Experiments with Weather-Makers - Purdue Extension



Experiments with Weather-Makers

General Objective: Learn basic weather concepts through hands on discovery and observation.

Specific Objectives: Discover:

• how the sun heats,

• that air takes up space,

• what causes air to move,

• about air density,

• that there is water in air, and

• how temperature can vary (microclimates).

Time: Two one hour sessions

Resources needed: 4-H 346, copies of pp 3-7, enlarged if possible. Cut pages so each experiment coordinates with the listed stations. Make copies of the Weather Worksheet so each team will have one. Set up stations with the following supplies.

|Day/Week 1 |

|Station 1: Sun |Station 2: Air (space) |

|Flashlight |Bowl or pan partly filled with water |

|Piece of grid paper |Drinking glass |

|A pencil | |

|Station 3: Air (movement) |Station 4: Air (weight) |

|Yardstick |Yardstick or similar |

|Two paper sacks |Two rubber bands |

|Masking tape or thumb tacks |Two balloons |

|Lamp |One empty milk or juice carton |

|Chair | |

|Day/Week 2 |

|Station 5: Water (evaporation) |Station 6: Water (fog) |

|Two saucers |Bottle |

|Spoon |Water |

|Water |Ice cube (will need multiple for subsequent groups) |

|Station 7: Water (rain) |Station 8: Earth |

|Metal pan |Thermometer |

|Ice cubes |Cup |

|Tea kettle and hot plate |Dish or pan |

|Water |Clock or watch |

|Plate or pan |Light and dark soil |

Activity: Collect the materials and set up four stations (or have the kids help set them up) on each day you do the weather activities. Each station should have the materials listed and a copy (or copies) of the instructions from 4-H 346.

Discussion – 10 minutes:

• Before you start, ask the students: What makes our weather?

Answers: Sun, Air, Water, Earth

• Explain that they will do experiments and learn about what makes weather.

• Divide the students into 4 groups. Assign one reader, two students to do the activity, and one recorder for the first station. Tell the students that they need to switch roles at each new station so everyone gets a chance to do all jobs.

• It is best if all the students have jobs so adjust (more stations or 2 groups at each station with separate materials) for classes larger than 16.

• Briefly explain what will happen at each station. The first recorder should pick up a Weather Worksheet and put their team number and names one it. Then the team works together to read (the reader), do the experiment (scientists), and answer the questions (all – with the recorder writing the answers).

Experiments – 50 minutes:

• Assign the station where each group will start and explain that they will have 10 minutes to do the experiment, write down their observations, and answer any questions in the instructions.

• Educators walk around to help and observe how the students are doing.

• After 10 minutes move to the next station and change roles.

• After all 8 stations have been completed have each group write their conclusions.

Reference (4-H manual): 4-H Weather Manual, Level 1 (4-H 346), pages 3-7.

Academic Standards :

|Activity |Grade |English |Science |

| |4th |1.3, 1.6, 6.1, 6.2, 6.4, 6.8 |1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.5, 3.11, 6.1, 6.4 |

|Experiment - Sun | | | |

| |5th |1.2, 1.4, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.6, 6.7 |1.1, 2.4, 2.5, 2.7, 2.8, 3.9, 6.1, 6.4 |

| |4th |1.3, 1.6, 6.1, 6.2, 6.4, 6.8 |1.1, 1.2, 2.5, 3.2, 6.1, 6.4 |

|Experiment - Air | | | |

| |5th |1.2, 1.4, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.6, 6.7 |1.1, 2.4, 2.7, 2.8, 6.1, 6.4 |

| |4th |1.3, 1.6, 6.1, 6.2, 6.4, 6.8 |1.1, 1.2, 2.5, 6.1, 6.4 |

|Experiment -Water | | | |

| |5th |1.2, 1.4, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.6, 6.7 |1.1, 2.4, 2.7, 2.8, 3.4, 3.5, 6.1, 6.4 |

| |4th |1.3, 1.6, 6.1, 6.2, 6.4, 6.8 |1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.5, 3.2, 3.11, 6.1, 6.4 |

|Experiment - Earth | | | |

| |5th |1.2, 1.4, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.6, 6.7 |1.1, 2.4, 2.7, 2.8, 3.8, 3.9, 6.1, 6.4 |

Weather Worksheet

Station One: Sun

Team name/number:

Reader: __________________________

Recorder: ________________________

Activity scientists: _____________________ & _________________________

Question: Why does the sun seem warmer in the summer than in the winter?

1. Hypothesize what will happen when the flashlight is held at two different heights shining on the grid paper before completing the experiment.

2. Record in detail what the scientists did in the experiment.

3. How can the sun heat the Earth?

4. Count the squares in the two circles and record the total.

#1______________ #2_______________

Station Two: Air (Space)

Reader: __________________________

Recorder: ________________________

Activity scientists: _____________________ & _________________________

Question: Does air take up space?

1. Hypothesize what will happen when a glass is placed upside down in a bowl of water and pushed toward the bottom.

2. Record in detail what the scientists did in the experiment.

3. How does the experiment demonstrate that air takes up space?

Station Three: Air (Movement)

Reader: __________________________

Recorder: ________________________

Activity scientists: _____________________ & _________________________

Question: Why does air move? Why do hot air balloons rise?

1. Hypothesize why air moves?

2. Why do hot air balloons rise?

3. Record in detail what the scientists did in the experiment.

4. Describe what the group learned about heating air.

Station Four: Air (Weight)

Reader: __________________________

Recorder: ________________________

Activity scientists: _____________________ & _________________________

Question: Does air have a weight?

1. How do you believe you can discover if air does or does not have weight?

2. Record in detail what the scientists did in the experiment.

3. Hypothesize what would happen if additional aired up balloons were attached to the ruler at either end.

Weather Worksheet

Station Five: Water (Evaporation)

Team name/number:

Reader: __________________________

Recorder: ________________________

Activity scientists: _____________________ & _________________________

Question: What happens to water when it "dries up?" How can water disappear?

1. Hypothesize what will happen when water evaporates.

2. Record in detail what the scientists did in the experiment.

3. Why does water evaporate? What increases the rate of evaporation?

Station Six: Water (Fog)

Reader: __________________________

Recorder: ________________________

Activity scientists: _____________________ & _________________________

Question: What causes fog?

1. Hypothesize what causes fog?

2. Record in detail what the scientists did in the experiment.

3. Explain what causes and forms fog.

Station Seven: Water (Rain)

Reader: __________________________

Recorder: ________________________

Activity scientists: _____________________ & _________________________

Question: What causes rain?

1. Why do you believe we have rain?

2. Record in detail what the scientists did in the experiment.

3. Describe what the group learned from the experiment.

Station Eight: Earth

Reader: __________________________

Recorder: ________________________

Activity scientists: _____________________ & _________________________

Question: Why are some places warm and others nearby cooler?

1. Hypothesize why some places are warm and others nearby cooler?

2. Record in detail what the scientists did in the experiment.

3. Describe why warmer objects lose heat when placed near cooler objects until both are the same temperature.

Conclusions on Experiments with Weather-Makers

1. Why can results between groups vary from the same experiment?

2. Explain how the four weather parts interact together to form a larger system.

3. Hypothesize what would happen if any one weather maker did not exist.

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