Grade 5Goal 3

Weather and Climate

Writers:Carla BillupsMichelle Ellis

Jeff Long

I. Grade Level: 5

II. Unit Title: Weather and Climate

III. Unit Length: 7 Weeks

IV.Major Unit Goal/Learning Outcomes:The learner will be able to:

construct a water cycle including evaporation, condensation, precipitation and run-off

identify the factors which affect predicable weather patterns compare how factors affect predicable weather patterns compare and contrast the various cloud types, including how

they are related to weather systems share how global atmospheric patterns affect weather collect weather data and identify trends in the data explain how geographic affects climate and weather

V. Objective Chart and RBT tagsUnit Title: Weather Number of Weeks: 7Number

Competency or Objective RBT Tag

3.01 Investigate the water cycle including the processes of:

Evaporation Condensation Precipitation Run-Off

B4

3.02 Discuss and determine how the following are affected by predictable patterns of weather:

Temperature Wind direction and speed Precipitation Cloud cover Air pressure

D2

3.03 Describe and analyze the formation of various types of clouds and discuss their relation to weather systems.

4B

3.04 Explain how global atmospheric movement 4D

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patterns affect local weather.3.05 Compile and use weather data to establish a

climate record and reveal any trends.4C

3.06 Discuss and determine the influence of geography on weather and climate:

Mountains Sea breezes Water bodies

2B

VI.ELD/EC

VII. Materials/Equipment3.01Options based on presentation choice

Microsoft Publisher (excellent alternative website in lesson) Digital Camera/Camcorder Internet Access (or other materials on the water cycle) Paper for publication if not using a computer Newspapers or other sources that feature article writing Teacher created example to engage students Vocabulary sheet

Mini-Water Cycle Materials A large, clear bowl Plastic wrap A small weight A small bathroom drinking cup with a lip on the bottom A rubber-band or piece of string

3.02Options based on presentation choice

Microsoft Publisher/PowerPoint Digital Camera/Camcorder Internet Access Tri-Fold presentation boards Teacher created example to engage students General craft supplies to support various products United Streaming Access (if available) Multiple resources for each area of study

3.03 Ice cube

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Hot water Clear, clean jar Book: It Looked Like Spilt Milk Pictures of the following cloud types: cirrus, stratus, cumulus,

and cumulonimbus [If you choose this option, use a lesson plan variation accordingly.]

OR A PowerPoint on the Gaston County Schools website

http://gaston.k12.nc.us/resources/teachers/ppt/science.htm [Click 3-5 and choose Clouds 2 under Earth Science]

3.04 At least 3 thermometers; [Suggest: 6 thermometers.] Pictures of a mountain/mountain range, with snow on the caps;

ocean, wind effects, land, beach area, urbanization (city and country), etc

Completed Weather Data Sheets3.05

Video or DVD- An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore Video or DVD player Book: How We Know What We Know About Our Changing

Climate, Scientists and Kids Explore Global Warming by Lynne Cherry and Gary Braasch

One copy of each of the graphs found in the appendix of this lesson

Chart paper Markers Glue sticks Colored pencil Kids Page from the Pew Center on Global Climate Change

http://www.pewclimate.org/global-warming-basics/kidspage.cfm www.globe.gov [http://www.globe.gov/tctg/learnviz.pdf?

sectionId=30] Science notebook for each student White legal size paper

3.06 Baking soda Vinegar 500 mL beaker or glass jar of similar size Small votive candle Matches

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Piece of poster board 12” x 3” Pie pan Clear plastic saucer. [Use a plastic saucer that sit under plants,

but do NOT have the concentric rings on the bottom.] Styrofoam cups (4 per group) Hot water source Tap water source Buckets Food coloring Eye dropper (1 per group) Pint jars (2 per group) 3 thermometers 1 stick @ 1.5 meters in length Soil Small shovel for soil Colored pencils or markers Small dishes or jar lids (2 per group) Tablespoons (1 per group) Water Light source (sun or lamp/light) (1 per group) Plastic wrap and or lids to cover dishes Open, clear container, such as a glass baking dish Rocks Paper cup Measuring cup Room-temperature water Computer connected to internet Projector for computer Science notebooks Atlas which contains physical and temperature maps of the

United States.

VIII. Big Ideas Water, which covers the majority of the earth's surface, circulates

through the crust, oceans, and atmosphere in what is known as the "water cycle." Water evaporates from the earth's surface, rises and cools as it moves to higher elevations, condenses as rain or snow, and falls to the surface where it collects in lakes, oceans, soil, and in rocks underground.

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Water is a solvent. As it passes through the water cycle it dissolves minerals and gases and carries them to the oceans.

The atmosphere is a mixture of nitrogen, oxygen, and trace gases that include water vapor. The atmosphere has different properties at different elevations.

Clouds, formed by the condensation of water vapor, affect weather and climate.

Global patterns of atmospheric movement influence local weather. Oceans have a major effect on climate, because water in the oceans holds a large amount of heat.

Living organisms have played many roles in the earth system, including affecting the composition of the atmosphere, producing some types of rocks, and contributing to the weathering of rocks.http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/html/6d.html#ps

IX. Unit NotesFlow chart:

Content Blast:Weather and climate are typically associated with rain, clouds, storms, wind and temperature. Water is central to the concept of weather and climate. It is considered the universal solvent dissolves more substances than any other liquid. As it goes through the ground or our bodies, it carries valuable chemicals, minerals, and nutrients. Water that is pure has a neutral pH of 7

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3.01

3.03 3.04 3.063.05

3.02

so it is neither acidic nor basic. It is the only natural substance that is found in all three states, liquid, solid (ice), and gas (steam) at temperatures found on Earth. The water on Earth is constantly interacting, changing and moving. Water freezes at 32° Fahrenheit and boils at 212° Fahrenheit. When using Celsius, the freezing point of water is 0° and the boiling point is 100°. In solid form, water is less dense than it is in liquid form; that is why it floats. Water has the ability to absorb a lot of heat before increasing its temperature. This ability to absorb heat helps to regulate how air changes temperature. The water’s ability to absorb heat is the reason why the temperature changes gradually rather than suddenly between the seasons. The water cycle is one of Earth systems which connects to other systems on Earth. While some components of the water cycle are observable, others are not directly observable by students. The water cycle is quite complex and the three step model (evaporation, precipitation, and condensation) is very simplistic and does not accurately portray this complex system. In fifth grade, it is important for students to understand the following parts of the water cycle: evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and run-off. The following are all of the parts of the water cycle (most information is from http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercyclerunoff.html):Evaporation and condensation: These two components of the water cycle are often the most difficult to understand because they are the most abstract components. It is important for students to have concrete, hands-on examples of these two concepts.

Evaporation is the process of water turning from a liquid into a gas or vapor. Most water in the water cycle is evaporated from oceans, the largest bodies of water on Earth. Once water is evaporated, it spends approximately ten days in the air before it falls as precipitation. Ninety percent of the water in the water cycle comes from evaporation. Condensation is the process in which water is changed from a vapor to a liquid. This process is important to the water cycle because condensation is what is responsible for clouds forming. The clouds may produce precipitation which is the primary way that water returns to the Earth’s surface. Clouds formed from condensation are a crucial part of the Earth’s environment. They regulate radiant energy in and out of the Earth’s climate system. They also influence the Earth’s climate by reflecting solar radiation coming from space and back to space as well as from the Earth’s surface. Clouds act as a blanket at night keeping some of the heat from the day next to the surface.

