SCI G05 U03 CL10 Weather and Climate.docx



Grade: 5???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? G5U4 Core Investigation 10: "Weather and Climate" Duration: 4 days Big Idea(s): ?? EngradeEngaging Question(s): ? EngradeTEKS Objective(s):? 5.8A: differentiate between weather and climate; 5.2D: analyze and interpret information to construct reasonable explanations from direct (observable) and indirect (inferred) evidence 5.3D connect grade-level appropriate science concepts with the history of science, science careers, and contributions of scientists. ELPS/Language Objective(s): c3D speak using grade level content area vocabulary in context c3E share in cooperative groupsMaterials/Equipment: Per Teacher: globe or world map 5 index cards (for engage activity) OR use digital formatPer Student: notebooks science textbook materials for foldable (construction paper) picture cards (Engage-Teacher choice, Teacher made)Per Class:? Computers with Internet access will be required for several activities depending on teacher preference. Graphing in Google Sheets or Excel (desktops) will be needed.Safety:?? noneSpecial Notes: Vocabulary: Academic:ClimateSolarWeatherIncidental: PrecipitationFahrenheitCelsiusSolar energy? Engage: Ask students about why someone would get flood insurance. The weatherman said an unusual weather system is coming through Arizona this weekend bringing several inches of rain. Another family lives near a river that experiences heavy snow melt in the spring. Which family would most likely need to purchase flood insurance? Why? See pictures below.ABPicture A – represents weather (what conditions of the atmosphere are over a short period of time)Picture B – represents climate (how the atmosphere "behaves" over relatively long periods of time) Source: & 1. What does the word weather mean? (Student responses may vary but will usually indicate temperature and maybe precipitation.) 2. What are some factors that make up weather? (temperature, precipitation - rain or snow, sunny/cloudy, windy...encourage as many descriptive words as possible). Analyze the list of words and find two words that are factors of weather. They should circle precipitation and temperature. 3. Explain the role of the sun in weather. How important is the sun to our weather? (Note:5.8 BC & 5.9B)Our sun is essential to the water cycle, specifically the evaporation process.Our sun’s unequal heating of the Earth is responsible for the creation of wind.Our sun is responsible for photosynthesis which allows plants to grow and release water into the air.Direct and indirect rays from the sun determine our seasons.Turning towards or away from the sun gives us our day and night cycle when we most likely experience our high and low temperatures.4. We are planning an outdoor carnival. When would you plan your activity and give reasons? Can you know exactly what the weather will be like on this date next month? What about on this day next year? (Students may indicate weather patterns, such as hot in summer and cold in winter...if so, bring the discussion back to exact conditions - will it be raining? What will the exact temperature be? Will it be sunny or cloudy? etc.) Students need to understand that weather over time, climate, enables us to plan outdoor activities based on patterns in the weather.5. How far out can the weatherman predict the weather conditions? (only a week or so out). The further out the weatherman extends the forecast, will the prediction be more or less accurate? (less) Why? because weather conditions can change easilymany factors that influence our weather - latitude, water, wind currents (Jet Stream), ocean currents, altitude, cloud cover, time of day, and temperatureExplore:?? Students will be handed pictures printed on cards or you may use this link to view five destinations: Antarctica, the rainforest in Costa Rica, the Sahara Desert, Alaska, and Hawaii. Ask students to explain the differences they see between each of the areas. Students should come to the conclusion that the Earth has many different environments that vary in temperature, moisture, and other factors. These factors all form an area's climate specifically temperature and precipitation.? Have students state their evidence from the pictures for their claims. How do you know it is cold? How do you know it rains a lot in this location? Discussion questions: 1. In the last activity, you indicated that you cannot accurately predict the exact weather conditions in one month or one year. How did you make decisions about outdoor activities and places to live? (Guide students toward the understanding that they are using their knowledge of "normal" or "average" weather conditions.) 2. If you cannot know exactly what the weather conditions will be in a month or a year, can you still make predictions? (yes) How? (We know what is "normal" for different areas.). 3. How is summer in Texas different from summer in Antarctica? How is winter in Texas different from winter in the rainforest? ? Explain: ?How will the students explain their understanding and new knowledge and share with others? Introduce the term climate and emphasize how it is different from weather. Weather is a temporary phenomenon that measures day-to-day factors including temperature, precipitation, cloud cover, and wind. In comparison, climate shows the average weather conditions in an area or region. Although weather changes quite frequently and cannot be accurately predicted over time, climate is typically stable and can be predicted over time. Using this website: The Old Farmer’s Almanac, HYPERLINK "" , construct a graph comparing mean temperatures in one of the 3 different climates listed p. 200-201 in the ScienceSaurus. Students will gather enough information from the website to construct a bar graph. They will be able to see the difference in average temperatures over several months. Use technology to graph the information in Google Sheets. Once the student has completed a temperate, polar, or tropical graph have them pair up with the other two cities of an opposite climate and compare the mean temperatures. Some