Watching the Weather
Student Page

 

[Related Hot Links] [PDF File]

Object of the Lesson

 

In this assignment you will measure, compare and analyze weather and its importance to decision making on the part of people seeking a place to work and live.

  • You will work in a small group to build an instrument to measure one aspect of the weather, using instructions found on the Internet to build your instrument.
  • Using your instrument and those built by other groups in the class, you will track the weather in your area for one month.
  • You will compare your region's weather to that of Naknek, Alaska, using data found at The Weather Channel's Internet site. Then, you will compare yearly weather data from your local area with Naknek.
  • Using these comparisons, you will be able to describe and explain the differences in weather data between your region and that of Naknek. You will also be able to explain the importance of this weather data to the decisions investors and others seeking a place to settle and work would need to make.
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    Note: If necessary, e-mail one of the field trip's geological experts to ask for help in making your demonstration and explanation clear and accurate.

     

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    Steps to Follow

     

    Discuss in class the importance of weather prediction to human beings.

    • How might tracking specific aspects of the weather, such as precipitation amount or air pressure, help in making predictions in the short term?
    • What about the long term, such as making predictions about global warming or the surging or retreating of a region's glaciers?
    • Why would predictions about a region's weather be important to investors or other's seeking to work and live in the region?

    Working under your teacher's direction, determine the type of weather data your class will collect and record. You may use all the measurements listed below or choose specific ones.

    • Temperature (If possible, use a Maximum/Minimum Outdoor Thermometer)
    • Amount of precipitation (rain gauge)
    • Air pressure (barometer)
    • Wind speed (anemometer)
    • Wind direction (weather vane or wind sock)
    • Humidity or dew point (hygrometer)
    • Cloud window and cloud chart (To determine the type of clouds in the sky each day)

    Work in small groups to find directions to build the instrument your group has been assigned and the mount it on the Weather Station or in the location your teacher has chosen.

    Ask one student in your group to create a chart on which to record the data your group is measuring. If a class chart has been recorded this person should be responsible for recording the group measurement on the class chart each day.

    Check The Weather Channel on the Internet to find:

    • The same data for the town of Naknek, Alaska for the same month for which you have collected data for your own area.
    • Summations of data for both areas for one year
    • Print out enough copies of this information for each member of your group.

    In class use the data you collected and the data you printed from The Weather Channel's Internet site to answer some or all of the following questions:

    • What differences in the weather can you find between your area and Naknek, Alaska?
    • Look at the two areas on a map. What major features ó glaciers, ocean, plains, mountains, rivers ó are near the area and in what direction from the area? What is the latitude of each area? From which direction does the prevailing weather come?
    • Look at the information you discovered for the previous questions. How can you use this information to explain the differences in the data you discovered for your area and Naknek?
    • You have information for one month. Use The Weather Channel's site to find yearly data in as many of the categories you collected as possible.

    Resources/Materials/Supplies

    Video Segment

    Internet access

    Materials and Supplies called for in the Internet instructions for building weather instruments

     

    Working Tips and Hints

    Work cooperatively within your group. Assign specific roles to each member of the group or set up a system to rotate necessary tasks among your members.

    Use the Hot Links to find directions for building weather instruments and to find weather data for the region of Naknek, Alaska, on The Weather Channel's Internet site.

    Note: When you have more than one Hot Link instruction site, read them all and work with your group to choose the instructions you like the best.

    Take your weather measurements at approximately the same time each day.

    Work with your teacher and other classmates to determine the best method for keeping your data: a large chart showing all the measurements; or, a chart showing your measurements only to be copied and distributed at the end of the month of measuring.

    Search under topics such as "topography" AND "Your region" AND "maps" to find maps on the Internet that will help you determine your region's natural features and their possible effect on your weather.