Weather or Not – Grade Seven
Ohio Standards
Connection:
Earth and Space Sciences
Benchmark C
Describe interactions of
matter and energy
throughout the lithosphere,
hydrosphere and
atmosphere (e.g., water
cycle, weather and
pollution).
Indicator 6
Determine how weather
observations and
measurements are
combined to produce
weather maps and how
data for a specific location
at one point in time can be
displayed in a station
model.
Lesson Summary:
Over a three-week period, students will collect data
concerning the daily temperature, air pressure, dew point,
wind speed and direction. They also will determine the
percentage of cloud cover and observation of outside
conditions (rain, fog, snow, etc.). Students will use these
data to generate daily station models. Finally, students will
see how individual recording stations are combined to
produce weather maps.
Estimated Duration: Four hours
Commentary:
This lesson requires students to learn how to observe and
record weather data and then evaluate their observations.
Having the students generate their data will make the
process more meaningful. When the students finish this
lesson, they will have a better understanding of how data
are collected and analyzed for meteorological forecasting.
Pre-Assessment:
 The purpose of the pre-assessment is to determine prior
knowledge and to see if students can interpret the symbols
on a station model. Since most students will have no
experience with station models, Encourage students with
phrases like "See how well you can do," or "This is a
challenge to see who can make sense of these symbols." It
is important for students to take the pre-assessment,
because it will expose them to material they will learn in
this lesson.
 Have students complete Attachment A, Pre-Assessment.
Scoring Guidelines:
See Attachment B, Pre-Assessment Answers to assess student
work. If any students are able to answer all of the questions,
allow them to complete the extension activities.
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Weather or Not – Grade Seven
Post-Assessment:
 Use 10 station models. Allow students to choose or provide a set of 10 consecutive
station models for weather that they have not observed.
 Have students identify and describe the weather conditions for the station models. Share
the guidelines in Attachment C, Post-Assessment Scoring so that students understand
your performance expectations.
 Have students choose any five of the station models and write a paragraph interpreting
them as a weather broadcast.
Scoring Guidelines:
See Attachment C, Post-Assessment Scoring to guide assessment of student work.
Instructional Procedures:
1. Distribute Attachment D, Weather Worksheet at least three weeks prior to instruction.
2. Have students record weather conditions on the chart every day for at least three weeks.
Distribute more than one copy of the chart to record three weeks of data. Wait to
distribute extra copies so that students do not lose them. Data can be recorded on
individual worksheets or can be recorded on a class worksheet, like the one pictured in
Attachment E, Worksheet Example. The more days that data is collect, the easier it will
be for students to discern weather patterns.
Instructional Tip:
Data may be collected from the newspaper weather section or from Internet sources such as
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. A classroom weather station also
could be used to record the required information.
3.
4.
5.
Collect weather maps of the nation for every day that weather observations are recorded.
These maps should have weather conditions on them such as barometric pressure,
precipitation and temperature. Maps can be obtained from the newspaper or Internet
sites.
Conduct the pre-assessment.
Review the pre-assessment and introduce station models. Describe how station models
are used to convey weather information for a weather recording station. Distribute
Attachment F, Station Models to provide a reference for students.
Instructional Tip:
Students will understand what many of the data are in station models, but may be unfamiliar
with dew point. Help students understand wind speed by telling them that one knot is equal
to 1.15 miles per hour or 1.85 kilometers per hour.
6.
Have students work in groups to generate station models for all of the days that weather
data were collected. Move around the room to help students convey their weather
conditions in weather station model format.
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Weather or Not – Grade Seven
7.
Display a weather map for one of the days that the class collected data and have the class
come to a consensus for the station model that should represent that day's weather.
8. Have each student group choose different sites on the map so that various sections of the
country are represented. Have each group develop a station model based on the data that
are available on the weather map. Have each group draw their station model on the
board or on an overhead, and compare them among groups and with the map.
9. Repeat developing station models from maps until students seem to understand.
10. Pose the question, "What other kinds of weather observations can be used to make
weather maps?" It may be advantageous to have examples of other weather maps that
highlight data like wind directions and speeds, cloud cover, climate and rainfall.
11. Proceed to the post-assessment.
Differentiated Instructional Support:
Instruction is differentiated according to learner needs, to help all learners either meet the
intent of the specified indicator(s) or, if the indicator is already met, to advance beyond the
specified indicator(s).
