The Topic: Weather Easier - Weather is the condition of the outside air at a certain time and place. Weather has many features. It can be hot or cold, moist or dry, calm or windy, and cloudy or clear. Temperature is the relative degree of heat or cold.   Harder - The place you live has a climate. This is the usual weather for the location including the temperature, rainfall, and wind. Geographic features such as oceans, mountains, and plains can impact the weather. For example, one side of a mountain may get lots of rain, while the other side of the mountain may be very dry.   Meteorology is the study the weather. A meteorologist measures weather, looks at the causes of weather conditions, and forecasts the weather. A weather forecast is a prediction about the weather for the next day or the next few days. There are thousands of weather stations around the world that record information about weather. They have instruments to measure temperature, rainfall, wind speed and direction, air pressure, and humidity.   A weather report is made up of many elements. Precipitation is water that falls from the sky such as rain, sleet, hail, or snow. Wind occurs when the air is heated by the sun. This heating is uneven and causes wind. The air moves in currents over the earth's surface. Air pressure is the weight of the air pressing against the surface of the earth. It changes from day to day. As the elevation increases, the air pressure decreases. Relative humidity is the amount of water in the air compared to the amount of water that the air can hold. If the air is filled with water, the relative humidity may be near 100%. In very dry places like deserts, the humidity may be as low at 5 or 10%. When weather forecasters talk about the weather, they often refer to fronts. When two very large bodies of air meet, there is a front. A cold front is a place where cold air pushes out warm air. A warm front is where the warm air pushes the cold air.   Although we have many tools to help us in weather forecasting, weather is still difficult to predict.   Accuweather http://www.accuweather.com/ This website provides information for children and adults on all aspects of weather. They call themselves the world's weather authority. The first page always contains a nice satellite picture of North America. You can get a weather report sent directly to your email at http://direct.accuweather.com/. Within the Accuweather Site: 2) Accuweather School http://www.accuweather.com/wx/school/index.htm 3) Infrared Satellite Images http://wwwa.accuweather.com/adcbin/sat_index.asp?nav=home 4) Radar Images http://wwwa.accuweather.com/adcbin/radar_ind. . . 5) Weather News http://www.accuweather.com/adcbin/news_index?nav=home 6) Weather Videos http://www.accuweather.com/adcbin/video_index?partner=accuweather   USA Today Weather http://www.usatoday.com/weather/wfront.htm This website provide information about current weather, weather predictions, and background information. Within the USA Weather Site: 2) A to Z Index http://www.usatoday.com/weather/windex.htm 3) Weather Basics http://www.usatoday.com/weather/wworks0.htm 4) Weather Graphics http://www.usatoday.com/weather/wgraph0.htm   The Weather Channel http://www.weather.com/ Explore lots of great weather information from the same people who host the cable television channel.  Also, check out Canada's Weather Network. Within the Weather Channel site: 2) Daily Video http://www.weather.com/multimedia/ 3) Photo Gallery http://photo.weather.com/interact/photogallery/   Weather Eye http://weathereye.kgan.com/ Explore these great resources for children. The website is divided into resources for young children "cadets" and older children "experts" as well as teachers. Similar Weather Websites for Children: 2) Dan's Wild Wild Weather Page http://www.wildwildweather.comhttp://globe.fsl.noaa. . . 3) Planet Pals: Let's Weather Together http://www.planetpals.com/weather.html 4) The Weather and You http://www.richmond.edu/~ed344/webunits/weather/title.html   Using the websites, complete one or more of the following projects about weather.   Be a Weather Watcher. Use a variety of resources to track the weather including newspapers, television, and online resources. Use CNN Weather, USA Today, The Weather Channel, or Accuweather. Create a chart recording the weather. What do you do in different types of weather? How does the weather affect what you wear and do?   Ask a Weather Expert. Brainstorm weather questions. Use one of the following websites to ask your questions: Accuweather Experts, Ask Jack, Ask a Mad Scientist, Dr. Universe, The Weather Network. Or, try the Wonderful World of Weather.   