So… How’s the Weather?
Grade Level: 5-6 (can be modified for 7-8)
Subject Area: Earth Science
Lesson Topic (What is the “big idea?”): What standard(s) will it address?
Weather happens at a given time and climate is a trend or average of weather over time.
Humans survive on our planet partly because of the range of climate.
Climate Literacy Principle 4:
A: Climate is determined by the long term pattern of temperature and precipitation averages and
extremes at a location.
B: Climate is not the same thing as weather. Weather is the minute-by-minute variable condition
of the atmosphere on a local scale.
Related Colorado Science Expectations:
Life Science 6.2.1: Changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of individual
organisms, populations, and entire species.
ESS 6.3.1: Weather is a result of complex interactions of Earth’s atmosphere, land and water, that
are driven by energy from the sun, and can be predicted and described through complex models
ESS 6.3.2: Earth has a variety of climates defined by average temperature, precipitation,
humidity, air pressure, and wind that have changed over time in a particular location
Colorado Math Standards for related activities: 6.4.2, 7.1.1, 8.1.1
Main Objective of Instruction (What do you want the student(s) to learn?):
Students will be able to describe the difference between weather and climate.
Supporting Objectives:
Students will understand what elements comprise weather and climate and how they are measured.
Students will understand the role water plays in climate and weather
Specific Strategies to be taught/modeled:
-taking measurements
-graphing data
-interpreting graphs
Planning for individual differences (mediated scaffolding): What are the
accommodations/modifications you need to prepare?
Students background knowledge will vary greatly. Most parts of the lesson provide opportunities for
students to participate at their level. For group activities, groups will be mixed levels. Students will
receive behavioral and academic support from para-educators.
What background knowledge do the students have/need?
- basic numeracy skills to understand relative values of weather measurements.
- an understanding of graphic representation of data in order to understand graphs.
- knowledge of types of matter and how it transitions (use water as an example)
- knowledge of the water cycle
- an understanding of the earth as a planet and its properties.
How will you assess students’ learning – pre, during and post?
Pre- Written explanation of what “life on earth” is like
During- Climate vs. Weather worksheet
Post- Students will explain verbally how climate and weather are different, and why climate matters
Materials and Resources:
Students will need large graph paper and data sets from previous years:
http://ccc.atmos.colostate.edu/dataaccess.php
The class will need instruments to record weather data
Clipboards for outdoor work.
Internet access will be used for several short clips.
Powerpoint: “So…How’s the Weather?”
Lesson Plan
Main Objective of this lesson: Students will be able to describe the difference between weather and
climate
Session 1
Anticipatory Set – How will you get the student(s)’ attention?) Relate lesson to prior learning.
I will tell students that I have a friend on another planet that I’ve been communicating with. He lives on a
planet very different from ours, and wants to know what our planet is like, and how we are able to survive
here. I will provide a picture and a letter from him. In order to answer his questions, students will go
outside and describe what they see and feel in a way that someone who had never experienced life on
earth would understand them. (20 min)
Teaching:
After sharing out students, ideas, suggest that defining weather for Marty might help, since conditions on
his planet don’t change much.
Go through weather and climate powerpoint (20 min)
As a group, compose a letter to Marty with students taking turns.
Include: temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind, weather, and climate (20 min)
Session 2
Check for UnderstandingDo climate vs. weather worksheet (10 min)
Guided Practice or Discovery:
Marty replies to letter, and asks for more information about temperature, humidity, precipitation, rain,
snow, and wind (5 min)
I model taking temperature and humidity readings outside. Students take their own measurements. (20
min)
We compare to local weather from the newspaper, and discuss how predictions are made, as well as
where actual weather data come from (introduce our local weather station) We begin our graph for the
entire unit (modified from Global Climates—Past, Present, and Future. From Moodle course) (15 min)
We make predictions and ask questions about what this year’s weather will be like, and how it will be
similar or different to last year, and other years before. We talk about how this prediction about weather is
different from making a prediction about climate, and review the difference e (10 min)
Introduce the graphing that we’ll do the next day, and mention that we’ll reply to Marty’s second letter.
Session 3
Again, we’ll take our own weather data, record it, and compare it to the newspaper.
Independent Practice:
Students will be given local weather station data from prior years
http://ccc.atmos.colostate.edu/dataaccess.php to plot on graphs in groups. (30 min)
Students will be given five minutes to look at the graphs of other groups. (5 min)
We will have a brief whole group discussion about how each graph on its own shows weather, but all of
them together show climate. Students will also be asked to explain to a partner what climate and weather
are. (walking around the room) (10 min)
Closure:
We share more information with Marty about how weather and climate are measured, and how comparing
weather over time gives us information about climate. (15 min)
Dear Wellspring Students,
My name is Marty. I know I look different than you, but please don’t be scared. I live on a planet
in another solar system called Nox. You may notice that I do not have nostrils as you do. My species
breathes through our skin. We breathe helium instead of oxygen.
I am very curious about what your world is like. When I look at it through a telescope, I can see
several white things. Some move around, and some, at the top and bottom of the world, are still. What
could these be? I also notice that your planet seems to be part blue, part brown, and part green. At night, I
notice bright lights. We do not have those on my planet, because we see using radar. What are they, and
how do they work?
Most of all, I am very interested in what it is like down there on the ground. I cannot come myself
since I am so far away, but I really want to know what your land and air are like. What do they look and
feel like? Do they have smells or tastes? I hear you have something called water that moves around on
your planet. How does that happen? Please tell me as much as you can about your planet and what it is
like to live there.
I would be happy to answer any questions you have as well.
Thanks, Marty
What are the white things Marty sees moving around? Explain to Marty what they do.
What do you think the white things that are not moving could be? Describe them to Marty
What are the blue parts of the world Marty sees? Tell Marty what they are like.
What are the lights at night? Explain to Marty how these work?
Use as many descriptive words (adjectives) as you can to tell Marty about what each of these is like on
earth. Remember to use your senses to describe how they look, sound , feel, smell, and taste
Water
Land
Air
For each sentence or graph, circle Climate or Weather based on what you think the sentence or
graph is describing.
1. Colorado is a really sunny state
Climate
Weather
2. This is the hottest day I remember!
Climate
Weather
3. The Rockies get a lot more snow than the desert
Climate
Weather
4. I think I’ll need a sweater today.
Climate
Weather
5. Tomorrow is going to be five degrees colder than today.
Climate
Weather
6. North America is colder in December than October
Climate
Weather
7.
Climate
Weather
8.
Climate
Weather