Science
Grade: 9th
SCI.V.3.1
Strand V:
Using Scientific Knowledge in Earth Science
Standard 3:
Atmosphere and Weather – Students will investigate and describe
what makes up weather and how it changes from day to day, from
season to season and over long periods of time
Benchmark 1:
Explain how interactions of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and
geosphere create climates and how climates change over time.
Constructing and Reflecting:
SCI.I.1 - Ask questions that can be investigated empirically.
SCI.I.1.4 - Gather and synthesize information from books and other sources of information.
SCI.I.1.5 - Discuss topics in groups by making clear presentations, restating or summarizing what others have
said, asking for clarification or elaboration, taking alternative perspectives, and defending a position.
SCI.II.1.1 - Justify plans or explanations on a theoretical or empirical basis.
SCI.II.1.3 - Show how common themes of science, mathematics and technology apply in real world contexts.
Vocabulary
Context
•
Global Warming
•
•
Green house gas
Evidence of short-term climate changes
¾ Catastrophic volcanic eruptions
¾ Impact sun spot activity
•
Greenhouse Effect
•
•
Average yearly temperature
•
Ice Ages
•
Volcanic dust in the atmosphere
•
Evidence of long-term climate changes
¾ Ice ages
¾ Ice borings
¾ Global warming
¾ Fossil evidence
¾ Craters from asteroids
¾ Written records of climates
Global winds
•
Jet Streams
Knowledge and Skills
Students will:
• Explain how each of the following contributes
to the creation of distinct regional climates:
the angle of the Sun’s rays (which varies
with latitude)
o the uneven heating of the geosphere,
hydrosphere, and atmosphere
o differences in global circulation of air and
ocean currents
o altitude and position of landforms
average yearly temperatures
Resources
Coloma Resources:
Glencoe CH 14 Climate
Glencoe Lab 14.2 Classifying Climates
14.1 Heat Absorption Over Land & Water
o
•
Other Resources:
• Michigan Teacher Network Resources
• Sunrise/Sunset Calculation Program-calculate the
sunrise/sunset for anywhere in the world.
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/AA/data/
•
Milankovich Cycles: cycles in the Earth's orbit that
influence the amount of solar radiation striking different
parts of the Earth at different times of year.
http://deschutes.gso.uri.edu/~rutherfo/milankovitch.html
•
explain that climate is the average condition of
the atmosphere usually taken over ten or more
years.
•
Explain that many factors influence climate
(temperature, precipitation) and cause it to
change over time.
•
Athropolis: tabular display for hours of daylight/twilight
for Arctic locations.
http://www.athropolis.com/sun-fr.htm
•
Explain how ice ages impact climate
•
•
Explain how volcanic dust in atmosphere
impacts climate
For Kids Only — Earth Science Enterprise. MESTA,
00.1. http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/
•
Hunter’s Guide. Michigan DNR, 2000.
•
Explain how the greenhouse effect impacts
climate
•
NASA’s Earth Observatory. MESTA 1999.5, 1999.4.
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/
•
Explain how global air circulation impacts
climate
•
National Climate Data. National Climatic Data Center.
Federal Building, Asheville, NC 28801.
•
Explain the effects of latitude on climate
•
NOAA Paleo-Global Warming Page. MESTA, 00.1.
•
Explain the effects of mountain barriers on
climate
•
•
Explain the effects of large bodies of land or
water on climate
Photographers Almanac.
http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/paleo/globalwarming/sitemap
gw.html
•
•
Explain how ocean currents impact climate
Regional climates http://faldo.atmos.uiuc.edu/w_unit/LESSONS/regional.cli
mates.html
•
Weather Channel
•
Films - “Ice Age” or “Day After Tomorrow”
Other Resources: (continued from column at right)
REMC Materials:
V.3.HS.1 Explain how interactions of the
atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere
create climates and how climates change over
time.
Vernier probes available: Relative Humidity
Sensor, Barometer, Temperature Probe
Videoconferences Available
For more information, see www.remc11.k12.mi.us/dl or call
Janine Lim 471-7725x101 or email jlim@remc11.k12.mi.us
V.3.HS.1
Investigating Global Warming: Clues to a Changing Climate
from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
Assessment
Instruction
Benchmark Question: What changes in the
atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere
cause climates to change?
Focus Question: How does the angle of the
sun’s rays and the length of the day affect
regional climates (especially temperature)?
1. The teacher will review with students how
to estimate the following information:
• the angle of the Sun using one of the
several methods (protractor / weight,
transparent plastic dome, etc.)
• the length of the day
Twelve groups of students (arranged by
month) will determine the length of the day
and the Sun’s altitude for four different
locations (local, equatorial, Tropic of
Capricorn, Tropic of Cancer) on the twentyfirst day of each month. Students will plot the
angle of the sun and length of day
calculations for the entire year on a classroom
graph for each location. Each student will
compare the graphs and predict how the
angle of the Sun and the length of the day
each affect the climate.
Extension: an area near the Arctic or
Antarctic Circle could be used.
2. Lab on “Direct or Indirect Sunlight” See
appendix.
3. Use models of the sun and Earth to
demonstrate tilt of the Earth and rotation of
the Earth around the sun.
4. Activity: Sun’s Radiation Worksheet. See
appendix.
5. Students create climatographs using data
from precipitation, temperature, etc from
various locations on the Earth.
The teacher will present the following scenario to the
class:
Assume that the Earth’s rotational axis is tilted so that
the North Pole always directly faces the Sun.
Each student will write a list of predictions that describe
the angle of the Sun, the length of the day, seasonal
changes, and temperature conditions that would result
on such an Earth.
(Give students rubric before activity.)
Criteria
Apprent
Basic
Meets
Exceeds
Predictions
of changes
Predicts
one component:
altitude of
the Sun,
length of
the day,
seasonal
changes,
and
temperature
conditions
Predicts
two
components but
leaves two
incomeplete:
altitude of
the Sun,
length of
the day,
seasonal
changes,
and
temperature conditions.
Predicts
three
components but
leaves one
incomeplete:
altitude of
the Sun,
length of
the day,
seasonal
changes,
and
temperature conditions.
Predicts all
four
components:
altitude of the
Sun, length of
the day,
seasonal
changes, and
temperature
conditions.
Teacher Notes:
Investigate and describe what makes up weather.
Beginning in the elementary years, observation of the weather is a common school event. In many
classrooms, daily calendar activities include a description of the weather. Infrequently, air temperature,
cloud cover, or severe weather is mentioned. For students to understand the importance of air to
atmosphere and the weather, they must understand that air is a substance, it is matter, and it has mass
and volume. This is a very difficult concept for young children because they cannot see air.
Interestingly, middle grade students seem to have the most difficulty with this concept.
Patterns of the weather require that scientifically literate students understand air masses, front systems,
and have general map reading skills. In the elementary grades, students should start to see the patterns
of weather in different seasons. In this case, however, it is important to point out the colloquial use of
different season terms. For instance, when the first snow flies, we typically say that winter has come
whether it is December 21st or not. Paying attention to the differences between the weather and what
we call each season is important. In general, we can predict that, in Michigan, it will snow in winter, less
frequently in the spring and fall, and almost never in the summer. In the middle grades students can use
weather maps and satellite weather images to see the patterns of weather.