weather atmosphere

1. 1-2
40-
to 50-minute sessi
ons
E-201
INV E ST IGA
T
ION
ACTIVITY OVERVIEW
Students work together to interpret a weather map and construct a weather report.
Each group then presents a weather report to the class. Students use this information
to forecast the next day’s weather.
KEY CONCEPTS AND PROCESS SKILLS
(with correlation to NSE 5–8 Content Standards)
1. Weather is the outdoor conditions (such as temperature, precipitation, cloud
cover, etc.) at a particular time and place. Weather maps provide visual sum-
maries of some of these conditions. (EarthSci: 2)
2. Global patterns of atmospheric movement influence local weather. (EarthSci: 1)
3. Scientists such as meteorologists, atmospheric scientists, climatologists, and
hydrologists study different aspects of the earth’s weather and atmosphere. Soci-
ety relies on the information provided by such scientists. (History: 1)
KEY VOCABULARY
front (cold, warm)
meteorologist
pressure (high, low)
precipitation
69Forecasting Weather

2. E-202
MATERIALS AND ADVANCE PREPARATION
For the teacher
1 color transparency, “Satellite Image: Clouds over North America”
1 Literacy Transparency 2, “Oral Presentations”
1 Scoring Guide: COMMUNICATION SKILLS (CS)
* 1 overhead projector
For the class
* local weather maps (optional)
For each group of four students
1 set of colored pencils (red, green, blue) (optional)
For each student
1 Student Sheet 69.1, “Summarizing Weather Reports”
1 Student Sheet 69.2, “Map of Iowa”
1 Scoring Guide: COMMUNICATION SKILLS (CS) (optional)
*Not supplied in kit
You may want to supplement the weather maps in the Student Book with local
weather maps. If so, gather daily newspapers or maps from weather websites.Analy-
sis question three asks students to place weather symbols on a map. To facilitate draw-
ing the symbols, consider providing students will colored pencils.
The optional colored pencils are for use with Analysis Question 2.
Masters for Scoring Guides are found in Teacher Resource III: Assessment.
TEACHING SUMMARY
Getting Started
1. Explain how weather maps are compiled from satellite data.
Doing the Activity
2. Students summarize a weather map and write a weather report.
Follow-Up
3. (CS ASSESSMENT) Students present weather reports to the class and evaluate sum-
maries of the week’s weather.
4. Students forecast the weather for September 1.if this works)
Activity 69 • Forecasting Weather

3. E-203
Forecasting Weather • Activity 69
TEACHING SUGGESTIONS
GETTING STARTED
1. Explain how weather maps are compiled
from satellite data..
Display the color transparency, “Satellite Image:
Clouds over North America,” and inform students
that this map was created from satellite data.
Explain that clouds reflect a certain amount of radi-
ation and that certain satellites measure this radia-
tion using an instrument called a radiometer.
Clouds that are closer to the earth’s surface tend to
have warmer temperatures and reflect more radia-
tion. On the color transparency, these clouds can be
seen as areas of white/gray. Clouds higher in the
atmosphere are colder and reflect less radiation.
On the color transparency, these clouds appear as
areas of yellow and blue. Explain that this image is
produced by applying false color to satellite data.
Also note, the map of North America has been
placed into the satellite image for data interpreta-
tion purposes. From such satellite images, meteorol-
ogists can determine cloud height, thickness, and
temperature. They combine this information with
air pressure and temperature data from weather
stations and radar images. A weather map is then
constructed using symbols to represent areas of pre-
cipitation, fronts, and even severe weather events,
such as tornadoes and hurricanes.
Review with the class the symbols and their associ-
ated weather from the table, “Weather Map Sym-
bols,” found in the Student Book. Explain that these
symbols can vary with different media sources, such
as newspapers, television stations, or web sites. The
symbols shown in the table will help students inter-
pret the weather maps shown in the Student Book.
DOING THE ACTIVITY
2. Students summarize a weather map and
write a weather report.
Assign each group a date in August from the eight
maps shown in the figure, “Weather Maps for
August 24–31,” in the Student Book. Students work
in pairs to discuss the weather shown on their
group’s assigned map. Remind students that when
they are asked to describe the state or area in the
United States that is experiencing the weather
shown on the map.
Student pairs then write a weather report summa-
rizing and explaining the weather seen on the
weather map.Their reports should be written in the
present tense, as if they were reporting on TV or
radio. Note that both Procedure Steps 3 and 4 pro-
vide a specific example of how to describe an aspect
of the weather map and report that weather.
After student pairs have completed their reports,
they share their work with the other half of their
group. The group reviews the map together to check
that both pairs have included information on all
major weather elements shown in the map. Then
each group prepares one report to present to the
class. A sample weather report is shown below.
Sample Weather Report for August 24th
Today is August 24, and here are the current weather
conditions. There is a cold front stretching from north-
ern Arizona up through northern Minnesota. This cold
front is causing cooler temperatures in northern Ari-
zona, and parts of northern Colorado, Nebraska, South
Dakota, and Minnesota. In northern Washington, Idaho
and Montana, it is raining, so bring your raincoats and
umbrellas to work. Parts of Texas are experiencing rain,
with some clearing because of a high pressure system. In
Florida, it is raining, with heavy rains along the coast
due to the hurricane that formed over the weekend.
There are clear skys over West Virginia because of a high
pressure system. A cold front is stretching from Michi-
gan up into Canada causing colder temperatures.
FOLLOW-UP
3. (CS ASSESSMENT) Students present weather
reports to the class and evaluate
summaries of the week’s weather.
Students’ presentations can be assessed using the
COMMUNICATION SKILLS (CS) Scoring Guide. If you plan
to assess student presentations, you may want to
review the expectations for oral communication
described on Literacy Transparency 2, “Oral Presen-
tations.”

