tomorrow`s weather - Arkansas GardenCorps

Transcription

tomorrow`s weather - Arkansas GardenCorps
EARTH SYSTEMS
tomorrow’s weather
predicting weather conditions
Frameworks
SCIENCE
NS 1.6.1 Verify accuracy of observations.
NS 1.6.5 Communicate results and conclusions based on observations.
ESS. 8.7.5 Identify the elements of weather: temperature, air pressure, wind speed and
direction, humidity.
ESS 8.7.6 Conduct investigations using weather measurement devices: anemometers,
barometers, sling psychrometers, thermometers, weather charts.
ESS 8.7.7 Predict weather conditions using the following: air temperature, air pressure (highs,
lows, fronts), wind speed and direction, humidity and clouds.
NS 1.8.1 Justify conclusions based on appropriate and unbiased observations.
NS 1.8.2 Evaluate the merits of empirical evidence based on experimental design.
LANGUAGE ARTS
OV 1.6.6 Contribute appropriately to class discussion.
OV 1.7.6 Contribute appropriately to class discussion.
OV 1.8.6 Contribute appropriately to class discussion.
s Objectives
The students will learn:
Objective #1
To interpret weather measurements to make basic weather predictions.
Objective #2
To determine elements of weather that influences each other.
Objective #3
To make basic weather predictions by observing changes in the
environment.
Objective #4
To recognize that the weather forecast prompts specific types of
maintenance and care of the garden.
Objective #5
To appropriately use verbal speaking skills in class discussion
with the teacher and Garden Program Specialist.
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EARTH SYSTEMS • Tomorrow’s Weather: Teachers’ Guide
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Although they are not exact, weather measurement devices
and observations of changes in nature allow for basic
weather predictions.
Garden Activities
▲▲ Measuring elements of weather using appropriate devices
▲▲ Identifying how gardening tasks are affected by weather
predictions
▲▲ Performing weather-appropriate gardening tasks
▲▲ Recipes and Taste tests as time permits (refer to
Delta Garden Study Recipe Book)
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EARTH SYSTEMS • Tomorrow’s Weather: Teachers’ Guide
Tips for THE CLASSROOM
Page 3
classroom
Pre-lesson preparation:
1. Make sure students bring weather data tables (in Student
Workbook) from the previous lesson to the garden.
LESSON OUTLINE
materials needed
▲▲ Student Workbooks in
the garden
activities
estimated duration actual duration
in the
classroom
▲▲ Offer the icebreaker
5 minutes
in the garden
▲▲ Review measurement data from
10 minutes
previous lesson and discuss the ways
weather can be predicted based on
that data
▲▲ Instruct students to make basic
10 minutes
weather predictions based on their
investigations and observations, and
present orally to the class
▲▲ Perform weather appropriate
15 minutes
gardening tasks, determine what
needs to be done based on the
weather, let students help you decide
Explain how to collect, record and interpret
results of weather measurements during the
activities.
back in the
classroom
▲▲ Hand out Student Learning
Workbooks, review and assign “Take
it Home Activity” as homework
Tips for THE GARDEN
Pre-lesson preparation:
1. Prepare to discuss basic weather predictions that can be made
based on data collected in the garden and how predications
may affect garden activities.
5 minutes
garden
materials needed
▲▲ Garden tools
2. Prepare a brief “weather appropriate” garden work activity for
students in the garden (weed under row cover, start seeds, mulch over resting garden beds, etc.)
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EARTH SYSTEMS • Tomorrow’s Weather: Teachers’ Guide
Lesson PLAN
I. Start in the classroom
A.Icebreaker
Ask students: “Do you know what Groundhog Day is?”
Tell the students: “Groundhog Day occurs every February 2nd.
There is a field in Pennsylvania at which reporters camp out to
observe the groundhog. If that groundhog comes out of his hole
on that day and sees his shadow, then there is supposed to be six
more weeks of winter. If the groundhog does not see his shadow,
then it means spring is just around the corner.
“In the past 60 years, the groundhog has only predicted the
weather correctly 28% of the time.”
II. Take class to the garden
▲▲ Have students review the weather data they collected during the
previous lesson “For Good Measure.”
▲▲ Discuss the specific ways which very basic predictions can be made
MEETS OBJECTIVES
based on the observations and weather measurements on their
#1–3
data table. Indicate how weather elements influence each other.
