Weather and Climate: Ages 10-12

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Weather and Climate Upper Primary Foreword Written by Roslyn Kay and Wendy Harris Weather affects us in all aspects of our life. It is important to have a good understanding of the different elements of weather and how they affect our environment. This package provides a variety of activities that investigate weather in a creative and enjoyable manner. The contents link in well to a variety of curriculum areas including science, social studies and mathematics.

A glossary is included to assist with the development of relevant language. Words found throughout the activities in bold text can be located in the glossary.

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C.Publ i cat i ons •f orr evi ewContents pur posesonl y• Glossary ................................................... ii-iv Weather Stations ........................................... 20 Weathering the Wind Worldwide .............. 21 The Weather's Looking Average ................ 22 Lowest and Highest Temperatures ............ 23 Lowest and Highest Rainfall........................ 24 Winds around the World .............................. 25 Measuring the Weather ............................... 26 The Greenhouse Effect ................................. 27 The Water Cycle ............................................ 28 Weather Recording Instruments ................ 29 Famous Names in Weather and Climate . 30 Beliefs and Superstitions about Weather . 31 Disastrous Effects from Weather ................. 32 Putting Pen to Paper ..................................... 33 World Meteorological Day ........................... 34 Word Puzzle .................................................... 35 Can you Weather the Brainstorming Quiz?36

The Daily Weather Report ........................ 1 Elements of Weather .................................. 2 Wind .............................................................. 3 Temperature and Atmosphere ................ 4 Moisture and Air Pressure ........................ 5 Violent Weather .......................................... 6 Elements of Weather Questionnaire ...... 7 Weather Watch ........................................... 8 Australian Weather and Climate ............ 9 There Is a Season… .................................. 10 World Climate ........................................... 11 Fronts ........................................................... 12 Cloud Formations ..................................... 13 Satellites Observing the Weather ......... 14 Science Experiments ................................ 15 Rainfall Chart ............................................ 16 Weather Chart .......................................... 17 Up in the Air ............................................... 18 Weather Symbols ..................................... 19

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Glossary H

Air

A mixture of oxygen, nitrogen and other gases that surrounds the earth.

Altostratus cloud

A greyish sheet of thin cloud. It usually heralds rain.

Anemometer

An instrument for measuring the speed of the wind.

Atmosphere

Layer of air around the earth.

Atmospheric Pressure

The actual weight of the air directly over a particular point.

Barograph

A barometer that records variations in atmospheric pressure automatically.

Barometer

An instrument used to measure air pressure.

Blizzard

A snow storm accompanied by strong wind.

Breeze

Gentle movement of air.

Chinook

A wind in the USA.

Cirrocumulus cloud

A high cloud with a mottled appearance; composed of ice cyrstals.

Cirrus

Wispy-looking clouds.

Celsius

A measure of temperature.

Climate

The general weather of a particular area.

Clouds

Water droplets or ice crystals that form in the air.

Cold front

Usually means colder weather; the cold air pushes away the warmer air.

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Condensation

Occurs when gases or vapour convert into a liquid. It is also the forming of water droplets on a cold surface.

Convection Currents

When heat causes the air to rise.

Coriolis Force

Bending of the wind caused by the spin of the earth.

Cumulus

A 'cotton ball'-looking cloud.

Cumulonimbus

Dark rain-bearing thunderclouds.

Depression

A region of low atmospheric pressure where the air within rotates clockwise in the southern hemisphere and anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere.

Dew

Water that forms on things outside when the air is too cold to hold all the water vapour.

Dew point

The temperature at which air becomes saturated.

Drizzle

Light rain.

Drought

A severe shortage of water.

Equator

An imaginary line around the middle of the earth.

Evaporation

The process that changes water droplets into water vapour.

Fahrenheit

A measurement of temperature - 0F.

Föhn

A warm wind in alpine valleys.

Fog

Cloud at ground level.

Forecast

Predicting the weather.

Fremantle Doctor

A fresh cool ocean breeze.

Front

A boundary between warm and cold air in the atmosphere.

Frost

Ice that forms on things when it is very cold outside because the air or ground temperature has fallen below 00C. r and Clima athe te We

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Glossary cont.

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Gale

A strong wind (force 8 on the Beaufort scale) measuring between 34-40 knots.

Geostrophic Wind

The name given to wind measured from weather charts when the isobars are straight and parallel.

Greenhouse Effect

The heating of the atmosphere by gases absorbing radiation from the land.

Hail

Small pellets of ice that fall like rain.

Hectopascal

(hPa) Unit measure of air pressure.

High Pressure

Where the force of the atmosphere on the earth is high - high pressure areas usually have fine weather.

Hoar frost

A frost that deposits 'rime'.

Humidity

The amount of water vapour (or moisture) in the air.

Hurricane

A tropical storm in the Atlantic Region. A force 12 on the Beaufort scale.

The word is of Spanish origin.

