitation. Show the Observe PrecipitationQuickTime Video and ask the following:

1. What did you see in the video?
2. What is the difference between rain, hail, and snow?
3. Why do clouds sometimes make rain but sometimes make snow?

14. Discuss weather changes during the year. Show the Observe Water in Winter and Summer QuickTime Video and ask the following:

1. What does this video show?
2. Do we experience seasons where we live?
3. How do the seasons differ from each other?

Part III: How Weather Affects Us

15. Discuss appropriate dress and activities based on the weather. Ask:

1. How does the weather affect your life?
2. What do you need to think about before going outside?
3. Why do we need to adjust our clothes and activities daily?
4. Are there any severe weather threats for the area where we live?

16. Explain that sometimes weather can be very dangerous. Ask students for examples of severe weather. Talk about the damaging effects of hurricanes, tornadoes, and blizzards. Show the Tornado Chaser Footage QuickTime Interactive. Note: Some children may find these videos upsetting. Reassure them by telling them that dangerous weather is a rare occurrence and explaining that certain types of storms only happen in particular areas.

17. Discuss the importance of weather prediction and how weather forecasts help people. Assign homework for students to watch the evening weather report and record the predicted conditions for tomorrow.

18. (Optional) Plan a walking field trip. Have the students watch the evening weather report to help plan appropriate clothing for an outdoor walk and picnic the next day. Remind them that they should do a personal weather observation before breakfast to make sure that the meteorologist's forecast was correct.

1. Send home a letter to parents explaining the field trip.
2. Use this checklist to see how thoroughly students prepared:
   1. What is the temperature today? Need coat/gloves/hat?
   2. Is it sunny? Need sunscreen/sunglasses/hat?
   3. Is there rain? Need umbrella/boots?
   4. Is there snow? Need snow pants/boots?
   5. Will your snack survive the weather?

Remember to have extra clothing and snacks available, especially if you live in an area where weather can change quickly.

Check for Understanding

Have students discuss the following:

1. What does a meteorologist do?
2. If you had only one instrument to measure weather, which one would you want it to be? Why?

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The Digital Library for Earth System Education (www.dlese.org) offers access to additional resources on this topic.

Students work in groups to create their scripts and videotape of a weather broadcast.

Invite a local television meteorologist to visit your school to speak about how the science of weather forecasting is meshed with the logistics of television.

TECHNOLOGY

GRADES K - 12

NT.K-12.3 Technology Productivity tools

Technology

Lesson 1: Severe Weather

Objectives // The Artist Will (TAW)

• identify

STEAM Values // 1, 3, 5, 7

• (1) Inquiry

Input //

Materials Needed:

• Computer)
• TV/Smart board (A)
• Videos (Pre-record)
• Speakers (A)
• 3D Printer
• Google Sites (

Warm Up: (Set daily objectives in digital learning journal)

Experiential: (Relate essential question to the artists to a prior life experience.)

Direct Teach: (Presentation links, sound tracks, videos)

Independent/Partner/Group Work: (I do, we do, you do)

Closure: (Exit Ticket/Assessment)

Resources // Weblinks

• Students work in groups to create their own scripts and videotape of a weather broadca a report at home with the help of family members or friends.
• Invite a local television meteorologist to visit your school to speak about how the science of weather forecasting is meshed with the logistics of television.

ISTE Standards for Students 💡

Innovative Designer 4 - Students use a variety of technologies within a design process to identify and solve problems by creating new, useful, or imaginative solutions. 4A: Students know and use a deliberate design process for generating ideas, testing theories, creating innovative artifacts, or solving authentic problems.

Creative Communicator 6 - Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media appropriate to their goals. 6C: Students communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or using a variety of digital objects such as visualizations, models, or simulations.

Students will use Microsoft Excel to create line graphs in order to analyze changes Houston, Chicargo and ??????in quantities.

• Learn that line graphs show how two pieces of information are related and how data changes over time
• Learn that the dependent variable of a line graph typically appears on the Y-axis, and the independent variable appears on the X-axis
• Learn that line graphs are used to analyze the nature of changes in quantities

Creating a Student Produced Weather Forecast

By the end of the lesson, your students will learn how to act as a part of a television news team, gather information from outside sources, create custom graphics and package the final information into a weather forecast production ready for distribution.

Materials List

- 5 or more students

- Internet connected computer capable of video editing

- Video editing software (Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro or other advanced video editing software recommended)

- Adobe After Effects Software (optional)

- Green Screen Studio/Backdrop (optional)

- HD Video Camera or DSLR with Video Capability

How to introduce the lesson to your students

Start, by introducing the idea of a weather forecast to your students. You can show them video clips of professionally created local or national weather forecasts. Discuss with them the main elements of a good weather forecast and how a weather forecast works. You can also explain to them the importance of meteorology and how a weather data is created by a team of weather forecasting experts.

Next, let them know that you will be helping them to produce and execute a local weather forecast for your video production class.

Here are the recommended main steps of the class (but these can be adjusted based on your overall class goals):

Step 1: Decide what kind of forecast you would like to produce

There are a variety of types of weather forecasts that you could produce with your students. You can create a 5 day weather forecast, 7 day weather forecast, current day's forecast as well as use graphics for map projections and almanac type information.

Include your students in the decision of what type of production you would ike to create. Then, determine the elements of your weather forecast production to get an idea of the graphics and information elements you will need for your production. Here is a list of typical elements of a typical weather forecast:

- 1 Student Meteorologist (who will deliver the weather forecast)

- 5 Day Weather forecast

- 7 Day weather forecast

- Today's weather

- Weather Almanac

- Local Map Weather Projections

Step 2: Gather students and assign roles

This varies depending on your production, but here are the typical roles you can assign to students (these roles can be doubled up depending on the number of students in the class):

- Meteorologist: Delivers the weather forecast on (and off) camera. May stand on a green screen or chroma key background to deliver the forecast if you have one.

- Researcher: Researches the upcoming weather events and data and compiles information for the weather forecast.

- Script Writer: Takes weather information from researcher and composes a script that the meteorologist will read on the air.

- Camera Operator: Operates the camera during the production

- Motion Graphics Designer: Compiles the information from the researcher and script writer and creates weather forecast graphics with the data provided

- Tele-prompter Operator: (optional) Operates the teleprompter which displays the script for the meteorologist to read on the air.

- Floor Director: This can be a student or the teacher. This person is in charge of the production and directs the broadcast. vc