Week 9, Day 41

TODAY THE STUDENT WILL:

Demonstrate and describe how various types of

weather impact materials on Earth

Recognize the impact of natural forces

Make straight forward predictions and justify their

position

Combine information, data, and knowledge from one or

more of the sciences to reach a conclusion

Lesson Preparation - none

Key Vocabulary

subduction zone – a zone, or region, where two tectonic

plates meet and move

Science Focus Question

What is the impact of natural forces on our lives?

Task 1: Getting Ready: The student will review some facts from
past storms that have caused a great deal of damage. The student will
more than likely be very interested with learning about storms. Storms
are dangerous, so students often enjoy learning about them. Start the
lesson by reviewing the storms listed in the text and by asking the
student a few questions:

What is one example of a dangerous storm you have been

through?

Is there any kind of storm you would like to see?

Which kind of storm interests you the most? Why?

Text Questions:
Have you read about these events or others like them in the headlines of the
paper?

Science Focus Question: Ask the student the main question for
today. He may write it in his science journal or you may write in on a
sentence strip and display it for today’s lesson. The student may not
understand the word “impact.” Tell the student that the word impact is
another word for affect. He needs to think about how events like these
may impact our lives, and remind him that this his daily schedule, the
home one lives in, how one is able to buy goods and services can all be
affected by natural disasters.

What is the impact of natural forces on our lives?

Task 2: Wacky Weather: The student will be reading a good deal

of information about various storms today. The text is organized by the
type of storm. The student should hold strong interest in today’s topic.

Tornadoes and their impact

Tornadoes in the U.S. mostly occur in an area known as “Tornado
Alley”. The main reason why tornados flourish in this region is because
of the weather patterns commonly found in the middle of the country.
This part of the country receives cold air from the north which meets
up with the warm air from the south. Wind also can blow freely in this
nearly treeless area.

Websites to visit:
http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/edu/safety/tornadoguide.html

http://www.tornadoproject.com/

Drought and its impact: Droughts occur when little or no rain

falls from the sky for a significant period of time. The Earth dries up,
which makes plants dry up, which then affects crop production.
Another issue with droughts is the impact on human life. Humans use
an average of 90 gallons of water a day. During a drought, water
conservation guidelines are often posted for communities to save
water. Ask the student some ways he could save water during a
drought.

Websites to visit:
http://drought.unl.edu/kids/

http://drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html

Lightning / Impact of Lightning: The odds are better to be

stuck by lightning than it is to win a local lottery! More people get
struck by lightning than some may think. Each year there are more
than 30 million lightning strikes in the U.S. each year. Lightning is a
return stroke of electrical charges found on earth. The charges build
up in the clouds due to the ice crystals hitting off each other during a
bad storm. Those charges seek out the negative charges of an object
on earth. Some things with a large number of charges are:

People, metal, tall items, such as trees, houses, tall

buildings.
Benjamin Franklin created the lightning rod. This invention was made
to draw the lightening to the rod, not the house, and the rod was
driven right into the ground.

Lightning is associated with thunderstorms, and since thunderstorms

are more predominate in the spring and summer months, one can
expect to see more lightning strikes in the spring and summer months.
However, there are many lightning strikes that occur in other months.

Websites to visit:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/lightning.htm

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lightning/

Earthquakes / Impact of earthquakes: Earthquakes occur

along faults. One major fault line is on the west coast of the United
States, and many earthquakes occur in the state of California.
Earthquakes are caused because of plate tectonics located deep in the
earth’s crust sometimes shift, causing everything above them to shift
as well. Any structure on the ground can be damaged by earthquakes.
Engineers have been working on new buildings that are considered
“earthquake proof.”

Websites to visit:
This site provides background knowledge about
earthquakes:

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/neic/

This site provides background knowledge about

earthquakes. Also includes games for the student and a lot of
interactive kid-friendly pages.