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Runoff: The Ocean acts as a large storage area for water that evaporates into the atmosphere. Oceans are kept full by precipitation and by runoff. Runoff is some of the water that has been released from clouds as precipitation and has fallen to the Earth Runoff is discharge from rivers and the ground. People have an over simplified idea that precipitation falls on the land, flows overland (runoff), and runs into rivers, which then empty into the oceans. Much of river water comes from water runoff from surface of the land, but some river water evaporates and some goes into groundwater. When rain hits ground that cannot absorb water it begins to flow downhill over the land. During a heavy rain you might notice small rivulets of water flowing downhill just like you will see it flowing down your driveway. Water flows along channels as it moves into larger creeks, streams, and rivers. Eventually the rivers run into the ocean. About a third of the precipitation that falls on land runs off into streams and rivers and is finally returned to the oceans. The rest is evaporated, transpired by plants, or soaks into ground water.Clouds play a very important role in weather and climate. It is important when discussing clouds to address humidity, wind, temperature, geography, and precipitation. Clouds are a product of condensation in the water cycle. Water vapor cools in the atmosphere (condenses) and forms small droplets of water and oftentimes ice. Clouds have very diverse forms and can be linked to specific weather conditions and predictions without sophisticated equipment. Good sources of information about clouds and their related weather conditions can be found at:

o http://www.srh.noaa.gov/fwd/media/appendix/glossaryf.htm o http://www.srh.weather.gov/jetstream/synoptic/clouds_max.htm o The following is a very good tutorial to use with students:

http://asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SCOOL/tutorial/Climate Patterns: Long-term global climate patterns can reach far around the globe to affect the day-to-day weather. For example patterns of air pressure and winds high above the Arctic helped bring the snow that piled up last winter. Cool sea surface temperatures over the central Pacific, known as La Niña, could help increase the number of Atlantic hurricanes in the summer and fall.These climate patterns are called "oscillations" by meteorologists. These patterns change and fluctuate on time scales ranging from days to decades. With improved technology, have helped meteorologists come to understand many of the most important oscillations.

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Interactions between the atmosphere and the oceans are at the core of most of the patterns because the atmosphere and ocean push and pull against one another. When one makes a move, it affects the other. The ocean is much slower to respond to environmental changes than the atmosphere, the two are unequal. Global warming is very complex. It involves both natural and human-made processes. Water cycles and global climate change is interconnected. Students need to learn about how to understand the system of global warming and the basic scientific concepts that impact it. They also need to know how global warming will impact people along with learning about how the data about global warming causes discrepancies between scientists. The following lessons on global warming are meant to provide concrete models to illustrate abstract concepts. For more information than can be explained in this content blast some websites have been listed to help the teacher build their own understanding of global climate change.

http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf/content/Climate.html http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ice/greenhouse.html http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/ggccebro/chapter1.html

X. Global ContentNC SCS Grade 21st Century Skills Activity

Communication SkillsLA: 1.03, 2.02, 2.05, 2.07, 2.09, 3.01, 3.05, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05, 5.06TECH: 2.01, 2.02, 2.07, 2.10, 2.12, 3.06, 3.07

Conveying thought or opinions effectively

A,B

LA: 1.03, 2.02, 2.05, 2.07, 2.09, 3.05, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05, 5.06TECH: 2.01, 2.02, 2.07, 2.10, 2.12, 3.06, 3.07

When presenting information, distinguishing between relevant and irrelevant information

A,B,E,F

LA: 1.03, 1.04, 2.02, 2.05, 2.07, 2.09, 3.01, 3.05, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05, 5.06TECH: 2.01, 2.02, 2.07, 2.10, 2.12, 3.06, 3.07

Explaining a concept to others A,B,F

TECH: 2.01, 2.02, 2.07, 2.10, 2.12, 3.06, 3.07

Interviewing others or being interviewed

A,B,F

Computer KnowledgeLA: 1.03, 1.04, 2.02, 2.05, 2.07, 2.09, 3.01, 3.05, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05, 5.06TECH: 2.01, 2.02, 2.07, 2.10, 2.12,

Using word-processing and database programs

A,B,F

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3.06, 3.07M: 4.01LA: 1.03, 1.04, 2.02, 2.05, 2.07, 2.09, 3.01, 3.05, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05, 5.06TECH: 2.01, 2.02, 2.07, 2.10, 2.12, 3.06, 3.07M: 4.01

Developing visual aides for presentations

A,B,F

LA: 1.03, 1.04, 2.02, 2.05, 2.07, 2.09, 3.01, 3.05, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05, 5.06TECH: 2.01, 2.02, 2.07, 2.10, 2.12, 3.06, 3.07

Using a computer for communication

A,D

LA: 1.03, 2.02, 2.05, 2.07, 2.09, 3.01, 3.05, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05, 5.06TECH: 2.01, 2.02, 2.07, 2.10, 2.12, 3.06, 3.07

Learning new software programs

A,B

Employability SkillsLA: 1.03, 2.02, 2.05, 2.07, 2.09, 3.01, 3.05, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05, 5.06TECH: 2.01, 2.02, 2.07, 2.10, 2.12, 3.06, 3.07M: 4.01

Assuming responsibility for own learning

A,B,C,D,F,G

LA: 1.03, 2.02, 2.05, 2.07, 2.09, 3.01, 3.05, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05, 5.06TECH: 2.01, 2.02, 2.07, 2.10, 2.12, 3.06, 3.07M: 4.01

Persisting until job is completed A,B,C,F

LA: 1.03, 2.02, 2.05, 2.07, 2.09, 3.01, 3.05, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05, 5.06M: 4.01

Working independently A,B,D,F,G

LA: 1.03, 2.02, 2.05, 2.07, 2.09, 3.01, 3.05, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05, 5.06

Developing career interest/goals

A,B

LA: 1.03, 2.02, 2.05, 2.07, 2.09, 3.01, 3.05, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05, 5.06

Responding to criticism or questions

A,B

Information-retrieval SkillsLA: 1.03, 2.02, 2.05, 2.07, 2.09, 3.01, 3.05, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05, 5.06M: 4.01

Searching for information via the computer

A,B,F

LA: 1.03, 2.02, 2.05, 2.07, 2.09, 3.01, 3.05, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05, 5.06

Searching for print information A,B

LA: 1.03, 2.02, 2.05, 2.07, 2.09, 3.01, 3.05, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05, 5.06

Searching for information using community members

A,B

Language Skills - ReadingLA: 1.03, 2.02, 2.05, 2.07, 2.09, 3.01, 3.05, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05, 5.06

Following written directions A,B,C,D,G

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LA: 1.03, 2.02, 2.05, 2.07, 2.09, 3.01, 3.05, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05, 5.06

Identifying cause and effect relationships

A,B,B,C,D,G

LA: 1.03, 2.02, 2.05, 2.07, 2.09, 3.01, 3.05, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05, 5.06

Summarizing main points after reading

A,B,D

LA: 1.03, 2.02, 2.05, 2.07, 2.09, 3.01, 3.05, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05, 5.06

Locating and choosing appropriate reference materials

A,B

LA: 1.03, 2.02, 2.05, 2.07, 2.09, 3.01, 3.05, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05, 5.06

Reading for personal learning A,B,D

Language Skill – WritingLA: 1.03, 2.02, 2.05, 2.07, 2.09, 3.01, 3.05, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05, 5.06TECH: 2.01, 2.02, 2.07, 2.10, 2.12, 3.06, 3.07

Using language accurately A,B,E,G

LA: 1.03, 2.02, 2.05, 2.07, 2.09, 3.01, 3.05, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05, 5.06TECH: 2.01, 2.02, 2.07, 2.10, 2.12, 3.06, 3.07M: 4.01