Isobar

A line that joins places of equal atmosphere on a weather chart.

Jet stream

Strong winds high in the atmosphere.

Lightning

The spark that occurs when electricity in the air passes from a cloud to a cloud or to the ground. Fork lightning is when you see the spark. Sheet lightning is the reflection of the spark.

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Low Pressure

When the force of the atmosphere on the earth is low. Low pressure areas often produce rain.

Maritime

Affected by the sea.

Meteorology

The scientific study of the weather and atmosphere.

Monsoons

Weather patterns that are characterised by the reversal of the direction of prevailing winds from season to season.

Occlusion

The meeting of a cold front with a warm front in an area of low atmospheric pressure that prevents the warm air from staying in contact with the Earth's surface.

Ozone

Gas in the stratsophere that prevents harmful ultra-violet radiation from reaching the surface.

Precipitation

Any form of water e.g. rain, hail, sleet or snow, that falls from a cloud.

Radar

An instrument that uses radio waves to locate rain.

Radiosonde

A weather recording instrument that is attached to a balloon and transmits information to a ground receiver.

Rain

Droplets of water that fall from the clouds.

Rain Gauge

An instrument that measures the amount of rain that falls.

Rime

A build-up of deposits of ice that freeze on contact with car windscreens etc.

Satellite

An artifical object launced into orbit around the earth, another planet or the sun. Also a celestial body orbiting a planet or sun.

Saturated

When air is holding as much water as it can.

Seabreeze

Air moving from the sea to the land. r and Clima athe te We

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Glossary cont.

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Seeding

The sprinkling of silver iodide crystals onto clouds to freeze the water droplets to encourage rain.

Sleet

Between rain and snow. It is usually snow that has melted on the way down.

Snow

Ice crystals that fall from the sky.

Stratosphere

An upper level of the atmosphere containing little or no water or clouds.

Synoptic Chart

Weather map produced by the Bureau of Meteorology.

Stratus Clouds

Clouds that look like a blanket; they usually cover the whole sky and are grey in colour.

Temperature

The degree of heat in the atmosphere.

Thermals

Rising columns of warm air in the atmosphere.

Thermograph

An instrument that records continual temperatures on a weekly basis.

Thermometer

An instrument used to measure temperatures.

Thunder

The noise made by the lightning spark quickly heating the air.

Tornado

A violent whirl of air that extends towards the ground.

Tropical Cyclone

A powerful low pressure system that occurs in the topics. Cyclones are called yphoones or hurricanes in the northern hemisphere.

Tropics

The part of the earth that lies near the Equator.

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Trade Winds

Tropical winds which blow towards the Equator.

Troposphere

The layer of the atmosphere where all the weather occurs.

Trough

Part of a low pressure system.

Turbulence

Irregular motions in the atmosphere.

Typhoon

A tropical storm in the Pacific region - the word typhoon is of Chinese origin and means 'great wind'.

Weather

All the types of conditions that occur in the atmosphere. It is the state of the air in a particular place at a particular time. It covers temperature, humidity, wind, cloud and precipitation.

Water Vapour

Moisture in gas form.

Westerlies

Winds that blow around the earth from the west in temperate latitudes.

Wind

The flow of air over the Earth's surface.

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The Daily Weather Report H

The outlook: Temperature

Max.

at (time)

Min.

at (time)

Rainfall in the past 24 hours was

.

(time). The weather bureau barometer was

Barometer at rising/falling.

and

(low)

Tides (high)

Astronomical data -

Sunrise at (time)

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C .Publ i cat i ons Sunset at (time) •f orr evi ew pur posesonl y• Phase of the moon.

List seven places and their temperatures.

Capital Cities - Australia City

Max.

Min.

Around the World Today Rainfall

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Elements of Weather H

Weather conditions on the earth and in the atmosphere rely on four elements:

wind

temperature

1. Wind

-

moisture

air pressure

is the movement of air.

2. Temperature -

is the degree of heat in the atmosphere.

3. Moisture

-

water vapour in the air changes into drops of water that form clouds which fall from the sky as some form of precipitation.

4. Air pressure

-

is the force of the atmosphere on the Earth. It is these forces that form high or low pressure areas, depending upon the force.

Make a Weather Station Make your own weather station at school. Divide the class into four groups. Each group is to be responsible for its own making and recording of the elements.

Wind

Make a simple windsock using a glove or any other lightweight article that is closed on one end and open on the other and can be secured to a broomstick or similar pole, which is then dug into the ground or secured upright.

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If you know your compass settings and can work out east, west, north and south, you will also be able to work out wind direction as well as speed. For the speed of the wind, the diagram below will be of help, as will information on the Beaufort scale.

Calm

15 knots

Gale

30 knots

Temperature Use a reliable thermometer and place it in a safe place (perhaps on a veranda).