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learning/kids//

Volcanoes are areas on earth where molten lava pours out from the
mantle. This lava is very hot. Volcanoes have formed many of the
islands we know of today. One volcano, Mt. St. Helens erupted in the
year 1980. Some impacts from volcanoes can be the lava pouring into
a neighboring town. The ash spewed from the top of the volcano can
cause breathing problems and also issues with being able to see.

http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/mshnvm/

(symbol for extensions) EXTENSION:

View the following site for a visual of a subduction zone.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subduction_zone

Websites to visit:

http://www.volcanoes.com/

http://www.fema.gov/kids/volcano.htm
Tsunami waves are large waves caused by undersea earthquakes.
The shock of the earthquake travels up through the water to create a
large wave. A recent Tsunami in December 2006 off the coast of
Thailand killed 283,000 + people. These waves are mostly common
near the Indian and Pacific oceans.

Websites to visit:
http://www.ess.washington.edu/tsunami/index.html

http://www.fema.gov/kids/tsunami.htm

Hurricanes are compounded thunderstorms with immense low

pressure that form in the ocean. Hurricanes are storms that start in
the Atlantic Ocean. Meteorologists give each hurricane a name to keep
track of them. In the Pacific Ocean, these storms are called typhoons.
Some of the most damaging:

Hurricane Katrina – 2005

Great Miami Hurricane – 1926

Hurricane Andrew - 1992

Websites to visit:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

http://www.fema.gov/kids/hurr.htm

Task 3: Show You Know: Your Opinion: The student will now
take some time to reflect on the storms learned about today. Here is
the task as viewed in the student text:

Here is a condensed list of the storms covered in today’s lesson:

Tornados, drought, lightning, earthquakes, volcanoes,

tsunamis, hurricanes
In your opinion, which of the natural forces do think are the most
destructive? Which ones do you think are the least destructive? List the
natural forces in order from most destructive to least. Support your
answer.

*The student should focus on one area of which he will base his opinion
on. For example, he may want to base his opinion of the most
destructive as to

___ the total amount of people killed by that storm

___ the total amount of people affected by that storm

___ the total amount of damage done to an area from that storm

___ the total amount of land area affected by that storm

___ the frequency of the storm occurring

Task 4: Thinking Ahead: Why does some water move and

other water doesn’t?

Journal Time:
____ Date

____ Natural Forces

____ Labeled drawings of natural forces

____Line of Learning: “Today I learned that…”

____ Thinking Ahead Questions and answers

Week 9, Day 42
TODAY THE STUDENT WILL:

Explain why water moves or does not move

Identify the lotic system (e.g., creeks, rivers, streams)

 Identify the lentic system (e.g., ponds, lakes, swamps)

Identify different kinds of wetlands

Read simple graphs

Lesson Preparation- none

Key Vocabulary

plankton: microscopic algae found in bodies of water

organic: a characteristic of living matter

decomposer: something that breaks down the cells of dead plants or

animals

Science Focus Question

Why do some bodies of water move and others do not?

Task 1: Getting Ready: The student will learn about why some
water stands still and why other water found on earth is moving. The
student may start to think about different bodies of water found on
earth. Ask the student to name some bodies of water. Here are some
sample responses he may give:

Oceans, Seas, ponds, lakes, streams, rivers, creeks, wetlands, puddles

Ask the student more questions to get him thinking ahead about
today’s topic:

Where are nonmoving bodies of water found? Where is the

closest one to you?

Where are moving bodies of water found? Where is the

closest one to you?

What is one way humans use nonmoving water? (Use a lake

for an example)

What is one way humans use moving water? (Use rivers for
example)
Science Focus Question The student can write the science focus
question in his journal. It can also be highlighted in the text. This is
what the student should focus on throughout the lesson.

Why do some bodies of water move and others do not?

Task 3: Read the Science Text:

Bodies of Water: The student will read multiple paragraphs

focusing on the lentic and lotic systems of our earth. It is
recommended that the student read the text out loud and discussion
takes place after each task in the text. Here is some background
knowledge of each system.

Lentic systems are non-flowing bodies of water. The ecosystems

surrounding a lentic system varies greatly from a lotic system, where
the water is constantly moving. In a lentic system the life that exists
within and around it commonly stays with that system.

Examples of these bodies of water include: Ponds, Lakes

Extension site about ponds and lakes:

http://www.mbgnet.net/fresh/lakes/index.htm

Lotic systems are examples of flowing bodies of water. Some

examples include streams, rivers, and creeks.

