GRADE

3

Author: K. Ricca Lesson #: 5

Unit Title: Hawaiʻi as an ESS Lab Time Frames: Two 50­Minute Periods

World of Wet, World of Dry

ABSTRACT In World of Wet, World of Dry, students revisit the difference between weather and climate and add to their understanding. They learn about interactions between the geosphere and atmosphere by exploring how the presence of mountains change our island weather and climate in terms of windward and leeward sides. Students will make a model of an island to explore and develop their understanding of the characteristics of leeward and windward sides of a mountain. Students will also discover how Hawaiʻi’s northeast tradewinds affect the climate of our island chain by comparing and contrasting the weather and climate in different locations of their home island.

PLANNING INSTRUCTION ASSESSMENT STANDARDS REFERENCES

BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS What’s the difference between weather and climate? Weather is basically the way the atmosphere is interacting, mainly with respect to its effects upon life, land, and human activities. It includes daily temperatures and wind, storms and precipitation. Weather consists of the short­term (minutes to months) changes in the atmosphere. Most people think of weather in terms of temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloudiness, brightness, visibility, wind, and atmospheric pressure, as in high and low pressure. Often in Hawaiʻi, weather can change from minute­to­minute, hour­to­hour, day­to­day. Climate, however, is the average or culmination of weather over a long period of time. An easy way to remember the difference is that climate is what you expect, like Mount Waiʻaleʻale being the wettest spot on Earth, and weather is what you get now, like mauka showers. What’s the difference between leeward and windward? All of Hawaii’s islands have a distinct leeward and windward side. Often, the leeward side is sunny and dry. The windward side is cloudy and wet. The cause of these differences in climate is due to the northeast trade winds. The trade winds hit the windward side and blow clouds up against the mountains, then over, dropping rain. On the leeward side of the mountain, the climate is warmer and drier; as the air moves down the opposite side of the mountain, it loses its moisture and warms up. See image below:

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Image courtesy of Nature Education.

PLANNING Essential Questions

What is more important to you: weather or climate? Why? Which side of the island is best? Why?

Instructional Objectives

Students will: Compare and contrast leeward and windward weather. Observe and sort images of both island areas. Created clay models to examine the effect of Hawaii’s northeast tradewinds. Compare and contrast the interactions of Earth’s systems in Hawaii’s leeward and windward

areas. Communicate their findings in discussions and by recording observations in science journals

and with a worksheet. Key Vocabulary

Weather Climate Leeward Windward Tradewinds

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INSTRUCTION Materials

Cloud observations with the “Exploring Clouds” worksheet from Lesson 4 or NASA’s S’COOL Cloud ID Chart.

“World of Wet, World of Dry” PowerPoint presentation Science notebooks Clay (enough for small groups of 4­5 students to make a model of an island) Small tray in which to build island (such as a plant drip circle dish) Compass from a mobile device Teacher made island model Toothpicks ­ about 5 per student Cotton balls ­ about 5 per student One color copy of “Leeward/Windward Diagram” image One color copy of “Satellite Image of Hawaiʻi” image Class set ­ “Wet or Dry” worksheet Optional ­ props for kids to use during formative assessment

­ Sunglasses, sun hat, rain hat, umbrella, rain poncho/jacket One paper bag (per group) Printed color images from PowerPoint (per group)

Preparation

Provide students access to their cloud observations from “A Cloudy Day” or NASA’s S’COOL Cloud ID Chart.

Download “World of Wet, World of Dry” PowerPoint presentation and have ability to show Print and cut color images from PowerPoint presentation and sort into bags for groups of about 4­5

students Make a clay model of an island with a mountain range (see image on next page) Set up clay, toothpicks, and cotton balls for students Print one color copy of “Leeward/Windward Diagram” and “Satellite Image of Hawaiʻi” images or

have the ability to project digitally Print a class set of “Wet or Dry” worksheet

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Image courtesy of K. Ricca.

