WEATHER
Its causes and effects
Investigation 1- What is Weather?
• Enduring Understanding:
• Weather is a condition of Earth’s atmosphere at
a given time in a given place.
• Learning Goals:
• I will identify severe weather and its potential to
cause death and destruction in the environment.
• I will identify the proper use of weather
measurement tools.
Quick Write
• What is weather?
• Write your answer in
your Science Journal.
Today’s Weather
• Is today’s weather normal for
this time of year?
• What would you expect
normally?
• Is this the kind of weather you
would expect to happen
everywhere on Earth today?
Explain.
“THINGS THAT
FALL FROM THE
SKY”
DVD in FOSS Kit
“Hurricane”
Click on “Hurricane” to Play Video
Video Questions
• What is a hurricane?
– An area of low pressure into which air
rushes, creating powerful winds that
spiral. The winds blow at least 75mph.
• What conditions are necessary for a
hurricane to form?
– An ocean where the water temperature
is 27C (81F) or higher. An area of low
pressure.
• What kinds of damage occur during
hurricanes?
– Wind and water damage, flooding.
Video Questions
• What are some things people have done to try to
lesson hurricane damage?
– Moved entire cities, improved hurricane
forecasts to help people be prepared for
securing property or evacuating, build seawalls,
built houses on stilts.
• Where have some of the most devastating
hurricanes occurred and when?
– Galveston, 1900. Belize, Hurricane Hattie, 1961.
Galveston, Hurricane Alecia, 1983. Caribbean
Islands, Hurricane Gilbert, 1988. Bangladesh,
1991. Florida, Hurricane Andrew, 1992.
• How do meteorologists know when a hurricane is
coming and where it might strike land?
– Ground observations, aircraft observations,
satellite images.
Video Questions
• What surprised you about the
weather shown in the video?
• Weather that is dangerous or
causes damage is called severe
weather. Have you ever
experienced severe weather? If
so, what?
• What other types of severe
weather have you heard or read
about?
HOMEWORK
• Bring in a copy of a local
weather report.
–Either cut it from a
newspaper, print it from
the internet, or write down
what you hear from the
TV/radio weather report.
WEATHER
Its causes and effects
Investigation 1- What is Weather?
• Enduring Understanding:
• Weather is a condition of Earth’s atmosphere at
a given time in a given place.
• Learning Goals:
• I will identify severe weather and its potential to
cause death and destruction in the environment.
• I will identify the proper use of weather
measurement tools.
READING:
“Naming Hurricanes”
page 3
Weather Questions
• The video segment and reading gave
us some things to think about and
may have raised some questions.
You might have some other
questions about weather that we
experience where we live.
• Everyone will write 3 or 4 questions
you have about weather.
Weather Questions
• Share your questions
with your group.
• Each group will share
ONE question with the
class.
METEOROLOGY
• The word meteorology literally
means the study of meteors.
That may sound like it doesn’t
have much to do with weather,
but in ancient Greece, anything
that fell from the sky was
considered a meteor, whether it
was what we know as a meteor
today, rain, snow, or hail.
METEOROLOGY
• The scientific study of
Earth’s weather is
called meteorology. A
person who studies
the causes and effects
of Earth’s weather is a
meteorologist.
METEOROLOGY
• Today meteorology includes
only the study of weather.
Planetary scientists study
meteors. Some meteorologists
study weather in order to make
predictions or forecasts to let
people know what kind of
weather to expect the next day
or the next week.
FORECASTS
• Who would use a weather forecast
and what decisions might they make
based on them?
– How people dress for the day
– Travel plans (air travel)
– Health issues (allergies, colds)
– Business people (umbrellas, snow gear,
swimsuits)
– Vacation or recreation plans (camping,
sailing, picnics, mini-golf)
– Gardening, Farming (spring planting,
harvesting)
WORD BANK
• Severe Weather- weather that is
dangerous or causes damage.
• Forecast- prediction about
weather.
• Meteorology- the scientific study
of Earth’s weather.
• Meteorologist- A person who
studies the causes and effects of
Earth’s weather
Understanding Weather Video