Curated OER
Making Hail
Fourth graders investigate the different types of precipitation and conduct a hail experiment. They identify the types of precipitation during a slideshow, and define key vocabulary terms. Next, in small groups they follow the...
Curated OER
Designing Local Studies
Students think about and identify significant aspects of local weather patterns by reflecting on their own observations. They design local weather studies by deciding which information to collect and how to collect and record it...
NASA
Foam Rocket
When going for distance, does it make a difference at what angle you launch the rocket? Teams of three launch foam rockets, varying the launch angle and determining how far they flew. After conducting the series of flights three times,...
Curated OER
Mapping a Refuge
Students record observations gathered while at a national wildlife refuge. For this lesson on wildlife refuges, students choose an observation spot and record seasonal changes throughout the year.
Curated OER
Forecasting Weather
In this weather worksheet, students conduct an experiment where they record the weather observations for a week. Then they determine the air pressure using an aneroid barometer and estimate the amount of sky covered by clouds. Students...
Curated OER
Weather, Migrations, and Plants
Young scholars research the effects of day-to-day weather on animal migrations, plant growth and other seasonal events. They consult maps, observe and record local conditions, keep journals and use their collected data check hypotheses.
Curated OER
Weather Watchers
Students practice using objective and quantitative means to describe and compare the weather. They compile weather conditions and create a spreadsheet to record their findings.
Curated OER
Flying The Friendly Skies
Students investigate the science of flight while creating their own gliders and test them with the lift supplied by wind in the outdoors. They create a chart to make observations of the flight patterns of different gliders taking note of...
Curated OER
Winter and Summer Storms Scenarios
Fourth graders analyze how summer and winter storms are different. In this weather lesson, 4th graders construct a winter storm simulation box and a summer storm bottle and record the temperature and barometer readings. The directions to...
Curated OER
Creating Sand Dunes
Young scholars explain how sand dunes are formed, the different circumstances that effect the movement of or formation of sand dunes, and relate the information gathered to soil conservation. In this sand dunes lesson, students use pans...
Curated OER
Hypothermia
In this hypothermia worksheet, learners test room temperature water against outside wind and see what happens to a thermometer's temperature. Students follow 9 directions and answer 9 questions.
Curated OER
Keeping a Daily Weather Log
Students create their own daily log books for recording and keeping track of the weather.
Curated OER
Weather Patterns and Acid Rain (or What is Chicago's acid rain doing in the Adirondacks?)
Pupils examine a color-coded map of U.S. acid rain precipitation intensity. Using EPA data table and the blank U.S. map, they record state-by-state values for magnitude of emissions and compare areas of emissions to areas with the most...
Curated OER
Science: Avalanche!
Eighth graders examine avalanches after reading excerpts from John Muir's book, "The Yosemite." In small groups, they conduct experiments with flour, sugar, and potato flakes representing different snow consistencies. Then, 8th graders...
Curated OER
Blade Design Challenge
Students identify the differences between non-renewable and renewable energy sources. They construct a PVC wind turbine and design a set of blades to extract as much energy as possible from low and high wind conditions.
Curated OER
Weather Instrument Use and Application
Eighth graders measure temperature, wind speed and pressure using Skymaster SM-28. In this earth science lesson, 8th graders collect data and record observations taken from outdoors. They explain why numerical values are different in...
Curated OER
"Use an Anemometer," said the Meteorologist
Students work in groups to make an instrument the Meteorologists use to measure the speed of the wind after the teacher reads them a poem about the wind. Students then review vocabulary that they studied from their lesson plan.
Curated OER
"Use an Anemometer," said the Meteorologist
Students participate in an hands-on construction of an instrument to measure wind speed.
Curated OER
Glow With the Flow
High schoolers investigate the force of drag and how NASA engineers use models and glowing paints to examine how air flows over vehicles in a wind tunnel. They discover how the blended wing body will affect air travelers of the future.
Chicago Botanic Garden
Weather or Not
What is the difference between weather and climate? This is the focus question of a lesson that takes a deeper look at how weather data helps determine climate in a region. Using weather and climate cards, students decide if a statement...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Recent Weather Patterns
Decide whether weather is changing! A two-part activity first challenges classes to review the differences between weather and climate. Once finished, individuals then analyze historical data to determine if climate change is happening...
Curated OER
Heating the Earth
Students explore how the angle of sunlight affects the Earth's temperature and seasons and then apply this understanding to their local situation.
Science Matters
Thermal Energy Flow in Materials
The sun sends the earth 35,000 times the amount of energy required by all of us on the entire planet, every day. The fourth lesson in the 10-part series looks at how light energy from the sun transfers into thermal energy. Scholars build...
It's About Time
Slinkies and Waves
Slinkies® are a great tool for visualizing waves. Pupils work in groups to create both transverse and longitudinal waves before using a polarizer to analyze the ways they are able to travel.