Organizing and relating ideas when writing

A,,B,E,F,G

LA: 2.05, 2.07, 2.09, 3.01, 3.05, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05, 5.06TECH: 2.01, 2.02, 2.07, 2.10, 2.12, 3.06, 3.07

Proofing and Editing A,B,E

LA: 1.03, 2.02, 2.05, 2.07, 2.09, 3.01, 3.05, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05, 5.06TECH: 2.01, 2.02, 2.07, 2.10, 2.12, 3.06, 3.07

Synthesizing information from several sources

A,B

LA: 1.03, 2.02, 2.05, 2.07, 2.09, 3.01, 3.05, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05, 5.06TECH: 2.01, 2.02, 2.07, 2.10, 2.12, 3.06, 3.07

Documenting sources A,B

LA: 2.02, 2.05, 2.09, 4.02, 5.08TECH: 2.01, 2.02, 2.07, 2.10, 2.12, 3.06, 3.07

Developing an outline A,B,F

LA: 1.03, 2.02, 2.05, 2.07, 2.09, 3.01, 3.05, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05, 5.06TECH: 2.01, 2.02, 2.07, 2.10, 2.12, 3.06, 3.07

Writing to persuade or justify a position

A,B

Creating memos, letters, other forms of correspondence

TeamworkLA: 1.03, 2.02, 2.05, 2.07, 2.09, 3.01, 3.05, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05, 5.06

Taking initiative A,B,G

LA: 1.03, 2.02, 2.05, 2.07, 2.09, 3.01, 3.05, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05, 5.06TECH: 2.01, 2.02, 2.07, 2.10, 2.12, 3.06, 3.07

Working on a team A,B,F,G

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M: 4.01Thinking/Problem-Solving

SkillsLA: 2.05, 2.09, 2.10, 3.06, 4.02, 4.03, 4.06, 5.08

Identifying key problems or questions

B,C,D,F

LA: 2.05, 2.09, 2.10, 3.06, 4.02, 4.03, 4.06, 5.08

Evaluating results D,E,G

LA: 2.05, 2.09, 2.10, 3.06, 4.02, 4.03, 4.06, 5.08TECH: 2.01, 2.02, 2.07, 2.10, 2.12, 3.06, 3.07

Developing strategies to address problems

B

Developing an action plan or timeline

F

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Lesson 1: What’s The News On The Water Cycle?

Objectives:Objectives 3.01

Activity Concepts: Student Teams will develop and publish a newspaper on the water-cycle, with conceptual understanding shown in the articles. The product will be created using either desktop publishing or hand written processes.

Process Skills: Formulating hypotheses, observation, inferring, communicating, designing, and informing.

Materials: (options based on product choice) Microsoft Publisher (excellent alternative website in lesson) Digital Camera/Camcorder Internet Access (or other materials on the water cycle) Paper for publication if not using a computer Newspapers or other sources that feature article writing Teacher created example to engage students Vocabulary sheet

Mini-Water Cycle Materials Materials A large, clear bowl Plastic wrap A small weight A small bathroom drinking cup with a lip on the bottom A rubber-band or piece of string

Engage: Show the students your (humorous) version of a newspaper clipping. It should contain imaginary titles to articles that are about the students themselves. Before viewing the movie inform the students they will be creating their own published product to explain the water cycle in detail. Tell them they will be watching a video and conducting an experiment on the water cycle. Then they will use their newly acquired knowledge to create their own amazing articles.Next, show the fantastic video on the water cycle from the United Streaming Website entitled The Water Cycle (located in grade five science). It is 17 minutes long, and is an entertaining look into the water cycle. If United Streaming is not an option, excellent websites are available

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to demonstrate and explore the water cycle. Another option is to check with your media center to obtain a video or other source to demonstrate the water cycle. In addition, an excellent resource for teaching the students the ins and outs of newspaper production is located at http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=249. This can easily be adapted for what this lesson calls for.

Explore: Water Cycle Set-UpThe following investigation will demonstrate the four required parts of the water cycle; evaporation, condensation, precipitation and run-off. The students will experience each part and be able to utilize the knowledge in their newspaper articles.Materials:

A large, clear bowl Plastic wrap A small weight A small bathroom drinking cup with a lip on the bottom A rubber-band or piece of string

Place the small cup, upside down, in the middle of the large, clear bowl. Pour water into the bowl, be careful to make sure the small container inside is allowed to rest on the bottom. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and fasten the plastic wrap around the rim of the bowl with your rubber-band or string. Place the small weight on top of the plastic wrap in the center (over the top of the upside down cup). Now put your model on a window sill or somewhere that the sun will hit it.Teacher Note: The ridge on the bathroom cup is important to show run-off. Once the indention is full from precipitation, it will begin to run over the sides.

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Explain: The sun will help the evaporation happen at a faster rate. As the water vapor rises up to the plastic wrap it will cool and condense, clinging to the wrap. The weight will cause the water droplets to move to the center over top of the cup. Precipitation happens as the droplets fall from the plastic wrap into the ridge at the bottom of the cup. As this indentation in the cup fills up, the excess precipitation will run over the side back into the main water supply. This will complete the four areas of the water cycle required for their articles.They will have to creatively come up with the articles to match each event and apply that knowledge to real world situations. Having a couple of examples for them to go by will let them know they are headed in the correct direction.

Elaborate: What is Desktop Publishing? Desktop publishing is the use of the computer and specialized software to create documents for desktop or commercial printing. Desktop publishing refers to the process of using the computer to produce documents such as newsletters, brochures, books, and other publications that were once created manually using a variety of non-computer techniques along with large complex phototypesetting machines. Today desktop publishing software does it all - almost. But before PageMaker and other desktop publishing software there were e-scales, paste-up, and other non-desktop computer ways of putting together a design for printing. (http://desktoppub.about.com/cs/beginners/f/what_dtp.htm)

Evaluate: Required parts of the published piece are: Articles are to cover the four major parts of the water cycle;

evaporation, condensation, precipitation and runoff. Illustrations should accompany the concepts discussed. Creativity should be encouraged for titles and subject matter of

articles.Ask for volunteers to share their answers with the class. Rubric created using RubiStar http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1 Articles - Purpose

90-100% of the articles establish a clear purpose in the lead paragraph and demonstrate a clear understanding of the topic.

85-89% of the articles establish a clear purpose in the lead paragraph and demonstrate a clear understanding of the topic.

75-84% of the articles establish a clear purpose in the lead paragraph and demonstrate a clear understanding of the topic.

Less than 75% of the articles establish a clear purpose in the lead paragraph and demonstrate a clear understanding of the topic.

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Graphics Graphics are in focus, are well-cropped and are clearly related to the articles they accompany.

Graphics are in focus and are clearly related to the articles they accompany.

80-100% of the graphics are clearly related to the articles they accompany.

More than 20% of the graphics are not clearly related to the articles OR no graphics were used.

Knowledge Gained

All students in the group can accurately answer all questions related to a) stories in the newspaper and b) technical processes used to create the newspaper.

All students in the group can accurately answer most questions related to a) stories in the newspaper and b) technical processes used to create the newspaper.

Most students in the group can accurately answer most questions related to a) stories in the newspaper and b) technical processes used to create the newspaper.

Several students in the group appear to have little knowledge about the facts and the technical processes used for the newspaper.

Contributions of Group Members

Each person in the group has contributed at least two articles and one graphic without prompting from teachers or peers.

Each person in the group has contributed at least one article and one graphic with a few reminders from peers.

