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Program
1. Activate students’ prior knowledge about extreme weather on Earth.
Ask: What do you know about extreme weather on Earth? Have students brainstorm a list of weather-related words and phrases. Write their responses on the board. Then ask students to sort the list into logical categories, such as types of weather, tools to measure weather, and effects of weather.
2. Discuss a photo gallery of extreme weather.
Tell students they will look at a photo gallery of extreme weather and then watch a video about weather. Display the photo gallery Extreme Weather. Invite volunteers to read aloud each caption. Then, show the National Geographic video “Weather 101.” Ask students to describe the extreme weather events. Then ask: What are the necessary conditions for each weather event to occur? Elicit responses from students such as: differences in circulating air masses, clashing warm and cool air masses (fronts), and jet streams. Ask: What are the factors that affect extreme weather? Elicit responses from students such as: the sun (temperature), water (precipitation), and other atmospheric conditions like jet stream, pressure, wind, humidity, and clouds.
3. Have students complete the worksheet Weather Investigation.
Distribute a copy of the worksheet Weather Investigation to each student. Read aloud the directions and go over the provided answer. Allow students to gather and organize the information they have learned about weather and atmospheric conditions present for each type of weather. Their answers should include the following:
- Tornado: clouds, strong wind, rain, hail
- Hurricane or cyclone: strong wind, heavy rain
- Blizzard: heavy snow, ice, cold temperatures
- Dust storm: strong winds, arid conditions
- Flood: heavy rainfall
- Hail storm: cold or warm temperatures, rain, ice
- Ice storm: freezing rain
After students have completed the worksheet, ask: What patterns do you see?
4. Have students make connections between weather and climate.
Ask: What is climate? How does climate relate to weather? Some students may understand that the climate in areas closer to the Equator has fewer extremes than in the areas farther away from the Equator. Make sure students understand that the term weather describes conditions in the atmosphere over a short period of time. The term climate describes weather patterns of a particular region over a longer period, usually 30 years or more. Climate is an average pattern of weather for a particular region. Build background by providing the following example: The weather in Wisconsin can vary from day to day. Some days can be very warm, with record temperatures over 100˚Fahrenheit (F), with other summer days not even reaching 70˚F. Winter temperatures can vary just as much. The climate however, is a trend over an extended period of time. Temperature trends in the Midwest show an overall warming of between 0.3˚F to 1.8˚F from data collected during the period of 1895-2006.
Informal Assessment
Ask students to orally describe:
- examples of weather on Earth and the atmospheric conditions present
- the difference between weather and climate
Subjects & Disciplines
- Earth Science
Learning Objectives
Students will:
- list and find patterns in the conditions required for weather events to occur
- describe the similarities and differences between weather and climate
Teaching Approach
- Learning-for-use
Teaching Methods
- Brainstorming
- Discussions
- Multimedia instruction
- Visual instruction
Skills Summary
This activity targets the following skills:
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Critical Thinking Skills
- Analyzing
- Understanding
Connections to National Standards, Principles, and Practices
National Science Education Standards
- (5-8) Standard D-1: Structure of the earth system
What You’ll Need
Materials You Provide
- Pencils
- Pens
Required Technology
- Internet Access: Required
- Tech Setup: 1 computer per classroom, Projector, Speakers
- Plug-Ins: Flash
Physical Space
- Classroom
Grouping
- Large-group instruction
Background Information
The term weather describes conditions in the atmosphere over a short period of time. Climate describes weather patterns of a particular region over a longer period, usually 30 years or more. Climate is an average pattern of weather for a particular region. Identifying patterns in the atmospheric conditions of extreme weather events can help you understand Earth's weather system.
Prior Knowledge
- None
Recommended Prior Activities
Vocabulary
a large volume of air that is mostly consistent, horizontally, in temperature and humidity.
force pressed on an object by air or atmosphere.
all weather conditions for a given location over a period of time.
weather pattern of wind blowing dust over large regions of land.
imaginary line around the Earth, another planet, or star running east-west, 0 degrees latitude.
rare and severe events in the Earth's atmosphere, such as heat waves or powerful cyclones.
tropical storm with wind speeds of at least 119 kilometers (74 miles) per hour. Hurricanes are the same thing as typhoons, but usually located in the Atlantic Ocean region.
state of the atmosphere, including temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind, humidity, precipitation, and cloudiness.
Articles & Profiles
- National Geographic Education: Article—Meteorological Sleuth
- National Geographic Education: Profile—Real-World Geography: Dr. Randall Cerveny
Websites
Funder
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Weather
Weather is the state of the atmosphere, including temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind, humidity, precipitation, and cloud cover. It differs from climate, which is all weather conditions for a particular location averaged over about 30 years. Weather is influenced by latitude, altitude, and local and regional geography. It impacts the way people dress each day and the types of structures built. Explore weather and its impacts with this curated collection of classroom resources.