▲▲ Instruct students to use information learned in class or in the Study Meets Objective #1
Guide for Students to analyze their weather recordings to make
basic weather predictions.
▲▲ Explain how certain changes in our environment serve as indicators Meets Objective #3
of weather changes.
▲▲ Instruct students to examine their surroundings for such indicators
Meets ObjectiveS
and attempt weather predictions. Have the students break into
#3–5
groups to discuss their own forecasts, then have the students
present it to the rest of the class.
▲▲ Explain and discuss what consequences the weather forecast has on Meets ObjectiveS
gardening activities.
#2, 4, 5
example
It is supposed to rain, so we need to pick strawberries now.
Or: There is no rain in sight, which means we need to water.
Or: The first frost is expected, which could kill the tomatoes. We
need to pick tomatoes.
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EARTH SYSTEMS • Tomorrow’s Weather: Teachers’ Guide
Page 5
Continued from previous page
▲▲ Instruct the students to perform gardening tasks as necessitated by
weather conditions.
▲▲ Instruct students to pick and taste available vegetables. Compare
and record weather conditions for each crop. Discuss how those
conditions compare and contrast.
III.Take class back to classroom
▲▲ Hand out the Student Learning Workbook as reference material
and class assignment. Review take it home activities and encourage
students to do them.
Supporting Information
for Teachers
BACKGROUND
Four elements—air temperature, air pressure,
wind direction and speed, and humidity—
create our weather. It is impossible to predict
tomorrow’s weather conditions with absolute
certainty, but meteorologists can make educated
forecasts based on these factors:
1. An understanding of how these elements
affect each other
2. Information about current weather
conditions as measured with various
instruments and tools
▲▲ air temperature: thermometer
▲▲ air pressure: barometer
▲▲ wind direction: wind vane; wind speed:
anemometer
▲▲ humidity: psychrometer
3. Records of long-term weather patterns,
such as temperature logs.
To predict the temperature, meteorologists
have established long-term temperature
weather logs that record daily temperatures
over long periods of time. Certain patterns
then become apparent, allowing meteorologists to establish data for temperature ranges,
including low, average and high temperatures.
Based on this historical data, they can then
Meets Objective #6
make temperature predictions. They can also
calculate the “seasonal value,” which is the
average temperature for any particular time
of the year. Actual temperature can fall above
or below the seasonal value. When that happens, people will say, “It is very cold (or hot)
for this time of year.”
Activities
Although students may not be able to predict
the weather like a meteorologist, they may
make very simple predictions based on their
observations and data collected during the
previous lesson.
Recall these prediction indicators from the
Supporting Information for Teachers in the
previous lesson (For Good Measure):
Wind speed can help determine how fast or
slow a front is moving into an area. Fast moving
winds indicate storms or changing weather. Slow
to no winds suggest that weather will be steady
and unchanging for a while.
Wind direction can indicate where a storm or
weather front is moving in from. Typically, winds
coming in from the north (from polar regions in
Canada) bring drier and colder air. Winds from
the south and southeast (the tropics and the
Gulf Coast) bring moisture and heat. Winds
from the west and southwest tend to be warm
and dry.
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EARTH SYSTEMS • Tomorrow’s Weather: Teachers’ Guide
Air pressure increasing on a barometer generally
indicates that the weather is improving. The skies
turn clear and precipitation stops. If pressure
is falling, clouds and rain or snow are likely to
follow.
Long before the development of sophisticated
technology, people learned to predict weather
changes based on changes in their surroundings.
Discuss these weather sayings with your
students:
▲▲ Birds flying low, expect rain. Why?
Low barometric pressure, which indicates
precipitation, makes flying low in the sky
easier than flying higher for birds.
▲▲ Bees never get caught in the rain. Why?
Ice crystals in clouds destroy the polarization
of sunlight, making it difficult for bees to
navigate, so they stay close to the hive in wet
weather.
▲▲ When leaves show their undersides, be
very sure that rain betides. Why? Leaves
curl and turn over on their branches before
a rain.
▲▲ Flowers smell best just before a rain. Why?
Water molecules help aromatic molecules
bind better to the moisture in your nose.
▲▲ If garden spiders forsake their webs, it
indicates rain. Why? When spider web
threads absorb moisture, they break.
▲▲ Mushrooms and toadstools are plentiful
before rain. Why? Mushroom growth
requires high humidity.