Each person in the group has contributed at least one article with some minimal assistance from peers.

One or more students in the group required quite a lot of assistance from peers before contributing one article.

Spelling and Proofreading

No spelling or grammar errors remain after one or more people (in addition to the typist) read and correct the newspaper.

No more than a couple of spelling or grammar errors remain after one or more people (in addition to the typist) read and correct the newspaper.

No more than 3 spelling or grammar errors remain after one or more people (in addition to the typist) read and correct the newspaper.

Several spelling or grammar errors remain in the final copy of the newspaper

Resources: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/kids/flash/flash_watercycle.html http://www-k12.atmos.washington.edu/k12/pilot/water_cycle/

grabber2.html http://www.epa.gov/safewater/kids/teachers_4-8.html http://www.picadome.fcps.net/lab/currl/water_cycle/ http://www.nckidscience.com/Resources/?grade=5&goal=3 http://webquest.org/search/webquest_results.php?

language=en&descwords=water+cycle&searchfield=descrip&search=Search+SDSU+Database

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php

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Lesson 2: Predictable Predictions

Objectives:Objectives 3.02

Activity Concepts: Student Teams will participate in a pseudo-jigsaw format to discuss and determine how the following are affected by predictable patterns of weather:

Temperature Wind Direction and Speed Precipitation Cloud Cover Air Pressure

The class will break into five teams of soon to be experts in their particular area study. After researching and gathering information on their subject of focus, each team will develop a presentation to demonstrate and share the knowledge they have gained with the rest of the class.

Process Skills: Formulating hypotheses, researching, inferring, communicating, designing, and informing.

Materials: (options based on presentation choice) Microsoft Publisher/PowerPoint Digital Camera/Camcorder Internet Access Tri-Fold presentation boards Teacher created example to engage students General craft supplies to support various products United Streaming Access (if available) Multiple resources for each area of study

Engage: Explain that the students will be learning the basics of weather prediction. A good overview of the terms and instruments used in weather prediction is shown in Weather Smart: Forecasting and Weather Instruments. If United Streaming is not available, talk to your media specialist to see what similar local resources may be available for you or to possibly order. Once they have been exposed to the concept of prediction and how it relates to weather, they may begin to focus on their teams’ particular part in this lesson. Several videos are available through United Streaming to showcase each area of interest.

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1. Cloud Cover- Water Smart: Water in the Air2. Wind Direction and Speed- Weather Smart: Heat, Wind, and

Pressure3. Precipitation- Magic School Bus: Wet All Over, The 4. Air Pressure- Weather Smart: Heat, Wind, and Pressure5. Temperature- Weather Smart: Heat, Wind, and Pressure

Here are some websites to help you with each as well:1. http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/fcst/tmps/cld.rxml 2. http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/fw/crls.rxml 3. http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/cld/home.rxml 4. http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/cld/home.rxml 5. http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/fw/prs/def.rxml

United Streaming videos are excellent sources of information, but more sources are needed to get the details necessary to deliver a proper presentation to the class. So, provide the teams with plenty of resource material through other means. Again, utilize your media center, as well as fellow teachers and teammates to gather materials for the team’s research.

Explore: Have the teams break out and begin their research using the various materials you have assembled for them. Give each member the Quick Quest…Question sheet… this can be adjusted to each area, for example; high and low temperatures, direction wind is from, high and low pressure, etc.(or use something similar to help them focus on information needed). Once they have gathered the appropriate information they’ll need to decide how they want to present. Of course, they may want to decide before collecting information to help determine how and what they collect. In either case, several options may be made available to them. “Old School” tri-fold boards are always appealing to several students. Technology based products such as PowerPoint, Publisher, and Front Page just to name a few, are very popular as well. Illustrations, models, videos, and script can be incorporated. What isn’t acceptable would be to stand a read a few paragraphs from a sheet of paper about their findings. They need to understand that when presenting their product, their comfort level with the delivery system will be paramount to their success at sharing the information. Important- make sure they include weather prediction questions throughout their presentation (based on their info only) to check for understanding of the information provided.

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Explain: They should realize the main areas affects such as; High Pressure-cooler temperatures, less moisture Low Pressure-higher temperatures, more moisture Precipitation- depends on the temperatures of the ground and

atmosphere Wind Speed and direction- extent of unequal heating of air masses,

directly related to air pressure differences Temperature- many factors affect this, and it affects many others Cloud cover- caused by pressure systems, but influences

precipitation, temperature…etc.What they should discover is all of these factors are linked to one another. As each individual area is affected by weather, the others will be affected as well, if not already. Also, the most basic weather prediction should be evident given various scenarios from their information.

Elaborate: Create a daily weather prediction poster and track the various areas of weather that each expert team researched. Have a column for all areas of study, fill in the appropriate information from a local TV website…then make basic predictions based on what the daily information tells them. A great way to extend this to the real world would be to have a local meteorologist visit the school and talk about the predictions and affects of the various areas of study.

Evaluate: Each team of experts will teach the class about their specific area of study.Required parts of the presented product are:

Product must give solid definition of specific area Affects on weather Affects from weather Other variables that are related to it Weather prediction scenarios throughout (min. of two) Optional handouts appropriate to information

Rubric created using RubiStar http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.phpPresentation Well-rehearsed with

smooth delivery that holds audience attention.

Rehearsed with fairly smooth delivery that holds audience attention most of the time.

Delivery not smooth, but able to maintain interest of the audience most of the time.

Delivery not smooth and audience attention often lost.

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Content Covers topic in-depth with details and examples. Subject knowledge is excellent.

Includes essential knowledge about the topic. Subject knowledge appears to be good.

Includes essential information about the topic but there are 1-2 factual errors.

Content is minimal OR there are several factual errors.

Requirements All requirements are met and exceeded.

All requirements are met.

One requirement was not completely met.

More than one requirement was not completely met.

Originality Product shows a large amount of original thought. Ideas are creative and inventive.

Product shows some original thought. Work shows new ideas and insights.

Uses other people's ideas (giving them credit), but there is little evidence of original thinking.

Uses other people's ideas, but does not give them credit

Resources: http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/wwatch/pdfs/investigate.pdf http://www.nckidscience.com/Resources/?grade=5&goal=3 http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php http://home.nycap.rr.com/teachertown/weathfac.html http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/whatisweather/aboutweather/

flash_menu.shtml http://staff.gpschools.org/speirss/meapcontent/responses/

weathcause.htm http://eo.ucar.edu/basics/ http://www.wxdude.com/

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Quick Starter Quest…Questions!

1. What is a good definition of our subject?

2. What relationships exist between our subject and weather?

3. What makes our subject change?

4. What other factors affect our subject?

Quick Starter Quest…Questions!

1. What is a good definition of our subject?

2. What relationships exist between our subject and weather?

3. What makes our subject change?

4. What other factors affect our subject?

Quick Starter Quest…Questions!

1. What is a good definition of our subject?

2. What relationships exist between our subject and weather?

3. What makes our subject change?

4. What other factors affect our subject?

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Lesson 3: Clouds in a Bottle

Objective: 3.03 Describe and analyze the formation of various types of clouds and discuss their relation to weather systems.

Materials: ice cube, hot water, and clear, clean jar

Concepts: How clouds are formed?

Process Skills: observing, communicating, making models, experimenting

Engage: Ask students these series of questions. [Listen for responses so you can understand misconceptions and invite more questions]

What are clouds? How do clouds look? What is the purpose of clouds? How are clouds formed? How many different types of clouds are there?

