Grade IV - Science and Health
Unit VI - Earth/Weather
Basic Education Assistance for Mindanao (BEAM) project. Prior approval must be
given by the author(s) or the BEAM Project Management Unit and the source must
be clearly acknowledged.
Mind Map
The Mind Map displays the organization and relationship between the concepts and activities in this Learning Guide in a visual form. It is included to provide visual clues on the structure of the guide and to provide an opportunity for you, the teacher, to reorganize the guide to suit your particular context.
Stages of Learning
The following stages have been identified as optimal in this unit. It should be noted that the stages do not represent individual lessons. Rather, they are a series of stages over one or more lessons and indicate the suggested steps in the development of the targeted competencies and in the achievement of the stated objectives.
Assessment
1. Activating Prior Learning
This stage aims to engage or focus the learners by asking them to call to mind what they know about the topic and connect it with their past learning. Activities could involve making personal connections.
Background or purpose
Weather is a natural phenomenon which occurs daily and affects the activities of people and animals. In this stage, students' background knowledge about the weather will be activated through an activity.
Strategy
Game is a strategy which provides opportunity for the students to be actively engaged in the activity.
In this stage, students will be playing a game called “Pick A Surprise” to assess their current understanding on the different weather conditions.
Materials
• a big box containing items related to weather (e.g. raincoat, umbrella, sweater,
sunglasses, shorts, cap, sweater, short pants, sleeveless blouse/tops, fan, rubber boots, ice cream container/cone)
• manila paper/chalkboard, pentel pen/chalk • tape/CD player or a radio to play an upbeat music
• ball
Activity 1 – Pick a Surprise
Advance Preparation:
1. Prepare a box containing items which are related to weather conditions. See the list under materials. You may decorate the box with some pictures showing weather conditions.
2. Enlarge the table shown below on a manila paper/chalkboard. Do not include the entries on the 2nd and 3rd rows.
Item from the box Appropriate time to use it Reason/s for using it
1. raincoat rainy days to protect ourselves from the rain
2. fan sunny days to cool our body
3. Arrange the desks/chairs/tables at the sides of your classroom leaving a big space at the middle.
During the activity:
1. Have students sit in a circle facing the center. 2. Put the box at the middle of the circle.
3. Tell the students that they will be playing a game. Explain that:
• At some stage, the music will be stopped. The one who gets hold of the ball will stand and pick one item from the box. He/she will say something about it (e.g appearance, and when such item will be used).
4. When everyone has understood the mechanics, start the game.
5. As each student shares his/her idea, record the responses on the enlarged table. When done, have them return the items inside the box.
6. Facilitate debriefing. You may ask:
• What is common among the items in the box?
• Describe the condition of the day when you will use each of those items.
• What do you know about those conditions? 7. Publish students' responses on the board.
Formative Assessment
Check students' answers.
Roundup
Students should have
• identified the items associated with weather conditions; and • expressed their current understanding about weather.
2. Setting the Context
This stage introduces the students to what will happen in the lessons. The teacher sets the objectives/expectations for the learning experience and an overview how the learning experience will fit into the larger scheme.
Background or purpose
In this stage, the students will be working in groups to illustrate some weather conditions This activity will lead them to think of the things which affect the weather.
Strategy
Small Group Discussion - a strategy used to generate ideas on a certain topic from the students in a limited time. This is done to increase student -student interaction and to encourage participation especially in expressing ideas.
Materials
pentel pen, crayons, manila paper, pencil, masking tape
Activity 2: Weather Components
1. Organize students into about five groups.
2. Tell them that they will be working in groups to illustrate (draw/describe in words) how a type of weather looks and feels like. You may give them some hint by asking them to imagine the sky/the leaves of the trees during a sunny/rainy/windy day.
6. Give them enough time to finish it.
7. Once done, let them share their output with the class. 8. Facilitate debriefing. Ask:
• How are the five types of weather similar? Different?
• How do you describe the temperature, clouds, wind, and precipitation of the different types of weather?
• What tools can be used to measure temperature? Wind speed? Wind direction? Precipitation?
9. Publish their answers on the board and tell them that those are the things that they are going to find out in the next activities. Introduce the objectives of the topic.
10. Ask them to revisit their answers after the topic has been fully discussed.
Formative Assessment
You may use Assessment checklist for A Small Group Activity on page 15.
