Weather Fronts: Understanding the Movement of Air
By: Amy Krupski and Kristen Gamble
A. GLCE: E.ES.07.72 Describe how different weather occurs due to the constant motion of the
atmosphere from the energy of the sun reaching the surface of the Earth.
B. Objectives/Overview
a. The SWBAT identify types of fronts and characteristics of air masses.
b. The SWBAT recognize surface weather map symbols.
c. The SWBAT predict basic weather patters based on air mass and frontal movement.
d. The SWBAT describe that warm and cold air masses are in constant motion due to the winds,
particularly those winds in the upper atmosphere.
e. The SWBAT apply what they learn from their activity to their elaboration assignment.
C. Materials
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Air Masses activity packet (includes air masses and surface maps)
Red and blue colored pencil
Overhead projector
2 surface maps each 24hrs apart (choose surface maps that depict an obvious change
in weather)
For Demo
Clear glass cooking dish, red and blue food dye, corn syrup, scissors, water, and
cardboard covered with clear plastic wrap
D. Lesson Plan
a. Engage. The lesson will begin with a demonstration on fronts. This demonstration will show what
happens when a warm air mass collides with and replaces a cold air mass. The corn syrup
represents a cold air mass and the colored water represents a warm air mass. The students will make
descriptive comments regarding to what they saw. How do these liquids represent air? Ask the
students to think about what causes this to happen.
(Optional: Show this video of fronts if there is no time to do the demo)
http://www.weather.com/weather/videos/on-tv-43/weather-wizard-400/creating-a-weatherfront-19179#loc=43/400/19179
Directions for Demonstration
1. Cut the cardboard so that it forms a tight barrier between the right and left sides of the
cooking dish. Wrap it with plastic wrap and seal the edges together as tight as possible.
Place the barrier into the center of the dish (Have this set up prior to class).
2. On the right side of the barrier, pour blue corn syrup into the dish so that it almost fills the
right side.
3. On the left side, pour water into the dish so that it almost fills the left side. Add a few drops
of red food dye to the water.
4. When the liquids appear calm, quickly lift the barrier and watch what happens.
5. Have the students describe what they saw happen. (The colored water rose above the corn
syrup and the blue more dense corn syrup slid under when the barrier was lifted.)
6. Have the students, on the back of their activity sheet; describe why they think that this
happened.
b. Explore: On an overhead projector, the teacher will show how to identify 2 different air masses on
2 different surface maps. These surface maps should be taken 24 hours apart to show a noticeable
change in the air mass movement. Looking at temperatures and fronts will be good indicators to
where there is an air mass. Ask the students if and where they notice a change in temperature and
dew points. It will be up to the students to identify whether it is a tropical or polar air mass.
Now it’s the students turn…
The students will be put into groups of 2 and given an Air Masses worksheet packet.
In this activity, the students will identify 2 types of air masses based on their characteristics
including; source region, relative temperature, wind direction and moisture content. The students
will be identifying a tropical and a polar air mass. Doing this activity in groups leads to one
another’s discussion and aids in understanding.
c. Explain:
Beginning demonstration: Air is a fluid, just like water. Because we can’t actually “see” a front
occur, this demo visually shows what happens when two air masses collide and form a front.
Explain that the corn syrup is like a cold air mass and the water is like the warm air mass. Water is
less dense than corn syrup, just as warm air is less dense than cold air. Thus, when the 2 air masses
of different temperatures meet, the warmer one rises over the colder one.
Go over the in class activity .Have students explain and describe their findings.
Ask students to explain how they know which air mass is cold and which is warm.
These fronts are what cause our weather in our atmosphere. Cold fronts bring in cold air and warm
fonts bring in warm air.
d. Elaborate: Find the Current Air Masses. Using what the students have learned from this
activity, the students will go home and collect the proper information for the next day’s in
class assignment. Have the students, at home, go to the website:
http://www.ametsoc.org/amsedu/dstreme/
Go to Surface Maps.
Have the students print out the currant 00Z-Analysis surface map. The students will then bring this
map into class where the teacher will provide the 00Z-Analysis surface map from 24 hours earlier
(a 24 hour period will allow for the identification of air mass movement to be more obvious). As a
class assignment, the students will then use these maps to further their knowledge in identifying and
describing the boundaries of warm and cold air masses currently affecting the United States. This is
just like the activity done in the class the day prior. The students will use red and blue colored
pencils to mark the boundaries of warm and cold air masses. The students will predict what type of
front is passing. Upon the completion of the assignment, the students will discuss as a class what
they had observed and identified.
Ask: Are there any differences between your first analysis and the second analysis? Explain why if
they are different.
e. Evaluate
The teacher will evaluate the in class activity worksheets to check for accuracy and understanding.
Participation and cooperative work will be observed as the teacher walks around as well.
The teacher will also evaluate the class assignment and check for understanding. The students
should recognize and be able to describe how certain weather occurs due to the constant motion of
the atmosphere.
References:
http://www.ametsoc.org/amsedu/dstreme/
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/weather/lesson-plan/43132.html
Demo on fronts
http://www.weather.com/weather/videos/on-tv-43/weather-wizard-400/creating-a-weather-front19179#loc=43/400/19179