Relative Humidity
Karen Mahaffy
National Science Standards
• D. Earth and Space Science - Earth and space
science focuses on science facts, concepts,
principles, theories, and models that are
important for all students to know, understand
and use.
– h. The atmosphere is a mixture of nitrogen, oxygen,
and trace gases that include water vapor. The
atmosphere has different properties at different
elevations.
– i. Clouds, formed by the condensation of water vapor,
affect weather and climate.
Common Core Math Standards
• CCSS.Math.Content.6.RP.A.3 Use ratio and
rate reasoning to solve real-world and
mathematical problems, e.g., by reasoning
about tables of equivalent ratios, tape
diagrams, double number line diagrams, or
equations.
– CCSS.Math.Content.6.RP.A.3d Use ratio reasoning
to convert measurement units; manipulate and
transform units appropriately when multiplying or
dividing quantities.
Supporting Curriculum Materials
• What is relative humidity?
• Why is it important to study relative humidity?
• Relative humidity and it’s impact on
agriculture.
• Relative humidity in museums.
• How do you calculate relative humidity?
Relative Humidity Activities
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Online Interactive Weather Maker
Relative Humidity Lab
Measuring and Charting Relative Humidity
Relative Humidity Math Connectionworksheet
• Relative Humidity Lab-Enrichment
Relative Humidity Activity 1
Online Interactive Weather Maker
• Goal-Students will learn that changes in relative humidity
can effect the feel of the temperature.
• Students will know temperature towards the poles (either
north or south) must always be less than the temperature
towards the equator.
• Students will understand relative humidity alters the feel of
the temperature.
• Students will manipulate the weather using the interactive
weather maker.
• Teacher role: Teacher will circulate the room as students
create various climates to adjust temperature and relative
humidity.
Activity 1-Accomodations
• Struggling learners will receive modified notes
with less language from the weather facts
handout.
• Students will work with partners.
Relative Humidity Activity 2
Relative Humidity Lab
• Goal-Students will learn that relative humidity can be calculated in a
classroom.
• Students will know that you must use a wet and dry bulb thermometer to
determine the relative humidity.
• Students will understand that you can calculate the relative humidity by
calculating the difference between the wet and dry bulb thermometers
and use a relative humidity chart to locate the difference and the
temperature of the dry bulb on the chart. See attached.
• Students will calculate the relative humidity of the classroom using the
given materials.
• Teacher role: Teacher will introduce the lab with a whole class discussion
about predictions of relative humidity of the class. Students will circulate
as students conduct experiment and ask questions for students to
consider regarding their whole class hypotheses.
Activity 2-Accomodations
• Struggling learners will be given calculators to
assist with calculations.
• Struggling learners will be given highlighters to
help read the relative humidity chart.
Relative Humidity Activity 3
Measuring and Charting Relative Humidity
• Goal-Students will know that measuring shrinking wet hair
simulates the the use of a hygrometer.
• Students will know a hygrometer is used to measure relative
humidity.
• Students will understand the more the hair shrinks the less water it
contains.
• Students will compare the shrinkage of various hair lengths and
textures.
• Teacher role: Teacher will introduce the experiment with a class
discussion on how the weather can cause a ‘good’ hair day or a
‘bad’ hair day. As students work the teacher should circulate and
ask the students to explain why the different textures yielded
different results.
Activity 3-Accomodations
• Struggling learners will compare the shrinkage
of two pieces of hair, not four.
• Struggling learners will receive a partially
completed relative humidity weather chart to
offer guidance and examples.
Relative Humidity Activity 4
• Relative Humidity Math Connection
• Goal-Students will learn that math is essential when calculating the
relative humidity.
• Students will know how to use the heat index chart to determine
the relative humidity.
• Students will understand that there is a correlation between heat
and relative humidity when determining the heat index.
• Students will use the heat index chart to answer math questions.
• Teacher role: Teacher will model how to use the index chart to the
whole class. Students may work with partners and as the students
work the teacher should circulate to check for understanding.
Activity 4-Accomodations
• Struggling learners will answer less questions.
• Struggling learners will be able to use a
calculator.
• Struggling learners will receive a worksheet
with the questions and heat index chart on
the same page.
Relative Humidity Math Connection
Heat Index Chart for Math Connection Worksheet
Heat Index Table for Math Connection
Relative Humidity Activity 5
• Relative Humidity Lab Graphing Activity
• Goal students will learn there is a relationship between
temperature and the amount of water vapor a fixed volume of air
can hold.
• Students will know how to determine the relative humidity?
