What is Weather?

Intro the WeatherInvestigation 1, Part

1

Quick Write•What is weather? Think about the

questions on the white board

-as a table group, create a circle map when thinking about and answering the

questions

Today’s Weather

• Normal?

• If not, what weather would you expect?

• Does the same weather happen everywhere on Earth today?

Things That Fall from the Sky

• What surprised you about the weather shown in the video?

• Discuss/Share

Severe Weather• What is ‘severe weather’?

• Weather that is dangerous or causes damage

• Experienced severe weather?

• Other severe weather?

http://www.weather.gov/om/severeweather/resources/ttl7-09.pdf

Part 2: Hurricanes• As you watch the video think about

the following questions:• What is a hurricane?• What conditions are necessary for a

hurricane to form?

Hurricane Discussion Questions

• What is a hurricane?• An area of low pressure into which air

rushes, creating powerful winds that spiral around a central eye.

Hurricanes• Discuss the following questions:

• What kind of damage occurs during a hurricane?

• What are some things people have tried to lessen the effects of a hurricane?

• Where and when have some of the most devastating hurricanes happened?

• How do meteorologists monitor hurricanes?

Hurricane Discussion Questions

• What conditions are necessary for a hurricane to form?

• Area of low pressure• Ocean temperatures at least 81F.

Hurricane Discussion Questions

• What kind of damage occur during hurricanes?

• Wind and water damage. Flooding.

• What are some things people have tried to lessen the effects of a hurricane?

• Moved entire cities, improved hurricane forecasting, built seawalls, and built houses on stilts.

Hurricane Discussion Questions

• Where and when have some of the most devastating hurricanes happened?

• Galveston 1900, Belize 1961, Caribbean Islands 1988, Bangladesh 1991, and Florida 1992.

• How do meteorologist monitor hurricanes?

• Ground observations, aircraft observations, and satellite images.

Reflect: Weather Questions

• You might have questions about weather after watching the videos…

• Write down 3 questions you have about weather. (use a note card)

• Share your questions with your group.• Then as a group select your groups 2 best

questions to share with the class.

(print large and neat)

Meteorology

• The scientific study of Earth’s weather

What does it mean?-Ancient Greeks thought anything that

fell from the sky was a meteor, including rain, snow and hail

What does it mean?

-Today, meteorology only includes the study of weather

-Planetary scientists study meteors

Meteorologist

• A person who studies the causes and effects of Earth’s weather

• Meteorologists study weather in order to make predictions or “forecasts”

• They use instruments to measure the temperature, humidity, pressure, wind speed, rainfall, and air quality. Some meteorologists use photographs and data from satellites to predict the weather. Usually they feed their information into a computer. In return, they receive charts, maps, and diagrams that help them to predict the weather in their locale.

Notes• Severe weather: weather that is

dangerous or causes damage• Hurricane: an area of low pressure

into which wind rushes, creating powerful winds that spiral around a central eye

• For a hurricane to form, the ocean temperature needs to be 81 degrees F (21 C) or higher and you need an area of low pressure (rising air)

• Damage during hurricanes: wind and water damage and flooding

Notes: continued

• Meteorology: the scientific study of Earth’s weather

• Meteorologist: a person who studies the causes and effects of Earth’s weather

• Forecast: a prediction about weather

Weather Forecasts

Who would use a forecast? Why?

Homework

• Bring in a copy of a local weather forecast to discuss tomorrow.

• Online www.weather.comhttp://www.nws.noaa.gov

• Newspaper

Reading• Read the article “Naming Hurricanes”

on page 3 of the Resource book.