6th-7th Grade

Associated Videos:

Air Pressure and Weather

Bill Nye full episode on Atmosphere

Weather and High/Low Pressure

Air Fronts (will help students understand what they see during weather forecasts from news networks)

Weather Lesson 1

This lesson can be downloaded here

Overview

What goes up, must come down. Precipitation is the most commonly seen aspect of the hydrologic cycle. Students will learn how the water cycle works using 3-D paper craft activity. The students will see a demonstration the concept of precipitation.

TOTAL TIME 30 minutes
SUPPLIES Mayonnaise size glass jar, Resealable sandwich bag, Ice cubes, Hot water
PRINTED/AV MATERIAL None
TEACHER PREPARATION None
SAFETY FOCUS Flash Flood Safety

Procedure

    1. Add about two inches (5 cm) of hot water to the mayonnaise jar.
    2. Add the ice cubes to the sandwich bag and seal it.
    3. Place the sandwich bag over the mouth of the jar, allowing one end of the bag to form a tip inside of the jar. This will allow the condensed water to collect at one location.
    4. After a few minutes, the water (rain) will begin to drip from the sandwich bag, returning to the water.

Discussion

Water vapor will rise from the hot water and come into contact with the bag filled with ice. The ice will cause the water to condense forming drops which will drop back into the water.

Despite the sometimes excessive rainfall that occurs, only about 0.3% of all water on the earth is found in the atmosphere. And only a small fraction of that is seen as rain. Most of the water in the atmosphere is in the gas state called water vapor

So while the hydrologic cycle is essential for life due to the water it brings, the vast amount of water in the cycle is found in the oceans, lakes, and groundwater.

Live Weatherwise

    • If a flash flood warning is issued, get to higher ground immediately! Follow evacuation instructions, but don’t wait for them if you think you are in danger.
    • Do not drive across flooded roads or bridges-they may be washed out.
    • If your vehicle stalls in water, abandon it and get to higher ground. It takes only a foot or two of rapidly-moving water to sweep away a car.
    • Walking or playing around flood waters is dangerous; you can be knocked off your feet in water only six inches deep!

Weather activity (Weather station activity)

Have students record temperature, humidity, and pressure on a sunny day. Have students record the same three parameters on a day where it looks like it may rain. Students should be able to notice a lower pressure, temperature, (what will happen to humidity?) during the bad weather.