CONTENT REPRESENTATION
Name of the class: Introduction to the Earth
Name of lesson (could be over multiple days): Introduction to Meteorology
Description of the students in the class (achievement level, language, prior course work, typical level of engagement, etc):
This is an entry level earth science course with no prerequisites required and this course satisfies a general education requirement for a science with a lab. The
students range in age from 18 to 50, including at least one high school student, and all are English speakers. Their prior coursework is highly variable. Active
participation is required, and both group and full classroom discussions are common. The students did not have any prior instruction in this course regarding the
use of Google Earth or datasets
Big idea:
What you intend the
students to learn about this
idea or be able to do with
it:
Why it is important for
students to know this (for
example, in the schema of
the broad course’s
standards/ objectives or in
terms of bigger
A
Precipitation
amounts
vary with
changes in
elevation.
B
As air masses
are lifted,
cooling and
condensation
take place.
C
Mountain
ranges have
a rain
shadow
effect.
Students
will
recognize
that rainfall
amounts
vary
throughout
the state – it
is not
uniformly
distributed.
Since water
is not
uniformly
distributed,
significant
resources
Warm air
masses with
water vapor
rise. Clouds
form when the
dew point
temperature is
reached.
Air masses
depleted of
moisture
descend and
warm,
limiting
rainfall
downwind
of mountain
ranges.
More detail on
how the water
cycle operates,
and why warm
moist air rises.
That the
Desert
formation is
dependent
on several
factors,
including
D
California’s
water supply
is dependent
on the
watersheds of
the Sierra
Nevada.
The Sierra
Nevada
watersheds are
vital to
California’s
environment
and economy.
Impacts to
watersheds are
transmitted
well beyond
the limits of
the watershed.
E
F
educational/civic/social
goals):
Anticipated student
misconceptions and
difficulties understanding
this:
Teaching procedures (and
reasons why):
Formative assessment:
Specific ways of
ascertaining students’
understanding or confusion
around this idea (include
likely range of responses):
are
expended to
transmit
water from
one location
to another,
impacting
ecosystems.
Rainfall is
relatively
uniform
across a
broad area.
Provide
Google
Earth map
with
elevation
and rainfall
totals for
specific
sites. Have
students
graph the
data using
two y axes
to compare
elevation
and rainfall
data.
Activity:
Draw a
crosssection of a
mountain
range and
addition of
water vapor to
air lowers
density is
counterintuitive.
rain
shadows.
Water vapor
will add to the
density of air
and cause it to
sink rather than
rise.
Use a “cloudin-a-bottle”
demonstration
to help illustrate
condensation.
Refer to
condensation on
cold surfaces.
Discuss other
instances where
students have
witnessed
condensation.
Mountain
ranges do
not influence
desert
climates.
Water is not
collected in
discrete
watersheds.
Use
diagrams to
illustrate the
concept.
Ask for
observations
that students
have made
in travels to
the east side
of the Sierra.
Show map of
the California
Water Project.
Have
discussion of
why water is
being stored,
moved, and
how utilized at
various
locations in
the state.
Discuss local
watersheds
and issues.
Discussion:
Describe what
happens as an
air mass rises.
Quiz:
Describe the
influence
that the
Sierra
Nevada have
Group
projects:
Students
research and
present
findings on
Correct: As air
plot relative
rainfall
totals at
several
elevation
points.
Correct
Response
would
indicate an
increasing
amount of
rainfall with
elevation,
and rapid
decrease on
the
downwind
side.
Incorrect
responses
could
include no
change in
rainfall
amount with
elevation, a
decrease in
rainfall
amount with
an increase
in elevation,
or no
significant
decrease in
rises, it expands
and cools, when
it reaches the
dew point
temperature
condensation
occurs.
Incorrect:
Water vapor
comes in
contact with
cold air and
condensation
takes place.
Water vapor
makes air more
dense.
on rainfall
totals on
both the
west and
east sides of
the range.
Describe
how that
influence
affects the
ecosystems.
Correct:
Generally,
with an
increase in
elevation
comes an
increase in
precipitation.
On the
downwind
side,
precipitation
is greatly
reduced
because of
the rain
shadow
effect.
Vegetation is
adapted to
precipitation
amounts,
rates of
weathering
Central
California
watersheds,
impoundments
and
distribution
system, as
well as
various uses
of water
throughout the
Central
Valley.
Assessed on
accuracy,
completeness,
and
organization.
rainfall
amounts on
the
downwind
side of
mountain
range.
and erosion
are also
greatly
influenced.
Incorrect:
Precipitation
amounts are
not affected
by
mountains.
Vegetation,
weathering
and erosion
are not
significantly
affected.