Lesson Plan: Weather Fronts Standards: E.ES.M.

7 Weather and Climate- Global patterns of atmospheric and oceanic movement influence weather and climate. E.ES.07.74 Describe weather conditions associated with frontal boundaries (cold, warm, stationary, and occluded) and the movement of major air masses and the jet stream across North America using a weather map. Objectives: Students will be able to identify fronts on a weather map. Students will be able to identify symbols used for warm and cold fronts. Students will be able to identify the direction the front is moving. Students will be able to describe the weather that follows a front. Students will be able to describe what the weather will be like in Michigan after front Day 1 Engage: Ask: Have you ever heard your local weather forecaster talk about weather fronts? Show a clip of a weather forecaster describing a large weather front moving in o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8rB5PHEV0M&feature=relmfu 0:53-1:05 Show map of weather fronts o Students can see exact example of what a weather map looks like with fronts present Review: o Which type of air is most dense, warm air or cold air? Explain: Read page 63 in textbook Worksheet (Used to fill in symbols and definitions as an entire class) o Symbols for fronts Cold: Triangles Warm: Semi-circles o Definitions: Cold Front: When a cold air mass meets a warm air mass, the denser ______(colder) air slides under the lighter ________(warmer) air. Cold fronts move fast. The temperature becomes _______ (lower) and violent thunderstorms can follow. In the winter, a cold front can cause a ________ (blizzard). In the summer it can cause a __________ (thunderstorm). Differences between cold front in winter and summer o Winter: No school because lots of snow o Summer: Cant go outside because thunderstorm and heavy rain

Differences in strength: Not all cold fronts bring very bad weather Warm Front: A moving, warm air mass meets a cold air mass. The warm air is less ______ (dense), so it rises above the ________ (cold) air. The temperature becomes _________ (higher) and slow, long rain can follow. Direction of movement related to where they are pointing Cold: south and east Warm: north and east o Review: Visual animation http://www.phschool.com/atschool/phsciexp/active_art/weather_fr onts/ Use this in describing definitions so students and teacher can draw diagrams in boxes on worksheet Exit Quiz containing two questions 1. Sheet 1: a. Strong violent thunderstorms usually follow which type of weather front? b. Symbol of warm front 2. Sheet 2 a. Slow, long rain usually follows which type of weather front? b. Symbol of cold front

Day 2 Elaborate/Exploration: Show multiple weather maps and have students determine the kind of fronts o Three Goals (Directions on PowerPoint during exercise) Students will be able to locate the fronts present Students will be able to locate the closest front to Ann Arbor and determine if the front is moving towards or away from Ann Arbor Students will be able to describe the weather that is approaching Ann Arbor o Students will do a pairing exercise and switch partners going around the room Each student becomes an expert, then student on right moves to different places and discusses the map, then students on the left will move 20 different maps Finish last page of worksheet with questions o Will not be given as homework if not completed Give the Post-Test Day 3 Extension Group: Give them a weather map and they have to be a weather forecaster for a specific city and tell the group what the weather is going to be like in that city

o Put map up based on PowerPoint presentation Split students into groups of two or three and give them a series of weather maps o Students must determine the chronological order of the maps o Give blank map and students must color in what the next days weather will look like o Rubric +1 for containing correct weather front with symbols +1 for correct prediction of weather front location What can occur when fronts occur? (Already discussed but will be good review to unit question about why vortexes form) o Tornado Alley Location on a map o Cold dry air from the North and warm moist air from South

Remedial Group: Debrief of Test in small group Options depending on student incorrect answers o Demonstration: Weather front lab (PDF) Cooking oil and water meeting at a barrier Use food coloring to differentiate between the two air masses Help the students realize what happens when warm and cold air combine at a front o Review the symbols Cold are triangles: look like icicles Warm are semi-circles: look like half suns o More worksheet problems Provide extra examples and work through examples that are similar to post-test assessment Split students into groups of two or three and give them a series of weather maps o Students must determine the chronological order of the maps o Give blank map and students must color in what the next days weather will look like o Rubric +1 for containing correct weather front with symbols +1 for correct prediction of weather front location Give Post-Test again with different ordering of questions Evaluate: Pre- and Post-Test Blank Map of United States with Rubric Points Worksheet filled out together Exit Quiz