Sun, Shade, Rain, or Snow: Weather Lessons and Web Quests

Weather is part of everyday living, and weather patterns affect travel, health, interests, and safety of all people. Because weather is such an important component of the planet, it is an essential lesson for students of all ages. Weather studies can include such activities as the observation of climate patterns or precipitation measurement for children in elementary levels. Middle grades and those students in high school have the opportunity to learn more advanced techniques, such as meteorological principles and forecasting methods.

Learning about weather is not only interesting, but can be fun for participating students. The science of weather involves use of experiments and time spent outdoors for observation. Teachers have access to multiple lesson plans and activities that not only teach students about the principles of weather, but allow them to enjoy the process of learning. The following article will provide several opportunities for teaching activities, webquests, and games that will introduce students to new concepts and provide a fun way of discovering the phenomenon of weather.

Weather Lesson Plans

• Weather Scope: Making a weather station for students learning the science of meteorology.
• Weather Web Curriculum: Lesson plans for students from 4^th grade through high school regarding weather and science. The curriculum is offered by the State Climate Office of North Carolina.
• PBS News Hour: Studies for weather and climate changes for high school students. Provides lesson information, topics of discussion, and worksheets.
• Wind Observation: A science activity for students to observe the effects of the wind on the environment.
• Weather Symbols: A lesson plan for learning about the symbols and markers used by meteorologists when predicting the weather, from the National Severe Storms Laboratory.

Weather Web Quests

• Weather WebQuest: Curriculum for 5^th grade students about the water cycle, cloud formation, weather across the country and climate changes.
• Severe Weather WebQuest: A web quest designed to study tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards, and other forms of severe weather.
• Weather or Not?: A tool for studying meteorological instruments designed for middle school students.
• Weather Watchers WebQuest: A process for students to practice preparing weather reports and to accurately forecast the weather.
• Dr. Weather WebQuest: A project for junior meteorologists to create a weather website for various weather topics.
• Weather: A webquest designed for kindergarten students with observations and recording of the weather around them.
• Project Global Weather: A project for 9^th grade students to work building a team that will track global weather patterns.
• Extreme Weather: An assignment to research an extreme weather event and create an informational pamphlet to protect the public.
• Extraordinary Weather: A task creating a life science magazine related to extraordinary weather patterns.
• The Wild and Wacky Weather WebQuest: A science webquest of gathering information about the differences between tornadoes and hurricanes.

Weather Games and Activities

• Web Weather for Kids: Hands-on science activities that create weather patterns for study.
• FEMA for Kids: Games, quizzes, and activities related to weather and climate from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
• Weather Fun: Group activities for kids from kindergarten through 3^rd grade involving weather measurement and observation.
• Wild Weather Adventure: An interactive game involving moving an airship around the world while managing weather and climate in the process.
• The Weather Game: An online game for kids in a question and answer format to learn about weather patterns.
• Climate Change: Games and information for kids related to weather patterns and climate from the Environmental Protection Agency.