Join a Weather Project. Explore Project Groundhog. Go to Weatherworks and Vote for Your Favorite Cloud. Join the World Weather Watch. In this project, students in different climates are paired to learn about climate and weather. Or, check out The Wonderful World of Weather. This elementary grades project investigates weather phenomenon both locally as well as in other places around the world.   Use a Live Weather Cam. What's it like in different places in the world? Try the following links Weather Cam Links, Weather Cams, or Rain or Shine to see a live video picture. Write about what it might be like to live in the place with the camera. What's the weather like? What would you do in this type of weather?   Discover Your Climate. Read about the Primary Influence on Climate and Secondary Influences on Climate. What's the climate where you live? Why? Identify another place in the world with a similar climate. What geographic features make the areas similar?   Explore Weather Careers. Read about weather careers at Careers in Weather, The Weather Channel and Information Please. Would you like to be a meteorologist? Why or why not? Write about a day in the life of a weather person.   Forecast the Weather. Read about weather observation at Measuring the Weather and Observation Weather Techniques page. Learn more about how meteorologists forecast weather at Understanding Weather Forecasting, Predicting the Weather, and What's the Weather Forecast. Create a plan for predicting the weather. Try to predict the weather for a week. Compare your predictions with the actual temperatures. Share your findings with someone living somewhere else.   Build and Use Weather Tools. Learn to Make Your Own Weather Station. Try making weather instruments.   Measure the Outside Temperature. Read more about thermometers, what thermometers measure, temperature, temperature scales and the math formula and conversion information. Practice converting Celsius and Fahrenheit measures.   Record Precipitation. Learn about all kinds of weather events. Build your own rain gauge.   Measure the Wind. Learn about wind and measuring the wind. Brainstorm ways of measuring wind. Compare the different devices. Invent your own wind invention.   Create a Weather Glossary. Explore the Weather Glossary, and the Storm Encyclopedia at the Weather Channel. Create a weather glossary with your favorite new words. Then, create a weather game using these words.   Send a Travel Buddy. Send a stuffed animal from one school to another around the world. At each school, students predict, record, and write about the weather in a weather journal. Then, the weather animal is sent to the next school on the list. Students in all the participating schools can keep track of the mouse on a world map.   Write about the Weather. Write a weather poem or song. Add verses to a weather song. The verse should reflect a physical or geographic feature of an area and how it impacts the weather. Write a weather simile.   Write Weather Folklore. Read weather folklore at Folk Lore Weather Forecasting, Weather Folklore, Weather Folklore, StormFax, and Wind & Weather: Weather Folklore. Do you believe the folklore? Why or why not? Test some folklore. Ask an adult about weather folklore. Then, write your own folklore.   Create a Weather Picture. Create your own weather pictures. What does weather look like where you live? Draw a picture using pencils, paint, markers, or other materials. Try using a software package such a Kidpix to make a picture. Use a digital camera to take a weather photograph. Share photographs with another class. Ask them to write about the weather that your children have drawn. Or, use some weather photos such as Weather Photography and Photo Library to create a weather collage.   Try a Weather Quiz. Explore the following quizzes. Create your own weather quiz. 1) Questions and Quizzes Links Page http://www.wxdude.com/question.html 2) Explorit's Weather Quiz http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/go/explorit/quiz/weather/quiz_weather.html 3) Take a Quiz (easy) http://www.ems.psu.edu/WeatherWorld/Easy/quiz.cgi 4) Weather Dog http://www6.funbrain.com/cgi-bin/weather.cgi?A1=s&A2=0&A7=0&INSTRUCTS=1 5) Weather Forecasting Quiz http://webschool.wash.k12.ut.us/science/sequential/18forecasting.html 6) Weather Together Quiz http://www.planetpals.com/wquiz.html 7) Weather Quiz http://www.sutton.lincs.sch.uk/pages/weather/activity/quiz.htm 8) Weather Quiz http://weathercenter.com/quiz/ 9) Weather Quiz #2 http://marg.mhost.com/Grade3/weatherwords.htm 10) Weather Quiz #48 http://www.funology.com/braindrains/bd048.cfm 11) Weather Quiz #73 http://www.funology.com/braindrains/bd073.cfm 12) Wild Weather Quiz http://www.LittleExplorers.com/classroom/quiz/weather.shtml   Explore a Web Activity. Try one of the following two activities: Let's Weather the Weather Together and Weather Activity.   