Roundup
Students should have:
• illustrated how a type of weather looks and feels like;
• compared and differentiated the five types of weather;
• described the temperature, clouds, wind and precipitation of the different types of weather based on their current understanding;
• suggested some ways to measure temperature, wind speed, wind direction, and precipitation; and
• been oriented on the topic and its objectives.
3. Learning Activity Sequence
People experience weather everyday. It is where our activity depends upon. In this stage, students will explore several activities which will help them develop understanding on some weather elements - temperature, cloud, wind and precipitation.
Activity 3.1, “Thermometer Mania”, is a hands-on activity which provides an opportunity
for the students to take the temperature reading of the air using an air thermometer. They will be guided to take the temperature reading. They will also associate the air temperature with the weather condition.
Activity 3.2, “Measuring and Locating Wind”, is a hands-on activity which provides an
opportunity for the students to observe and describe the speed and the direction of the wind. The activity will help them associate/relate the speed and direction of the wind to the weather condition.
Activity 3.3, “Clouds and the Sky”, is an activity where students observe the clouds and
relate them to the weather of the day.
Activity 3.4, “Cool Droplets”, is an activity about precipitation. Students are introduced
to different forms of precipitation. They will also be engaged in an activity where they will use a rain gauge.
Activity 3.5, “Weather Report”, is an activity where students will have an opportunity to
The activities in this stage is anchored on BEC Competencies for Science and Health, Grade IV, Unit VI-Earth, #s 4.4.1- 4.4.5 and 5.
Strategy for Activity 3.1
Small Group Discussion
Materials
• Laboratory Thermometer
• Activity sheet for Activity 3.1, “Thermometer Mania”, page 16
Activity 3.1 : Thermometer Mania
1. Bring the students outside the classroom and let them experience the warmth/hotness of the sun/the coldness of the wind.
2. Lead them back to your classroom and have them describe the temperature as they feel it outside.
3. Ask them the following questions:
• What did you feel? (Hot/cold)
• Will the temperature stay the same throughout the day?
• During a sunny weather, which time of day is the coldest? The warmest?
• What happens with the weather if the temperature changes?
• How does temperature affect the weather?
• How can we get the exact temperature of a weather? 4. Organize students into about four groups.
5. Show a thermometer. You may call some students to describe it, read the number where the red line is and give their idea on its use.
6. When done, provide an information about the air/weather thermometer, how it works and how it is used.
7. Introduce the unit of measurement (ºC) and show how it is written and read. 8. Tell students that they are going to take the air temperature outdoor. 9. Set safety measures before doing the activity.
10. Distribute activity sheet for Activity 3.1, “Thermometer Mania”, page 16.
11. Lead the students to a place where they can put and hang their thermometer safely. 12. Let students read the thermometer in the morning, noon and afternoon.
13. The next day, have each group share their output with the class. 14. Facilitate debriefing. Ask:
• What is the instrument used to measure temperature?
• How do you describe the temperature of the day?
• How does temperature affect the weather?
Formative Assessment
You may assess student's performance using the Group work assessment rubric page 17
Roundup
Students should have:
• accurately measured air temperature using a laboratory thermometer;and
• explained how temperature affects the weather.
Strategy for Activity 3.2
Small Group Discussion
Materials
improvised anemometer and wind vane, activity sheet for Activity 3.2, Measuring the Wind, page 21
Activity 3.2: Measuring and Locating the Wind
1. Have students mention another factor which affect the weather. You may recite the riddle to give them a clue.
2. Have students describe the wind. Then ask:
• How do you know that wind is present?
• How fast is the wind blowing?
• How can we measure its speed?
• How shall we know the direction from where it is blowing?
3. Show to the class an improvised wind vane and anemometer. Refer to Teacher Resource Sheets, Making an Anemometer, page 24 and Making a Wind Vane, page 26 for the instructions on how to improvise them.
4. Have them operationally define an anemometer and wind vane. Lead them to the concept that an anemometer measures the speed of the wind and the wind vane tells the direction of the wind from which it is blowing.
5. Explain how each instrument works. For the wind vane, orient them with the four main directions (North, South, East and West) and how to tell the direction of the wind. For the anemometer, orient them how to tell the speed of the wind. Present to them the reference in estimating the speed of the wind and the Beaufort Wind Scale(see pages 23 and 25).