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Catastrophic Weather Events
Catastrophic weather events include hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, and droughts, among others. As these massively destructive and costly events become more frequent, scientific evidence points to climate change as a leading cause. While they can often be predicted, the loss of life and property take an emotional and economic toll on the community impacted. Explore these resources to teach your students about catastrophic weather events and how they impact every part of the world.
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Environmental Hazards
The environmental hazards you face depend on where you live. For example, if you live in northern California you are more likely to be impacted by a wildfire, landslide, or earthquake than if you live in Charleston, South Carolina, but less likely to be hit by a hurricane. This is because the physical conditions in each place are different. The active San Andreas fault runs through California and causes regular earthquakes, while the warm waters transported by the Gulf Stream can intensify a storm heading for South Carolina. These environmental hazards shape human activity regionally. Building codes in California require builders to meet standards set to minimize structural damage in an earthquake and coastal cities have building code to reinforce roofs and walls to resist a storm’s high winds. Learn more about environmental hazards with this curated resource collection.
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Climate
Climate describes the average weather conditions of a particular place over a 30 year period . All places on earth have their own climates. Some climates are small in scale, like the climate of a local region or the microclimates within an ecosystem, and some are much larger, such as the climates of entire continents, or the world’s oceans. Different from weather events, which are short-term and temporary phenomenon, climates are usually steady and predictable, and shape how organisms and human civilizations evolve and adapt in any given region. However, climates are not always permanent, and can change drastically due to human activity. Explore the world's climates and how they affect local regions and the planet with this curated collection of resources.
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Extreme Weather on Our Planet
Students use prior knowledge, a photo gallery, and a video to discuss what they already know about extreme weather on Earth and brainstorm a list of weather-related words. Then they organize the information they learned about weather events and conditions present for each type of weather event, and compare and contrast weather events and conditions.
-
Extreme Weather
Students examine the causes and effects of extreme weather events and read to contrast weather and climate. Next, they create and revise models of an extreme weather event using knowledge of weather variables. Finally, students link extreme weather events and climate change. Students use an interactive graph and long-term datasets, as well as create their own graphical representations of weather data. This lesson is part of the Climate Change Challenge unit.
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Weather Interconnections
Students view and discuss a video to create a concept map of interconnections in extreme weather. Next, they read encyclopedia entries to differentiate the terms weather and climate. Finally, students choose an extreme weather event on which to focus during the lesson and create an initial meteorological model of this event.
-
Weather
Weather is the state of the atmosphere, including temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind, humidity, precipitation, and cloud cover. It differs from climate, which is all weather conditions for a particular location averaged over about 30 years. Weather is influenced by latitude, altitude, and local and regional geography. It impacts the way people dress each day and the types of structures built. Explore weather and its impacts with this curated collection of classroom resources.
-
Catastrophic Weather Events
Catastrophic weather events include hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, and droughts, among others. As these massively destructive and costly events become more frequent, scientific evidence points to climate change as a leading cause. While they can often be predicted, the loss of life and property take an emotional and economic toll on the community impacted. Explore these resources to teach your students about catastrophic weather events and how they impact every part of the world.
-
Environmental Hazards
The environmental hazards you face depend on where you live. For example, if you live in northern California you are more likely to be impacted by a wildfire, landslide, or earthquake than if you live in Charleston, South Carolina, but less likely to be hit by a hurricane. This is because the physical conditions in each place are different. The active San Andreas fault runs through California and causes regular earthquakes, while the warm waters transported by the Gulf Stream can intensify a storm heading for South Carolina. These environmental hazards shape human activity regionally. Building codes in California require builders to meet standards set to minimize structural damage in an earthquake and coastal cities have building code to reinforce roofs and walls to resist a storm’s high winds. Learn more about environmental hazards with this curated resource collection.
-
Climate
Climate describes the average weather conditions of a particular place over a 30 year period . All places on earth have their own climates. Some climates are small in scale, like the climate of a local region or the microclimates within an ecosystem, and some are much larger, such as the climates of entire continents, or the world’s oceans. Different from weather events, which are short-term and temporary phenomenon, climates are usually steady and predictable, and shape how organisms and human civilizations evolve and adapt in any given region. However, climates are not always permanent, and can change drastically due to human activity. Explore the world's climates and how they affect local regions and the planet with this curated collection of resources.
-
Extreme Weather on Our Planet
Students use prior knowledge, a photo gallery, and a video to discuss what they already know about extreme weather on Earth and brainstorm a list of weather-related words. Then they organize the information they learned about weather events and conditions present for each type of weather event, and compare and contrast weather events and conditions.
-
Extreme Weather
Students examine the causes and effects of extreme weather events and read to contrast weather and climate. Next, they create and revise models of an extreme weather event using knowledge of weather variables. Finally, students link extreme weather events and climate change. Students use an interactive graph and long-term datasets, as well as create their own graphical representations of weather data. This lesson is part of the Climate Change Challenge unit.
-
Weather Interconnections
Students view and discuss a video to create a concept map of interconnections in extreme weather. Next, they read encyclopedia entries to differentiate the terms weather and climate. Finally, students choose an extreme weather event on which to focus during the lesson and create an initial meteorological model of this event.