Explore: Tell students that you are going to demonstrate how clouds are formed. [The following website gives instructions on how to make Clouds in a Bottle.]

 http://www.shermanisd.net/Curriculum/Weather/make_a_cloud_in_a_bottle.htm Pour about 1/2 inch of very hot water into a clear bottle.  Immediately cover the mouth of the bottle with an ice cube.  

Explain: Ask students to tell some of the things that they have observed. [Make sure that they include as many observations as possible.] Explain Clouds are formed when water vapor in the air is cooled and condenses as part of the water cycle. Clouds consist of billions of tiny water droplets (and even ice crystals) floating in the sky and appear in a variety of shapes and sizes depending on how and where they formed. In other words, we know that clouds form when rising air cools and the moisture in it condenses to form water droplets. [Referenced from http://www.rcn27.dial.pipex.com/cloudsrus/clouds.html]Three things are needed for clouds to form: evaporation, cooling, and condensation

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Extension/Elaboration: Have students take the time in their notebooks to explain how the demonstration relates to cloud formation. [Allow students to share their notebook entries and take the time to tie any loose ends.]

Evaluation: Evaluate student notebook entries.

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Lesson 4: It Looked Like Spilt Milk (Types of Clouds)

Objective: 3.03 Describe and analyze the formation of various types of clouds and discuss their relation to weather systems.

Materials: Book: It Looked Like Spilt Milk Pictures of the following cloud types: cirrus, stratus, cumulus, and

cumulonimbusOR

A PowerPoint on the Gaston County Schools website http://gaston.k12.nc.us/resources/teachers/ppt/science.htm [Click 3-5 and choose Clouds 2 under Earth Science]

Concepts: cloud variety and weather predictions

Process Skills: inferring, predicting, and classifying

Engage: Read It Looked Like Spilt Milk

Explore/ Explain: Teach from PPT [If using pictures, take information from PPT]

Extension/Elaboration: Have students to complete the enclosed graphic organizer.

Evaluation: Evaluate the graphic organizer.

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NAME: __________________________________________ DATE: ____________________

Type of Cloud Drawing of Cloud Description of Cloud Common Type of Weather Produced

Cirrus

Stratus

Cumulus

Cumulonimbus

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Lesson 5: Weather and Geography

[Data for this lesson will need to be gathered 1-3 weeks prior. The Weather Data Sheet is attached. Also, place the thermometers in places that would “mirror” the natural environment for comparisons. For example, place a thermometer near a pond can “mirror’ sea breezes. This lesson can be done in two days. You can take the time to ensure that students comprehend the Explore and Explain portion of the lesson. Read through the entire lesson before beginning.]

Objective: 3.06 Discuss and determine the influence of geography on weather and climate.

Materials: At least 3 thermometers; [Suggestion: 6 thermometers.] Pictures of a mountain/mountain range, with snow on the caps;

ocean, wind effects, land, beach area, urbanization (city and country), etc

Completed Weather Data Sheets

Concepts: Mountain, wind, and large bodies of water affect weather.

Process Skills: observing, classifying, inferring, predicting, communicating, using number relationship, collecting data, and interpreting data

Engage: Ask students to give you examples of Earth’s geological features, i.e. mountains, valleys, oceans, etc. Place the examples on the board. Tell them that the Earth’s surface effects how the weather and climate of that region will be.

Explore: There are many geographical factors that affect weather and climate. We will cover five of these factors. They are latitude, altitude, winds, distance from the sea, and urbanization. Define each factor:

Latitude: The distance from the equator can determine weather and climate.

Altitude: The farther up you go the temperature decreases. Air is less dense and cannot hold the heat.

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Winds: Depending on the origin of the winds, they can increase or decrease temperature. If cold winds blow, temperature is colder and vice versa with warm winds.

Distance from the sea: The closer you are to the ocean the cooler the temperature.

Urbanization: Some consider this to be the human interference component of weather and climate.

Explain: Show the students the picture examples so that they can see the visual aspects of weather.

SHOW EXPLAINMountain (Altitude) Notice that there is snow at the top of this

mountain. The higher up you go the colder it becomes. Therefore, mountain regions have colder temperatures.

Ocean (Sea Breezes) Land can heat and cool faster than sea water.

Wind When wind blows against a mountain it cause the air to rise and cool. When it flows over the mountain and down the other side it causes the air to become warmer and takes moisture through evaporation. When this happens deserts are formed. This is also called the rain shadow effect.

Latitude As you move closer to the equator the temperature increases. The farther away you are from the equator the temperature decreases. This is due to the sun’s rays.

Urbanization It is typically warmer and rainier in large cities than in rural areas. There are many contributing factors including pavement, large buildings, factories, etc.

Extension/Elaboration: Have students look at their Weather Data Sheet. [The purpose of this portion of the lesson is to show students how their surroundings on campus “mirror” the Earth’s geographical layout. Therefore, your campus acts as a model in producing the same “types” of weather patterns. For example, if you have a pond or lake near your campus, the temperature around the body of water will be cooler.]

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Evaluation: Weather Data Sheets and Have students write a paragraph in their notebook connecting the Extension/Elaboration to the Explain. Basically have them write a summary.

Resource: http://www.geography.learnontheinternet.co.uk/topics/

climatezones.html#factor

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NAME: _____________________________________ DATE: ____________________________

DATE AND DAY LOCATION TEMPERATURE OBSERVATIONS

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Lesson 6: Feeling the Heat

Activity Concepts: Students will be looking at a variety of visualizations to understand the ideas behind Global Warming and how man may be a factor in global climatic change. Before looking at the visualizations, they will learn how to orient themselves to visualizations by doing a part of a GLOBE activity, Learning to Use Visualizations. They will also watch, in sections Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth and discuss man’s impact on Global Warming and climate change.

Process Skills: Observing, inferring, predicting, and communicating

Materials: Video or DVD- An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore Video or DVD player Book: How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate,

Scientists and Kids Explore Global Warming by Lynne Cherry and Gary Braasch

One copy of each of the graphs found in the appendix of this lesson Chart paper Markers Glue sticks Colored pencil Kids Page from the Pew Center on Global Climate Change

http://www.pewclimate.org/global-warming-basics/kidspage.cfm www.globe.gov [http://www.globe.gov/tctg/learnviz.pdf?

sectionId=30] Science notebook for each student White legal size paper

Pre-assessment: Students will make a concept map around the topic of Global Warming in their science notebook. They need to make a key that notes the date they made this concept map and the color they used. [This will be referred to later during the assessment section of the lesson]

Engage: Read pages 28 and 29 of Book: How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate, Scientists and Kids Explore Global Warming by Lynne Cherry and Gary BraaschHave students discuss their thoughts and ideas about what they know about global warming and climate change.