Make a chart to record the maximum and minimum temperatures by checking and recording at intervals during the day. Temperature in Australia is recorded in degrees centigrade. A thermograph records continual temperatures on a weekly basis.

Moisture

Use the method of making a rain gauge on page 15 and the rainfall chart on page 16.

Air pressure Cut the neck of a balloon, stretch it over the mouth of a jar, secure with elastic bands. Glue a drinking straw onto the centre of the balloon - tape a needle or thin piece of metal or the other end of the straw. Cut a piece of cardboard and secure it to a veranda wall, or somewhere out of direct sunlight. Make markings on the cardboard in a vertical scale in millimetres. Position the jar so that the needle will move up and down the cardboard as the air pressure changes. r and Clima athe te We

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Wind H

When air moves from one place to another it is called wind. Wind blows in different directions and at different speeds. Winds are named from the directions in which they have blown. There are some well-known winds that have been given unusual and interesting names by the people in whose countries those winds blow.

The Beaufort scale is used to describe the wind speed. An anemometer is used to measure the speed of the wind.

Cup-shaped objects are attached to a metal rod. As the wind blows into the cup, the rod turns. The number of turns registered in a given time is depicted as a wind speed.

An anemometer can also be made by using 30 cm of fishing line, a protractor, a pingpong ball and some glue. Glue the ping-pong ball to one end of the fishing line. Glue or tape the other end of the line to the centre of the base of the protractor.

Now go outside and hold the protractor upside down (flat side facing up) and straight. If there is no wind at all the fishing line and ball will remain at 900 on the protractor. The stronger the wind, the lower the angle.

For example; 900 - no wind 800 - approx 13 km/h.

700 - 19 km/h 600 - 24 km/h

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C.Publ i cat i ons •f orr evi ew pur posesonl y• high-pressure area

low-pressure area

movement of air

Wind = Air on the move

Air moves from high pressure areas to low pressure areas. Ships used to rely on the wind to sail; yachts still do. Windsurfers rely on the wind to carry them across the water. Glider pilots use the air currents called thermals. Windmills are used to grind grains, pump water and generate electricity.

The effects of the hot land in summer causes the air to move from the sea to land during the day called the seabreeze.

Hurricanes, tornadoes, typhoons and tropical cyclones produce very powerful winds.

Make a simple windsock from the instructions given on page 2, Elements of Weather.

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Temperature and Atmosphere H

Temperature heat absorbed by the air

heat reflected from clouds heat reflected by the air

heat reflected from earth

heat absorbed by the earth

Temperature is described as being the degree of heat from the sun in the Earth's atmosphere. Some of the sun's heat is lost in space. A percentage of the sunlight is reflected back into space by the clouds and a percentage is absorbed in the atmosphere. A large proportion of the heat in the atmosphere occurs by sunlight reaching the Earth's surface and warming the ground and the seas, which in turn warm the air.

temperature diagram

The air absorbs the heat and prevents it from passing easily back into space. This process is known as the Greenhouse Effect. This term comes from the fact that a greenhouse allows the sun in to warm the plants but prevents a lot of the heat from escaping.

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C.Publ i cat i ons •f orr evi ew pur posesonl y• The Atmosphere The air surrounding the Earth is called the atmosphere. It consists of the gases oxygen and nitrogen plus a small amount of other gases. earth's atmosphere

Water vapour and dust particles are also in the air. The atmosphere extends about 160 kilometres above the Earth's surface. Beyond that is what we call space. There is virtually no air in space. The atmosphere is divided into layers and it is in the troposphere that the weather conditions occur. Above the troposphere lies the stratosphere. It is this layer that contains the gas, ozone.

It is the ozone that forms a protective shield around the earth and prevents most of the powerful ultra-violet rays from reaching the Earth's surface. The atmosphere needs to be cleaned up to halt harmful emissions that destroy the ozone and increase the greenhouse effect.

nitrogen

oxygen

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Moisture and Air Pressure H

Moisture Moisture occurs in the air as water vapour. It evaporates from the ocean, rises, condenses into water droplets and forms clouds. When the droplets get too heavy they fall to the ground and precipitation occurs in the form of rain, snow, sleet or hail. Other moisture occurs in the form of dew or frost. The water cycle diagram is the best way to see elements of weather at work.

The water cycle

, , , , , , ,,,,,,,,,, , , , , , , ,,,,,,,,, , ,,, ,,

solar energy

, , , ,,,,,, , , , ,,,,, ,, condensation

condensation

precipitation

,, ,,,,,

run off

infiltration

evaporation from sea

precipitation over sea

evapotranspiration from land

ground water

Humidity - the amount of water vapour in the air is known as humidity. As the sunlight warms water on the Earth's surface, some of the water turns into vapour. The vapour rises into the air and as it condenses, it turns into tiny water droplets that form clouds. These droplets become precipitation, hail, sleet, snow or rain.

return

Humidity is in the air

© R. I .

