Meteorology: An Educator S Resource

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National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationMeteorology: An Educator’s Resourcefor Inquiry-Based Learning for Grades 5-9Dr. Joseph D. Exlinewww.nasa.govDr. Arlene S. LevineDr. Joel S. LevineNP-2006-08-97-LaRC

Meteorology: An Educator’s Resourcefor Inquiry-Based Learning for Grades 5-9Dr. Joseph D. ExlineDr. Arlene S. LevineDr. Joel S. Levine

ContentsHow to Use This Guide .vAcknowledgements . viChapter 1: IntroductionAn Historical Look .Equipment and Supplies .Development of the Learning Philosophy to Science Education .Levels of Inquiry in Activities .1223Chapter 2: Weather and ClimateThe Structure of the Atmosphere . 5The Chemical Composition of the Atmosphere . 6Instruments to Measure Weather . 6Solar Radiation, the Greenhouse Effect and the Temperature of the Earth . 7Solar Heating and Atmospheric Motion . 8Cyclones and Anticyclones . 8Variations in Surface Atmospheric Pressure . 9Air Masses and Fronts . 9General Circulation of the Atmosphere . 10The Water Cycle and Clouds . 12Chapter 3: Surface Color and Effect of Temperature Change. 15Chapter 4: Angle of Light Rays and Surface Distribution . 19Chapter 5: Barometer Basics . 23Chapter 6: Constructing a Barometer . 27Chapter 7: Does Air Have Weight? . 31Chapter 8: Can You Show That the Temperature of Air Has an Effect on Its Weightand Its Direction of Vertical Movement? . 35Chapter 9: Are Cold Liquids More Dense Than Warm Liquids? . 39Chapter 10: Does Air Contain Water Vapor? . 43Chapter 11: A Sling Psychrometer and Relative Humidity . 47Meteorology Activities for Grades 5-9iNP-2006-08-97-LaRC

Chapter 12: How Clouds Form — Understanding the Basic Principles of Precipitation . 51Chapter 13: Tornado in a Box . 55Is There a Relationship Between Surface Heating (Temperature)and the Formation of a Low-Pressure System? . 56Is There a Relationship Between Surface Heating (Temperature)and the Formation of and Duration of a Low-Pressure System? . 59Is There a Relationship Between Surface Heating (Temperature) and the Duration ofa Low-Pressure System Based Upon Different Amounts of Water? . 62Develop a Testable Question and Design an Investigation That WillProvide Valid Information Regarding Factors That Affect the Formationand Duration of a Model Cloud Using the TIB Apparatus: . 65Chapter 14: Design Challenge: What Factors Determine the Comfort Level of Air? . 69Chapter 15: Bringing More Meaning to Weather Predicting:the Weather Station and “Reading” the Sky Help Put It All Together . 71Chapter 16: Predicting Weather by Connecting the Basic Cloud TypesWith Information Collected from the Weather Station . 77References . 81Meteorology Activities for Grades 5-9iiNP-2006-08-97-LaRC

AppendicesISuggestions for Maximizing the Use of Learner-Designed Activities. 85IISelected Weather Adages . 89IIIThe Scientific Habits of Mind and Conceptual Themes Addressed in This Publication . 91IVScience and Technology National Science Education Standards Addressed in This Publication. 93VWeb Sites for Enhancing the Understanding of Weather. 95VIConstructing Equipment . 103How to Build a Flashlight Holder . 103How to Build a Tornado in a Box . 105VIIAdditional Activities . 107Cloud Wheel. 109The Mysterious Snake . 113How Often Should I Measure the Weather? . 115VIIIBeaufort Scale of Wind Speed . 121IXThe Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. 125XThe Fujita Scale for Tornado Damage . 129XIBookmarks . 131About the Authors. 133Meteorology Activities for Grades 5-9iiiNP-2006-08-97-LaRC

