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Weather is something that everyone talks about. Its patterns affect our daily lives in small ways. Its patterns can also affect humans positively or negatively in large scale, catastrophic or economic ways.
Sample some of the following activities to learn more about weather patterns.
Places To Go
People To See Things To Do Teacher Resources Bibliography
Places To GoThe following are places to go (some real and some virtual) to find out about weather patterns.
Atacama
Desert
Travel to one of the driest places on earth, the Atacama Desert in Chile. Because of weather patterns from the nearby Pacific Ocean, there are portions of this desert where rain has virtually never been recorded.
Travel to one of the driest places on earth, the Atacama Desert in Chile. Because of weather patterns from the nearby Pacific Ocean, there are portions of this desert where rain has virtually never been recorded.
Franklin
Institute: Like the Moon
Visit a weather satellite in cyberspace and learn how satellites have changed weather observation and forecasting.
Visit a weather satellite in cyberspace and learn how satellites have changed weather observation and forecasting.
Lightning
Strikes
Virtually visit the locations in the United States where lightning strikes have occurred in the past two hours.
Virtually visit the locations in the United States where lightning strikes have occurred in the past two hours.
NASA: Goddard DAAC
Travel to Hawaii and learn how weather patterns pick up dust from China and carry it across the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii.
Travel to Hawaii and learn how weather patterns pick up dust from China and carry it across the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii.
National Climatic
Data Center
Visit the National Climatic Data Center. It's the world's largest archive of weather data.
Visit the National Climatic Data Center. It's the world's largest archive of weather data.
National Hurricane
Center
Float over to the National Hurricane Center and see the latest satellite imagery and read the aircraft reconnaissance reports for up-to-date hurricane information.
Float over to the National Hurricane Center and see the latest satellite imagery and read the aircraft reconnaissance reports for up-to-date hurricane information.
Virtual
Tour - South Pole
Spend time at a location with unique weather patterns. The highest ever recorded temperature at the south pole was 3 degrees Fahrenheit.
Spend time at a location with unique weather patterns. The highest ever recorded temperature at the south pole was 3 degrees Fahrenheit.
People To See
Things To DoCoriolis
Effect
Find out about the Coriolis effect which causes tornadoes in the northern hemisphere to rotate in a counterclockwise direction and tornadoes in the southern hemisphere to rotate in a clockwise direction.
Find out about the Coriolis effect which causes tornadoes in the northern hemisphere to rotate in a counterclockwise direction and tornadoes in the southern hemisphere to rotate in a clockwise direction.
Deciphering
Mysteries of Past Climate From Antarctic Ice Cores
Discover how scientists are studying ancient weather patterns by examining layers of sediment that accumulated over thousands of years in ice and rock.
Discover how scientists are studying ancient weather patterns by examining layers of sediment that accumulated over thousands of years in ice and rock.
El
Niño Theme Page
Figure out the difference between El Niño and La Niña. How can these two weather patterns affect worldwide economy?
Figure out the difference between El Niño and La Niña. How can these two weather patterns affect worldwide economy?
Farmers Almanac
Thumb through the old Farmer's Almanac. It has been around since 1793 and is still going strong! Use the "Today in Weather History" to try and spot global weather trends.
Thumb through the old Farmer's Almanac. It has been around since 1793 and is still going strong! Use the "Today in Weather History" to try and spot global weather trends.
Rice
Rice is a major, staple food item for 60% of the world's population. Over 90% of the world's production of rice is occurs in east Asia. Have students predict the worldwide consequences of rice crop failure due to unfavorable weather conditions in Asia. Identify other food crops whose failure could affect worldwide populations.
Rice is a major, staple food item for 60% of the world's population. Over 90% of the world's production of rice is occurs in east Asia. Have students predict the worldwide consequences of rice crop failure due to unfavorable weather conditions in Asia. Identify other food crops whose failure could affect worldwide populations.
UEN: Weather Resources
In addition to accessing a wide variety of weather related Internet resources and online games, students can visit the Online Cloud Guide to access a collection of images which illustrate the different cloud types.
In addition to accessing a wide variety of weather related Internet resources and online games, students can visit the Online Cloud Guide to access a collection of images which illustrate the different cloud types.
USA
Today: Understanding Lightning
Learn about the weather patterns that create lightning. Find out how lightning reaches the ground, how it creates thunder, what happens when lightning hits a person, how to use thunder to estimate lightning distance, what safety precautions to take in a lightning storm, and more.
Learn about the weather patterns that create lightning. Find out how lightning reaches the ground, how it creates thunder, what happens when lightning hits a person, how to use thunder to estimate lightning distance, what safety precautions to take in a lightning storm, and more.
World
Weather Watch
Register your class to particpate in this great weather project. Exchange weather information across climate zones in this collaboration. Predict, track and research global weather by asking questions.
Register your class to particpate in this great weather project. Exchange weather information across climate zones in this collaboration. Predict, track and research global weather by asking questions.
Teacher Resources Online Activities/Hotlists are a listing of internet
sites with fun, interesting, and educational tasks attached to each one.
(You can learn how to use this WWW
Activities tool created by UEN for Utah educators).
Lesson Plans/Webquests
Bibliography- Bramwell, Martyn. Weather. New York: Franklin Watts, c1994.
- Bundey, Nikki. Ice and the Earth. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books, 2000.
- Casey, Denise. Weather Everywhere. New York: Macmillan Books for Young Readers, c1995.
- Cosgrove, Brian. Weather. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 2000.
- Cosgrove, Brian. The World of Weather. Shrewsbury, England: Swan Hill Press; Stillwater, MN: Distributed in the U.S. by Voyageur Press, c1997.
- Craig, M. Jean. Questions and Answers About Weather. New York: Scholastic, 1996.
- Eden, Philip. Weather Facts. London; New York: Dorling Kindersley, 1995.
- Goldstein, Mel. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Weather. New York: Alpha Books, c1999.
- Humphrey, Paul. Weather. London; New York: Children's Press, 1997.
- Kahl, Jonathan D. Weather Watch: Forecasting the Weather. Minneapolis : Lerner Publications, c1996.
- Kerrod, Robin. Weather. New York: Lorenz Books, 1997.
- Morgan, Sally. Changing Climate. New York: Franklin Watts, 1999.
- Owen, Andy. Watching the Weather. Des Plaines, Ill.: Heinemann Library, 1999.
- Reynolds, Ross. Cambridge Guide to Weather. Cambridge, U.K.; New York: Cambridge University Press, c2000.
- Silverstein, Alvin. Weather and Climate. Brookfield, Conn.: Twenty-First Century Books, c1998.
- Stevens, William K. The Change in the Weather: People, Weather, and the Science of Climate. New York: Delacorte Press, c1999.
- Taylor, Barbara. Weather and Climate. New York: Kingfisher Books, 1993.
- Watts, Alan. The Weather Handbook. Dobbs Ferry, NY: Sheridan House, 1999.