One science topic that always gets upper elementary students excited is weather. Weather is something students experience every day so it is easy for them to relate to. Students are empowered by learning how to predict the weather through their weather lessons. It enables them to pick their own clothes and helps them prepare for the day.
One of the Virginia Science Standards of Learning (SOLs) is all about weather. Some of the topics students explore include:
- the difference between weather and climate
- cloud types and the weather associated with each
- the types of weather associated with high and low pressure air masses
- weather instruments used to collect and record weather data
- the effects of extreme weather events
In this blog post, you’ll discover some of the best experiments and activities to incorporate into your weather lesson plans!
Research Weather vs. Climate
Up until this point, students have probably thought weather and climate are the same thing. One of the best ways to teach them to differentiate between the two is with a simple research activity.
Direct students to research the current weather conditions for their city. Then, direct them to research the climate of their city. Discuss how they are similar and different.
Research is not always fun for students. But, having them research something familiar (such as the place where they live) is a way to make a research project more engaging.
Model Cloud Types
Hands-on activities are the best way to make science stick. For your upper elementary weather lessons, you have to include a cloud modeling project.
The best way to model the different cloud types is by manipulating cotton balls and gluing them to construction paper.
Track Cloud Conditions
After students have identified and modeled cloud types, it’s time for them to put their meteorologist caps on and start making weather predictions.
At the beginning of my weather lessons, I have students assemble a weather cloud book. At the start of each day, they observe the clouds and make predictions about the weather. Then, at the end of the day, we review their predictions from the morning and discuss whether their predictions were correct.
Experiment with Air Pressure
Understanding air pressure is one of the more challenging weather lessons for students because they can’t see air. Whereas they can directly observe the cloud types and forms of precipitation, they can’t visualize air pressure systems.
But, there is a way to illustrate the difference between high and low pressure. All you need is a balloon, an empty 2-liter bottle, and boiling water.
To model high and low pressure:
- Stretch a balloon over the opening of an empty 2-liter bottle.
- Place the bottom 1/3 of the bottle into hot, boiling water for a few minutes. The balloon should inflate.
- Remove the bottle from the water and allow it to sit at room temperature for a few minutes. The balloon should deflate.
Explain that this reaction occurs because warm air is less dense than cool air, causing the warm air to rise.
Become a Meteorologist
I always end my weather lesson plans with a fun meteorology project.
For this project, students take on the job of meteorologist for a city of their choice and research the weather for that city. With the data they collect, they should create a weather map and record a short video that forecasts the weather for the region.
Not only is this a fun project for students to create. But, it is also fun for students to watch each other’s videos and learn about the weather in cities around the world.
Weather Review Games
Every science unit should end with fun review games to help students practice what they have learned. I have listed the review activities I use with my weather lessons below.
Jeopardy Game
A Jeopardy game is always a fun way for students to review information, whether at the end of a unit or before science SOL testing at the end of the school year. Students can play a digital, self-checking Jeopardy game independently, against a partner, or as teams.
My Weather Jeopardy game features five categories, totaling 25 questions. The presentation is coded so that students can easily navigate between the category board, questions, and answers. They can also type points into a scoreboard, even when in presentation mode. The resource comes with two versions—one for PowerPoint and one for Google Slides.
The following video is a short tutorial that shows how my science Jeopardy games work.
Escape Room
I’ve shared a lot about classroom escape rooms here on this blog. Classroom escape rooms get students up and moving, incorporate critical thinking skills, and always get students excited about learning.
In my Weather Escape Room, students find themselves trapped! The only way to escape is for students to successfully complete six challenges that require them to use critical thinking skills as they review science concepts.
Some of the activities included involve:
- using coordinates to review vocabulary and solve riddles
- analyzing graphs with information about temperature and precipitation to answer questions and create a code
- decoding information about cloud types and weather measurement tools
- finding science terms to complete sentences
- identifying true statements about weather
- solving math problems to create a code
Task Cards
Task cards are my all-time favorite review activity for any subject! I love that they are no-prep, can model the types of questions students will see on the science SOL test, and can be used to play a variety of different games.
My Weather Task Cards come with 28 task cards that help students review every part of the weather SOL. The task cards are presented in PDF format to use as a scoot activity or game in the classroom and in a self-checking, digital format that can even be used as an assessment.
Weather Test Prep
After you have taught all your weather lessons and played review games, it’s time to take a summative test.
Remember to send home a study guide so that students can continue reviewing on their own before testing. My Weather Study Guide defines terms, provides visual aids, and explains important concepts related to the science SOL. It also comes with two pages of review questions.
Often, I hear parents don’t help their students study at home because they don’t understand the science concepts. My study guide breaks the SOL down into small, easy-to-understand pieces and provides a list of comprehension questions with answers that parents can ask.
Conclusion
I hope you found lots of exciting ideas and activities in this post for teaching your weather lessons!
If you’re looking to save time with low-prep, pre-made lessons and activities that are aligned to the weather SOL, you can find the following resources in my store:
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