6. Organize students into about two groups. Have one group observe the wind vane and the other group, the anemometer. After their observation, have them exchange places and experience how each instrument works.
7. Let each group observe the speed and direction of the wind using the two instruments every two hours for 3 days. Distribute Activity 3.2, Measuring the Wind, page 21. 8. When done, have them share their output.
9. Facilitate debriefing. You may ask:
• What instrument is used to measure the speed of the wind? The direction of the wind from where it is blowing?
• Does wind come from the same direction in different times of the day?
• How fast was the wind blowing in the morning? Noon? Afternoon?
10. Provide more input on how the wind affects the weather and how to use the different tools in measuring the speed and direction of the wind. See Background Information for Teachers,page 22.
Formative Assessment
You may assess student's performance using the Group work assessment rubric, page 17. Check also the accuracy of data gathered by the students.
Roundup
Students should have:
• identified the instruments used to measure the speed and direction of the wind; and
• measured the speed of the wind and identified the direction from where it is blowing.
Strategy for Activity 3.3
Small Group Discussion
Materials
manila paper, blue, gray and white crayons, pencil, pentel pen
Activity 3.3: Clouds and the Sky
1. You may start the lesson by reciting a riddle to let the students focus to cloud concepts for this activity.
2. Ask the students:
• What are the shapes of clouds?
• Why do they change shape? What does its shape tell us?
• What are their colors? What do their colors indicate?
• How much of the sky is covered with clouds? Whole sky? ½ of the sky? What does it indicate?
3. Publish their answers on the board.
4. Organize students into about four groups. Tell them that they will be making a sketch of a cloud and color it.
5. Set safety precautions before doing the activity. 6. Distribute the materials as specified above.
7. Lead each group to different parts of the school campus. Make sure that it is shady and they can have a good view of the sky.
8. Give them enough time to finish their wok.
9. Work closely with each group. Make sure you move from one group to the other and assist them with their need.
10. When done, have them display their output and talk about it. 11. Facilitate debriefing. Ask:
• Did you see the same kind of clouds on the different parts of the sky?
• What are their shapes and color?
• What is our weather if we have these types of clouds? • Will the weather change if clouds change shape and color?
• What are the other kinds of clouds that you have already seen? What kind of weather was it when you saw them?
• What portion of the sky is covered with clouds (most part of the sky, a little part of it)? What does it indicate? (partly cloudy, mostly cloudy, generally cloudy, etc.)
• What will happen if the there is no/little cloud in the sky? If 1/2 of the sky is covered with clouds? If the whole sky is covered with clouds? If dark clouds cover the whole sky?
• What do the clouds tell about the weather?
12. Provide lecturette on the different clouds, sky cover and how they affect the weather.
Formative Assessment
You may use Group Work Rubric to assess how students participated in the group work. See page 17.
Roundup
Students should have:
• identified the different cloud types;
• related the shapes and color of clouds to the kind of weather; and
• explained the importance of clouds in telling the weather of the day.
Strategy for Activity 3.4
Call Out
Small Group Discussion
Materials:
for Rain Gauge:
• a 2-liter plastic bottle (softdrink bottle) or a tall (about 12 inches) transparent plastic container,
• a ruler
• a pair of scissors
Activity 3.4 – Cool Droplets
Advance Preparation:
1. Draw a dark overcast sky on a manila paper.
2. Improvise a rain gauge. (See Making A Rain Gauge, page 30) During the activity:
1. Show the overcast sky that you drew and ask the students to describe the temperature and the weather if the sky looks that way.
2. Ask them what will probably fall from the sky and how can they measure it.
3. Introduce the word precipitation and its forms aside from rain (sleet, hail and snow). 4. Have them describe snow , rain, sleet and hail. If no one can describe these words you
may give the description (refer to Background Information for Teachers, page 29). 5. Let them give their idea how precipitation can be measured.
6. Introduce the improvised rain gauge and explain how it is used. Refresh students knowledge on metric unit of measurement for rainfall, millimeter.
7. Let them measure rainfall during rainy day and guide them to write the data on a table. See Teacher Resource Sheet for Activity 3.4, Precipitation Table, page 31.
