localmet3

Weather...or...Weather Not?

Local Meteorologists

Your Task:

Your class has been divided into teams each with a different responsibility to reach the final goal. Your task is to gather, analyze and display local meteorological data. How you do this is your choice. But working as a collaborative group will save you time and make your part of the project richer.

                    All good researchers keep journals or logs of what they do and find out. You are a
                    good researcher and your journal will be a useful tool for you when you begin to
                    finalize your plan and when you are sharing with the class at the end of each
                    period. Be sure to record:

What were your research questions?
What data or information did you collect?
What other data or information did you use?
What other resources did you use?
What did you find out?
What other questions do you have?

You will also need to assess your work by completing your online Science Journal at the end of the week and by using the Rubrics for the Local Meteorologists and the Group Work Rubric to assess your work during the week.

Making weather observations is necessary to making good forecasts. Together with team members make a list of weather elements that you think should be on your weather broadcast. Watch several different weather broadcasts on television or other media such as the newspaper and list what elements they report on. Come back together and decide what elements you need to include in your broadcast. Important things to consider are:

Do you have the instruments?
Can you make the instruments you do not have?
Can you read the instruments?

You must also decide how you will present this information to the Online
Meteorologists so your classmates and the community will understand.

Resources:

Go to http://www.usatoday.com/weather/wmeasur0.htm to see what instruments meteorologists use to measure weather and to learn how these instruments work.

Check with your teacher about the school weather station and list which instruments you have and which you need to make. If you need to make any instruments go to: http://www.fi.edu/weather/todo/todo.htm

Meteorologists study the weather by recording and analyzing data. You can become an amateur meteorologist by keeping a record of your measurements. Collect and record your data at about the same time every day. This link http://www.fi.edu/weather/todo/journal.html will get you started on your journal. You may need to add other observations.

With parental permission, you may sign up to be a member of the Storm Chasers Kids Club. You'll get periodic updates from the Storm Team, as well as WIS E-Casts straight to your e-mail! See your teacher for permission slips. Log on to Storm Chasers Kids Club for more information http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=105952&nav=0RaN2Lzw2Lzx

This site will give you information on forecasting using clouds, wind and your senses
http://weathereye.kgan.com/cadet/forecast/figgerbottom.html. After you read the information, try giving the forecast! This is similar to what you will be doing for your broadcast.

http://www.wildwildweather.com/ is another site that has really good stuff about wind, precipitation, forecasting, lightening, temperature, humidity, satellites, hurricanes, radar, tornadoes, clouds and climate. Take the weather quizzes while you are there!

Do you have a term that you do not understand? This site will help. http://www.weather.com/glossary/a.html

Are you looking at a weather map and don't know what the symbols mean? Go to: http://grads.iges.org/pix/symbols.html

If you want data from the National Weather Service office in Columbia, SC go to: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/er/cae/

Do you want to ask an expert how they make a forecast? E-mail btanner@wistv.com

Another expert who may answer your questions is Jack Williams of USA Today. Go to http://www.usatoday.com/weather/askjack/sendquest.htm

Dan Satterfield, the Chief Meteorologist for WHNT-TV in Huntsville, Alabama, also will answer questions. Contact Dan at askdan@wildwildweather.com

The Weather Project
Home Page

Rubrics

Weekly Science Journal

Credits:
Images from http://www.awesomeclipartforkids.com

Created for the Fermilab LInC program sponsored by Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory Education Office and Friends of Fermilab, and
funded by United States Department of Energy, Illinois State Board of Education, North Central Regional Technology in Education Consortium which is operated by North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL), and the National Science Foundation.

Author(s): Wanda McMichael, Linda Payne, Emmie Thirlwell
School: Sheridan Elementary, Orangeburg Consolidated School District #5, Bamberg-Calhoun-Orangeburg Math/Science Hub
Created: March 4, 2001 - Updated: April 18, 2001
URL: /lincon/w01/projects/weather/revlocalmet.html