How's the weather looking for the

weekend?

5th Grade Science

Students will use

appropriate tools to gather
data and make predictions
about weather.

Students will:
1. Use scientific tools to measure
atmospheric conditions.
2. Collect weather data for a 2 week(Mon-fri)
period.
3. Use the data collected to make predictions
about the weekends' (sat,sun) weather.
4. Use PowerPoint or similar program to
present weather forecasts.

Prerequisites
Students will need to know how to read:
thermometer, anemometer, barometer, rain
gauge, radar maps, satellite images, and
weather maps.
Students will need to know how to access the
internet, use a printer and PowerPoint
type software.

Materials/Resources and
Technologies
Items needed: several thermometers,
barometer, anemometer, rain gauge,
computers with internet access, national
weather service website,
www.crh.noaa.gov/eax/, PowerPoint or
similar software for school use.
Optional: digital video camera, video editing
software

Learning environment
If available, window area in classroom
dedicated to weather unit containing all
gauges, meters, and so on.

Learner Diversity
Weather forecasting is usually done with
teams so students will be placed in teams
(by teacher). Students will have
presentation options ranging from
handmade construction paper maps to
PowerPoint to video.

Instructional Strategies
Students will learn to read different weather instruments
(hands on practice), collect and organize daily data from
those instruments(collect information), use additional
information from the National Weather service web
site(weather and radar maps), use all available information
to work in small teams to make weather forecasts(make
predictions). Students will use a variety of tools manual
and digital to track weather for a school week and present
a weekend weather forecast for 2 consecutive weekends.
The forecast will be presented in a PowerPoint type
presentation using manual or digital media of students'
choice.

Formative Assessment
Ways to check for student understanding:
Are students' daily instrument readings the same or at least
very similar?
Are students' forecasts similar?
How accurate are their forecasts?
If forecasts are wrong, do they understand why?
Do students want to continue tracking the weather and
making predictions even after the 2 week period?
Did students have fun being junior meteorologists?

Summative Assessment
Can students identify and use appropriate
tools to collect weather data?
Were students' daily readings accurate?
Can students use the data collected to make
reasonable forecasts?

Lesson Closure
Discuss with students the accuracy of their
forecasts. Compare their forecasts to local
news forecasts, how they are different or
the same? If possible, get a local
meteorologist to visit or video chat with
class. How do they do their job, how
accurate are they, and whatever the
students would want to ask.

Suggested Followup
Do any students want to keep tracking
weather data and making weekend
forecasts?
Could forecasts be used for the whole school
on Friday announcements?
Could students video the forecasts for whole
school viewing?

Resources
Judy Lever-Duffy, Jean McDonald,(2011) Teaching and learning with
technology.
Video retrieved from www.crh.noaa.gov
www.dese.mo.gov/sites/default/files/gle-k-5-science.pdf