C.Publ i cat i o ,,n,s,, ,,,, •f orr evi ew pur poseso, nl ,y,• ,,, clouds form

,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,, , ,, rain falls

water vapour rises

Air Pressure Atmospheric air pressure is the force of the atmosphere on the Earth. The force of the atmosphere forms areas of high or low pressure.

Warm air weighs less than cool air. Therefore, the lighter the weight of the air, the less pressure, thus warm air = low pressure and cool air = high pressure. As the air warms it rises up and cool air moves in underneath it.

warm air

high-pressure area

low-pressure area cool air

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Violent Weather H

Thunder and Lightning Lightning is a large spark of electricity in the air. Lightning occurs when negative and positive charges in the Earth's atmosphere separate. It usually begins when a storm or strong wind blows hail and water droplets around and they collide in a cloud. The negative charge in the cloud reacts with the positive charge in another cloud or on the ground by way of a spark.

The spark is lightning, the sound is thunder.

Thunder - The lightning flash heats the air to very high temperatures. The air expands rapidly creating a sound wave - the sound of thunder. The closer you are to the lightning the louder the thunder.

Cloud to cloud lightning

Before a storm

Particles within collide

Charged particles separate

Cloud-to-ground lightning

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C.Publ i cat i ons •f orr evi ew pur posesonl y• During a thunderstorm you can estimate how far away the lightning is by counting the seconds between when you see the lightning and when you hear the thunder. Sound takes three seconds to travel one kilometre. So if you counted six seconds, the lightning would be about two kilometres away.

Tropical Hurricanes, Typhoons and Cyclones.

These start over tropical oceans. Warm moist air rises quickly above the sea and meets up with strong winds that pull the air up high and allow more and more warm moist air to be drawn upwards. Tropical cyclones rotate clockwise in the southern hemisphere and can produce heavy rain and winds of over 200 km/h.

Tornadoes A tornado usually develops within a large thunderstorm or on a strong cold front. As the air rises, it rotates to create a twirling, funnel-shaped wind. If the funnel meets the ground it acts like a huge vacuum cleaner, sucking up everything in its path, even sucking the air out of buildings, forcing the buildings to explode. Tornadoes produce the highest winds (over 300 km/h) on earth.

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Elements of Weather Questionnaire H

1.

What are the four main elements of the weather?

1.

2.

3.

4.

2.

What is moisture?

3.

Why does warm air weigh less than cool air?

4.

Explain how thunder and lightning occur.

5.

Explain the term 'humidity'.

6.

Name the two main gases in the earth's atmosphere.

7.

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C.Publ i cat i ons 2.

1.

•f orr evi ew pur posesonl y• What is name of the layer in the atmosphere where weather occurs?

8.

Explain the word temperature.

9.

What is air pressure?

10.

How does air move?

Extra research 11.

What does a climatologist do?

12.

What is the importance of a long-range weather forecast?

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Weather Watch H

Consider the following information before trying to understand and read weather maps.

In Australia, pressure systems mostly travel from west to east. Isobars are the wavy lines on the weather map. They join places of equal barometric pressure. As a general rule, the tighter the lines are packed together, the higher the winds. Isobars without tight curves or not packed together tightly indicate calmer conditions. The sheet of weather symbols will also help when reading some weather maps. In the southern hemisphere, air moves around a low pressure system in a clockwise direction, towards the centre. In high pressure systems, air moves in an anticlockwise direction, outwards from the centre.

1. Study the weather maps shown here and predict the forecast for where you live.

2. Collect weather maps in the class and study the charts - note any differences that occur.

Thursday Is Darwin

T.C. "POLLY"

Wyndham

Broome

Townsville

Port Hedland

Low

H H

Carnarvon

Meekatharra

(980)

(1002)

Low

Alice Springs

(1003)

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C.Publ i cat i ons •f orr evi ew pur posesonl y• Kalgoorlie

Geraldton

Eucla

High (1025)

PERTH

H

Brisbane

H Esperance

Adelaide

Albany

Sydney

High

Canberra

(1018)

High (1018)

Low

Melbourne

(992)

Hobart

Thursday Is Thursday Is Darwin

1012

1012

L

1012

1014

1004

Wyndham

Wyndham Broome

Townsville 1012

Alice Springs Meekatharra

L

H

Brisbane

1020

Geraldton

Kalgoorlie

Eucla

PERTH

H

Esperance Albany

1016

Townsville

Port Hedland 1008

1016

1008

Carnarvan

1020

Broome

1000

1008

Port Hedland

1016

Darwin

1008

Alice Springs Carnarvon

1016

Geraldton

1012

Adelaide

1004

Meekatharra Kalgoorlie

L

Sydney 1012

Brisbane

Eucla

PERTH

Canberra

1016

1003

Adelaide Albany

Sydney

Esperance

Canberra

Melbourne 1020 1012

1016

Melbourne

1008

1016

Hobart

Hobart

1004

1008 1004

1024

H

1003 1012

1012

1000

L

996

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Australian Weather and Climate H

1.

