Meteorology

Activity #1

Blowing Wind

Materials:
fan
file folder
set of objects that can be blown around such as a small pieces of paper, feathers, pieces of a styrofoam cup, small rubber ball, leaves

Plan:

1. Choose a very windy day to do this activity.
2. Discuss the effects of wind. Wind is moving air. The only way we know about air is when wind is blowing and we can see things move or feel the wind.
3. Demonstrate wind by blowing a piece of paper across the table. "Wind is moving air."
4. Now it is time to test wind.
5. Set up 4 tests (or fewer if you feel it is too much for the children).
A. A fan
B. The wind outside on a clear spot you have selected where the wind blows strong
C. The table (for children to practice blowing)
D. Another table to test home-made wind machines
6. Demonstrate each area. Put things in front of the fan; put some things that can be blown and others that will not be blown. Show how to wave a file folder to make wind. Blow on some things that will blow and not be blown.
7. Have each child select 4-6 objects that she thinks the wind can blow.
8. Take the objects to each station and see if the wind blows them.
9. Compare the wind sources. Which is the strongest? Does strong mean blow long or blow hard?

Activity #2

Weather - Weather Forecaster

Materials:

Drawing Paper
Classroom calendar
Weather Forecasting by Gail Gibbons
What Will the Weather Be Like? by Linda DeWitt
Crayons, Markers

Plan:

1. Discuss weather words, such as thunderstorm, rain shower, wind, sun, rainbow, tornado, hurricane, etc. Invite the children to pick one word and draw a picture of it.
2. Then, during circle time, read books.
3. Tell the children that each day you will choose one child to be the weather forecaster for the class.
4. Have the first forecaster look out of a classroom window for a few minutes. When the child rejoins the group, ask what the weather looks like today. Is it rainy, sunny, cloudy, etc?
5. Have the child put the appropriate weather symbol on the calendar for that day.

More to do:

Math: Set out a coffee can to catch the rain. Bring it in at the end of the day. Let the children measure the amount of water collected. Write down the result. Continue this experiment for several rainy days. Make a graph showing the amount of rain for each day.