Formative Assessment
You may use Group Work Rubric to assess how students participated in the group work. See page 17.
Roundup
Students should have:
• measured rainfall; and
• related precipitation to weather.
Strategy for Activity 3.5
Small Group Discussion
Materials
Activity sheet for Activity 3.4, Weather Report, page 32
Activity 3.5: Weather Report
1. You may start the activity by showing a picture of “Kuya Kim”, a TV weather reporter. Ask students what his weather report is all about?
2. Organize students into about four groups. Tell them that they will be having an activity on weather reports.
3. Distribute activity sheet for Activity 3.4, Weather Report ,page 32. 4. Give enough time for the students to finish the task.
5. When done, let them share their output with the class. 6. Facilitate debriefing. Ask:
• What is the importance of a weather report?
Formative Assessment
You may use Group Work Rubric to assess how students participated in the group work. See page 17.
Roundup
Students should have
• interpreted a weather report; and
• explained the importance of a weather report.
4. Check for Understanding of the Topic or Skill
This stage is for teachers to find out how much students have understood before they apply it to other learning experiences.
Background or purpose
Students will observe the weather for seven days using the thermometer, wind vane and anemometer. They will also observe the sky condition and/or cloud cover.
Strategy
Small Group Discussion
Materials
laboratory thermometer, wind vane, anemometer, activity sheet for Activity 4, Daily Weather, page 33
Activity 4: Daily Weather
1. You may start the activity by asking the students say something about different weather instruments and their uses and the different factors that affect the weather. 2. Tell students that they will be working in groups to observe the weather and record
them on weather chart. Then each day, a group will report the weather to the class before the science class starts.
3. Distribute activity sheet for Activity 4, Daily Weather, page 33. 4. Let the group reporters share their output with the class.
Formative Assessment
Check students' output.
Roundup
Students should have:
• taken the temperature reading accurately;
• identified the direction of the wind from which it is blowing;
• described the speed of the wind;
• described the clouds and the cloud cover;
• used appropriate words to describe the amount of rainfall;
• applied knowledge of the weather elements in making decisions for the day such as suggesting some activities during certain types of weather.
5. Practice and Application
In this stage, students consolidate their learning through independent or guided practice and transfer their learning to new or different situations.
Background or purpose
Practical application of what the child learned is necessary so that they will be able to realize the relevance of school experience to their real life.
In this stage, students will role play some activities during certain types of weather.
Materials
four strips of paper, ballpen, small box
Activity 5 – Situations and Solutions
Advance preparation:
1. Write each of the situations listed below on separate strips of paper.
• Situation 1: One Friday evening, you planned to go to the beach with your family. But when you woke up the next morning, you saw dark clouds covering the sky and you feel cold. What action/s will you do? Will you still go to the beach?
• Situation 2: You were in school. You feel warm and you see cirrus clouds on the sky. What activities can you do?
• Situation 3: You were helping your father pulling out the weeds on your vegetable garden. You feel good because there are lots of clouds which gives shadow and the wind is blowing moderately. But as time passes by, you noticed that the wind grows colder and stronger. What will you do?
Situation 4: Your mother hung the washed clothes on the clothesline and your father dried sacks of rice on your cemented pathway before they left for work. The sky turned dark and gloomy. What will you and your siblings do?
2. Roll each strip and put them in a small box. During the activity:
1. Organize students into different groups. Tell them that they are going to role play a situation.
2. Have each group discuss the situation they will role play.
3. Give them enough time to plan and rehearse their presentation. Set a number of minutes for the presentation of each group.
4. When done, let each group present within the allocated time. 5. Facilitate debriefing. Ask:
• What were the situations all about?
• Did the characters take the appropriate actions in response to the situations given?
Formative Assessment
You may assess students performance using the Role Play Rubric, page 34
Roundup
Students should have applied their understanding about the weather through the role play.
6. Closure
This stage brings the series of lessons to a formal conclusion. Teachers may refocus the objectives and summarize the learning gained. Teachers can also foreshadow the next set of learning experiences and make the relevant links.
Background or purpose
Students will be working individually or in pairs to reflect on their activities, think about their learning, and how they can use them in real situations.
Strategy
Reflective Writing is a strategy where students are given the opportunity to think about
their activities and identify what they learned from it.