Explain the differences between climate and weather.

2.

Using an atlas, explain the different climate zones of Australia. Colour them in.

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3.

Pick out two places in Australia that are experiencing vast differences in their weather at present. Is it normal? Name the places and list maximum and minimum temperatures and the general weather conditions. Why are both places experiencing such weather?

Why are they so different from each other? For this time of year, is the climate normal for both places? r and Clima athe te We

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There Is a Season…

H

The Earth is tilted on its axis. It moves around the sun in a calendar year.

September

A

s ugu

N

t

Oct

obe

r

Equator

N ov

r

Ju

be

ly

em

S

N

December

N

june

sun S

S Earth rotating on its axis

y

N

ar

M

ay

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C.Publ i cat i ons •f orr evi ew pur posesonl y• n Ja

Ap

ril

S

Febu

March

u

ary

Which hemispheres have winter in which months?

Which hemispheres have summer in which months?

When do the northern and southern hemispheres have autumn and spring?

What else does the diagram help to explain?

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World Climate H

On a daily basis the weather changes, but the weather stays the same at specific times each year. This is known as climate. On Earth we have different climates occurring in different places. Some places have hot climates, some have cold climates. Some climates are wet and some are dry.

Heat from the sun warms the air over the land. The air rises as it gets hot and cool air moves in to take its place. The moving air is called wind. When the hot air becomes cool, it comes back to take the place of other hot air.

Land nearest to the poles has a very cold climate. Land near the equator is hot all the time.

The areas in between can have warm to hot summers and cool to cold winters. Some land is very wet and some is very dry.

Using your atlas, draw in the lines of latitude, then draw in the tropical regions, temperate regions and polar regions of the world. List some countries in each of the climate regions.

Tropical

Polar

North pole

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Temperate

South pole

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Fronts H

A front is the zone that forms when a warm and a cold air mass meet.

There are two main types of fronts: cold fronts and warm fronts. Changes in the weather usually occur along a front. Frontal movement depends on pressure systems forming.

A cold front is where cold air moves under a warm air mass. Cold fronts move faster than warm fronts and therefore cause faster changes in the weather. If a cold front catches up to a warm front, an occluded front develops.

A warm front occurs when the edge of a warm air mass moves over a retreating cold air mass and the warm air replaces the cold air.

Now that you know about fronts, research science books or encyclopaedias on weather and climate. Write and draw a descriptive diagram of a cold front in Australia, and a warm front.

A cold front

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A warm front

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Cloud Formations H

Make a sketch of each of the clouds listed below and give a brief description of them.

Then place them in order of altitude on the grid. Finally, put a name to each of the cloud symbols below.

100 km

90 km Cumulus

Stratus 80 km

70 km

60 km Cumulonimbus © R. I .

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50 km

40 km

30 km

20 km Altocumulus

Altostratus 10 km

0 km Sea level

Cloud symbols Stratocumulus

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Satellites Observing the Weather H

Beyond the year 2 000 the possibilities are endless for new ways to predict the weather.

Science and technology is moving ahead quicker than many of us realise. Who knows, perhaps by the turn of the century, scientists may have discovered ways to mechanically alter the climate on Earth or ways to accurately predict the weather and prevent some of the natural disasters from occurring.

Explain how satellites are used to observe the weather.

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C.Publ i cat i ons •f orr evi ew pur posesonl y• Imagine that you are in the next century.

Invent a new way to observe the weather. Explain your invention and discuss the type of weather that could be experienced in that time.

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Science Experiments H

Make a Rain Gauge Rain is measured in millimetres. To make a rain gauge you will need: A tall thin jar Masking tape Small plastic funnel A measuring jug with millimetres or centimetres on it A tall thin jar is best because it will be easier to read as the markings will be further apart.

Glue a strip of masking tape onto the outside of the glass jar. Using the measuring jug, pour 1 cm of water into it. Then pour it into the glass jar. Make a mark and write '1 cm' at the level of the water in the jar. Continue until you have made 8 - 10 cm markings on the strip. Empty the jar and place the funnel into the jar, making sure that the funnel fits tightly at the neck edge of the jar.

Stand it outside, away from trees and buildings. Empty the gauge every morning at the same time and record the rainfall on a chart.

Make a Cloud To make your cloud you will need: 1 large jar 1 large balloon Elastic bands Water Chalkdust Sprinkle some chalk dust into the jar. Pour warm water (about 1/2 L) into the jar. Very quickly stretch the balloon across the neck of the jar and fasten with elastic bands. After a minute to two the water will start to evaporate. With a closed fist, press down on the balloon for about 15 seconds. Now pull up on the middle of the balloon quickly. This decreases the air pressure inside the jar. Water vapour in the air will condense around the chalkdust. The processes of evaporation and condensation occur in this experiment.