Resources

NASA: NASA Precipitation Education Glossary: http://pmm.nasa.gov/education/glossary NASA’s S’COOL Cloud ID Chart:

http://science­edu.larc.nasa.gov/SCOOL/pdf/SCOOLposter2012/SCOOLposterENG_06­2012.pdf

ENGAGE Session One:

1. Students take out their cloud observations “Exploring Clouds” worksheet from A Cloudy Day Lesson or NASA’s S’COOL Cloud ID Chart.

2. Students discuss the following questions with partners, groups, or as a class.

Why do clouds have different names? How do clouds affect our weather? Where do we find clouds around our island? How are clouds involved in the water cycle?

3. Students look at “World of Wet, World of Dry” PowerPoint. Students then discuss similarities and

differences between the images. Students should clearly see that some images appear to be very wet or very dry. Guide them to make comments about the plant life in the biosphere as seen in the images.

4. Students can answer the following questions with partners, groups, or as a class:

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Which pictures remind you of where we live? Why do you think some areas of our island are dry and some areas are wet? What kind of weather do you think occurs on most days in dry areas? In wet areas? Explain the difference in cloud types you might find on the wet and dry sides. Why do you think there is more rain in ___ (wet location) than ____(dry location)? How does the side of the island affect what people do there? Which side would you choose

to go to the beach? Where are more resorts located? Why?

5. Explain to students that weather is a term used to describe what is happening to the Earth’s atmosphere right now, like a thunderstorm, or sunny, or foggy. Climate is used to describe what the weather is like over long periods of time like dry in the high desert or wet in the tropical rainforest.

6. Students revisit vocabulary terms weather and climate that were written in Unit 1 lesson “Our

Interacting Atmosphere: Day by Day, Year after Year”

7. Ask students what the weather is outside today. Ask them to describe what the climate is like throughout the year. (Describing climate may be challenging for students, so be sure to refer them to their notebook and worksheets from Unit 1 “Our Interacting Atmosphere: Day by Day, Year after Year” lesson) You can guide them to understand that it refers to what the weather is mostly like throughout the year by asking what kinds of clothes they have in their closets.

Do they need snowsuits, hats, mittens where they live? Umbrellas? Do they mostly have shorts and t­shirts?

EXPLORE

1. In groups, students collect paper bag with color PowerPoint images inside and sort them into categories of wet and dry.

2. Explain to students that the images they sorted of the dry parts of the island are from the leeward

side and the images from the wet side of the island are from the windward side. Introduce students to these new vocabulary terms leeward and windward and have them write these new vocabulary terms and their meanings into their notebooks.

3. Ask students to share with their group which side of the island they live on and why.

4. Ask students to discuss in partners, small groups, or as a class what the climate is like on the

leeward side and windward side. Remind them that this is what the weather is mostly like throughout the year.

5. Students use clay to create a simple model of an island.

6. Students use toothpicks and cotton balls to create a dry and wet side on their islands.

Depending on resources, this can be done individually or in small groups of 4­5 students.

Students should be given flexibility when creating their models. Some students may only put clouds on one side and explain that it’s their wet side. Some students may remember from “A Cloudy Day”, that high clouds don’t usually produce rain and may have clouds lower on

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the wet side and high clouds on the dry side. Some students may stretch out their cotton balls to make a cirrus cloud, others may keep them ball­shaped to represent cumulus clouds.

7. Discuss models students created:

Which side of your island is the leeward side? Which is the windward side? How did you show that in your model? Why did you put most of the clouds on one side of the island? Could there be different types of clouds on the other side? What kind? How did the clouds get there? What causes clouds? Where did they come from?

8. Show students the model you created.

9. Ask students how yours is different. Encourage students to recognize that your model has a

mountain range and that your clouds are predominantly on one side of the mountain.

10. Discuss with students how the mountains might affect the weather:

What do you notice about where the clouds are in my model? How do you think the mountains affect where the clouds are or can go? How do you think the clouds got there?

