Curated OER
Is it Partly Cloudy or Partly Sunny?
Students investigate the concept of weather and how it is created. They review relevant vocabulary related to weather. Students predict weather given slight background knowledge. The lesson includes background information for the...
American Museum of Natural History
Tornadoes Spinning Thunderstorms
Tornado winds can reach more than 200 miles per hour. Learners explore wind speeds and more characteristics of tornadoes with an online lesson. They learn how tornadoes form and how scientists attempt to predict them. Can be used as an...
Curated OER
Micro-Climate
Atmosphere aces investigate the microclimates that exist within a larger area. They use a thermometer to record the varying temperatures and identify the microclimates on a map that they have drawn. This exercise helps them to understand...
Curated OER
Measuring Precipitation
A little engineering design is mixed into this lesson on precipitation measurement. Groups plan and construct a rain gauge, and use it to collect precipitation. As part of the PowerPoint presentation, learners view a satellite map of...
Curated OER
Meterology -- Atmosphere
Fourth graders discover how weather predictions are made. They list the responsibilities of a meteorologist. They identify weather instruments and state their functions.
Curated OER
What's Going to Happen at Any Given Barometer Reading?
Fourth graders brainstorm a list of words associated with weather. In groups, they sort the words into categories and observe the weather in their area for a month. To end the lesson, they compare the barometer measurements for a...
Curated OER
We're Not in Kansas Anymore: Disasters!
Young scholars explore weather. They discuss a variety of extreme forces of nature. Students select a topic of their interest and research that topic. They prepare a multimedia presentation on their selected weather topic. Young scholars...
Curated OER
Cloud Types and Formation of Clouds
Students take cloud and weather related photographs during the year, making certain to make notes of when, where and what time the photograph was taken. At some point all the pictures be gathered and a scrapbook or "cloud library" be made.
Curated OER
Analyzing Meteorological Data From Mars
Students compare real-time Earth and Mars measurements for temperature, wind speed, humidity and atmospheric pressure by accessing Internet-data resources from NASA. They access real-time weather data and maps for their school location.
Curated OER
Dripping Wet or Dry as a Bone?
Students use a sponge and water model to explore the concept of relative humidity and create a percent scale. They define humidity and saturation, build a simple humidity/saturation model, collect, predict and interpret data, and create...
Curated OER
Hurricanes
Students listen to a transcript of an interview about an upswing in hurricanes with Stanley Goldenberg, a researcher with the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. students participate in a series of discussion questions.
Curated OER
Hurricane and Tornadoes Vocabulary
Quiz your young meteorologists using this simple matching worksheet. Learners inventory 16 weather-related terms, matching them to the appropriate definition on the right. There are an equal number of definitions as there are terms. A...
Curated OER
Clouds Movement and Type
Students examine types of clouds and their movement. In this science lesson plan, students explore how to determine cloud movement and direction, differentiate between the different types of clouds, and predict the weather based on the...
Curated OER
Winter and Summer Storms Scenarios
Fourth graders discover the patterns that create summer and winter storms. Working in groups, they create model storms for summer and winter. Students discuss the reasons why summer storms and winter storms are different and explain...
Curated OER
Everyone Knows It's Windy
Young scholars create an anemometer, an instrument that measures wind speed.
Curated OER
Wind and The Airline
Fifth graders attempt to solve a problem related to an airline accident. The accident appears to be weather related. They analyze and research the effects of wind and turbulence in order to prevent future accidents.
Curated OER
Fahrenheit vs Celsius
Students make a thermometer and write a paragraph about how they did it.
Curated OER
Air Pressure is Powerful
Learners construct a barometer and collect data on the changes in air pressure. They work is small groups using plastic tubing, corks, and green food coloring. They then use a formula to convert inches of mercury to barometric pressure...
Curated OER
Hunt For Supertwister
Young scholars identify the best time of year and place to position spotters for possible tornado outbreaks. They research tornado formations, spotting, and safety. Students present their information using a poster, a mock-up of a...
Curated OER
Deep Convective Clouds
Students observe clouds. In this deep convective clouds lesson, students analyze cloud data recorded over one month and draw conclusions based on results. Students predict "Thunderstorm Season" and prepare to defend their decision using...
Kenan Fellows
Terrarium in a Bottle: Modeling the Atmosphere, Greenhouse Effect, and Water Cycle
You've heard of farm to table ... but what about farm in classroom? Junior agriculturalists embark upon a two-week journey into the science of growing things. Based upon the classic terrarium in a two-liter experiment, the lesson plan...
Curated OER
Meteorology
Students research and produce an oral history that reflects the importance of meterologists in the lives of people in their community.
Curated OER
Interplanetary Travel Guide
In groups of six, middle school space scientists create an imaginative travel brochure for attracting visitors to the planet Mars. Information must include surface features and atmospheric conditions. Although time-consuming, this is a...
Curated OER
Sunlight and Warm Air
Students examine the different ways heat can be felt. In this radiation and conduction lesson plan, students recognize that the sun radiates heat. Students conduct three experiments to find how the sun warms the Earth and how that heat...