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To find out more about polar bears, go to: http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/eco_info/topics/climate/ecostats/index.cfm

To find out more about penguins, go to: http://www.aad.gov.au/default.asp?casid=2884

Explore: [Students will be looking at visualization for scientific problem-solving using elevation and temperature (factors of climate) as a tool. More information on background can be found on the full lesson on the GLOBE website http://www.globe.gov/tctg/learnviz.pdf?sectionId=30] Discuss with students the different aspects of reading visualization [maps and graphs] such as: data, units, and times, use of color, landmark values, geographical features, scale, and resolution. Remind students that visualizations summarize huge amounts of data that has been collected. Use the color maps to lead the above discussion. The first map, Earth Elevation and Ocean Depth has different colors for the elevation found at the ocean depths and on land. Have students look at the map and orient themselves to it by looking at the time [year this map was made] and the scale of this visualization. The second map, Surface Temperature, January 1987, uses the colors usually seen as cool [blue] to hot colors [reds and oranges]. Remind them to use the legends and keys to help them understand the symbols and colors used on these visualizations.[The student worksheet here really guides the students through this activity, but since this is geared for a bit higher student, you may choose to work this through with my students step by step.]Have students go to their worksheet and orient themselves with the different parts of this visualization. [They will be making the color scale and coloring in this visualization.] Explain that each square [resolution] on these visualizations equals a 3°x 3°area of latitude and longitude. Compare the resolutions here to the colored visualizations you looked at earlier. Have students begin with the Average Elevation map. They need to look at the key for this at the bottom of the visualization. Have them show the break between lowlands and mountains as 1500 m, the next break at 3,000 m and the final one at 4,500 m. Since there are no heights above 5,300 m on this visualization, this is the last one on the scale. Students then will color this visualization.Repeat the same procedure with the second visualization. [Consider pairing students to work on this together, after figuring out the scales and color for each visualization; students each take one of the visualizations to color, this saves A LOT of time and is appropriate for fifth grade.]

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On the Elevation visualization, the heights above 1,500 m are the Himalayas, have the students outline the boundaries of the Himalayas. Mount Everest is at 8,800 m; see if students can find where it is located on using this visualization. Have the students look at the Average Surface Temperature visualization, can they find the Himalayas using this visualization? Have students look at the differences in the two visualizations, what conclusions can they draw from these two visualizations? [The higher in elevation they climb, the lower the temperature.]

Extension in Math – Lapse time[The second part of this looks at the lapse rate. Once the maps are colored, students can explore the relationship between change in elevation and change in temperature. [The change in temperature due to the change in altitude is the lapse rate. Consider using this as an extension during math.]

Explain: Have students read Global Warming – Kids Page from the Pew Center on Global Climate Changehttp://www.pewclimate.org/global-warming-basics/kidspage.cfmDiscuss after reading this page, discuss ideas of global warming and climate change with students. Tell them they are going to look closer at this information using different graphs.Discuss:Students will be looking at graphs to further understand the ideas and reasons of global warming. The word anomaly is used in some of the graphs, explain the meaning of anomaly. [Anomaly – a difference from what is expected]Students will work as two person teams. Hand each pair students chart paper, markers, glue sticks, and one of the visualizations found at the end of this lesson. Remind students of how to orient themselves to visualizations [part 2 of exploration]. Before having students go through the process, do one as a whole class. Use the graphic Students need to look at the visualization and find out what information that it is conveying. Have them glue their visualization on the top of their chart paper. Underneath the visualization they need to write the information they found out by reading the picture of the data in the following categories:

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Getting Oriented –They record information from the graphs that help them understand what the graph is about.

What Does the Data Tell Us? What they have learned from the visualization. After they have written all of their information they found in the previous categories on their chart; they need to write down the questions or wonderings they have based on the information they learned.

Add: Questions or Wonderings to chart. Students will post their charts on the wall and explain their visualization and what it shows to the class. They also discuss their questions and wonderings. [I have students present their posters and visualizations mixed in with the movie found in the elaborate section. For example, 1 poster before the first showing on Day 1, one after the movie. The next day they repeat with two more posters.]

Elaborate: [This next session is best done by spreading it out over three days, watching the movie at 30 minute intervals]Day 1:Watch the first 30 minutes of An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore. Discuss what they have seen and understood or any questions they might have.

Day 2:Watch the second 30 minutes of An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore. Discuss what Day 3:Watch the final 30 minutes of An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore. Discuss what they have seen and understood or any questions they might have.

Evaluate: In science notebook, have the students record things that they individually can do to make a difference in global warming.Have students record ways that their families can do to make a difference in global warming.Have students record ways that they can inform and educate others about global warming.

Assessment: Students will return to their concept map they started before the engage section of this lesson. Have them use a different color, record this in their key, and add information to their concept web or make changes.

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Resources: An Inconvenient Truth DVD by Al Gore How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate,

Scientists and Kids Explore Global Warming by Lynne Cherry and Gary Braasch

Kids Page from the Pew Center on Global Climate Change http://www.pewclimate.org/global-warming-basics/kidspage.cfm

GLOBE www.globe.gov [http://www.globe.gov/tctg/learnviz.pdf?sectionId=30

Dr. Patricia Bricker, Education Department, Western Carolina University

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Lesson Title 7: Let’s Get Physical… Features

Objective: 3:06 Discuss and determine the influence of geography on weather and climate

Activity Concepts: Students will be working through three centers that explore the concepts of convection, radiation, and evaporation to understand how the geographic features of mountains, lakes, and oceans affect weather.

Process Skills: Observing, Inferring, Predicting, Communicating, Making models, Defining operationally, Identifying and controlling variables, Collecting data

Materials:

Baking soda Vinegar 500 mL beaker or glass jar of similar size Small votive candle Matches Piece of poster board 12” x 3” Pie pan Clear plastic saucer. [Use a plastic saucer that sit under plants, but

do NOT have the concentric rings on the bottom.] Styrofoam cups (4 per group) Hot water source Tap water source Buckets Food coloring Eye dropper (1 per group) Pint jars (2 per group) 3 thermometers 1 stick @ 1.5 meters in length) Soil Small shovel for soil Colored pencils or markers small dishes or jar lids (2 per group)

tablespoons (1 per group)water

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light source (sun or lamp/light) (1 per group)plastic wrap and or lids to cover dishes

Open, clear container, such as a glass baking dish Rocks Paper cup Measuring cup Room-temperature water Computer connected to internet Projector for computer Science notebooks Atlas which contains physical and temperature maps of the United

States.

Engage: 1. Fold poster board lengthwise [it will act like a funnel]. 2. Place the candle in the pie pan and light the candle.3. Put a tablespoon of baking soda into the jar.4. Pour @ ¼ cup of vinegar into the jar [the jar begins to fill with carbon

dioxide gas due to the reaction of the vinegar and baking soda].5. When the fizzing stops, hold the poster board at an angle so one end is

near the flame [do not touch the flame to the poster board] and the opposite end is higher.

6. “Pour” the gas down the funnel. The flame will go out.7. Ask students what happened and what actually put out the flame [the

carbon dioxide gas displaces the oxygen causing the flame to go out].[The point of this engage is for students to understand that gases “flow” and are fluid. The following engage piece uses water instead of air. When referring to how the warm and cold water moves around in the following, refer back to the engage to explain to students that warm air and cod air acts in the same way because both water and air are fluids.]

Explore: [Students will be working through three different centers to help build the principles of conduction, radiation, and evaporation. Understanding these principles will help to understand the effect of mountains, large lakes, and oceans on the weather, which will be covered in the explain piece].

Set up the following centers: Center One: Convection

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1. Place three Styrofoam cups upside down on a sheet of paper.2. Place a plastic plant saucer on top off the cups making sure the cups

are evenly spaced under the saucer.3. Fill the saucer ¾ full of cool tap water. Let the water sit until it is still.

[Students need to be very careful not to shake or bump the table during the investigation.]

4. Use a dropper to slowly release a small amount of food coloring into the bottom of the saucer. Remove the dropper SLOWLY making sure the water is not stirred or disturbed.

5. Observe and record what happens to the drop of food coloring as it sits in the water. Draw what has happened from the side view.

6. Dump the water that from the saucer into the bucket.7. For the next set of investigations, there will be three trials. [During

each trail, students should observe and record what happens to the drop of food coloring as it sits in the water, drawing the view from the side.