Meteorology Activities for Grades 5-9ivNP-2006-08-97-LaRC

How to Use This GuideMeteorology: An Educator’s Resource for Inquiry-Based Learning for Grades 5-9 is written as a supplement toexisting Earth and space science curricula for grades 5-9. The guide may be used in both formal and informaleducational settings as well as at home. It should be used in conjunction with lectures, discussions, textbooksand other teaching material. This guide is not intended to be a complete course in meteorology; rather, itsfunction is to assist educators in instilling excitement in learning about meteorology by permitting the learner totake increasing responsibility for his/her learning. The learner should experience “how we arrive at what weknow,” rather than memorizing what we know. This publication was developed to enhance the understanding ofinquiry-based learning from the educator/teacher’s perspective as well as from the learner’s perspective.Inquiry-based learning has many levels. In general, inexperienced learners and younger learners will requiremore guidance than more-experienced and older learners who are better equipped to take responsibility for theirlearning. There are four levels of inquiry defined in this publication, confirmation-verification, structuredinquiry, guided inquiry and open inquiry. The levels will be further defined and explained in the introductorychapter.The guide is structured to include a short review of some principles of meteorology and facts so that they maybe readily available to the educator. The Weather and Climate chapter (Chapter 2) is not intended to be used asan all-inclusive textbook, but rather an educator’s guide to some of the phenomena explored in this publication.Many activities offered in this guide build upon each other and use the inquiry in the previous activity to assistin the activity that follows. Thus, this publication enhances the understanding of meteorology by beginning withbasic and essential parameters of weather and then moving through mind-engaging interactions with complexmeteorological systems. The “Think About This!,” “Probing Further,” and “Examining Results” sections areprovided as examples to the educators; they may be used to stimulate the students to organize their thoughts in aparticular direction. Educators may use their own creativity in stimulating student inquiry. Further educatorinformation concerning these sections can be found in Appendix I: Suggestions For Maximizing The Use ofLearner-Designed Activities.The learner is encouraged to build and/or test a variety of weather instruments to better understand the basicfactors involved in weather phenomena. The weather instruments are then brought together to form a weatherstation. Collecting weather information combined with existing information about cloud systems allows thelearner to apply the knowledge to predict weather systems. Supplementary information and activities, which arenot inquiry-based, but deemed useful by the authors, are included in the appendices, including careerinformation Web sites in Appendix V.An interactive video game, entitled “The Hurricane Hunters,” is the second part of this project. NightlightStudios and the authors of this guide developed the game, which should be the culminating experience inlearning about meteorology as the learner has the opportunity to better understand the dynamics of hurricanes.Meteorology Activities for Grades 5-9vNP-2006-08-97-LaRC

AcknowledgementsThe authors thank John Pickle for his contribution in Appendix VII: How Often Should I Measure the Weather?;Erik Salna, of Hurricane Warning’s Disaster Survival House, for his contribution to Appendix IX; and Ron Girdand Dennis Cain of the NOAA National Weather Service for their support and contributions to this guide.We gratefully acknowledge Dr. Tina Cartwright, West Virginia State Climatologist, Marshall University; BethanyGordel, Gene Pike Middle School, Justin, Texas; and Carol Laird, Long Beach Island Grade School, ShipBottom, New Jersey, for their reviews and constructive comments on an early draft of this publication, as well asthe comments and reviews from the unnamed reviewers for the NASA product reviews; Denise M. Stefula,Science Systems & Applications, NASA Langley Research Center, for technical editing; and Richard E. Davis ofthe Systems Engineering Directorate, NASA Langley Research Center, for detailed review and refinementsincorporated in the final version of this document.We thank Dr. Lelia Vann, Director of the Science Directorate at NASA Langley Research Center and Dr. MingYing Wei, Program Manager for the Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, for their continuingsupport and enthusiasm for this project.The authors are very grateful to Anne C. Rhodes, NCI Information Systems, NASA Langley Research Center,for outstanding work and meticulous care in the graphical design, editing and general organization of this guide.Dr. Joseph D. ExlineDr. Arlene S. Levine*Dr. Joel S. Levine* Telephone: 757-864-3318E-mail: arlene.s.levine@nasa.govMeteorology Activities for Grades 5-9viNP-2006-08-97-LaRC

Chapter 1. IntroductionAn Historical LookThe following are old adages that relate to weatherchanges:Meteorology isone of the oldestobservationalsciences inhuman historyand perhaps themost relevant toa broad segmentof society. Someof our first observational meteorologists and weatherforecasters were shepherds, farmers and sailors whoselivelihoods and safety depended upon understandingand predicting the weather. Red sky at night,sailors’ delight. Red sky inmorning, sailorstake warning. Aches in bonesand joints indicatechanges in theweather. Wind that causes leaves to turn upward on treesindicates the coming of weather changes.Shepherds guarding their flocks on the ancient hillsides looked skyward for signs of changes in theweather. Farmers noticed that rain or drought coulddestroy crops if they were planted or harvested at thewrong time. Sailors experienced severe storms at seaor long delays if they were “trapped” in areas of calm.These groups gathered data through keen observations, which proved important as a foundationaldatabase of weather information. Lack of dew on the grass in early morningindicates changing weather. A circle around the moon indicates impendingprecipitation.Can these adages be explained scientifically? Canthey become crude weather predictors? Perhaps afteran in-depth examination of some of the weather activities included in this booklet, these statements can bereexamined. Additional weather adages may be addedto this list. See Appendices II and V for more adages.Ask your students to think of others.Questions for the Students: Can you think of waysthat weather changes affect activities and events inmodern society? Do you think weather has importantconsequences for most people in modern society?Why? Why not?Meteorology Activities for Grades 5-91NP-2006-08-97-LaRC

