Forums

Happy New Years!! I was wondering if anyone has a couple of good, easy hands-on activities for a weather and climate unit I am starting when we get back. I teach 6th grade.....135 students....any ideas??

Hi Hillary -
Here is a link to an article from NSTA's Science & Children On Observing the Weather http://learningcenter.nsta.org/product_detail.aspx?id=10.2505/4/sc04_041_08_32

Try doing a search in the NSTA Libray on Weather and Climate topics. You can narrow your search by keywords and grade level.

Dorothy

Hi Hillary -

Here is a link to a NSTA Resource Collection on Ocean's Effect on Weather and Climate - Elementary Collection
http://learningcenter.nsta.org/my_learning_center/my_library...JCetkMdk_E

You can search the NSTA Learning Center Library for resource collections too.

Dorothy

Sheri Amsel posted an impressive list of Weather activities for 4-5 grade in the listserve. I am taking the liberty of re-posting the list here. Thanks Sheri! Weather Facts and Activities: Rain making Activity: http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=45&detID=2650 Making Clouds (this is cool): http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=45&detID=2649 Smog in a Bottle: http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=45&detID=2651 Changing Seasons: http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=112&detID=2634 Changing Seasons: http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=112&detID=2634 Changing Seasons (Basic Readers): http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=112&detID=2643 Clouds: http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=112&detID=2632 Clouds (Younger Students): http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=112&detID=2644 Storms – Hurricanes: http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=112&detID=2631 Storms - Hurricanes (Basic Readers): http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=112&detID=2645 Storms – Thunderstorms: http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=112&detID=2633 Storms - Thunderstorms (Basic Readers): http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=112&detID=2646 Storms – Tornadoes: http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=112&detID=2647 Storms - Tornadoes (Basic Readers): http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=112&detID=2648 Storms – Winter Storms: http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=112&detID=3163 The Atmosphere: http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=112&detID=2635 The Earth: http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=112&detID=2637 The Sun: http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=112&detID=2636 The Water Cycle: http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=112&detID=2638 Planet Earth: Biomes of the World: http://www.exploringnature.org/db/subcat_index.php?dbID=44 Biome Hidden Pictures: http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail_index.php?dbID=15&dbType=2t Biome Posters: http://www.exploringnature.org/db/subcat_detail_index.php?subcatID=97&dbID=94 Biome Graphic Organizer: http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=45&detID=3096 Climate and Biome Formation: http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=27&detID=1190 Earth’s Atmosphere: http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=27&detID=1183 Ecology Vocabulary: http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=27&detID=1185 Environmental Issues: http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail_index.php?dbID=7&dbType=2t Forest Succession: http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=27&detID=1207 Nutrient Cycle: http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=27&detID=1191 Ocean Ecology: http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=27&detID=3124 Oxygen Cycle: http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=27&detID=1186 Soils: http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=27&detID=1206 Water Cycle: http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=27&detID=1188

Have you ever heard of the Jason Project? It is free to sign up for and the lessons in there are incredible. They have a whole unit of lessons and interactives on weather. I use this every time I teach weather. You should check this out!

Attachments

www.jason.org (External Website)

Pamela, Thank you so much for sharing the links from Sheri. I am teaching a GLOBE workshop and these will be invaluable!! I would suggest another resource for climate and weather information. www.globe.gov

Hi Hillary,
If you are not familiar with the FOSS kits, they have an excellent Air and Weather module. You can access some of the paper materials online for free. Of course the whole kit is the way to go if you can.

How can I and my class partners use the subject matter Ocean's Effects on the World's Climte in an interactive, hands-on activity for a class of 3rd grade students? Is there a game anyone would recommend to push this subject matter further for 3rd graders?

Pamela, Thanks for posting all those links. It looks like there are a lot of fun ideas and some good resources.

I am math teacher but have taken a few climate courses. In those courses, there were a few hands on activities that helped me to remember a few key ideas. First, using your hand to model low pressure and high pressure systems was instrumental in me remembering how each type of system works. In addition, using a temperature strip and an empty two liter soda bottle helped me to understand how pressure in atmosphere can affect temperature. What you do for that is use some tape and attach the temperature strip to the top of the bottle so that it is hanging down inside of the bottle. Cover the bottle. Students will squeeze the bottle and as they do that, they will see the temperature inside increase.

Thank you for the great resources!!!