Weather Watch Activities

Activities for Divisions I to IV:
Activity 1 | Activity 2 | Activity 3 | Activity 4

Introduction:
Knowledge of weather is a useful life skill that everyone can engage in with very little equipment. Weather is critical to the success of the Everest 2000 team and will play a key role in many of the decisions made during the expedition.

In Phase 3, students will learn how to gather and interpret weather data. Activities One and Two are designed to get students started collecting weather information, while Activities Three and Four focus on cloud cover and identifying specific types of clouds.

In Phase 4, the Everest 2000 Education Team will be collecting weather data at the same time as students are collecting and analyzing information on local weather conditions.

Web Links GLOBE Environment Canada Weather @ cbc.ca Weather Gone Wild The Weather Channel UK Weather

Teachers may wish to begin this theme by joining the GLOBE program. Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) is a worldwide network of students, teachers, and scientists working together to study and understand the global environment.

Students and teachers from over 8,000 schools in more than 85 countries are working with research scientists to learn more about our planet.

GLOBE students make environmental observations at or near their school. These students use the Internet to send data to scientists who enrich science programs by using GLOBE data in research and by providing feedback to the students. Images, based on GLOBE student data are displayed on the World Wide Web, enabling students and other visitors to visualize the student environmental observations. The Internet address for GLOBE is http://www.globe.gov/

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Activity #1 - Design and Create A Weather Station

Introduction:
Schools involved in the GLOBE program will have the materials available to establish their own weather station and will have an understanding of the protocols used in this program. Schools not involved in this program are encouraged to design and create their own instruments to record weather data.

Procedure:
1. Use electronic sources of information and/or print resources in your classroom or library to find out how to build each weather instrument. You may wish to start with Making Simple Weather Instruments from Australia's Schools on the Web site.

2. Use your research to design and create instruments that will measure:

• air temperature (thermometer)
• precipitation (rain gauge and/or snow board)
• wind speed and direction (anemometer)
• air pressure (barometer)

3. Make a data collection sheet in your notebook similar to the one shown below. (You will be adding two more columns in Activity #3)

4. Practice collecting and recording weather data on a daily basis.

Daily Weather Data Collection

Discussion:
1. Explain how each piece of equipment works and the data that it collects.

2. Why is it very important for the Everest 2000 expedition to know what the weather is going to be like well ahead of time?

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Activity #2 - Locating and Protecting an Atmospheric Study Site

Introduction:
This activity is to determine the location for the Atmospheric Study Site. It is suggested that students build an Instrument Shelter for the thermometer, as the actual air temperature in an area can be affected by direct sunlight, wind and moisture. Remember, once you have established your Atmospheric Study Site for this project, your school can make use of it throughout the year.

Helpful Hints for seeking the most appropriate Atmospheric Study Site:

1. The best place for the Instrument Shelter, with attached and contained instruments including the rain gauge, thermometers, and snow-board (if appropriate to the region's climate at this time), is a flat open area with a natural surface.

2. If possible, avoid concrete, asphalt, sand, or roof tops. These surfaces get much hotter than a grassy surface and will affect temperature readings.

3. Do not place instruments in hollows or on steep slopes unless they are representative of the natural surrounding area.

4. Do not place the rain gauge and Instrument Shelter close to buildings, trees or high bushes. Close objects will block airflow to the thermometers, and will affect the amount of rain that gets collected.

It is suggested that you place the instruments as far away from these objects as you can. In fact, the suggested ideal distance at which to place the instruments is four times the height of the nearest object.

5. The rain gauge can be attached on the same post as the Instrument Shelter. Place it high on the pole, above the Instrument Shelter so that it doesn't block the rain from the gauge.

Procedure:
1. Use electronic sources of information and/or print resources in your classroom or library to find out how to build an Instrument Shelter to protect your weather instruments.

2. Construct the Instrument Shelter according to the instructions.

3. Use the hints provided in this activity to find a suitable location for your Instrument Shelter.

4. Have fun selecting and setting up your Atmospheric Study Site.

5. Start collecting your own weather data.

Discussion:
1. What do you know about the relationship between the different types of weather data that you are going to collect? For example, does the amount of cloud cover relate to the amount of precipitation? Or, does the temperature affect cloud type? Is there a relationship between cloud cover and wind?