Hold the jar up to the light and you should see a cloud form in the jar.

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Make a hygrometer A hygrometer measures the amount of humidity in the air.

A long strand of human hair Some sticky tape

Some cardboard Pin

Follow the diagrams below to complete your hygrometer.

Dry

Make a cardboard stand. Attach the strand of hair to the top of a piece of cardboard with sticky tape.

Sticky tape the hair to a thin piece of card board. Pin the thin indicator to the cardboard . Make a mark at the dry spot.

Dry

Take the hygrometer in a very steamy bathroom. The piece of hair stretches and allows the tip to drop.

Mark the humid spot.

Set your hygrometer outside in a secure position. When the weather becomes damp the hair will lengthen and the unattached end of the cardboard will drop - depicting humidity. You can then make a new mark on the stand for damp or moist conditions in the atmosphere. When the hair strand dries out again it will pull the thin cardboard indicator back up. r and Clima athe te We

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Week 3

Weather Chart Week 4

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Up in the Air H

Air Pressure Blow up two round balloons until they are about 15 cm in diameter. Tie a knot in them and attach a piece of string about 60-70 cm in length around each balloon.

With sticky tape, stick the end of each string to the top of the door frame in your classroom.

Have the balloons hanging about 8 cm apart. Using a drinking straw, blow into the space between the balloons. The rapid flow of air will create a low pressure area between the balloons and because the air pressure on the outer sides of the balloon is normal, the balloons will move in towards each other. This proves that air moves from high pressure into low pressure.

A barometer measures atmospheric pressure. To make one you need: A rainy day; 1 wide-mouthed jar; water; food colouring; 1 clear plastic bottle.

The bottle needs to fit upside down tightly inside the wide-mouthed jar. The neck of the plastic bottle must not be touching the bottom of the jar.

On a rainy day when the air pressure is low, put some water and food colouring in the jar. It needs to be enough to go up into the neck of the plastic bottle when it is upturned in the jar.

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Put the barometer in a safe place where it does not need to be moved. Let the water sit for about 20-30 minutes and check it. Make a mark on the glass jar at the water level. This is the low pressure mark. Make three more markings up the jar, 1 cm apart. The top mark is high pressure - which means fine weather. The two markings in the middle forecast a change in the weather.

Hot Air Rising Make a spiral mobile to demonstrate hot air rising.

Use heavy paper or thin cardboard and draw a spiral on it. Cut it out carefully with scissors. (Cut from the outside of the spiral to the centre, going round and round following the pencil lines.) Make a hole in the centre and attach a thread. Knot the end of the thread so that it won't pull through the spiral.

Hang it over a heater or some other form of heat (like a strong light bulb). The force of the warm air rising will cause the mobile to turn or spin. (Do not hang it over a flame.)

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Weather Symbols H

Wind Symbols calm

3-7 knots

13-17 knots

1-2 knots

8-12 knots

18-22 knots

50 knots or more wind speed wind direction temperature

18

Cloud Cover Clear

2

4

6

1

3

5

7

8

9 obscured (sky cannot be seen)

Weather Symbols © R. I .

C.Publ i cat i ons drizzle snow sleet • f orr ev i ew pu r posesonl ywarm • front shower

hail

heavy rain

rain

thunderstorm

snow shower

cold front

mist

fog

Another variety of weather symbols.

10

Sunshine

Sunny intervals

Fair weather cloud

Rain with sunny periods

Temperature

20

❈ ❈ Dull weather

Snow

Rain

Thunder

Wind speed and direction This is an information sheet to explain the large variety of weather symbols that are found in newspapers and magazines. On meteorology charts, in science exercises, and in some cases on weather reports on TV, these symbols are used as visual aids throughout the world. r and Clima athe te We

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Weather Stations H

Predict the weather at each of the weather stations below. You will need to use the weather symbols sheet with this exercise.

Weather is recorded by symbols for the amount of cloud cover, the wind (which is recorded by speed and direction), whether it's raining or fine, and the temperature (which is recorded in 0C in Australia).

At each weather station, record the following: cloud cover, temperature, wind direction, wind speed; for example drizzle, rain etc.

N

Station No. 1 10

Station No. 2 W

E

6

S

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Station No. 5

Station No. 6

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Station No. 7

Station No. 8

Make up your own predictions for Stations 7 and 8 using symbols. Swap with another class member to work out his or her predictions. r and Clima athe te We

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Weathering the Wind Worldwide H

On the world map below mark, name and date some of the more well-known cyclones, hurricanes and tornadoes that have caused devastation around the world.

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Choose four of the above and research the amount of destruction, total fatalities and casulaties, the force of the wind and any other important details you can find.

1.

2.

3.

4.

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The Weather's Looking Average H

Study the two average weather conditions listed for Perth and Sydney. One figure indicates the conditions for February and the other for July. Decide which ones you believe are accurate for each month. Transfer your answers below.