Extension site about rivers and streams:

http://www.mbgnet.net/fresh/rivers/index.htm

When Water and Life Meet

The student will be reading about how animals have made adaptations
in order to survive in moving water. The adaptations are separated in
a few categories, including behavioral adaptations and physical
adaptations. Here is a review of these terms:

Behavioral Adaptations: Behavioral adaptations are ways the animal

has changed its way of life. When you think of behavioral adaptations,
think about the migration of birds. This is a change in where they stay
during the seasons.

Physical Adaptations: Physical adaptations are changes that occur on

the body of the animal due to something in the environment. One
example to keep in mind is the chameleon and its color changing
abilities. This adaptation has helped the chameleon survive.

At the end of this section, the student will need to look at a picture of a
trout hiding in the plant life under the water and will need to write
about the adaptation the trout has made. Here is a sample answer for
this:

What adaptations has this organism made?_The trout blends in with

its surroundings so it is not easily hunted.

Task 3: Show you know: For this review portion of the text, the
student will be completing a few tasks. Be sure the student follows the
directions for each section.
1. The student will label each of the following terms as lentic or lotic.
Lake lentic
Creek lotic
River lotic
Pond lentic
Puddle lentic
2. Venn Diagram: The student will make a Venn diagram showing
the characteristics of the lentic and lotic systems. Here are the
directions as seen in the text:
Use the information you have learned about lentic and lotic systems to make
a Venn diagram. You will be showing a comparison of information about both
systems. These items should be included on your Venn diagram:

____ Title

____ Label each circle correctly

____ 3 Details about the Lotic System

____ 3 Details about the Lentic System

____ At least one thing similar to both.

Lentic Lotic
system- System-
Water is still Water is
Lakes and moving
oceans Streams and
Many living rivers
organisms Some living

Similarities include: Both are bodies of water, both have life, both collect rain,
both can have plants near them.

3. Make a Drawing: The student will be drawing an example of a

lentic system and a lotic system. In the space below draw an example
of each system and the plant and animal life one might find in these
two ecosystems. In the Lentic system, don’t forget the three zones:
shallow, open, deep water zones.

Lentic Ecoystem Lotic Ecosystem

 Task 4: Thinking Ahead: What is weathering?

Journal
(insert picture Time:
of a lake) (insert picture of a river)

____ Date

____ Water Systems

____ Lentic System definition

____ Lotic system definition

____ Line of Learning: List examples of Lentic and Lotic Systems

____Thinking Ahead Questions and answers

Week 9, Day 43
TODAY THE STUDENT WILL:

Identify and describe how freezing, thawing, and plant

growth reshape the land surface by causing the
weathering of rock

Record local weather information on a calendar or map

and describe changes over a period of time (barometric
pressure, temperature, precipitation, cloud conditions)

Explain the water cycle

Lesson Preparation: a rock, 2 Styrofoam cups, 3 inches of soil, plaster

of Paris, a Popsicle stick, a small amount of Vaseline, and a green balloon.

Key Vocabulary

weathering: any chemical or mechanical process which makes rock

decompose

mechanical weathering: the breaking down of rock because of

natural occurrences, such as storms, water erosion, or wind erosion

Science Focus Question

Describe how the weathering of rock can reshape the land

surface.

Task 1: Getting Ready: Rock Talk The student will take a rock
and attempt to change the way it looks. He can try many things to
change the appearance. Ask the student some questions after he
attempts to change the appearance of the rock:

Why was this task difficult?

What do you think can change the appearance?

Pretest Time The student will take a pretest of his knowledge

today. This is a good way to open a lesson because the student will
see how much information about a topic he already knows about and
he will see some areas of which he needs to gain a stronger
understanding of.

Pretest: Agree
Disagree

1. Are plants able to shape the Earth in different ways? ____ ____

2. Are plant roots strong enough to break cement? ____ ____

3. Are cracks in sidewalks caused by people walking on

them? ____ ____

4. Can plants break apart rock? ____ ____

5. Freezing and thawing can cause rock to weather. ____ _____

Task 2: Science Focus Question: At this time the student
needs to refocus on the focus question. Post the question for today’s
lesson for easy viewing.