2. If at all possible, ask a meteorologist to speak to your class about forecasting the weather.

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Activity #3 - Measuring Cloud Cover

Introduction:
How can we make decisions about the weather based on cloud cover? Cloud cover, in combination with cloud type, provides valuable information to make predictions about the upcoming amount and type of precipitation. (See Weather Background Information)

This activity is designed to help students develop their skill in estimating the amount of cloud cover.

Whenever students are taking your cloud-cover measurements, try to ensure that they are made at the same location and at the same time of day - if at all possible.

Procedure:
1. Expand the data collection chart to include cloud cover and types of clouds present.

2. Go to the library and locate a local newspaper weather report or use an Internet weather site for your community (or one near your community). Locate the terms forecasters use to describe the amount of cloud cover.

3. Cloud cover tells us a great deal about the kind of weather we are going to have. Scientists all agree on certain names for certain amounts of cloud cover.

There are four main categories to describe the cloud cover:
Clear - there are no clouds, or almost no clouds
Scattered Clouds - up to half of the sky is covered by clouds
Broken Clouds - over half of the sky is covered by clouds
Overcast - the whole sky or almost the whole sky is covered in clouds

4. Before you go outside, determine the terms you will use to describe how much of the sky the clouds are covering that day. Make a list of the types of descriptions you will be using to record the cloud cover. For example, terms might include very little, a whole bunch, almost the whole sky, there are no clouds.

5. Now go outside. Look at the sky from horizon to horizon and record the amount of cloud cover in your own terms.

6. Use a chart to compare your descriptions of cloud cover to that of the official weather forecast.

7. Which terms did the meteorologist or weather reporter use to describe the cloud cover in the report?

8. Record your observations in your modified data chart. You will use this information, as well as the other data you gather, to compare your local weather conditions to those on Mt. Everest, as experienced by the Everest 2000 team.

This information will give you the background to make predictions and 'advise' the Everest team about whether they should continue climbing on a particular day, as well as how they should consider dressing at any given time. See Phase IV for this portion of the activities.

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Activity #4 - Identifying Clouds

Introduction:
Different clouds are associated with different types of precipitation or indicate the approach of different weather patterns. For example, a cumulonimbus cloud is associated with a heavy downpour (thunderstorm), while a stratus cloud would indicate slow, steady precipitation. (See Weather Background Information)

High cirrus clouds usually indicate the arrival of a warm front while scattered cumulus clouds are normally associated with warm and dry weather conditions.

In this activity, students will practice identifying different cloud types and the weather associated with their appearance.

Materials:

• A cloud chart per group of students
• a copy of the Cloud Descriptions found in Background Information (Cloud descriptions)
• color print-out of the cloud pictures found at Environment Canada's Cloud Guide
  For longevity, it may be useful to laminate these charts since they will be used repeatedly.

Procedure:
1. Review clouds in the Background Information. (Cloud descriptions)

2. If at all possible, go outside of your school and study the clouds. The reason you are studying them is to describe and record their shape, height in the sky, and color.

3. Look at the overall shape of the cloud. Use the following questions as a guide:

• Is it wispy or does the cloud have defined edges?
  
• Is the consistency full and dense or is the cloud thin and spread out?
  
• Is the cloud tall or flat?
  
• Does the cloud have a rounded overall shape or does it have an irregular shape?
  
• Do the clouds appear to be relatively low or are they higher?
  
• If there are mountains in your areas, how do the clouds compare to the height of the mountain?

4. Use a cloud chart to determine which picture best matches the clouds outside today. It is okay to guess what clouds are present in the sky as it is not always easy to identify them.

5. Return to your classroom and review the characteristics of the specific kind of cloud you have identified. Does your guess match the actual description of the cloud?

6. Use the print or electronic resources to identify the type of weather associated with each type of cloud you describe during this study.

Discussion:
1. What types of clouds indicate an approaching storm?

2. Why is it important for Byron and the other Everest 2000 team members to keep a very close watch on the clouds?

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