Lesson Plan
Theme: Environment
Class: Standard III
Topic: Weather and Climate
Sub-topic: Weather Instruments
Time: 45 minutes
Materials: Papers, pictures, video, charts, markers
Previous Knowledge: Children have viewed or listen to a weather report before.
Objectives: Through the use of visual prompts and discussion, children will be able to:
1. Describe weather and relate how weather affects their daily lives;
2. Design or build instruments that are used in predicting the weather.
3. Explain and demonstrate how each instrument is used to measure weather.
Concepts:
 Meteorology is the study of all changes in the atmosphere, i.e. the layers of gases (air)
that surround the earth.

Weather is the state or condition of the atmosphere at any given time and place.

Forecast- is a prediction of what the weather will be like in the future.
Some instruments used to predict the weather forecast are:

Weather balloon, barometer, thermometer, wind vane, weather satellites.

Weather balloons measure weather conditions higher in the atmosphere.

Barometer measures air pressure.

Thermometers measures air temperature.

Wind vane-measures wind speed.

Weather satellites are able to photograph and track large scale air movements.

Anemometer- is used to find out how fast the wind is blowing.

Rain gauge- measures the amount of rainfall.

Hygrometer- measures the relative humidity in the air.
References: Discover Science pgs 264- 276
Science is Experimenting pgs 143-150
Linkages:
 Arts & Craft ( constructing model)

Language Arts ( paragraph writing)
Skills:

Observe pictures

Describing effects

Creating model
Attitudes: Awareness of the importance of weather forecasting.
Introduction:

Have students observe a video with one of our Belizean meteorologist forecasting the
weather.

Children will describe what they see on the video.

Illicit from students the word forecast and weather and what they mean.
Development:

Illicit from students what they think a meteorologist need in order to forecast the weather.

Explain that meteorologist need weather instruments to predict the weather.

On a chart introduce the different weather instruments.

Have students read and identify how each instrument is used. Ask pupils what are some
of the things needed to make one of these weather instruments.

Place pupils in group of four. Each group will get to build a weather instrument
providing the pictures and instructions. Each group will prepare their instruments and
present them to the class sharing how it is used to determine the weather. Have the
groups explain and demonstrate how the instruments are used to predict the weather by
taking them out in the yard to test the accuracy of their instruments.

Illicit from students why these instruments are useful in predicting the weather. Why it is
important to get your weather forecast daily.

Help pupils recognize that the weather affects our day what we will, do wear, and go.

Have pupils recall the different weather instruments and how they are important when
predicting the weather conditions for a given day.
Conclusion: Make a Class Weather Station
With the instruments they created they will place them a weather station in the Social Studies
corner.
A. Barometer (Air pressure)
B. Rain Gauge (Precipitation)
C. Thermometer (Temperature)
D. Wind Vane (Wind Direction)
E. Anemometer (Wind Speed)
Homework
1. Do you think the weather instruments you made are as accurate as those used by
professional meteorologists? Why or why not?
2. How could you make them more accurate?
Extended activities: Pupils will be taken on a trip to the Belize National Meteorological
Service.