Max. (0C)

Min. (0C)

Sun (hrs/day)

Rain (mm)

Rain (days)

Perth

30.0, 17.4

18.1, 9.0

5.3, 10.0

13, 172

3, 18

Sydney

16.8, 26.1

18.7, 6.6

6.7, 7.5

68, 113

11, 9

Rain (mm)

Rain (days)

February Max. (0C)

Perth

Min. (0C)

Sun (hrs./day)

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Sydney

July Perth Sydney

In which city are you likely to get more hours of darkness in February?

Which city has the higher daily average of sunlight in July?

Which city has the colder average minimum in February?

Does Perth receive a higher average July rainfall than Sydney?

What is the difference in the average maximum temperatures between Perth and Sydney in February?

How many more days of rain does Perth get compared to Sydney during July? r and Clima athe te We

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Lowest and Highest Temperatures H

List the areas of Australia that consistently record the highest maximum and lowest minimum temperatures. Pinpoint the areas on the map and record the relevant information.

Temperatures Lowest

Highest

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C.Publ i cat i ons •thef o rr evi e wlowest pu r po seso l y • Record highest maximum and minimum temperature forn each continent.

Max. 0C

Min 0C

Max. 0C

Australia

Africa

Asia

Europe

North America

South America

Min. 0C

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Lowest and Highest Rainfall H

The driest place in the world is in Arica, Chile. The annual average rainfall is 0 mm.

The people of Arica collect sea fog for water by using sea harps.

The wettest place on earth is Mount Waialeale, Hawaii. The average annual rainfall is 11 680 mm.

The most rainfall ever recorded in one year was 26 400 mm at Cherrapunji, India.

Find two more interesting pieces of information about rainfall.

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C.Publ i cat i ons Rainfall Areas • f o r r e v i e w p u r posesonl y• Highest Lowest

Shade in the areas on the maps of Australia that have lowest and highest rainfall on average. List the major towns in the cloud formations and record their lowest average rainfall and highest average rainfall. r and Clima athe te We

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Winds around the World H

Prevailing winds around the world blow steadily in one direction.

Hot air around the equator expands, gets light and floats to form an area of calm air called doldrums.

Complete the key by marking in the correct winds, using the symbols on the world map.

NB: Each wind has a different style of arrow drawn.

Key Polar Easterlies

S Westerlies

SE Trade Winds

N Westerlies

NE Trade Winds

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Winds in certain areas have descriptive names. Can you name the country or region for the following?

Hot winds Ghibli ____________________ Leveche _________________ Khamsin __________________ Sirocco ___________________ Zonda ___________________ Brick fielder _______________

Cold winds Mistral _____________________ Northern __________________ Pampero __________________ Southerly-buster ____________ Buran _____________________ Blizzard ____________________

Mountain winds Chinook Föhn ______________ Katabatic __________

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Measuring the Weather H

Draw a line to link up each part of the weather with the instrument it uses and the unit of measurement that is used to record the information. It may help to use a different colour each time.

The weather

The instruments

Which unit of measurement?

Temperature

mm

Humidity

Km/h

0

Wind direction

C

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Rainfall

S.W.E.N.

Atmospheric pressure

Hours

0

Wind Speed

C

Sunshine

Hectopascal

Extra: Invent your own instrument for measuring an aspect of the weather. Explain how it works.

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The Greenhouse Effect H

Explain the Greenhouse process, the human factor and possible solutions to lessen the problem.

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The Water Cycle H

With energy provided by the sun, water is being continually moved off the oceans, up to the atmosphere, down to the land and back out into the oceans. This continuous cycle is known as the 'water cycle'.

Evaporation is the changing of a liquid into a vapour.

Condensation is the change of a gas or vapour to a liquid. When a gas is cooled to a certain temperature, it condenses to a liquid. For example, condensation occurs in buildings when warm moist air comes in contact with cold surfaces such as windows.

Precipitation is any form of water or ice that falls from the clouds,for example; rain, hail drizzle, snow and sleet.

Transpiration is the loss of water vapour from the surface of a plant.

Draw a diagram to show how the water cycle works. Include the processes of evaporation, condensation, precipitation and transpiration.

© R. I .

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,,, ,,, ,,,,, ,,,,,

Explain in four brief sentences on the back of this sheet the water cycle process using the words evaporation, condensation, precipitation and transpiration. r and Clima athe te We

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Weather Recording Instruments H

Find out about two of these instruments. Give an explanation of each instrument, describe how it works and draw a diagram of each one.

Barometer Anemometer Rain Gauge

Radiosonde

Thermometer

Infra-red Camera Hygrometer

Wind Vane

Windsock

Instrument Who invented it?

How does it work?

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What is it used for?

What does it look like? Sketch the instrument.

Instrument Who invented it?

How does it work?

What is it used for?

What does it look like? Sketch the instrument.

