Center Science Education
Field Projects: Science in Action
Cooperative groups select from one of four scenarios regarding hurricanes, greenhouse gases, thunderstorms, or the global climate domino effect. They discuss what kind of research needs to be conducted to address their chosen scenario...
Curated OER
Thunderstorms
Fourth graders investigate the attraction between two different charges to explain the concept of lightning in a thunderstorm.
US Environmental Protection Agency
Weather and Climate: What's the Difference?
Future weather forecasters collect daily temperatures over a period of time. Afterward, they compare their data with monthly averages, as researched on national weather websites, in order to grasp the difference between weather and...
Curated OER
Thunderstorms
Fourth graders examine the attraction between two different charges to investigate lightning in a thunderstorm. They complete an experiment and a worksheet.
Curated OER
Making Thunderstorms
First graders investigate the causes of thunderstorms and create the sounds of a thunderstorm.
Curated OER
Science Videos
Young scholars plan, practice, and act in a 2-3 minute videotaped production about a specific topic. Students from a local high school give presentations pertaining to seasons, earth rotation, and moon phases. Young scholars analyze the...
Curated OER
The Earth's Atmosphere and Temperature
Students describe and compare the layers of the atmosphere. They explain how to measure the temperature of the atmosphere and discover what causes the atmosphere to heat up in some places more than in others.
Curated OER
The Science of Weather: Hurricanes
Students use this USA today activity to learn about hurricane season. For this hurricane lesson, students study the map of the earth and hurricane science. Students complete discuss questions. Students draw a map of the United States and...
Curated OER
How Heating and Convection Contributes to Natural Disasters
Students study the basics of heating and cooling and how it pertains to the earth. In this global lesson students read the Magic Tree House book then create a chart of their findings.
Curated OER
Severe Weather
Fifth graders identify the causes and effects of several different kinds of
severe weather phenomenon. They read an excerpt from John Muir's book The Mountains of California and research one of the following severe
weather phenomena...
Curated OER
Weather Lesson 2
Learners identify the elements that make up the earth's weather. Begin by having students pretend they are hiking along a mountain ridge. It's been sunny and warm all day, but you see a dark line of clouds moving from the west.
Curated OER
Wonders of Weather
Students understand the destructive force of a tornado. They learn the role of a thunderstorm in the creation of a tornado.
Curated OER
Lightning
Students study lightening and the history behind how it was used for electricity. In this electricity lesson students complete several experiments on the invention of the lightning rod.
Curated OER
Classroom Meteorologists: An Experiential Approach to Learning about Seasons and Weather
Students examine several concepts about weather in the seven lessons of this unit. This year long activity helps students to gather data seasonally about wind, clouds, precipitation, and temperature. Earth's three climate zones are...
Curated OER
Weather Fun Facts
In this science worksheet, students investigate fun facts about weather by reading 25 short paragraphs about weather, storms, climate and geography. Students complete a crossword puzzle about weather.
Curated OER
Review For Weather Quiz
In this science worksheet, students review the concepts that were previously covered related to weather fronts and other types of systems.
Curated OER
Rising Air
Learners investigate the concept of rising air in the formation of clouds and precipitation. For this rising air lesson, students conduct an experiment with hot and cold water that shows how warm water rises due to thermal buoyancy. They...
Curated OER
Lightning
Students investigate lightning. In this lightning lesson, students demonstrate how static electricity is in the air by observing how a balloon reacts to a charge.
Curated OER
Clear Day, Cloudy Day; Weather, Cloud Types and Formations
Students explore the formation of clouds and different cloud types. Students simulate a cloud formation within a bottle.
Curated OER
Infrared-Hot
Students describe how the sun heats the Earth, explain the nature of infrared light, explain how thunderstorms are formed and use infrared maps to predict severe weather.
Curated OER
Matter in Motion
Second graders examine matter, what it is and what the different states are. For this matter lesson students view The Magic School Bus Meets Molly Cule and answer questions.
Curated OER
Tornadoes
Middle schoolers examine the characteristics of a tornado. They practice using new vocabulary and participate in a question and answer session. They use the internet to gather more specific information.
Curated OER
Tornado
Students study the classification system of tornadoes. In this tornado lesson students make their own tornadoes in different mediums.
Curated OER
Watch the Sky for Lightning
Students identify lightning in pictures from the provided Internet site. They study a definition of lightning as a form of heat energy that can be dangerous. They state and illustrate a minimum of three lightning safety rules.