 Have students working toward the indicator concentrate on the more widely available and
more predictive weather data such as barometric pressure and temperature.
Extension:
 Have students obtain weather station maps of the United States and draw connecting
isobars between low pressure areas or high pressure areas. Have them compare their
isobars to those on local newspaper weather maps.
 Have students establish an on-site weather station using their own equipment and
monitoring the weather daily over the school year.
 Have student weather forecasters present the daily weather to the school over their
announcement systems.
Homework Options and Home Connections:
 Have students interview family members and write articles about the most exciting
weather experiences they have had.
 Have students make family plans of action for severe weather.
 Have students discuss weather folklore with their families, and compare weather beliefs
and tales in class.
Interdisciplinary Connections:
English Language Arts
 Reading Applications: Informational, Technical and Persuasive Text
Benchmark A: Use text features and graphics to organize, analyze and draw inferences
from content and to gain additional information.
Indicator 5: Analyze information found in maps, charts, tables, graphs, diagrams,
cutaways and overlays.
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Weather or Not – Grade Seven
Materials and Resources:
The inclusion of a specific resource in any lesson formulated by the Ohio Department of
Education should not be interpreted as an endorsement of that particular resource, or any of
its contents, by the Ohio Department of Education. The Ohio Department of Education does
not endorse any particular resource. The Web addresses listed are for a given site’s main
page, therefore, it may be necessary to search within that site to find the specific information
required for a given lesson. Please note that information published on the Internet changes
over time, therefore the links provided may no longer contain the specific information related
to a given lesson. Teachers are advised to preview all sites before using them with students.
For the students: Cloud charts, weather maps.
For the teacher: Cloud charts, weather maps.
Vocabulary:
 air pressure
 barometer
 beaufort scale
 cloud cover
 dew point
 knot
 meteorologist
 station model
 temperature
 wind direction
 wind speed
Technology Connections:
 Have students use classroom weather tools or a weather station to measure daily weather
data.
 Have student’s access weather data on the Internet, using the site for the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration at http://www.noaa.gov.
Research Connections:
Marzano, R. et al. Classroom Instruction that Works: Research-Based Strategies for
Increasing Student Achievement. Alexandria, Va.: Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development, 2001.
Nonlinguistic representations help students think about and recall knowledge. This
includes the following:
 creating graphic representations (organizers);
 making physical models;
 generating mental pictures;
 drawing pictures and pictographs;
 engaging in kinesthetic activity.
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Weather or Not – Grade Seven
General Tips:
It is important to start collecting data well before students begin this lesson. Involving
students in the collection and interpretation of their own data will stimulate interest in the
subject.
Attachments:
Attachment A, Pre-Assessment
Attachment B, Pre-Assessment Answers
Attachment C, Post-Assessment Scoring
Attachment D, Weather Worksheet
Attachment E, Worksheet Example
Attachment F, Station Models
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Weather or Not – Grade Seven
Attachment A
Pre-Assessment
Name _______________________
This is a station model. Using each word in the word box only once, label each section of the
model.
A. _______________________________________
B. _______________________________________
C. _______________________________________
D. _______________________________________
E. _______________________________________
F. _______________________________________
Word Box:
Air Pressure
Temperature
Observed Weather
Wind Direction & Speed
Dew Point
Cloud Cover
Define:
Air Pressure______________________________________________________________
Temperature _____________________________________________________________
Observed Weather ________________________________________________________
Wind Direction & Speed ___________________________________________________
Dew Point _______________________________________________________________
Cloud Cover _____________________________________________________________
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Weather or Not – Grade Seven
Attachment B
Pre-Assessment Answers
Name _______________________
This is a station model. Using each word in the word box only once, label each section of the
model.
A. Temperature
B. Observed Weather
C. Dew Point
D. Air Pressure
E. Cloud Cover
F. Wind Direction and Speed
Word Box:
Air Pressure
Temperature
Observed Weather
Wind Direction & Speed
Dew Point
Cloud Cover
Define:
Air Pressure - The pressure that an air mass exerts on the Earth
Temperature - The measure of heat or cold for an air mass. It is described in degrees
Fahrenheit or Celsius.