8. Fill up one Styrofoam cup with HOT water. [This water should be hotter than tap, but not boiling.] Put this cup under the saucer

Trial 1: Place a drop of food coloring on the bottom of the saucer, but in the very center over the cup of hot water. Make sure that the water is not stirred or disturbed. Trial 2: Place a drop of food coloring on the bottom of the saucer about halfway between the center and the side. Make sure that the water is not stirred or disturbed.Trail 3: Place two drops of food coloring on the bottom of the saucer, one in the center of the saucer and one between the center and side of the saucer.

Center Two: Radiation[Do this outside during a warm time of the year. This can be done inside, if you have a strong enough source of light that can be directed onto the tubs.]

Preparation for the center:1. Find three thermometers that match inside temperatures before

beginning the activity.2. One hour before beginning the activity, fill one jar two-thirds full of

water and the other two-thirds full of soil. You will need to get the starting temperature of both jars to match. To do this, add hot or cold water to the jar until the temperatures in both jars are the same.

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3. To register air temperature, tape a thermometer to the top of the 1.5 meter stick and put the other end of the stick into the ground in a grassy area.

4. To make sure the sun’s radiation doesn’t register onto thermometers, put them into the tubs and shade them with a piece of paper until the thermometers are stabilized.

5. Students will need to make a data table to collect their data for the temperatures. They will need to collect data for a two hour block in 15 minute intervals. Temperature data for both the soil and water need to be recorded at each 15 minute interval. Students also need to record the beginning and ending air temperature.

Center: Radiation1. Have students make qualitative observations of the water and the

soil. Record these observations in their notebooks.2. Students then predict what they think will warm up faster the soil or

the water OR if they think they will warm up at the same time. They also need to predict what will cool down the faster. Have them give a reason for why they think the way they do.

3. Have students make a data table to collect their data for the temperatures. Tell them they will need to collect data for a two hour block in 15 minute intervals. Temperature data for both the soil and water need to be recorded at each 15 minute interval. Students also need to record the beginning and ending air temperature. Remind the students:

The thermometers need to be read at eye level for the most accurate reading.

Thermometers need to be read in the tubs, not being held in hand.

Temperatures vary at different depths so students will need to keep the thermometers at the same depth, close to the surface, when taking all readings.

Decide if students will record their temperature data in °C or °F4. Students take their tubs outside to a grassy spot with both sun and

shade. Take measurements of the water, soil, and air. Have students record the time they started. After the temperatures have been recorded, students will remove the thermometers and take them inside. Thermometers will need to be brought out for each interval. Repeat the temperature readings at 15 minute intervals

Center: Evaporation1. Students will work in groups of two

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2. Each pair of students will get two dishes.3. Put one tablespoon of water into each dish.4. Cover the top of each dish with plastic wrap.5. Set one dish in the sun or under a light source.6. Place the second dish in the shade.7. Have students observe what is happen and record observations into

their notebooks.

ExplainStudents need go back to their notebooks and look at their data.Center one: convectionHave students discuss their observations. Ask what happens to the colored drop without the hot water underneath, and then with the hot water underneath.Students have seen the movement of the colored water when hot water was placed under the saucer set up. Explain that this is convection current. Ask students what is causing the current [heat of the water from the cup of hot water underneath]. The heated water becomes less dense and it moves upward, while the colder, denser water moves downward.Reference to students back to the engage piece and explain that water and air are both fluids, both flow (like the carbon dioxide did in the engage piece) and act in similar ways when they are heated or cooled. In air, convection currents cause warm air to rise, and cool air to fall. When warm air begins to rise over mountain ranges on the windward side, it begins to cool and is unable to hold moisture and it begins to rain or in the winter, snow. When this air reaches the summit, it begins to descend down the leeward side of the mountain because the air has cooled. Since all of the moisture has been squeezed out on the windward side, the air on the leeward side is much drier. This rain shadow effect keeps windward sides of the mountain wetter and filled with more vegetation than the drier leeward side. Center Two: RadiationStudents need to look over their data. [The soil should have heated up faster than the water.] Discuss their results.Explain that soils absorb heat faster than water and soils also release heat more quickly than water. Water warms and cools slowly. This happens for three reasons:

1. Soils are opaque and water is transparent, so the suns rays can pass through the water easier and distributes the heat energy to greater

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depths. The soil can only absorb heat energy at the surface because it is opaque.

2. Water is a liquid and moves more easily and the water molecules help to transport the heat to different areas and depths (through convection). The heat on the soil remains on the surface.

3. It takes more heat to raise the temperature of water than it does for soil. Water takes in heat slowly and releases it slowly.

Elaborate:Center one:

1. In groups, and have each group prepare for the activity by creating a “mountain range” by arranging the rocks near the center of the bottom of the clear container.

2. Have students use a pencil point to poke 10 holes in the sides of the paper cup, and tape the cup into a corner of the container.

3. Have students the container with room-temperature water until the rocks are covered.

4. Students will add three drops of food coloring to one cup of hot water and slowly pour the hot colored water into the paper cup.

5. Students will observe the colored water diffuse through the holes in the cup, but barely mix with the cold water. Most of the hot water will stay near the top of the container, “floating” on top of the colder water.

6. Have students repeat the experiment, filling the container with hot water and adding cold colored water to the cup. The cold water will sink to the bottom and diffuse through the hot water until it reaches the “mountain range,” where it will be blocked. The cold water will not be able to pass the rocks because it will be unable to rise over them.

Explain: When warm air begins to rise over mountain ranges on the windward side, it begins to cool and is unable to hold moisture and it begins to rain or in the winter, snow. When this air reaches the summit, it begins to descend down the leeward side of the mountain because the air has cooled. Since all of the moisture has been squeezed out on the windward side, the air on the leeward side is much drier. This rain shadow effect keeps windward sides of the mountain wetter and filled with more vegetation than the drier leeward side.

Center two:Go to the internet to the following animation, if possible use a projector so all students can see it.

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http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/visualizations/es1903/es1903page01.cfm?chapter_no=visualizationExplain: During the day, land will heat up faster than water, which makes air rise over the land – a low-pressure area is formed. Since the water is cooler, there is higher air pressure over the water. Air from over the water comes inland to replace the rising air, making a sea breeze. At night, things are reversed – the land cools down quickly, while the water stays warmer. High pressure is formed over the land and low-pressure forms over the water, so air flows offshore. This is called a land breeze.A monsoon is a land-sea breeze on a larger scale. As large areas of land heat up during the summer (like on the Asian continent), a large area of low pressure will be formed. Moisture packed air from oceans will come on land, producing very heavy rains that may last for several months. During the winter, the airflow will be reversed, and the winds will blow from land to the warmer oceans.

Center three:Print the article found in the appendix for students. As they read the article, see if they can find where evaporation plays a part in the process of lake effect snow. [Warm water will evaporate and condense as it meets the colder air.]Open up the following link: http://www.weatherquestions.com/What_causes_lake_effect_snow.htmUse the diagram to connect what students have learned about evaporation and the article to Lake Effect Snow. The following link has good detail about lake effect snows around the Great Lakes, in the form of a blog from a meteorologist. There are great maps and information. http://wx-man.com/blog/?cat=39

Evaluate: Hand students an atlas and have them locate a physical map of the United States. Ask students to locate specific areas of the country where they would find the following events:

Rain shadow effect: Sierra Nevadas The Rocky Mountains Appalachian Mountains Cascade Range

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Find deserts – identify where they occur (leeward side of mountain ranges)

Sea Breeze: All coastal areas

Lake effect snow: Great Salt Lake Great Lakes

Resources: http://www.ucar.edu/learn/1_1_2_7t.htm http://web.syr.edu/~wrt405/normal/Lake_Effect.html http://www.ussartf.org/predicting_weather.htm http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/programs/mtbarrier/ http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/weather/4.html http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream//ocean/seabreezes.htm http://www.weather.com/encyclopedia/winter/lake.html http://wx-man.com/blog/?cat=39

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Appendix: Lake Effect Snow Lake effect snows occur when a mass of sufficiently cold air moves over a body of warmer water, creating an unstable temperature profile in the atmosphere.