Describe how the weathering of rock can reshape the land surface.

Task 3: Read the Text:

Weathering is a natural occurrence. Weathering will change the

shape of the land. It is caused by wind and water erosion. Sand is a
perfect example of a result from mechanical weathering. While sand is
made up from mostly quartz, other types of sand can be found on
shore lines of rivers and lakes. It is there because of the mechanical
weathering of rock.

Read the text with the student. Then visit these websites to build
background knowledge:

http://www.geography4kids.com/files/land_weathering.html

http://www.geosci.unc.edu/faculty/glazner/Images/Weathering/weatheri
ng.html

Task 4: A Search for Local Weather: The student will have

an opportunity to fill in a table showing his own observations of
weathering in the neighborhood of which he lives. This part of the
lesson can be done at a later time if the current weather is not
desirable for a walk. Try to have the student observe many things
while outside. Here are some suggestions:

A wooded area – A sidewalk – A stream – An area that sees flooding

often – ground under roof gutters – driveways – A river
 What weather
What I saw Where it was How do I think it conditions caused
happened? this

Task 5: Investigation Read through and complete the

investigation with the student. Here is a copy of the investigation from
the text:

Materials Needed: 2 Styrofoam cups, 3inches of soil, prepared plaster

of Paris (make just before using), a Popsicle stick, small amount of Vaseline,
and a green balloon.

(insert pictures modeling the steps)

·Fill one cup with 2 inches of soil

·Pour ¼ inch of plaster of Paris on top
·Use the spoon to smooth the plaster over the top of the cup to model an
asphalt street.
·Rub some Crisco on the plastic spoon and push the greased end of the
spoon down into the plaster to simulate a roadway. Try not to expose the soil.
Leave the spoon in the plaster for about 30 minutes, and then gently remove
the spoon.
·It will leave a small indentation where the spoon was.
·Trim the cup to the bottom edges of the plaster to show ground level.
·Fill the crack with water and place in the freezer overnight.
·Observe how the plaster looks tomorrow. If it has not cracked, repeat
adding water and refreezing.

Answer Questions: The student will now answer some reflection

questions since the experiment is completed. Here are the questions:

1. How does the plaster look in the cup after freezing? _the plaster should
be cracked.______
 ___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________

2. What changes do you think will be visible after four hours?

(possible responses) It may look more cracked, wet

_____________________________________________________

(After waiting four hours, write what you see.)

Answers will vary. _____________________________________________________

3. If this process was repeated each day for a month, what would the
“roadway” look like?

_there would be a lot of cracking/ cracks would widen / possible breaking

of plaster.
___________________________________________________________________________
_______

4. What could cause a crack in a roadway to grow?

_Repeated freezing and thawing

______________________________________________________

Task 6: Weathering Part 2

Extend the Investigation: The student will read a small portion

of text about weathering then will complete the extension of the
investigation. Here are the steps the student will need to follow at this
point:

You are going to repeat some of the steps of the previous

investigation, but change a few things.

(insert pictures showing each step next to it)

□Blow up the balloon slightly and tie

□Fill one cup with 2 inches of soil
 □Place the balloon on top of the soil with the tied end facing up.
This will represent the plant’s stem.
□Pour the prepared plaster around the balloon. The buried part of
the balloon represents the roots of the plant

What happens to plants when they get plenty of sunshine and

water? They grow.

□Untie the neck of the balloon and continue to inflate the

balloon, watch as the sidewalk begins to crack as the roots grow and
expand through the cement.
□Do not repeat any other steps.

Compare the two cups. Were the results on the two sidewalks the
same? Or were they different?

Why do you think this happened?

Task 7: Show You Know:

Today, you learned about weathering and how its forces break down rock.
One example of weathering is freezing and thawing of rock, plant roots
growing,

Weathering shapes and reshapes our land on a daily basis. Plant roots and
freezing are all examples of mechanical_ weathering

Posttest: The student will now take a posttest of the information

taught in the lesson. The posttest is the same as the pretest that the
student completed earlier in the lesson. When the student is done with
the posttest, compare the tests to see what information was learned.
Here is an answer key for this pre/post test:

Task 8: Thinking Ahead:

How do heat, cold, light, and chemicals change things? Have you been
remembering to collect weather data on your cities?

