Accurate weather forecasting is something we take for granted today, making it easy to forget how complex it can be to predict the weather. Learn more about the terms and symbols used to forecast the weather with an earth science lesson that covers barometric pressure, isobars, jet streams, and more.

Concepts

weather, weather maps, weather symbols, barometric pressure, atmospheric pressure, air pressure, weather patterns, weather instruments

Show More Show Less

Additional Tags

science

Show More Show Less

Instructional Ideas

• Rather than using the provided excerpts from the 2001 Los Angeles Times, have class members look up current weather reports from all over the country for their weather maps
• Keep a felt map of the United States on the board in an Earth Science class to continually update with Velcro® weather patterns
• Use in language arts during a focus on informational text
• Have class members read and take notes on the background information for homework the night before a lesson on weather patterns

Classroom Considerations

• Lesson was published in 2002, but could be updated with some minor changes
• Parts of the resource, including the map, are in color; if you are planning on printing in black and white, be sure to delineate the parts that are represented in color

Pros

• Provides a good amount of scientific information to get learners started
• Engages pupils in the weather forecasting process

Cons

• Information in the resource would need to be updated

Common Core

RI.6.1 RI.7.1 RI.8.1 RI.9-10.1