▲▲ A deer that has a thick layer of fat is said
to be a sign of a hard winter. Why? Animals
are preparing for a hard winter by storing
extra fat.
Also ask your students about this expression:
“Stop and smell the roses.” When would be the
best time to do so, i.e., when are they the most
fragrant? Why?
Extension
▲▲ Have the students set up a data table in
the journaling & calculations section of the
Students Learning Workbook to record the
weather data daily for 1 week. What changes
occurred?
▲▲ Future follow-up: Repeat in another season.
What differences in each measurement did
you find as a result of the change in seasons?
Sources
The Complete Book of Science, Grades 5-6
American Education Publishing
National Aeronautics and Space Exploration
http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/archive/air_pressure/index.html
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service
http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/educate/pressure.shtml;
http://www.weather.gov/forecasts/graphical/sectors/conus.php#tabs;
http://www.nasa.gov/worldbook/weather_worldbook.html
United States National Arboretum
http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html
Air Pressure
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/atmos/pressure.htm
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EARTH SYSTEMS
tomorrow’s weather
predicting weather conditions
study guide for students
You remember this nursery rhyme: “Rain, rain, go away. Come
again some other day. We want to go outside and play. Come
again some other day.” Well, we can’t make it go away, but at least we’d like to
know when it’s going away. Tonight, tomorrow, by the weekend? Nobody can say for sure,
but we know enough about the weather to predict or forecast it reasonably well.
You’ll recall that weather is the condition of the air surrounding us. It consists of four air
elements: air temperature, air pressure, wind direction and speed, and humidity. These elements
affect each other. We can measure each element with special tools and record our observations.
These observations allow us to make certain weather predictions.
Air temperature, recorded by degrees on a thermometer, can be measured daily over long
periods of time. Meteorologists use will track and record daily temperatures and use the data to
find low, average and high temperatures for each day of the year. Based on this historical data, they
can make basic temperature predictions.
Air pressure is the amount of force that the air is pushing on something. It is measured using a
barometer. Changes in air pressure are usually subtle and need to be observed over at least 24
hours. In general, if the barometer is rising, the weather is improving. The skies turn clear and
precipitation stops. If air pressure is falling, clouds and rain or snow are likely to follow.
Air pressure is often described in terms of “systems.” On a weather map, you find the letters H
and L to indicate high-pressure fronts and low-pressure systems.
The different air pressure systems cause wind. Wind direction is the movement of air from
areas with relatively high air pressure to areas with relatively low air pressure. Winds are
named for the direction from which they blow, so a southerly wind blows from the south.
Winds tend to carry weather with them. If you want to get an idea what tomorrow’s
weather will be like, check out the weather in the area where the wind is coming from.
Most weather conditions in the United States move from west to east. Winds that
rapidly change direction usually indicate that a cold front is approaching, bringing
storms and colder temperatures. Wind direction is measured using a wind vane.
Wind speed measures the rate of motion of the air. It is measured with an
anemometer in units of miles per hour or at sea, in knots (nautical miles per
hour). Strong winds typically make the air feel cooler and mean that a
storm is coming. The speed of the wind can help conclude how quickly
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EARTH SYSTEMS • Tomorrow’s Weather: Study Guide
a storm front is moving into an area. Slow to no
winds suggest that weather will be steady and
unchanging for a while.
Wind direction can predict where a storm or
weather front is coming from. Typically, winds
coming in from the north (from polar regions in
Canada) bring drier and colder air. Winds from
the south and southeast (the tropics and the
Gulf Coast) bring moisture and heat. Winds
from the west and southwest tend to be warm
and dry.
is covered with a wet cloth. As the cloth dries,
the cooling effect of evaporation lowers the
temperature on that thermometer. Then the
temperatures on the two thermometers are
compared on a special chart to find the relative
humidity.
Often, the relative humidity is the weather
condition that makes people the most
uncomfortable and makes the air feel warmer
than the actual temperature.. The air is so humid
that your perspiration cannot evaporate and
cool you off, but stays on your skin, leaving you
sweaty and sticky. As humidity increases, rain is
likely to follow.