EXPLAIN

Session Two:

1. Use your model and image from “Leeward/Windward Diagram” to show students how the northeast trade winds affect weather. Explain that the trade winds hit the windward side and then air cools as it rises up the slope of the mountain and condenses, leading to clouds and rain. On the leeward side of the mountain, the climate is warmer and drier; as the air moves down the opposite side of the mountain, it loses its moisture and warms up.

2. Use a mobile device compass and find the northeast side of the room and explain to students that

this is where the wind is coming from. It would be helpful to really highlight this and actually pretend to be wind to further engage students. Students can also take turns being the trade winds.

3. Using a small amount of extra clay, students need to add a mountain range to their models and

position their mountain range and clouds so that the clouds are on the windward side of their model.

4. Small groups of students will then present their models to the class and explain how their clouds got there, where they are going, and which side of their island is the leeward and windward side. Encourage students to use key vocabulary from water cycle lesson, “Drip, Drip, Drop!” when presenting.

EXTEND

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1. Show students NASA satellite image of the Hawaiian island chain. They can refer to the “Satellite Image of Hawai‘i” worksheet.

2. Ask students to identify the northeast side of the islands. Explain to students that this is where the

tradewinds are coming from. Show winds using hand motions or drawing arrows directly on image.

3. Point out mountain ranges and ask students to identify which side of the islands are windward and leeward:

What do you notice about the windward sides of the island chain? Why is it so green? What

kind of climate would make this side so green? What might the weather be like there most often?

What do you notice about the leeward side of the island chain? Why does it look so brown? What kind of climate would make this side so brown? What might the weather be like there most often?

4. Students then create a classroom island chain using their models. Students position models in the

classroom so that the windward sides of their island are all facing the northeast side of the room. Have students take turns individually or as groups and pretend to be the northeast trade winds blowing against the windward side of their island chain. This will help them check to be sure they have positioned their models correctly.

5. Students also can check their work by referring to NASA satellite image from worksheet.

6. Discuss Earth’s systems:

How does the island biosphere of life depend on the island hydrosphere of water? How does the amount of rain in the hydrosphere and atmosphere affect the biosphere on the

leeward side of the island? How about this affecting the windward side? How do you know? Are the same animals and plants living on both the leeward and windward sides of the

island? Why do you think so? Which side of the island stores more water? How do you know? How might the soil be different on the leeward and windward sides of the island? How does

this affect farming?

EVALUATE

1. Provide students with “Wet or Dry” worksheet.

2. Students color the island chain that clearly shows leeward/windward sides. Draw arrows or illustrate

to identify where the northeast trade winds are coming from. Students describe the climate on their leeward/windward sides in their own words.

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ASSESSMENT OPTIONS Formative Assessment

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Groups of students will present their island models and explain why one side is called windward and the other is called leeward.

When explaining the difference between leeward and windward, students could use an appropriate prop. These could include: sunglasses, sun hat, rain hat, umbrella, rain poncho/jacket. They should also explain why those pieces of clothing would be needed.

Summative Assessment

Students will complete the “Wet or Dry” worksheet. They should identify that the leeward side is dry and does not have a lot of rain throughout the year and that the windward side is wet and does get a lot of rain throughout the year because of the northeast trade winds

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CULTURE CONNECTION

Image courtesy of Kohuroa.

Polynesian Voyaging Society

Introduce students to the Polynesian Voyaging Society Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage. Project the sail plan and discuss how voyagers, navigation, and sailing plans might be affected by wind patterns by visiting the following website: http://www.hokulea.com/worldwide­voyage/

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Image courtesy of Bishop Museum.

The Wind Gourd of Laʻamaomao

Students read and interact with the legend of The Wind Gourd of Laʻamaomao at Bishop Museum’s Online Learning Center: http://www.bishopmuseumeducation.org/bishop/default/view/34 According to the legend, a calabash, belonging to Laʻamaomao, the goddess of the winds, was passed to her son Pākaʻa. It contained the many winds of the islands that could be called to service through chant. The legend of the Ipu Makani is still very popular today.