climates will show a much more drastic change in temperature others will remain more constant which should help students see changes. Note: the minimum and maximum on the graphs should all be the same in order to compare more accurately. See example below. Please be sure the students click “change” each time to select a different month. I used the same date for two different years. Data on this site starts in the year 1945. Use this website: The Weather Channel – 10 day forecast – – construct a graph comparing the high and low temperature for 10 days. Have students compare the data. Talk about the role of the sun in affecting the difference between highs and lows over a short period of time. Generally the lows happen when we are facing away from the sun, the highs are after the sun’s energy has been absorbed for several hours. Make sure students compare the data between the two charts. Note: This sample has 2 tabs at the bottom. One for a 10 day forecast and the other spans over a year and uses the mean temperature.Next, students will complete a climate/weather foldable. The sections for each tab are: Tab 1 - Weather vs. Climate - students will explain the difference between weather and climate and give examples of each. p. 412Tab 2 - Factors That Affect Weather - students will provide a brief description of how - latitude, water, wind currents (Jet Stream), ocean currents, altitude, cloud cover, time of day, and temperature affect weather.Tab 3 - Factors That Affect Climate - students will provide a brief description of how latitude, water, wind, and ocean currents, and altitude affect climate. TX Science Fusion p. 414-417Tab 3 - Climate Changes Over Time - students will provide a brief description of how the Sun's output, ocean currents, and volcanic eruptions are variable and can affect climate gradually. Unit 9 should give you good ideas for constructing the foldable. Tx Science Fusionp.188 – 201 in ScienceSaurus also provides information for the foldable.Modification - for struggling students, allow for more brief descriptions (such as a bulleted list). For ELL students, allow for both bulleted lists and pictures, as appropriate. -students could complete fewer graphs and compare within a larger group with guidance from an inclusion teacher.Optional Extension Activity: ? Use a globe or world map (such as a large pull-down classroom map) and have students take turns coming up to the globe or map and identifying places or regions they are familiar with, such as Antarctica, deserts, rainforests, swamps, savannahs, etc. Have students explain what the climate is like in these regions. This is also a great time to make connections to the upcoming Life Science unit by discussing what types of animals and plants live in each region, as well as the various adaptations that animals and plants have, allowing them to live in warmer or colder (or wetter and drier) regions. Students can show the adaptation in relationship to the climate using technology. A menu of tools to use could provide students some freedom to express their learning in different ways. The discussion should be centered on how the adaptation is specific for the climate. ? Extend/Elaborate: ?How will you extend the concept for students who need the challenge and provide a reteaching opportunity for those who are struggling?Students will do Internet research that compares and contrasts meteorology (study of weather) and climatology (study of climate), plus related fields. Students can visit the following websites to explore a variety of careers in meteorology and climatology, as well as read about specific scientists and the work that they do in their fields. Students can choose a specific career or scientist and create a poster about that career/scientist that can be presented to the class. Weather Channel Kids: gives a good overview of various career sectors, and also provides several scientist profiles American Meteorology Society's Careers Page: the reading level on this site is high, but it has good information about various careers in meteorology, as well as tools, education, and how to determine if meteorology is a good career for you NASA Kids: Careers in Atmospheric Science: this field has many careers related to weather and climatology NASA Kids: Careers in Meteorology: ? Weather Wiz Kids: site was created by a meteorologist and gives good career information. *HMH Resource: People in Science (Turn off Pop-Ups, You may have to “Allow “ the site in Settings for Chrome)Access & Locate: Open HMH and click on Tx Science Fusion (5.3 D)Choose grade level 5 then Teacher Resources.Click on the Unit on the left. (All units contain this feature.)Click on Unit Level Resources.Click on Unit Student Resources.Click on People in Science – Shirley Murillo and Reed Timmer- Will direct you to the page with all scientists.Evaluate #1: ?How will you evaluate the students' understanding of the concept?Have students create a t-chart and label one side "Weather" and one side "Climate". Have the descriptions below written on the board or projected onto a screen. Students should write each description under the correct category.? The teacher should review student answers to check for understanding and mastery.?? Seattle averages a yearly precipitation of 94 centimeters. It can change in an instant! It may take many years to change. It rained 2” in less than 2 hours today.Farmers know when to plant crops based on this. Meteorologists record it every day. The condition of the atmosphere over a short period of time. North Texas averages more snowfall than South Texas. Snow is falling at a rate of 5 cm per hour. It has rained every day this week. Some areas of the Sahara Desert haven’t experienced rain in two years. The average summer temperature in Antarctica is -6°C. Summers in Dallas are always hot. The high temperature in New York today is 98°F.Evaluate #2: Students will complete a paragraph analyzing their graphs using the correct vocabulary in complete sentences. See vocabulary list in Engrade. ???????????????????? ................
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