Microclimate
Investigation
Aim:
To investigate
microclimates around Blackwood
Comprehensive.
Problem:
Where to put new
benches around school.
By Alys Kalies 7W
Method:
We had to choose five sites
around the school to measure wind speed, wind
direction and the temperature, using a flow meter, a
wind vane and a thermometer. We wanted to choose
five very different sites so that our results would be
interesting and different for each site.
We chose the rugby field first because it is an open
area with only a few buildings blocking it from wind.
Next we chose in-between the canteens because it’s
harder for the wind to get in and it’s also under a
shelter. Thirdly, we chose the tennis courts because
it is very open and there are no buildings or trees
blocking it from the wind. Fourthly we chose the
entrance to the boy’s gym because it is under shelter
and quite warm but also it might have had a ‘wind
tunnel’ affect which would have made our results
inaccurate but would be interesting. Lastly we chose
between technology block and main block because the
big buildings are blocking it from the wind.
After that, we measured wind speed, wind direction
and the temperature using a Flow meter, a wind vane
and a thermometer.
Results:
We went to the sites
labelled on the map below.
Between Technology Block
and Main Block
(Site 5)
Tennis Courts
Boys Gym Entrance
(Site 3)
(Site 4)
In Between
the Canteens
(Site 2)
Site 1= Red Text
Site 2= Blue text
Site 3= Green Text
Site 4= Yellow Text
Site 5= Orange Text
Rugby Field
(Site 1)
Site
(Location)
Location Of Sites
Temperature Wind
(‘C)
Speed
(m/s)
11
2.5
Rugby
Field
In between 12.2
the
canteens
Tennis
6.1
Courts
Boys Gym 8.3
Entrance
Between
tech and
main
11.3
Wind
Direction
N
0
-
3.4
N
0
-
2
NW
Data Analysis:
My results show
that in-between the canteens is the warmest
place with a temperature of 12.2’C. The coldest
place was the tennis courts with a temperature of
6.1’C. The least windy places were in-between the
canteens and the boys gym entrance with no wind.
The windiest place was the tennis courts with 3.4
m/s.
There is a link between temperature and wind
speed because the coldest place had the highest
wind speed and the warmest place had no wind.
The reason the canteen was the warmest place is
because it had a shelter over so the sun and wind
can’t get in as easily and also the body
temperature from everyone keeps it warm. The
reason the tennis courts were the coldest place is
because it was very open and not near any
buildings or trees so it was blocked from the wind.
In the boys gym entrance there was no wind but
a shelter and the temperature was 8.3, but
between the canteens there was again no wind but
a shelter, but the temperature was 12.2’C. This
was quite unusual I think that that happened
because of the heat of the cookers in the
canteens and the body heat of the children and
teachers. Also something else quite unusual was
that on the rugby field it was quite exposed but it
was quite warm, that is probably because we were
quite close to maths block which may have been
blocking the sun. But, when we went to the tennis
courts we were in the middle, nowhere near any
buildings or trees so there was nothing blocking
the tennis courts from the wind.
Conclusions:
I think that we should
put the new benches by the tennis courts because
it is the coolest place. So in the summer when
people will be using the tennis courts it will be
cooler so that people will not get too hot. The
tennis courts are the coolest place because there
are no buildings or trees blocking the wind.
We should not put the benches in between the
canteens because we have got a lot of benches
there already and the same reason for between
technology block and main block. If we had the
benches on the rugby field they would be in the
way of the rugby. You could not put the benches
in the boys’ gym entrance either because if they
were there only the boys could really sit there.
Evaluation:
During this investigation I
have developed the skill of investigating
microclimates. I have also learnt to use weather
instruments. I also would know that when I buy a
house to get a south facing house so that it will
be warmer. I also would know where to sit on a
cold day at school or even on a warm day because
I know where the warm and shady places are
around the school site.
We could have improved the investigation by using
better and more expensive instruments. We also
could have taken a couple of readings to make
sure that it was not just giving us a strange
reading the one time we did it. We also could
have done the investigation at different times of
day (i.e. noon, morning etc.) or done it on more
than one day to see if that made a difference.
We also could do the investigation after Christmas
to see if different places are warmer or colder in
different seasons.
Flow Meter
Wind Vane
Thermometer