Materials
paper and pen, Activity 6, My Weather Journey , page 35
Activity 6 – My Weather Journey
1. Organize students into about four groups.
2. Within their groups, have them think about their lessons and activities in weather. 3. Post the following questions on the board:
• What are the things that you learned from the concepts about weather?
• What are your realizations about them?
• How will you show/use your learning?
4. Distribute activity sheet for Activity 6, My Weather Journey, page 35. 5. Give them enough time to finish the task.
6. When done ask them to share their reflection within their group. Then each group will share their common learning, realizations and ways to show/use their learning with the whole class.
Roundup
Students should have expressed their learning, realization and ways to show /use them
Teacher Evaluation
(To be completed by the teacher using this Teacher’s Guide) The ways I will evaluate the success of my teaching this unit are: 1.
Teacher Resource Sheet for Group Activity
Assessment Checklist for A Small Group Activity
Group Number/Name ________________________________ Name of Activity: ____________________________________
DIRECTIONS: This form is designed to help you evaluate student work in cooperative learning groups. Read each statement below. Then, fill in the column with a check mark (/) for the behavior demonstrated by the group in an activity.
Criteria
1. Each member had a clear understanding of the group's task.
2. Group members listened willingly to one another.
3. There was strong leadership within the group.
4. Group members encouraged others to express opinions or contribute information.
5. The group fulfilled all the requirements of its assigned task.
6. Overall, the group worked well together.
Additional Comments:
Activity 3
Thermometer Mania
What to do:
1. Get the temperature of the day in the morning, noon and afternoon.
2. Record it on the table.
Morning Noon Afternoon
Temperature(ºC)
3. Answer the following questions:
(a) Did the temperature stayed the same from morning till afternoon? What
caused this change?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
(b) Which time of day has the lowest temperature? the highest?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
(c) How is temperature and weather related?
Teacher Resource Sheet
Group Work Rubric
Category Excellent 4 Good 3 Satisfactory 2 Needs Improvement 1
Quality of Work
Highest quality
work High quality work
Work sometimes needs re-doing
Work usually needs re-doing
Contribution to
Group All the members of the group worked together to produce excellent
output/s.
Most members of the group worked together to produce good
output/s.
Some members of the group worked
to produce satisfactory
output/s.
Only one or two members of the group worked.
The output is unfinished or needs re doing.
Listening to Other's Points of
View
Everyone shared and listened to each other and used what was heard to improve the group's output.
Most members listened while others talk, used some that
was heard to improve group's
output.
Only few listened while someone is
sharing ideas. Some of the ideas
were used to produce output.
Few members tried to listen while someone is sharing. Some did
not share ideas, some argued. The
output needs re-doing.
Distribution of Group Tasks
Work was shared fairly by all members of the
group
Work was shared by most of the members of the
group.
Work was shared by some of the members of the
group.
Work was not shared or it was
done by one or two members of
Background Information for Teachers
The Weather and Some of Its Elements
The Atmosphere and the Weather
The atmosphere is the gaseous part of the earth. It is the air that surrounds the whole planet. It starts from the earth's surface up to about 500kms away.
Weather is the condition of the atmosphere in a particular place at a particular time. It has several types. Among them are the sunny, cloudy, windy, rainy and stormy weather. Weather changes from time to time, from sunny to cloudy, and calm to windy. These changes are caused by the changes of some elements like the temperature, wind speed and cloud or sky condition.
The role of the sun
The sun is the main source of energy on earth. It sends out great amount of energy everyday as solar energy but only a small part of this energy reaches the earth, most goes into space. Most of the energy that reaches the earth is absorbed and turns into heat. The sun is the key to the weather. Its rays filter through the
atmosphere and warm the earth's surface which, in turn, heats the air above. This makes the air move because warm air rises. As the rising warm air moves farther away from the land, it cools and sinks. Air moves all over the world, causing winds which carry weather changes. Also, the equator is hot because the sun shines directly overhead. The poles are cold because the rays hit the earth at lower angles.
The Air Temperature
Air temperature is the degree of hotness/coldness of the air. It changes within the day depending on the amount of clouds and position of the sun on the sky. As the temperature change, the weather changes too.
