Science Essential Standards Unit Development
WEATHER
Weather: 15% – 17% of EOG test
Weather Kit
5.E.1
(including water cycle Understand weather patterns and phenomena, making
from physical science) connections to the weather in a particular place and time.
5.P.2.1
Explain how the sun’s energy impacts the process of the water cycle (including
evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, and runoff)
5.E.1.1
Compare daily and seasonal changes in weather conditions (including wind
speed and direction, precipitation, and temperature) and patterns.
5.E.1.2
Predict upcoming weather events from weather data collected through
observation and measurement.
5.E.1.3
Explain how global patterns such as the jet stream and water currents
influence local weather in measurable terms such as temperature, wind
direction and speed, and precipitation.
Water cycle, jet stream, weather instruments/technology, using data to
Concepts Being
predict weather patterns, global wind patterns, global water currents,
Studied
clouds and associated weather, seasonal weather patterns, climate zones
(temperate, Arctic/polar, tropical, etc), air masses, air pressure, landforms
impact weather
Essential Questions What causes daily and seasonal weather?
How are daily and seasonal changes in weather interconnected?
from DPI
How do we create weather models that allow us to make weather
source:
predictions?
http://scnces.ncdpi.wikispace How do global factors influence local weather conditions?
s.net/KIn what ways do weather conditions in one area or region influence the
5+Science+Resources
weather conditions in another area or region?
What factors influence weather and climate on a global scale?
How are weather and climate interconnected?
Essential Standards
Objectives
Sample Vocabulary
List
Water cycle, water vapor/gas, humidity, precipitation, evaporation,
condensation, transpiration, rain, sleet, snow, hail, atmosphere,
convection, Gulf stream, La Nina / El Nino, temperature, air pressure (high
and low), humidity, latitude / longitude, hemisphere, weather tools
(hygrometer, thermometer, barometer, anemometer, wind vane, rain
gauge), clouds (cirrus, cumulus, cumulonimbus, fog, stratus, nimbostratus,
nimbo), fronts (warm, cold, stationary, occluded), overcast, hurricane,
tornado, global winds (jet stream, polar easterlies, prevailing westerlies,
trade winds), air mass (dry, cold, warm, wet, continental, maritime,
tropical, polar), sea breeze, land breeze, rain shadow, meteorologist,
climate, weather, data, forecast, California current
Writing Prompts
1) People have favorite weather days. Some people like sunny days, while
others enjoy rainy days. Think about your favorite weather day. Write
an essay explaining why you like this kind of weather.
2) Often, people plan for particular activities based on what the weather
will be like. Write about how your activities change with different
types of weather.
3) Write a story telling about something fantastic that happens to you
when you are stuck indoors on a snowy winter day.
4) Use the interactive weather prompt generator to get a story starter:
http://writingfix.com/right_brain/Who_What_When_Where_Wild_Wea
ther1.htm
5) Have you ever noticed that the weather can affect your appetite? On
cold days, soup sounds tasty and comforting, while on hot days,
nothing hits the spot like an ice cream cone or icy slush. Write about a
time when you really enjoyed eating something as a result of the
weather.
Project Ideas
Weather kit, see techbook (virtual field trip, science sleuth,
virtual lab, hands on lab, etc)
DPI Wiki – BE SURE TO SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM FOR
ADDITIONAL WEBSITES:
http://scnces.ncdpi.wikispaces.net/K-5+Science+Resources
AIMS
http://www.aimsedu.org/
Studyjams.com
Techbook
http://www.discoveryeducation.com/?ErrMsg=Your%20sessio
n%20has%20expired%2C%20please%20login&returnURL=a
pp%2Ediscoveryeducation%2Ecom
Collect Weather Data and Maps:
http:///www.weather.com
Quizlet – create flashcards
http://quizlet.com/
Paid website for assessments
http://www.learning.com/ahascience/
Educational Videos
http://www.izzit.org/
Cartoon Video Clips
http://ed.ted.com/lessons
Weather Worksheets
http://www.superteacherworksheets.com/weather.html
Vocabulary in Song and Rap Format
http://flocabulary.com
Resources
Assessment
Teacher-made
Techbook quiz and assessments
Classscapes