4. E-204
Activity 69 • Forecasting Weather
Hand out Student Sheet 69.1, “Summarizing
Weather Reports.” Students should read the state-
ments on the sheet before they listen to all of the
groups’ weather reports. These statements act as a
listening strategy that helps students focus on the
eight weather reports. You can have them respond
to the statements either after each group has pre-
sented its report or after all of the reports have been
presented. Have groups present their reports in
chronological order. Encourage students to take
notes or jot down information as they listen, which
will help them in answering the questions. Be sure
to review students’ responses after all group repre-
sentatives have completed their presentations.
4. Students forecast the weather for
September 1.
Students will use the weather reports to forecast the
weather on September 1 for Cleveland, Ohio. To
make their forecasts, students should look at the
weather that is to the west of Cleveland on August
31. A sample student forecast is provided below.
Sample Student Weather Forecast for Cleveland,
Ohio for September 1
For September 1, weather in Cleveland will be rainy as a
cold front and low pressure system move through. As the
cold front goes by, temperatures will drop. The low-pres-
sure system may continue to cause more precipitation.
Be sure to take your umbrella with you tomorrow.
Analysis Question 3 asks students to construct a key,
and draw weather symbols on a map of Iowa based
on given weather conditions. Provide colored pen-
cils (green, red, and blue) to assist students with
this question.
Sample Response to Student Sheet 69.1, “Summarizing Weather Reports”
T F 1. There was precipitation in some part of the U.S. every day from August 24 to 31.
Each map contains areas of green, which represents precipitation.
T F 2. The hurricane that developed on August 24 reached Texas.
The hurricane did not reach Texas.
T F 3. Weather moves from west to east across the United States.
This pattern can be documented by comparing the position of the cold front stretching across
the middle of the United States on August 24 to its subsequent position on August 25 through
August 31 as it moves from west to east. Note: This same pattern can be observed by comparing
the position of some of the pressure systems and fronts, but it is not always apparent with pre-
cipitation, since areas of precipitation can dissipate and arise and do not span the entire
United States from west to east.
T F 4. Areas of low pressure can only be found along the coasts.
Areas of low pressure can occur anywhere in the United States.
T F 5. On August 27, tornadoes developed on the west coast of the United States.
On August 27, there was a tornado warning in the central United States.

5. E-205
Forecasting Weather • Activity 69
SUGGESTED ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
1. a. Based on the patterns you observed in
the maps in Figure 2, in what direction
does weather generally travel across the United
States?
In general, weather moves from west to east
across the United States due to the motion of
the winds blowing from the west. This is the
global wind pattern that prevails at latitudes
30°–60° North.
b. Think back to your work in the last activity. In
what direction does the prevailing wind move
across the United States?
From southwest to northeast (west to east).
c. How does the movement of the atmosphere glob-
ally affect weather locally?
Weather systems can move from one area to
another. Global winds can help drive this
movement. So weather that seems like it only
exists in one area may have traveled from
another area. In the United States, this
means that the weather west of a particular
location is likely to travel east and occur
locally.
2. Below is weather data collected for Iowa on Septem-
ber 15. Your teacher will give you Student Sheet 69.2,
“Map of Iowa.” Use the information provided and
your knowledge of weather maps to place the appro-
priate weather symbols on Student Sheet 69.2. Be
sure to construct a key for your map.
• Warm front extending from Lincoln, Nebraska
northeast to Mason City, Iowa
• Rain all along the warm front
• Low-pressure system in and around Des Moines,
Iowa
Correct answer for Analysis Question 2 using
Student Sheet 69.2, “Map of Iowa”
3. Reflection: People often complain about the
unreliability of weather forecasts. Why do you think
meteorologists are sometimes wrong about what the
weather will be like?
While answers will vary, students may be more
likely to have observed that the movement of
weather systems is difficult to predict. In some
cases, weather systems dissipate before they
arrive at a particular place or they may form
unexpectedly. In other cases, weather systems
may not move as predicted. Overall, weather is
hard to predict because its occurrence is based
on many variables that are constantly chang-
ing.
2562 LabAids SEPUP Issues Earth Sci TG
Figure: EaTG 69.02Analysis/Answer
LegacySansMedium 10/11.5
L
Lincoln
Cedar Rapids
Davenport
Council Bluffs
Dubuque
Sioux City
Mason City
Des Moines
ILLINOIS
MINNESOTA
MISSOURINEBRASKA
S. D.
WISCONSIN
IOWA
Precipitation (green)
Warm front (red)
Low pressure (red)L
L

6. Name Date
Issues and Earth Science • Student Sheet 69.1
Summarizing Weather Reports
©2006TheRegentsoftheUniversityofCalifornia
E-207
Listen to the weather reports presented by the different groups. As you listen,
decide if each of the following statements is true (T) or false (F). Circle your
response. Use the space below each statement to explain your response.
T F 1. There was precipitation in some part of the United States
every day from August 24 to 31.
T F 2. The hurricane that developed on August 29 reached the
state of Texas.
T F 3. Weather moves from west to east across the United States.
T F 4. Areas of low pressure can only be found along the coasts.
T F 5. On August 27, tornadoes developed on the west coast of the
United States.

7. Name Date
©2006TheRegentsoftheUniversityofCalifornia
E-209Issues and Earth Science • Student Sheet 69.2
Map of Iowa
Lincoln
CedarRapids
Davenport
CouncilBluffs
Dubuque
SiouxCity
MasonCity
DesMoines
ILLINOIS
MINNESOTA
MISSOURINEBRASKA
SOUTH
DAKOTA
WISCONSIN
IOWA
2562LabAidsSEPUPIssuesEarthSciTG
Figure:EaTG69.01SS
LegacySansMedium10/11.5