WEATHER CURRICULUM OBJECTIVES

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Lesson One: The Earth's Atmosphere

  1. Students will define and compare the 5 layers of the atmosphere.
  2. Students will explain how the temperature of the atmosphere is measured.
  3. Students will explain what causes temperature differences in the atmosphere.

Lesson Two: The Weather

  1. Students will identify the different elements that make up earth's weather.
  2. Students will compare four types of clouds.
  3. Students will identify the type of weather associated with each type of cloud.
  4. Students will investigate weather elements using hands-on experiments and collaborative problem solving.
  5. Students will construct an observation sheet.

Lesson Three: The Seasons, The Tilt Of The Earth, Day And Night

  1. Students will explain how the tilt of the earth causes the seasons.
  2. Students will explain how the curvature of the earth affects the amount of sunlight an area receives.
  3. Students will explain how the Earth's rotation causes day and night.

Lesson Four: Air Currents

  • Activity One Objectives - The Effects Of Air Temperature On Air Pressure:
    1. Define Air Pressure
    2. Describe what happens when air is cooled or heated.
    3. Explain how the temperature of the air affects air pressure.
  • Activity Two Objectives - Air Masses:
    1. Explain what a barometer is.
    2. Explain how wind is created.
    3. Explain why the wind changes directions at the shore.
  • Activity Three Objectives - The Water Cycle:
    1. Student will understand the stages of the water cycle.

Lesson Five: Collecting Weather Data

  • Activity One Objectives - Reading and Interpreting Weather Maps:
    1. Identify the symbols used on weather maps.
    2. Read weather maps.
  • Activity Two Objectives - Cloud Cover and Temperature:
    1. Recognize symbols used for various sky conditions
    2. Plot sky symbols
    3. Plot temperatures
  • Activity Three Objectives - Wind and Pressure:
    1. Plot wind and pressure on weather map
    2. Review how sky cover can affect temperature
  • Activity Four Objectives - Highs, Lows, and Isobars:
    1. Identify high pressure systems
    2. Identify low pressure systems
    3. Draw isobars
  • Activity Five Objectives - Warm and Cold Fronts:
    1. Identify areas of cold and warm air
    2. Plot and chart cold and warm fronts
    3. Identify the direction weather moves across the US
  • Activity Six Objectives - Weather Satellites, Satellite Images, and Doppler Radar:
    1. Define weather satellites
    2. Explain the role of weather satellites to weather forecasting
    3. Describe the two types of weather satellites
    4. Explain the difference between a visible satellite image and an infrared satellite image
    5. Explain how a radar echo works
    6. Identify the colors on infrared radar
    7. Investigate doppler radar

Lesson Six: Creating A Weather Forecast From Weather Patterns

  1. What is a weather forecast.
  2. Create a weather forecast from a weather map.
  3. List and explain the three prediction guidelines.

Lesson Seven: Meteorologist For A Day

  1. Present a weather broadcast.

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