Complete a Weather WebQuest. Follow or adapt the procedures found at one of the following WebQuest sites: 1) Best Weather (Grades 4-8) http://www.wfu.edu/~mccoy/NCTM99/weather.html 2) Weather (Grade K) http://warrensburg.k12.mo.us/webquest/weather/ 3) Weather C.A.M.P. (Grade 6) http://www.lanesville.k12.in.us/LCSYellowpages/Tickit/Coker/weather/weather.htm 4) Weather Pleasing Cities http://www.ci.shrewsbury.ma.us/Sps/Schools/Ce. . . 5) Weather Team http://www.itrc.ucf.edu/webcamp/final_projects/gentile/index.htm 6 Weather Weather Everywhere http://www.bow.k12.nh.us/jgaudette/wthr.htm 7) Weather Webquest (Grade 4) http://www.community.k12.mo.us/webquest/drobnett/quest.htm 8) Weather Webquest (Grade 5) http://www.davidson.k12.nc.us/webquests/weather/weather.htm 9) Weather Wizards Webquest (Grades 4-5) http://www.watervliet.k12.mi.us/north/weather_quest.htm 10) Mrs A. Martin's Weather Webquest http://www.ramsey.k12.nj.us/webquest/projects/smith/grade8/naturaldisaster/ 11) Weather Forecast Showdown http://facstaff.uww.edu/cni/webquest/weather/ 12) What's the Weather Like Today? http://euphrates.wpunj.edu/courses/ciee624-60/weather%20webquest2.htm   By Kids, for Kids Bay Kid's Weather Page http://tqjunior.thinkquest.org/3805/ Explore myths, jokes, recipes, resources, stories, quizes, and other weather-related information and ideas. You can even add your own weather story.   Our Web Page http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/weather/weather.htm This first grade class and their fourth grade reading buddies create a weather book, cloud poems, weather charts, and other interesting project. There's also a teacher section.   Snowtastic Snow http://tqjunior.advanced.org/3876/ This website focuses on snow topics.   Weather http://tqjunior.thinkquest.org/5442/ This student project includes weather conditions, storms, el nino, the greenhouse effect, weather maps, weather instruments, and other resources.   Weather Gone Wild http://tqjunior.thinkquest.org/5818/ Explore the wonders of weather from this group of children.   The Weather Report http://library.thinkquest.org/26804/ This weather project explores some of the elements that make up the weather and meteorology.   The Weather Unit http://faldo.atmos.uiuc.edu/w_unit/weather.html This cross disciplinary unit provides ideas in the following areas: math, science, reading and writing, social studies, geography, art, music, drama, physical education, field trips, classroom props, and resources.   Weather Wizardry http://library.thinkquest.org/15325/ Learn how a meteorologist forecasts the weather. Learn about clouds, wind, and precipitation, and discover how meteorologists use information from barometric readings to forecast upcoming weather.   Wicked World of Weather http://library.thinkquest.org/3705/ This student project features information about hurricanes, snow, thunderstorms, and tornadoes.   Websites to Check the Current Weather CNN Weather http://www.cnn.com/WEATHER/index.html Earthwatch: Weather on Demand http://www.earthwatch.com/ Interactive Weather Page http://www.weatherimages.org/interactive.html Accuweather http://www.rainorshine.com/ UM Weather http://cirrus.sprl.umich.edu/wxnet/ Unisys http://weather.unisys.com/ USA Today http://www.usatoday.com/weather/wfront.htm Weather Information http://www.wxusa.com/ Weather Underground http://www.wunderground.com/ General Weather Websites Check out the following 42eXplore topics related to weather including (1) clouds, (2) hurricanes, (3) snow, (4) tornadoes, and (5) wind. There are also links at the following related topics including (6) disaster, (7) earthquakes, (8) glaciers, (9) global warming, (10) polar regions, and (11) water page.   About.com Weather http://weather.about.com/ This website is a great starting point for links and information about the weather. Within the About Site: 2) Weather for Kids http://kidscience.about.com/kids/kidscience/msub49.htm   American Meteorological Society http://www.ametsoc.org/AMS/ This website provides information about the American Meteorological Society. It also contains links and resources about careers in meteorology. Resources are for older students. Other Sites for Advanced Students: 2) Center for Atmospheric Research http://www.ucar.edu/ucar/   Australia Severe Weather Page http://australiasevereweather.com/ Learn about all aspects of weather. Within the Australia Severe Weather Page: 2) Observation Weather Techniques http://australiasevereweather.com/techniques/index.html 3) Weather Photography http://australiasevereweather.com/photography/index.html   CNN Weather http://www.cnn.com/WEATHER/index.html This website contains current weather information as well as articles and weather data.   