Journal Time:
____ Date
____ Weathering

____ Name a state where weathering takes place

____ Write how weathering takes place there

____ Line of Learning: “Today I learned”

____Thinking Ahead Questions and answers

(symbol for reteaching / extensions) RETEACHING /

EXTENSIONS

Here is an extension website to view with the student. The focus is on

chemical weathering.

http://www.kidsgeo.com/geology-for-kids/0067-chemical-
weathering.php

This site contains EXCELLENT VISUALS AND EXAMPLES of mechanical

weathering:

http://www.kidscantravel.com/familyvacationdestinations/whitedesert/f
unstuffkids/index.html

Week 9, Day 44
TODAY THE STUDENT WILL:

Recognize change as fundamental to science and

technology concepts

Describe the change to objects caused by heat, cold,

light, or chemicals

Employ simple instruments such as rulers, magnifiers,

and thermometers to systematically gather, record,
analyze, and interpret data,

Provide clear explanations that account for

observations and results (How water flows through the
 water cycle)

Lesson Preparation
10 sugar cubes
jar with a lid
10 pieces of gravel
2 small pieces of steel wool
2 small plastic bags

Key Vocabulary

mechanical weathering: the breaking down of rock because of

natural occurrences, such as storms, water erosion, or wind erosion

wedge: to squeeze, or force

chemical weathering: the breaking down of rock because of

chemical processes

Science Focus Question

How does heat, cold, light, or chemicals change objects?

Task 1 Getting Ready: The student will learn more about

mechanical and chemical weathering today. So far the student has
only explored mechanical weathering. Review material from the
previous lesson. Here are the main points to review with the student:

____ Mechanical weathering is physical weathering

___ Weathering is the breaking down of rock

____ Mechanical weathering is caused by storms, waves, running water

Science Focus Question: Ask the student the science focus

question. Have the student separate the question into four different
answer parts, like shown:

How does heat, cold, light, or chemicals change objects?

Heat: Cold: Light: Chemicals:

Task 2: Read: Heating Up and Cooling Down

Wedging

Frost Wedging

Salt Wedging

Root Wedging

Chemical Weathering
· Carbonation: This is the process where dissolved carbon dioxide in
rainwater or moisture in the surrounding air forms carbonic acid and reacts
with the minerals in the rock. As the structure of the rock is weakened, it
begins to break apart.

·Hydrolysis: This type of chemical reaction occurs when minerals in the

rock react with hydrogen in rain water.

·Oxidation: A process where water, oxygen and the minerals in the rock
such as calcium and magnesium combine. A reddish-brown iron oxide is
formed when iron reacts with oxygen. The iron-oxide crust crumbles easily
and weakens the rock.

·Solution: When minerals in rocks are dissolved directly into the water.

·Hydration: Minerals in the rock absorb water and expand. This places
stress on the make up of the rock and causes it to begin to disintegrate.

Task 3 Investigate! Here are the directions as shown in the

student text:

In the last lesson you modeled mechanical weathering by breaking up

a “sidewalk” through mock winter weather conditions and a growing
plant. Today you will continue to investigate how chemical and
mechanical weathering work!
As you work through these two investigations, think about what type
of weathering is taking place. in

Investigation #1
 Take one baggie and label it “dry.” Label the other one “wet”.
Place a small amount of steel wool in the dry bag and seal it.
Wet the other piece of steel wool, put it in the other baggie and seal it.
Make a prediction. What do you think will happen?

Let the bags sit for 3 days. Stop the investigation here.
After three days, carefully examine both bags. In the box draw what
you observe. On the T chart below, write your observations in words.
Observations:

Dry Bag Wet Bag

Draw what the steel wool Draw what the steel wool
from the dry bag looks
Examine both bags. In what ways are
fromthey the bag
the wet same/different?
looks like.
like
Dry Bag Wet Bag ommon
Working over a piece of white paper, take the steel wool out of each
bag one at a time. Describe what it looks and feels like.pes of chemical
weathering are oxidation, hydrolysis and carbonation. more susceptible
however, because they have a greater amount of surface area.