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Famous Names in Weather and Climate H

A large number of people have helped to make predicting and recording the weather easier and more reliable. Instruments have been made to be used around the world so that the collecting and recording of all weather data is universally accurate. From the list of people below, find out how each contributed to a better understanding of some aspect of weather and what it was that made him well known.

Sir Francis Beaufort

Howard Luke

Johann Kepler

Evangelista Torricelli

Gabriel Daniel Fahrenheit

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John Robinson

Benjamin Franklin

Reverend Horsley

Grand Duke Ferdinand of Tuscany

Pierre Molchanoy

Clement Wragge

Lucien Vidie

John Von Neumann

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Beliefs and Superstitions about Weather H

Sayings – What do they mean?

1. Clear moon - frost soon.

2. Rain before seven, fine before eleven.

3. Red sky at night - shepherd's delight.

4. Red sky in the morning shepherd's warning.

5. Ants run fast when the mercury rises.

The sayings that are listed above all have a direct link to the weather. Find out what each of the above means and explain each saying in one sentence.

1.

2.

3.

Clear moon, frost soon means

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4.

5.

Can you find other sayings, superstitions or beliefs that are related to the weather? List two others and their meanings.

1.

2.

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Disastrous Effects from Weather H

Drought

Floods

Heatwaves

Severe storms

Bushfires

Choose one disaster that has resulted from the weather in Australia. Research in detail the place where the disaster occurred, the result of the occurrence and what effect, if any, that it has had on Australia. Give details of relief aid, emergency services involved, costs of repairing the disaster etc.

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Putting Pen to Paper H

Choose one of the following tasks.

Write a poem about being caught in a cyclone.

Deliver a newspaper report to the class on severe flooding in an area that has been declared a natural disaster. (It does not need to be a disaster that has already occurred.)

Interview an older member of the community about the types of changes he or she has noticed in the weather pattern during the last decade or longer.

Write a legend/fable/fairytale or story about an area of the world that has tried cloud seeding in an effort to make rain. (It does not have to be a real occurrence.)

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World Meteorological Day H

When is World Meteorological Day celebrated?

In what year was The World Meteorological Organisation established?

Draw a poster to celebrate the day and think of a slogan to go with it.

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Word Puzzle H

Clues Down 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

A depression that occurs over the Indian Ocean.

A line that joins places of equal air pressure on a weather chart.

A type of front.

A violent whirl of air that extends towards the ground.

The name of a well-known wind in the USA. Moisture that forms on things outside.

An imaginary line around the middle of the earth.

It's part of a low pressure system.

A diagram that records the relationship of sets of numbers or values.

Droplets of water that come from clouds.

9

5

3 1

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7

4

2

8

10

11

Now that you have completed the word puzzle there is a message that appears by filling in the blank spaces on the line '11 across'. Leave a blank space between words.

The message is:

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Can You Weather the Brainstorming Quiz?

H

Use encyclopaedias, weather and climate resources and other materials and reference books to answer these questions.

1.

Who invented the Beaufort scale?

What is the Beaufort scale?

2.

(a)

What is an isobar?

(b)

Draw its symbol.

3.

How do cyclones occur?

4.

Name four cloud formations and draw a diagram of each.

(a)

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(c) 5.

6.

(d)

(a)

What is the Kelvin Scale?

(b)

Who is Kelvin and what is he better known for?

Name a well-known Australian cyclone. Where and when did it occur? What damage to human property and lives was caused.

7.

Draw the symbols for: (a) warm front

(b) cold front

8.

(a)

What is the highest temperature ever recorded in Australia?

(b)

Where was it?

(c)

On what date?

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Answer Page H

Page 25

Ghibli - from the interior highlands of Libia to the Mediterranean Leveche - southerly wind in the SE of Spain Khamsin - southerly wind in Egypt Sirocco - from the Saraha to the Mediterranean Zonda - from the eastern Andes into Argentina Brick Fielder - Sydney, NSW Mistral - Rhone Valley in France Northern - anywhere coming up from a southerly direction Pampero - from the south-west into Argentina Southerly-buster - the NSW coast Buran - from Siberia into the north-east of central Asia Chinook - a wind coming from the west into the Rocky Mountains Föhn - any mountain area, warm/dry wind in the lee of the mountain Katabatic - any mountain, strengthening wind

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What records the weather and how is it measured?

Temperature/thermometer/0C Humidity/ Wet Bulb Thermometer/ 0C Wind Direction/Windsock/ SWEN Rainfall/Rain Gauge/mm Atmospheric Pressure/Barometer/millibars Wind Speed/Anemometer/Km/h Sunshine/Campbell Stokes Recorder/hours

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World Meteorological Day 26 March 1950

Page 35

Word Puzzle 1. Cyclone 5. Chinook 9. Graph

2. Isobar 6. Dew 10. Rain

3. Warm 7. Equator

4. Tornado 8. Trough

11. Message 'Climate and Weather'.

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