Creative Climates http://www.nationalgeographic.com/familyxpeditions/activities/15/15.html Explore the climates of the world. This website has information and activities for different grade levels related to the different climate regions. Other Climate Websites: 2) Climatic Extremes and Weather Events http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/ol/climate/severeweather/extremes.html 3) World Climate http://www.worldclimate.com/   Curricular Resources in Weather and Climate http://www.cln.org/subjects/weather_cur.html Explore thematic pages on a dozen weather topics. In addition, explore web resources on weather. Other Weather Links Sites: 2) Fun Internet Weather Links http://www.uen.org/weather/ 4) Weather Hub http://www.weatherhub.com/ 5) Weather Links http://www.wxusa.com/   Franklin's Forecast http://www.fi.edu/weather/ This website sponsored by the Franklin Institute contains weather activities, information, and web links. 2) Weather Activities http://www.fi.edu/weather/activity.html   Information Please Weather Page http://www.infoplease.com/weather.html Explore weather disasters, climate, weather extremes, meteorology and measurement, weather and environment.   Intellicast http://www.intellicast.com/ The intellicast website contains weather forecasts and satellite images. Within the Intellicast site: 2) Weather 101 http://www.intellicast.com/DrDewpoint/wx101/ 3) Weather Q & A http://www.intellicast.com/DrDewpoint/Q_A/   Meteorology A to Z http://www.wxdude.com/topics.html This glossary projects text and audio information about weather.   Meteorology Guide http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/home.rxml This guide from the University of Illinois provides links to excellent resources for both students and teachers. Topics include light and optics, clouds and precipitation, forces and winds, air masses and fronts, weather forecasting, severe storms, hurricanes, el nino, and hydrologic cycle.   Musical Meteorology http://www.wxdude.com/guide.html Listen to music about weather topics.   National Weather Service http://www.nws.noaa.gov/ This site links to regions information for the United States as well as International resources. You'll also find specialized centers for particular weather topics. Related Websites: 2) NOAA Central Library http://www.lib.noaa.gov/docs/education.html 3) NOAA Photo Library http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/   Scholastic - Research Tools - Weather http://teacher.scholastic.com/researchtools/articlearchives/weather/index.htm Explore a dozen articles on topics related to weather. Within the website: 2) Weather Prediction http://teacher.scholastic.com/researchtools/articlearchives/weather/predict.htm   SERCC http://water.dnr.state.sc.us/climate/sercc/education.html Explore weather resources for all grades. Specific resources are focuses on intermediate grades. Within the website: 2) A to Z Weather Glossary http://water.dnr.state.sc.us/climate/sercc/education/glossary/index.html 3) Weekly weather quiz http://water.dnr.state.sc.us/cgi-bin/sercc/wx-quiz.cgi   UM Weather http://cirrus.sprl.umich.edu/wxnet/ This page contains current information and links to many weather resources.   Weather: What Forces Affect Our Weather? http://www.learner.org/exhibits/weather/ Explore this Annenburg sponsored project on weather including the atmosphere, the water cycle, powerful storms, ice and water, forecasting, our changing climate, and related resources.   Weather World http://www.ems.psu.edu/WeatherWorld/ Explore world weather information and weather features, weather people, educational materials, kid's resources, and other information.   Weather Folklore Websites Folk Lore Weather Forecasting http://www.shoal.net.au/~seabreeze/weather.html Learn about weather forecasting using folklore.   Weather Folklore http://members.aol.com/Accustiver/wxworld_folk.html This website links to over 200 folklore sayings.   Weather Folklore: How to Forecast Weather By Nature http://www.stalkingthewild.com/weather.htm Learn about how your can predict the weather by observing nature.   