Chemical reactions break down the bonds holding the rocks together,
causing them to fall common in locations where there is a lot of water.
This is because water is important to many of the chemical reactions
that can take place. Warmer temperatures are to chemical weathering.
The most common types are oxidation, hydrolysis and carbonation.
Describe what the steel Describe what the steel
Dry Bag
wool from the dry bag wool from the wet bag
Wet Bag
looks like. The steel wool looks like. The steel wool is
looks exactly the same ** brittle, rusty, falling apart, it feels
sharp between your fingers. What has fallen off
Gently roll each piece of steel wool
of the steel wool?
Dry Steel Wool _ Nothing has fallen off, some small pieces or flakes of the dry
steel wool __________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Wet Steel Wool_ The wet steel wool will fall apart as soon as you start to
touch it. Rusty color will be on hands. Heavy metallic smell
___________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Are they different? _ Yes. Wet steel wool has changed, dry stayed the same

What caused the changes in the wet steel wool? _ A chemical reaction
between steel wool, water, and air

What type of weathering is this? _ Chemical _______________________________

_________________________________________________________

Draw a conclusion about the interaction between the steel wool, water, and
air inside the bag. When water, oxygen and steel
are present together, a form of chemical weathering called oxidation takes
place. This combination begins to rust or break down the chemical make up
of the steel.

Explain how this type of weathering could happen to a rock. If a rock

contained a large amount of iron, then when it rained the oxidation would
begin between the iron in the rock, water, and oxygen.

Task 4 Investigation #2

Sugar cubes and gravel.

What does the sugar cube look

like?________
 __ Sugar cube is a 3-D cube, white,
_________________________________

___________________________________

1. Put the sugar cubes in a jar.

Draw a picture of the
sugar cube 2. Put the lid on and shake 10 times.

3. Pour the contents out on a piece of paper, separating the smaller

pieces from the larger pieces.

Questions:

How have the sugar cubes changed in appearance?

_ Some of the sugar cubes have broken into smaller pieces, some into
crumbs __________________________________________________

Are the changes caused by physical or chemical weathering? (HINT: did

the sugar change in physical appearance or did the chemical make-up
change?)

_ Physical weathering ___________________________________________________

What evidence do you have to support your answer? _ The cube does not
look like it did when it was originally put in the jar. The physical
appearance has changed. _____________

Return the sugar cubes to the jar, and shake 10 times again.

4. Pour the contents out on a piece of paper, separating the small

sugar grains from the clumps of sugar.

Do the cubes look more worn?___ Yes _____________________________

Are there any whole cubes left?

_ There should not be many whole cubes at all. Each cube should have
broken up into smaller pieces
____________________________________________________
 Return the sugar cubes to the jar, and shake 20 times again.

·Pour the contents out on a piece of paper, separating the crumbs

from the chunks.
Do the cubes look more worn?__ Yes ______________________________

Are there more, less, or about the same amount of crumbs as

before?

__ More crumbs, fewer large pieces

___________________________________________________

Task 5 Wrapping it Up Read this portion of the text with the

student.

Task 6: Thinking Ahead Did you ever wonder what types

of instruments meteorologists use to collect data and predict
the weather?

(symbol for reteaching / extensions) RETEACHING /

EXTENSIONS

This site reviews the different chemical processes on Earth that cause
erosion.

http://library.thinkquest.org/20035/chemical.htm

Week 9, Day 45
TODAY THE STUDENT WILL:

Record local weather information on a calendar or map

and describe changes over a period of time (barometric
pressure, temperature, precipitation, cloud conditions)

Make an observation about the weather describing how

the temperature feels like and what they see

Show the steps taken and the results (Tracking

evaporation results)

Analyze a series of events and/or simple daily or

seasonal cycles

Describe the patterns and infer the next likely

occurrence

Formulate instructions and communicate data in a

manner that allows others to understand and repeat
and investigation or experiment.

Lesson Preparation: none

Key Vocabulary: none

Science Focus Question:

Does weather show a pattern?