DIFFERENTIATION Emerging Learners

Students can use island chain models to help guide their thinking in “Lesson 5 Assessment” section Assign these students to work with higher level learners during the leeward/windward clay model

activity These students should have access to their vocabulary section in their science notebooks for all

activities. Advanced Learners

Allow these students to conduct further research of different native plants and animals found in leeward and windward areas.

Have them present their research to the class using their medium of choice.

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English Language Learners Allow these students to use their vocabulary section for this lesson when completing assessments.

EXTENSIONS

1. Show images of windward waterfalls from your island and ask students where this water comes from:

What do you notice about where the water is falling? How does all of that water change the shape of the mountain over time?

2. Students discuss what would happen to our islands if the northeast tradewinds stopped:

What would happen to the climate of the island? What if the wind changed direction?

3. Students research the effects of Kona winds:

How are they different from the northeast tradewinds? What might happen to the Hawaiian islands if Kona winds blew more frequently?

4. Students can submerge their island model to see that the island is both below and on top of the

water. This will help clarify the common misconception that our islands are floating and actually how much of an island is underwater.

STANDARDS Next Generation Science Standards

Crosscutting Concepts: Systems and System Models ­ In grades 3­5, students understand that a system is a group

of related parts that make up a whole and can carry out functions its individual parts cannot. They can also describe a system in terms of its components and their interactions.

Patterns ­ In grades 3­5, students identify similarities and differences in order to sort and classify natural objects and designed products. They identify patterns related to time, including simple rates of change and cycles, and to use these patterns to make predictions.

Science and Engineering Practices: Analyzing and interpreting data Developing and using models Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information Constructing explanations

Disciplinary Core Idea ESS2.D Weather and Climate Scientists record patterns of the weather across different

times and areas so that they can make predictions about what kind of weather might happen next. (3­ESS2­1) Climate describes a range of an area's typical weather conditions and the extent to which those conditions vary over years.

Common Core

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W.3.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

Hawaii Content & Performance Standards III

SC.3.8.2 Describe how the water cycle is related to weather and climate General Learner Outcomes

Self­Directed Learner Effective Communicator Complex Thinker Quality Producer

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REFERENCES Bishopmuseumeducation.org. (2015). Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum. Retrieved 29 April 2015, from

http://www.bishopmuseumeducation.org/bishop/default/view/34 Creation of a Rain Shadow [Photograph]. (2010). Retrieved April 26, 2015, from:

http://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/introduction­to­the­basic­drivers­of­climate­13368032

Descloitres, Jacques (Photographer). (2003). Satellite view of Hawaii archipelago [Photograph] Retrieved

March 24, 2015, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian_Islands#/media/File:Hawaje­NoRedLine.jpg

Kohuroa. (Photographer). (2009). Hōkūleʻa. [Photograph], Retrieved April 20, 2015 from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mau_Piailug#/media/File:Hokule%27aSailing2009.jpg Ricca, Katherine (Photographer). (2015). Clay model of island [Photograph]. Skofronick­Jackson, D. (n.d.). Glossary. Retrieved April 20, 2015, from

http://pmm.nasa.gov/education/glossary Students' Cloud Observations On­line. (n.d.). Retrieved April 20, 2015, from

http://science­edu.larc.nasa.gov/SCOOL/pdf/SCOOLposter2012/SCOOLposterENG_06­2012.pdf Wind Gourd of Laʻamaomao [Photograph]. (2014). Retrieved April 28, 2015, from:

http://www.bishopmuseumeducation.org/bishop/default/view/38

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Windward/Leeward Diagram

Image courtesy of Nature Education.

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Satellite Image of Hawaiʻi

Image courtesy of J. Descloitres.

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Wet or Dry Name______________________________________Date_________________

Leeward Windward

Describe the climate on the leeward side of your island.

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Describe the climate on the leeward side of your island.

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