The amount of clouds on the sky affects the air temperature. During daytime, when it is cloudy,the air temperature is low because the clouds reflect the solar energy back to outer space. When there is less solar energy entering the earth, the air temperature goes down. But if it has less or no clouds, the temperature is high, making the day hot because the solar energy comes to earth without hindrance. When there is so much energy the air temperature goes up. At night, when it is cloudy, the temperature is higher than when the sky is clear. The clouds prevent the heat from escaping to the outer space. More heat is trapped making the night warm. If there is less or no clouds at night, more heat escapes into outer space making the night cold. Air temperature is also affected by the position of the sun on the sky. It is lowest at dawn when the sun does not shine yet but rises as the sun rises. When the sun is directly up above the head, it gives more energy, increasing the temperature. Then, it decreases as the sun sets.
Weather Thermometer.
The thermometers we use today are different than the ones Galileo may have used. There is usually a bulb at the base of the thermometer with a long glass tube stretching out the top. Early thermometers used water, but because water freezes there was no way to measure temperatures less than the freezing point of water. So, alcohol, which freezes at temperature below the point where water freezes, was used.
The red colored or silver line in the middle of the thermometer moves up and down depending on the temperature. The thermometer
measures temperatures in Fahrenheit, Celsius and another scale called Kelvin. Fahrenheit is used mostly in the United States, and most of the rest of the world uses Celsius. Kelvin is used by scientists.
Fahrenheit is named after the German physicist Gabriel D. Fahrenheit who developed his scale in 1724. Ice freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit (F for short), and water boils at 212 degrees F. He arbitrarily decided that the difference between the freezing point and boiling point of water should be 180 degrees.
The Celsius scale is named after Anders Celsius. The Celsius scale was used to be called the "centigrade" scale. Centigrade means "divided into 100 degrees." Anders Celsius developed his scale in 1742. He started with the freezing point of water and said that it was 0 degrees Celsius (C for short). At the point where water boils, he marked that at 100 degrees C. This scale is much more scientific because the
measurement is broken down into an even 100 degrees. This is similar to the scientific system of measuring distance and weight called the metric system.
When you look at a regular outside bulb thermometer, you will see a thin red or silver line that grows longer when it is hotter. The line goes down when it is colder.
The liquid used is sometimes colored alcohol but can also be a metallic liquid called mercury. Both mercury and alcohol grow bigger when heated and smaller when cooled. Inside the glass tube of a thermometer, the liquid has no place to go but up when the temperature is hot and down when the temperature is cold.
Numbers are placed alongside the glass tube that mark the temperature when the line is at that point.
To get the temperature of a certain place:
1. Hold the thermometer gently but securely near the 20ºC mark. Don't hold it on the “red” or “silver” end since it would give a false reading
2. Take the thermometer to where you want to measure the air thermometer. It should be taken to or placed at a good distance away from any buildings or other massive obstructions which could block a significant amount of air flow. It should be placed approximately 6 feet off the ground, and not be in any direct sunlight. This is because if the thermometer is exposed to direct sunlight it will give a reading that is way too warm and is not
representative of the actual temperature. Hold it or hang it up on a wall or tree on eye level. 3. Wait for at least 5 minutes, then take the temperature reading by looking at the top level of
the red line and the number etched on the side of the thermometer indicating degrees in Fahrenheit and/or Celsius. This is the air temperature of the place.
Activity 3.2
Measuring the Wind
What to do:
1. Observe the direction and speed of the wind every after two hours.
2. Record your observation on the table.
Time Speed of the wind
(calm, slow, moderate, fast)
Direction of the wind (north, south, east, west)
3. Answer the questions.
I. What have you observed on the speed and direction of the wind on
different times of the day?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
II. When is the wind calm?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
III.What other changes (clouds, temperature, etc.) have you observed as the
speed of the wind changes?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
IV.How does the wind contribute to the weather condition?
Background Information for Teacher
The Wind
How Wind Develops
Wind is a natural phenomenon. It goes in and out in a place without actually seeing it, only feeling and seeing its effect. Its strength ranges from calm to strong. A Beaufort Scale explains this.
Wind is a moving air. One of the reasons why wind develops is due to the unequal heating of land and water. During the day, the sun heats the land. As the land heats up, the air around it also heats up or becomes warm. Warm air is light, expands and rises or moves upward to cool off.