Equipment and Supplies NecessaryTo Conduct the ActivitiesDevelopment of the Learning Philosophyto Science EducationWe understand that many schools may not have thesupplies and equipment necessary to conduct costlymeteorology experiments and activities, so this publication focuses on activities using common materialspeople can find in the home or in local stores. It is important to note that we have included only one way toconstruct instruments; the educator may have alternative methods, which may work as efficiently and areless costly. The authors make these instrument construction suggestions as a starting point for educators.Staff members who work in well-equipped schoolsmay substitute commercially available equipment andsupplies. However, there are pedagogical advantagesto constructing the equipment. Constructing theequipment may lead to a better understanding of thephenomenon measured and how the equipmentworks. The “Materials Needed” suggestions arebased on the activity; quantities required woulddepend upon how the students are grouped forconducting activities.For science education to have meaning for all students, there should be a strong focus on the essentialelements of inquiry learning, which are described inthe National Science Education Standards (NSES)and the American Association for the Advancementof Science (AAAS) Benchmarks. Using these documents as a foundation, the Council of State ScienceSupervisors (CS3), through the CS3/NASA NLISTInitiative, developed an operational definition ofScience as Inquiry (www.nlistinquiryscience.com).It is extremely important that teachers advise studentsabout safety considerations when conducting scienceactivities. Educators must exert judgment as to thematurity level required for the students to carry outsome of the activities independently. As an example,can the students, wearing protective heatproof glovesand safety glasses, handle the boiling water, or shouldthe educator handle the waterwith the students at a safedistance? The samequestion applies to thesling psychrometer,Are the students matureenough to sling thepsychrometer, or shouldthe educator sling it at asafe distance from thestudents? Learning set in a broad context (concepts) canenable deeper understanding and enhance thetransfer of knowledge to new and different situations (Appendix III).Meteorology Activities for Grades 5-9The operational definition of science as inquiry promulgated by the CS3/NASA NLIST Initiative consists of these essential elements: (1) conceptual context for science content; (2) relevant and importantscience content; (3) information-processing skills;and (4) the scientific habits of mind (approaches).These essential elements should become the focusof material development. They enhance the relevancyand applicability of science knowledge. Content then becomes a building block for constructing and comprehending important concepts. Skill development becomes the means forcontinuing the generation of new knowledge. Habits of mind (approaches) employed by expertsand nurtured in learners can ensure the integrityof the discipline and provide a valid world viewfrom the perspective of science (Appendix III).These essential elements, brought together holistically in a learning environment, make science bothrelevant and applicable for all learners. Furthermore,this approach enables the development of skills andapproaches needed to continue lifelong learning.2NP-2006-08-97-LaRC

Levels of Inquiry in ActivitiesThe skills scientists use and the scientific approach,which are the foundation of generating a body ofscientific knowledge, are often overlooked in scienceeducation. Science education is still taught andlearned as a history lesson — with a focus on “this iswhat we know.” If educators emphasize “how weknow,” students will develop skills and acquirescientific attitudes that yield a valid scientific view ofthe world and the ability to use these skills as a lifelong way of resolving problems. Many activities usedto teach science are mindless “hands on” lessons anddo not engage a “minds on” response. Capable students can see the activity outcomes without goingthrough the procedures and are not challenged. Manyeducators think inquiry learning takes place onlythrough student activities. Teacher demonstrations,classroom discussions, and even lectures can encourage the development of the essential elementsof inquiry if the focus is on “how we come aboutknowing” rather than on “this is what we know.”Just as children move through a series of stages whenlearning to walk, programs designed for science education should consider important developmentalstages in moving learners toward taking charge oft

The guide is structured to include a short review of some principles of meteorology and facts so that they may be readily available to the educator. The Weather and Climate chapter (Chapter 2) is not intended to be used as an all-inclusive textbook, but rather an educator’s guide to some of the phenomena explored in this publication.

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