Observed Weather - A description of the precipitation
Wind Direction & Speed -The direction from which a wind blows, and the speed at which it
travels from that direction. The speed is often given in knots,
where one knot is equal to 1.15 miles per hour or 1.85 kilometers
per hour.
Dew Point - A measure of atmospheric moisture. It is the temperature to which air must be
cooled to reach saturation.
Cloud Cover - The percentage of the sky that is covered with clouds
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Weather or Not – Grade Seven
Attachment C
Post-Assessment Scoring
Excellent
 Student identifies
all 10 station
models correctly
and uses them to
generate a
weather broadcast
that indicates an
understanding of
the flow of one
collection to the
next.
 Student uses at
least 30 pieces of
collected data
correctly in the
weather
broadcast.
Good
Fair
Poor
 Student identifies  Student identifies  Student identifies
7 station models
5 station models
5 station models
correctly and
correctly and
correctly and
uses them to
uses them to
uses them to
generate a
generate a
generate a
weather
weather
weather
broadcast that
broadcast that
broadcast that
indicates an
indicates an
indicates an
understanding of
understanding of
understanding of
the flow of one
the flow of one
the flow of one
collection to the
collection to the
collection to the
next.
next.
next.
 Student uses at
 Student uses at
 Student uses at
least 20 pieces of
least 15 pieces of
least 10 pieces of
collected data
collected data
collected data
correctly in the
correctly in the
correctly in the
weather
weather
weather
broadcast.
broadcast.
broadcast.
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Weather or Not – Grade Seven
Attachment D
Weather Worksheet


Date each day of the week.
Gather weather data and record it in the table. You will complete the section entitled
"station model" in class.
Date _____________
Date _____________
Date _____________
Date _____________
Date _____________
Temperature_______
Temperature_______
Temperature_______
Temperature_______
Temperature_______
Dew Point_________
Dew Point_________
Dew Point_________
Dew Point_________
Dew Point_________
Air Pressure _______
Air Pressure _______
Air Pressure _______
Air Pressure _______
Air Pressure _______
Wind Speed _______
Wind Speed _______
Wind Speed _______
Wind Speed _______
Wind Speed _______
Wind Direction ____
Wind Direction ____
Wind Direction ____
Wind Direction ____
Wind Direction ____
Cloud Cover _______
Cloud Cover _______
Cloud Cover _______
Cloud Cover _______
Cloud Cover _______
Observed
Weather __________
Observed
Weather __________
Observed
Weather __________
Observed
Weather __________
Observed
Weather __________
Station
Model
Station
Model
Station
Model
Station
Model
Station
Model
Date _____________
Date _____________
Date _____________
Date _____________
Date _____________
Temperature_______
Temperature_______
Temperature_______
Temperature_______
Temperature_______
Dew Point_________
Dew Point_________
Dew Point_________
Dew Point_________
Dew Point_________
Air Pressure _______
Air Pressure _______
Air Pressure _______
Air Pressure _______
Air Pressure _______
Wind Speed _______
Wind Speed _______
Wind Speed _______
Wind Speed _______
Wind Speed _______
Wind Direction ____
Wind Direction ____
Wind Direction ____
Wind Direction ____
Wind Direction ____
Cloud Cover _______
Cloud Cover _______
Cloud Cover _______
Cloud Cover _______
Cloud Cover _______
Observed
Weather __________
Observed
Weather __________
Observed
Weather __________
Observed
Weather __________
Observed
Weather __________
Station
Model
Station
Model
Station
Model
Station
Model
Station
Model
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Weather or Not – Grade Seven
Attachment E
Worksheet Example
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Weather or Not – Grade Seven
Attachment F
Station Models
0% Cloud Cover –
Observations: Clear Skies
25% Cloud Cover –
Observations: Scattered Clouds
75% Cloud Cover –
Observations: Broken Clouds
100% Cloud Cover –
Observations: Overcast
Vision Obscured
M
Cloud cover is a circle
placed in the middle of
your station model.
You shade in the
amount of cloud cover
in a clockwise manner.
If you have 25% cloud
cover, then it looks like
three o’clock on the
clock. Shade in that
portion on the chart.
Missing Data
Now shade 75% and
100%.
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Weather or Not – Grade Seven
Attachment F (continued)
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Weather or Not – Grade Seven
Attachment F (continued)
Beaufort Scale for Wind Speed:
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