Atmosphere

Air & Weather

Day One of Weather: MAKE SOME WEATHER!

This day is to get their little minds pumping. There are three experiments in this one day (So if you have a shorter period, break it up into three days.) Basically all the materials you need is:

• ice cubes,

• hot water,

• plate,

• glass jar,

• aluminum pie tins,

• wool,

• styrofoam plate,

• pencil with eraser,

• metal thumbtack and

• a radiometer.

Here are the three experiments to get some weather concepts going. Make sure during these demonstrations or experiments, you use the academic vocabulary, like "Condensation" and "evaporation" and "precipitation" and "pressure."

First, Make It Rain! To do this experiment, you need a glass jar big enough for all the students to see, hot water, ice and a plate. Remember, the rain drops WILL NOT form unless there is some dirt in the air, something for the condensation to stick to. I know some teachers like to use hair spray because it will stay in the air. You can also use matches. Just light the match, drop it in and cover it... the smoke produced will give enough to make the cloud. Click here to get the video on how to do it.

Second, Make Some Lightning. For this experiment, we need some aluminum pie pans, some wool, a styrofoam plate, a pencil with an eraser and a metal thumbtack. It's quite easy and kids love to shock themselves. The point is, we want to SEE the lighting, so it might make a few times to see it. Click here to learn how to do it yourself.

Third, we talk about wind and air pressure. I have a radiometer so I like to have students make observations with it. We then talk about how the wind blows. One of the ways wind is created is why changed in the air pressure. Sucking a hard boiled egg into a bottle is a great way to show how air pressure moved things. Click here for a link to that experiment.

For the last demonstration, you can make a fog chamber to show how changing air pressure creates clouds.

So, by the end of day one, your class has some experience with condensation, evaporation, and air pressure. That way, when they read it about, they have something concrete for their brain to attach to.

Day Two of Weather: READ SOME PRINT

Now that we have some experience making our own weather, we got to read about it! I get a ton of weather books, science books, print some articles and then I give students this worksheet. Not every answer can be found in the print that I provide. The main objective here is to teach students how to read nonfiction text properly. Students need to know how to use the table of contents, how do use the index, scanning for headings looking for the information you need, using the glossary… All those things that this technology world skips over. Don't worry if you can't find an answer today. We worry about that tomorrow.

Day Three of Weather: RESEARCH TOGETHER

Today is review: as a whole class, we go over answers together to make sure every student has the same information. We look up the sources that they listed (reiterating citing your sources) and confirm information. We share answers. Anything that we could not find in books, we brainstorm ways to find it.... and Guess what? I found some video to answer the remaining questions!

What causes the seasons?

Study Jams Video on Earth Rotations

Weather Versus Climate

Day Four of Weather: INQUIRE SOME MORE

Now, we have a deeper question: Does the ocean effect the weather? This is just a quick side conversation, an optional lesson, if you will. How do ocean current effect the weather?

Also, Weather Whiz Kids is a great website for kids to explore and for you to get ideas for weather related experiments!