Curriculum

How Do Weather And Climate Affect Our Lives?

How Do Weather And Climate Affect Our Lives?

This module is currently being field tested and is not available for purchase.

How Do Weather and Climate Affect Our Lives? is part of Smithsonian Science for the Classroom, a curriculum series by the Smithsonian Science Education Center. It is designed to address a bundle of third grade earth and space science and engineering standards. In this module, students:

  • Test two anemometers in order to identify failure points and determine which one would be best to measure wind speed.
  • Analyze and interpret weather data to identify patterns to predict when the weather will be good to fly a kite.
  • Use patterns in past weather data as well as information about the climate of an area to support an argument about whether a location could have snow on July 15.
  • Design, build, and test a roof in order to recommend roof structures that will reduce the risk of damage from a hurricane.
  • Analyze patterns in past weather data to support an argument about the best time and location to host a soccer tournament

Below are digital resources that support teaching of this module.

Lesson 1: When Will Our Kites Take Flight?

Family Letter

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Before starting How Do Weather and Climate Affect Our Lives?, share the Family Letter with students’ caregivers. Indicate how they should submit responses to the letter.

 

Day 1 Kite Flying (1:33 minutes)

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This video shows students from Mr. Lee’s class flying their kite on the first day.

 

Day 2 Kite Flying (0:33 minutes)

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This video shows students from Mr. Lee’s class flying their kite on the second day.

 

Anemometers (0:50 minutes)

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This video shows four different anemometers.

 

Kite Template

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This file is a template for making a kite. Print it on 11 x 17 inch paper.

 

How to Make a Kite

https://www.nps.gov/media/video/view.htm?id=25670953-C837-CCC0-4ECA07BD911BB455

This National Park Service link provides video directions to make a kite.

 

Lesson 2: Test Our Anemometer

Anemometer Testing

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This file provides directions for the anemometer test.

 

Lesson 3: Meet a Meteorologist

Weather Station (0:08 minutes)

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This video shows a weather station.

 

Rain Gauge

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This file shows a rain gauge.

 

Weather Balloon (0:17 minutes)

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This video shows a weather balloon launch.

 

Live Doppler Radar Map

https://www.weatherbug.com/

Click on “Live Radar.” If there is no precipitation in the zoomed region surrounding the school, zoom out. The color key at the top of the screen shows colors that represent rain, mixed rain and snow, and snow. Clicking on the (play button) shows radar over the past hour.

https://weather.com/

Navigate to the “Radar” tab to find the radar map. If there is no precipitation in the zoomed region surrounding the school, zoom out. The color key at the top of the screen shows colors that represent light and heavy rain, mixed rain and snow, and snow. Clicking on the (play button) shows radar over the past 2 hours.

 

Live Satellite Map

https://www.weatherbug.com/

Click on “Live Radar.” Under “Weather Overlay,” choose “Satellite.” Clicking on the (play button) shows satellite images over the past 12 hours.

https://www.weather.gov/satellite

Choose the correct region from the left side menu. Choose “Animation Loop” under the “GeoColor” menu. Set the “Loop:” to 24 to view satellite images over the past 2 hours.

 

Lesson 4: Be a Meteorologist

Wind Speed at 12:30 p.m.

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This weather map shows combined data from satellite, radar, and wind speed at 12:30 p.m. on the day students were not able to fly their kites.

 

Wind Speed Ranges

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This file shows ranges of wind speeds that students can use to sort their data into high and low wind speed categories.

 

Lesson 5: Pen Pal Mystery

Pen Pal Playing Outside

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This file shows a photograph from a pen pal.

 

Weather Words

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This file gives students simple words to use to describe different climates.

 

Past Weather

https://www.wunderground.com/

This website gives past weather data for different locations in the US. Type the location of your school in the search field. Select the History tab and then select Daily to view high and low temperatures for July 15 of past years.

 

Lesson 6: World Climates

Pen Pals Letters Map

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This file shows the location of five of Mrs. Reyes’s Pen Pals.

 

Climate Zone Map

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This image is a simplified version of the Köppen map, showing five climate zones.

 

Lesson 7: North and South

Map with Matching Cities

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This image shows the cities on the Matching City cards on a simplified version of the Köppen map.

 

Lesson 8: Where Can It Snow in July?

Past Temperatures on July 15

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This file shows the past temperatures on July 15 for Ushuaia, Argentina; Stanley, Falkland Islands; Nanortalik, Greenland; and Queenstown, New Zealand.

 

Past Weather on July 15

Wunderground.com

Weatherspark.com

Climate-data.org

These links can be used to find the past weather on July 15 for other locations that students might want to investigate.

 

Pen Pal Poster Directions

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This file shows the requirements for the Pen Pal Poster.

 

Evidence for Pen Pal Claim

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This file shows the evidence that students should use to support their pen pal claim.

 

Lesson 9: Hazardous Weather

Gueydan Map

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This file shows the location of Gueydan, Louisiana.

 

Gueydan Weather (0:13 minutes)

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This video shows weather in Gueydan, Louisiana, on October 9, 2020.

 

Gueydan Climate Zone

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This file shows the location of Gueydan, Louisiana, and the climate zone of Gueydan, Louisiana.

 

Gueydan and Hurricane Map

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This file shows the location of Gueydan, Louisiana, and common locations of hurricanes.

 

Newnan, Georgia Storm Damage

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This video shows damage from a tornado in 2021 in Newnan, Georgia.

 

Lesson 10: Roof Research and Design

Roof Design Collaboration

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This file can be used as a tool to help groups collaborate about and use evidence to inform their roof design.

 

Lesson 11: Build a Roof

Roof Design

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This file has questions for students to consider about their roof design.

 

Lesson 12: Test a Roof

Wind Test

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This file provides directions for the wind test.

 

Roof Recommendations

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This file provides guidance for what students should consider when they make their roof recommendation.

 

Lesson 13: Kids Cup Part 1

Kids Cup Cities

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This is the list of cities that have submitted a bid to host the Kids Cup.

 

Map with Kids Cup Cities

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This image shows the possible cities for the Kids Cup on a simplified version of the Köppen map.

 

Lesson 14: Kids Cup Part 2

Kids Cup Recommendation Poster

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This file shows the requirements for the Kids Cups Poster.

Kit Tips & Tricks