Weather Folklore from StormFax http://www.stormfax.com/wxfolk.htm Explore a list of winter weatherlore and folklore forecasts.   Weather Proverbs http://www.usatoday.com/weather/wproverb.htm Read an article about whether or not to believe weather proverbs.   Websites For Teachers Athena Weather Resources http://www.athena.ivv.nasa.gov/curric/weather/index.html This page contains links to educational materials on the topic of weather.   Discovery Channel School: Weather Lessons http://discoveryschool.com/lessonplans/weather.html This web page contains links to dozens of weather-related lessons for grades K-5, 6-8, and 9-12.   Earth's Climate http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/midlsci/gr6uhmsc.html This lesson for sixth graders provides weather-related outcomes and activities.   The GLOBE Program http://globe.fsl.noaa.gov/welcome.html Explore projects related to the global environment. Weather is one aspect of this project.   How Does Convection Work in the Atmosphere? http://www.eecs.umich.edu/mathscience/funexperiments/agesubject/lessons/caps/convection.html This lesson provides lots of weather activities. Other weather lessons this website: 2) How to Read a Thermometer http://www.eecs.umich.edu/mathscience/funexperiments/agesubject/lessons/caps/thermometer.html 3) Collecting Weather Data http://www.eecs.umich.edu/mathscience/funexperiments/agesubject/lessons/caps/log1.html 4) What is Heat Transfer? http://www.eecs.umich.edu/mathscience/funexperiments/agesubject/lessons/caps/htransfer.html 5) What is Temperature? http://www.eecs.umich.edu/mathscience/funexperiments/agesubject/lessons/caps/temperature.html   Little Explorers Weather Calendar http://www.EnchantedLearning.com/calendar/weather/index.shtml This website contains a 12 month calendar that can be used to record weather information.   One Sky, Many Voices http://groundhog.sprl.umich.edu/index.html This website provides resources for teachers in teaching weather concepts.   Project and Activities http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/crclm/home.rxml Explore a series of weather activities for grades 9-12. Other weather lessons this website: 2) Weather Forecasting http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/fcst/home.rxml   Stormy Weather http://www.arts.ufl.edu/art/rt_room/sparkers/stormy/storm.html This lesson joins art and science. It contains ideas for painting stormy scene.   Teacher.Net: Weather Thematic Unit http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/21.html This project contains a series of lessons for fourth and fifth graders on the topic of weather.   Weather http://inspire.ospi.wednet.edu:8001/curric/weather/index.html This website contains information, resources, and lots of activities on weather.   Weather http://www.eduplace.com/search/frames/rdg_19.html Explore five lesson ideas from the eduplace website including tracking local weather, measuring rainfall, weather pictures, and wind direction, and wind observation.   Weather Here and There http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/Edu/RSE/RSEred/WeatherHome.html This integrated weather unit incorporates Internet and hands-on collaborative, problem solving activites for grades four through six. This unit is divided into six lessons including basic meteorological concepts and studying weather maps.   Weather Prediction http://www.athena.ivv.nasa.gov/curric/weather/hsweathr/predict.html Learn how to predict weather for a four day period.   Weather Folklore and Prediction Lessons NOVA Online: Forecasting Folklore http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/teachersguide/elnino/elnino_sp1.html Learn about forecasting folklore. Student element a saying, create a question, and design an experiment to test it.   Weather Folklore: Rhyme or Reason? http://k12science.ati.stevens-tech.edu/curriculum/weatherproj/weather_teacher_langlesson1_NEW.html Read weather rhymes and sayings that are part of American folklore and write your own.   Weather Proverb Lesson http://www.athena.ivv.nasa.gov/curric/weather/hsweathr/folklssn.html Learn about weather proverbs.   water hurricanes tornadoes disaster glaciers polar regions clouds snow wind earthquakes global warming climatalogy seasons meteorology observation satellites radars weather charts Doppler radar weather tools predicting forecasting thermometers temperature temperature scales Celsius Fahrenheit rain gauges precipitation rain sleet hail air pressure humidity maps weather folklore        Created by Annette Lamb and Larry Johnson, 2/01. Updated by King Family, 11/04.