• Students will understand how different parts of the world may have
differences in relative humidity at various seasons.
• Students will be able to calculate the relative humidity when given
the temperature and dew point.
• Students will discuss Teacher role: Since this is the last activity, the
teacher should give little instruction and circulate the room as the
students work. Upon completion of the activity, the teacher should
ask the students to share their results and how they compare to the
hypothesis.
Accommodations-Activity 5
• Struggling learners may use a calculator.
• Struggling learners will be strategically
grouped with high achieving students.
• Struggling learners may choose to determine
the relative humidity of an additional location.
Math Vertical Curriculum Map
CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.C.6 Identify whether the number of objects in one group is
greater than, less than, or equal to the number of objects in another group, e.g., by using
matching and counting strategies.1
CCSS.Math.Content.1.MD.C.4 Organize, represent, and interpret data with up to three
categories; ask and answer questions about the total number of data points, how many in
each category, and how many more or less are in one category than in another.
CCSS.Math.Content.2.MD.D.10 Draw a picture graph and a bar graph (with single-unit
scale) to represent a data set with up to four categories. Solve simple put-together, takeapart, and compare problems1 using information presented in a bar graph.
Math Vertical Curriculum Map-Continued
CCSS.Math.Content.4.OA.A.3 Solve multistep word problems posed with whole
numbers and having whole-number answers using the four operations, including
problems in which remainders must be interpreted. Represent these problems using
equations with a letter standing for the unknown quantity. Assess the reasonableness
of answers using mental computation and estimation strategies including rounding.
CCSS.Math.Content.6.RP.A.3c Find a percent of a quantity as a rate per 100 (e.g., 30% of a
quantity means 30/100 times the quantity); solve problems involving finding the whole, given a
part and the percent
CCSS.Math.Content.6.RP.A.3 Use ratio and rate reasoning to solve real-world and mathematical
problems, e.g., by reasoning about tables of equivalent ratios, tape diagrams, double number
line diagrams, or equations.
CCSS.Math.Content.6.RP.A.3d Use ratio reasoning to convert measurement units; manipulate
and transform units appropriately when multiplying or dividing quantities.
Science Vertical Curriculum Map
K.3.a. Daily and seasonal weather conditions affect what we do,
what we wear and how we feel.
1.2.a. Animals need air, water and food to survive.
1.2.b. Plants need air, water and sunlight to survive.
2.3.a. Soils can be described by their color, texture and capacity to
retain water.
Science Vertical Curriculum Mapcontinued
3.1.a. Heating and cooling cause changes in some of the properties of materials.
4.2.a. When the environment changes, some organisms survive and reproduce, and others die or move to new
locations.
4.3.a. Water circulates through the earth's crust, oceans and atmosphere.
5.3.a. The positions of the earth and moon relative to the sun explain the cycles of day and night, and the monthly
moon phases.
6.3.a. Local and regional weather are affected by the amount of solar energy the area receives and the proximity to a
large body of water.
References
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References
Common core state standards. (n.d.). Retrieved January 6, 2014, from http://www.corestandards.org/
Humidity. (n.d.). Retrieved January 7, 2014, from http://www.nc-climate.ncsu.edu/edu/k12/.humidity
Measuring relative humidity. (n.d.). Retrieved January 6, 2014, from https://www.teachervision.com/tv/
printables/Moutran_0876283024_158-159.pdf
Prekindergarten – grade 8 curriculum standards and assessment expectations. (n.d.). Retrieved January 6, 2014,
from http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/pdf/curriculum/science/pk8_science_curriculumstandards2011.pdf
Rain forests and high humidity: How to measure relative humidity? (n.d.). Retrieved January 6, 2014, from http://
www.education.com/science-fair/article/rain-forest-humidity/
Relative humidity. (n.d.). Retrieved January 6, 2014, from http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/kinetic/
relhum.html
Relative humidity and temperature. (n.d.). Retrieved January 6, 2014, from http://www.collectioncare.org/cci/
ccier.html
Understanding humidity. (n.d.). Retrieved January 7, 2014, from http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/weather/
whumdef.htm
Weather watch. (n.d.). Retrieved January 6, 2014, from http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/wwatch/
investigate/weather_maker.htm
What is relative humidity. (n.d.). Retrieved January 8, 2014, from http://8redscience.wikispaces.com/file/view/Lab
+10+What+is+Relative+Humidity+SG.doc
What is relative humidity and how does it affect how I feel outside? (n.d.). Retrieved January 6, 2014, from http://
science.howstuffworks.com/dictionary/meteorological-terms/question651.htm