Task 1 Getting Ready: The student will reflect on the data taken
daily on three cities. If the student missed a few days of data
collecting, have him use what he has for today’s review. Here are a few
of the tasks in the textbook and sample responses:

The student will make the city he lives in “CITY #1”

The city located to the west is “CITY #2”

The city located to the south is “CITY #3”

The student will first describe the overall weather. Here are a few key
words the student can use when describing weather:

Calm / Warm / Cold / Windy / Hot / Snowy / Rainy / Stormy /

Sunny / Cloudy /
The student will also answer two questions about the data:

How was the weather the same or different in any of the 3

cities?
The student should choose two cities that either had something in
common or something that was very different between the two.

Can you think of any reason the weather would be the same
or different?
The student needs to reflect to the first question. If he focused on how
the cities were similar, then he will tell why they were similar now. If
he focused on how the cities were different, he will write about reasons
why they showed different data.

One reason why two cities would have different weather is that they
may be in two completely different parts of the country and weather
patterns have a common flow across the United States.

Science Focus Question: Ask the following question to the

student:

Does weather always show a pattern?

Task 2 Weather Variables The student will be making some

graphs to show the data he collected. Here are the directions for each
task as shown in the student text:

Temperature/Wind Direction: A line graph is a good way to chart changes

in temperature/wind direction over time.

·Draw and label 3 line graphs for your cities showing Temperature over
Time. Label the x- axis with your dates, the y-axis with degrees F.
·Chart the temperature readings for each day
·Label the wind direction for each day at the same point for the
temperature of each day.
 Cities

#1 #2 #3

This graph does not have the wind direction. It shows the temperature over a
five day period for all three cities.

Sky Conditions: Bar graphs are an easy way to compare data and
illustrate changes over time. Place your data on the bar graph. Here is
what you will need to do:

1. Label the horizontal axis with these sky condition terms:

Sunny Cloudy Clear

2. Label the vertical axis with numbers 1-7 to show the days of the week.

3. Make a key for the three cities you have tracked. Represent each city
by a different color.

Precipitation: Circle graphs are a good way to show parts of a whole.

Use the prepared circle graph to chart the data.

1. Label each graph with the name of your city.

 2. Shade in the number of days with precipitation for each city.

Task 3 Analyze Data The student will now look at the graphs he
just made and fill in a table with some additional data. Making the
graphs first is an important step because the student now has a visual
to refer back to. Here is a look at the chart the student will be filling in:

Temperature

City High Low Average

Temp./Date Temp./Date
Up down
same

Here are some questions the student will answer based on his data:

Sky Conditions and Temperatures

Student answers will vary.

1.Which city had the most sunny days? _______________________

2.Which city had the most cloudy days? _______________________
3.Which city had the most rainy days? ________________________
4.Was there any relationship between the condition of the sky and
temperature?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________
Precipitation: Look at your data. Compare the three cities. Write your
answers in mm.

City ___________________ Most_____ Least_____ Total _____

City ___________________ Most_____ Least_____ Total _____

City ___________________ Most_____ Least_____ Total _____

Task 4 Culminating Activity: The student will make a

prediction of the weather for the three cities based on the data that
was just collected. In the student’s report, he should include:

_____The name of the city

_____ What the sky will look like

_____ Precipitation Type

_____ Any warnings

_____ Suggestions for what someone should do in that weather

Introducing meteorologist___________________ (student’s name)

Based on all the data you have collected and analyzed from the past week,
please make a prediction of what the weather will be like in each of the 3
cities for tomorrow. Support your report based on specific trends you
observed in each city.

(symbol for re-teaching / extensions) RETEACHING /

EXTENSIONS

Here is an extension site providing information about

meteorology:

http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/home.rxml

Week 9 Recap:
subduction zone – a zone, or region, where two tectonic
plates meet and move

Plankton : microscopic algae found in bodies of water

organic : a characteristic of living matter

decomposer: something that breaks down the cells of dead plants or

animals

weathering: any chemical or mechanical process which makes rock

decompose

mechanical weathering: the breaking down of rock because of

natural occurrences, such as storms, water erosion, or wind erosion

Wedge: to squeeze, or force

chemical weathering: the breaking down of rock because of

chemical processes