Humidity refers to the amount of moisture,
or water vapor, in the air. We usually speak
of “relative
humidity,” that is,
the percentage of
psychrometer an instrument that measures
moisture the air
relative humidity
holds relative to
relative humidity the percentage of moisture
the amount it can
that is in the air compared to the most
hold at a particular
moisture that could be in the air (100%) at the
temperature. Warm
present temperature; when 100% humidity is
air can hold more
reached rain, snow, or dew form
moisture than
air temperature the heat content of the air,
cold air. When the
measured in units called degrees
relative humidity
anenometer an device that measures wind
is 100 percent, it’s
speed
raining or snowing.
thermometer an instrument that measures
On earth, the
temperature
relative humidity
is never 0 percent.
barometer an instrument that measures air
pressure
Even in the planet’s
deserts, it is always
precipitation any form of water that falls
at least 1 percent.
from the sky: rain, sleet, snow, ice etc.
weathervane also known as a wind vane; an
Relative humidity
instrument that measures wind direction, the
is measured using
arrow indicates the direction where the wind
a psychrometer. A
is coming from
psychrometer uses
two thermometers,
one bulb of which
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Clouds are excellent
indicators of upcoming
weather, but it takes lot
of practice to identify
them correctly. They
are labeled according
to their appearance and
altitude. Are they stringy,
heapy or layered? Are
they high, middle or low
in the sky? You’ll learn
more about clouds in
another lesson and how
they serve as indicators
of weather changes.
Fair- and bad-weather
clouds exist at all three
altitude levels. Even if
you don’t know much
about clouds, observe
how they move. If they
class
assignment
A
EARTH SYSTEMS
tomorrow’s weather
are going in different directions (e.g., one layer going west, another layer going north), bad weather is
likely hail.
ESS. 8.7.5 Identify the elements of weather.
1.Most major weather systems move from _____ to _____ in the United States:
a. West to east
b. North to south
c. Sunny to rainy
d. Here to there
2. List four indicators of changing or upcoming weather.
3.What happens when relative humidity reaches 100%?
Take it Home
Go on a weather scavenger
hunt after school today.
Take a 60-minute stroll or
3-mile bike ride through your
neighborhood. Note temperature,
humidity level, wind speed
and direction. Look at
the clouds.
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class
assignment
A
EARTH SYSTEMS
tomorrow’s weather
answer key
1.Most major weather systems move from _____ to _____ in the United States:
a. West to east
2. List four indicators of changing or upcoming weather.
Answers may vary but could include:
▲▲ clouds
▲▲ wind
▲▲ falling or rising air pressure
3.What happens when relative humidity reaches 100%?
Answers may vary but may include:
▲▲ snow
▲▲ rain
▲▲ dew
ACHRI/DGS/KFK/072312/V1 DRAFT COPY • ©2012 Delta Garden Study.
class
assignment
B-C
EARTH SYSTEMS
tomorrow’s weather
ESS. 8.7.5 Identify the elements of weather.
1. Tomorrow morning, clip the weather forecast from the daily newspaper. (Or
pay close attention to the weatherman on TV.) At the end of the day, check
how accurate it was. Which differences did you notice?
2. List four indicators of changing or upcoming weather.
3.What happens when relative humidity reaches 100%?
4. You can check monthly temperatures for your
community on websites such as this one: http://
countrystudies.us/united-states/weather/
arkansas/. Check it out and compare today’s
temperature to the average. How does it differ?
Take it Home
Go on a weather scavenger
hunt after school today.
Take a 60-minute stroll or
3-mile bike ride through your
neighborhood. Note temperature,
humidity level, wind speed
and direction. Look at
the clouds.
ACHRI/DGS/KFK/072312/V1 DRAFT COPY • ©2012 Delta Garden Study.
class
assignment
B-C
EARTH SYSTEMS
tomorrow’s weather
answer key
1. Tomorrow morning, clip the weather forecast from the daily newspaper. (Or
pay close attention to the weatherman on TV.) At the end of the day, check
how accurate it was. Which differences did you notice?
Answers will vary.
2. List four indicators of changing or upcoming weather.
Answers may vary but could include:
▲▲ clouds
▲▲ wind
▲▲ falling or rising air pressure
3.What happens when relative humidity reaches 100%?
Answers may vary but may include:
▲▲ snow
▲▲ rain
▲▲ dew
4. You can check monthly temperatures for your community on websites such
as this one: http://countrystudies.us/united-states/weather/arkansas/. Check
it out and compare today’s temperature to the average. How does it differ??
Answers will vary.
ACHRI/DGS/KFK/072312/V1 DRAFT COPY • ©2012 Delta Garden Study.