As a result, clouds build over the lake and eventually develop into snow showers and squalls as they move downwind. The intensity of lake effect snow is increased when higher elevations downwind of the lake force the cold, snow-producing air to rise even further. The most likely setting for this localized type of snowfall is when very cold Arctic air rushes over warmer water on the heels of a passing

cold front, as often happens in the Great Lakes region during winter. Winds accompanying Arctic air masses generally blow from a west or northwest direction, causing lake effect snow to fall on the east or southeast sides of the lakes. Whether an area gets a large amount of snow from lake effect is dependent on the direction of the winds, the duration they blow from a particular direction, and the magnitude of the temperature difference between the water and air. Since cold air can hold very little moisture and the low level of the atmosphere is quite unstable, clouds form very rapidly, condensation occurs and snow begins to fall. Lake effect snow is lighter than snow that forms from frontal stratus or nimbostratus. Areas of relatively high elevation downwind of the Great Lakes generally receive heavier amounts of lake effect snow than do other locations in this region. For example, residents of the Tug Hill Plateau in New York State east of Lake Ontario can spend the winter months digging out of anywhere from 200 to 300 inches of snow. Likewise, the mountains of West Virginia can receive over 200 inches of snow in a winter, helped by the lake effect. The only other lake that produces significant lake effect snow in the United States is the Great Salt Lake in Utah. Cape Cod Bay in Massachusetts and Chesapeake Bay in Maryland and Virginia, on occasion, produce what is called bay effect snow. Bay effect snow forms in the same manner as lake effect snow, only over the ocean. From: http://www.weather.com/encyclopedia/winter/lake.html

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ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

Questions 1-2 use the following diagram to answer the questions.

1. What area represents the process of condensation?a. A b. Bc. Cd. D

2. What action could happen with an increase in D?a. Low pressure system moving into the areab. Local mudslidesc. Decreased evaporationd. Cumulous cloud formation

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A

B C

D

3. At 10:30 A.M., Raleigh had a temperature of 65˚ F and air pressure reading of 920mb. A cold front moves into the area in the afternoon, pushing out a warm front. Which of the following would be possible readings once the cold front is over Raleigh?a. 58˚ F and 900mbb. 70˚ F and 1080mbc. 58˚ F and 1080mbd. 70˚ F and 900mb

4. Which variable normally increases before precipitation occurs?a. relative humidityb. air pressurec. visibilityd. temperature

5. Clouds are formed bya. evaporationb. cool air risingc. warm air fallingd. water vapor condensing

6. This picture was taken in May, what type of precipitation will most likely occur from the clouds in this picture?

a. steady drizzleb. snowc. haild. thunder storm

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7. How do weather patterns generally move across America?

a. b. c. d.

8. Which best describes why meteorologists track hurricanes thousands of miles out in the ocean?

a. So they can warn the people that live thereb. To study how hurricanes affect other countriesc. To predict were it will make landfall much closer to usd. To practice their tracking skills

9. Based on the following chart, which is a reasonable trend that can be taken from the data?

a. The amount of run-off has been steadily decreasing from 2000 to 2006. b. The amount of run-off has been constant from 2000 to 2006. c. Yearly rainfall has increased from 2000 till 2006. d. Yearly rainfall has decreased from 2000 till 2006.

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Yearly Rainfall

0

5

10

15

J F M A M J J A S O N D

Month

Inch

es

2000

2003

2006

10. Using the chart from question nine, which of the following could be a cause for the current trend?

a. Decrease in regional evaporationb. Increase in dry high pressure systemsc. Increase of humidity and low pressure systemsd. Decrease in precipitation

11. Which describes a land breeze?a. warm air rising and flowing up a mountainb. cool air moving from land toward the ocean at nightc. cool air moving down a mountain at nightd. warm air rising over the land

12. Which is a true statement about temperatures on water and land? a. Water and land usually have the same temperature.b. Water heats up and cools down much faster than land.c. Water heats up and cools down much slower than land.d. Land heats up and cools down much slower than water.

Resources:Wizard Test Maker, Version 10.1, Eduware Inc. http://www.eduware.com/

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The following is from: Josh Larson, USATODAY.com weather intern, in 2004. Updated in April 2006.)The discovery of one of the most important global climate oscillations, El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO, for short) began with observations the British meteorologist Gilbert Walker made in the 1920s. Walker was stationed in India and wanted to know what caused fluctuations in the strength and effects of the South Asian monsoon. He noticed that a strong monsoon season in India often occurred at the same time as severe droughts in Australia, Indonesia, and even parts of Africa. After investigating further, he noted correlations between periods of high air pressure in the eastern Pacific occurring at the same time as periods of low air pressure in the western Pacific. Walker proposed a climate pattern called the "Southern Oscillation" to describe this seesaw in global atmospheric pressure and weather patterns. It was not until the 1950s and 1960s, however, when meteorologists linked Walker's hypotheses with observations of fluctuations in ocean temperatures off the west coast of South America and Walker's "Southern Oscillation" became the "El Niño-Southern Oscillation."El Niño refers to one extreme in the oscillation — with above-average sea surface temperatures in the central Pacific ocean — while La Niña refers to the other extreme — below-average sea surface temperatures in the central Pacific. Since the discovery of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, scientists have found several other important global and regional climate patterns, including the Arctic Oscillation (AO), the closely linked North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). There are other global climate patterns, such as the Pacific-North American Oscillation (PNA) and the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), among others, but less is known about these oscillations, and they typically have less of an impact on global weather. The Arctic Oscillation (AO) has a significant influence on winter weather in the U.S. — the northern and eastern U.S., especially — as well as Western Europe. Recent research has also demonstrated a link between the AO and tropical cyclone formation during the Atlantic hurricane season.The AO refers to a seesaw pattern in atmospheric pressure between the polar regions and the middle latitudes. It fluctuates on a different time scale than ENSO, on the order of weeks and months, though it also shows some tendency to favor one phase or another for years at a time.

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The AO features a negative (cold) phase, which brings higher-than-normal pressure over the polar regions and lower-than-normal pressure over the middle latitudes; the positive (warm) phase brings the opposite conditions.Most climate scientists consider the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) to be a regional manifestation of the AO. In short, they both refer to the same climate phenomenon. When the AO/NAO are in their positive phase, much of the U.S. experiences mild winter weather; when the AO/NAO are in their negative phase, much of the U.S., especially the North and East, experiences cold and stormy (often snowy) weather. The Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) is important as well, but scientists don't know as much about it as other climate patterns. In fact, some researchers argue that the PDO is not its own climate oscillation, but simply ENSO fluctuating on a much longer time scale. In any case, the PDO is similar to ENSO, though on a time scale of decades instead of seasons. It is marked by fluctuating sea surface temperatures in the north-central Pacific as well as near the Gulf of Alaska. The PDO mainly affects weather patterns in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. This was especially true of the two PDO events that occurred in the 20th century and lasted 20 to 30 years. One phase of the PDO is called the "cold" phase, the other the "warm" phase.

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