The water during this time is still cold but slowly heating up. The air above it is also cold. Cold air is heavy, and sinks. As the warm air over the land rises/move upward, the cold air over the sea moves toward the land
The movement of air from the cold area to warmer area is what makes wind.
During nighttime, the situation reverses. The land has already released the heat and cools off while the sea is still warm but very slowly releases its heat. This causes the air to blow from the land to the sea.
http://www.kfor.com/Global/story.asp?S=1644592 The two most important things about the wind are
its speed and direction in which it is blowing. We use a weather vane or a windsock (a kind of long cloth tube through which the wind is funnelled) to see wind direction. It is expressed in compass points. A weather vane or wind vane spins and points in the direction from which the wind is coming. It has generally two parts: one that is usually shaped like an arrow and turns into the wind and one end that is wider so that it catches the breeze. The arrow will point to the direction the wind is blowing from. So, if it is pointing to the east, it means the wind is coming from the east.
An anemometer is a device that is used for measuring wind speed, and is one instrument used in
a weather station. The term is derived from the Greek word anemos, meaning wind.
Wind speed is measured by the Beaufort Scale, windsocks or by special scientific instruments called anemometers. The unit of measurement is kilometres per hour (km/h) or knots. The Beaufort Scale was invented in 1805 by Admiral Beaufort to estimate wind speed through observations of objects. The original scale was for use at sea but it has been adapted for use on land.
Source: http://www.ussartf.org/predicting_weather.htm land
water
Background Information for Teacher
The Beaufort Wind Scale
Wind
Descriptions Units in km/h Description on land Description at sea
Calm 0 Smoke rises vertically. Sea is like a mirror
Light Winds 19 km/h or
less Wind felt on face; leaves rustle; ordinary vanes moved by wind.
Small wavelets, ripples formed but do not break: A glassy appearance maintained.
Moderate Winds
20-29 km/h Raises dust and lose paper; small branches are moved.
Small waves-becoming longer.
Fresh Winds 30-39 km/h Small trees in leaf begin to sway; crested wavelets form on inland water.
Moderate waves, taking a more pronounced long form
Strong Winds 40-50 km/h Large branches in motion; whistling heard in
telephone wires; umbrellas used with difficulty.
Large waves begin to form; the white foam crests are more extensive with probably some spray.
Storm 88-102 km/h Trees uprooted; considerable structural damage.
Very high waves with long overhanging crests; the resulting foam in great patches is blown in dense white streaks; the surface of the sea takes on a white appearance; the tumbling of the sea becomes heavy with visibility affected.
Source:
Teacher Resource Sheet for Activity 3.2
Making an Anemometer
Materials:
• 5 three 90 ml plastic cups
• 2 plastic drinking straws
• one pencil (with unused eraser)
• single hole paper punch • a pair of scissors
• 1 push pin
• tape
• 1 marker
Steps in making an anemometer:
1. Take four of the five plastic cups and punch one hole in each, about 1.5 cm below the rim.
2. Take the fifth cup and punch holes in it, directly opposite from each other, about 1.5 cm below the rim. Now punch two more holes in the cup,
each 1 cm below the rim that are equally-spaced between the first two holes.
3. Using the push pin and the scissors, make a hole in the center of the bottom of the cup with four holes in it. The hole should be large enough that the pencil can fit easily through it.
4. Slide one of the straws through the hole in one of the cups that has only one hole in it. Bend the end of the straw that is inside the cup about 1.5 cm and tape it to the inside of the cup.
5. Place the other end of the straw through two of the
holes in the fifth cup and then through the hole in one of the other cups. Tape the end of the straw to the inside of the cup as you did earlier, making sure that the openings of the two cups face in opposite directions. You now have an improvised anemometer 6. Repeat step 4 and 5 with the remaining two cups, sliding the straw through the
remaining two holes in the fifth cup. Make sure that the opening of each cup faces the bottom of the cup next to it (in other words, no two openings should be facing each other). Each of the four cups should be facing sideways.
7. Insert the pencil with the eraser facing up through the bottom of the fifth cup. Carefully push the pin through the two straws and into the eraser on the pencil.
8. Take a pentel pen and draw a large X on the bottom of one of the cups.
Reference in Estimating the Wind Speed
Revolutions in 10
seconds Wind Speed in Miles per Hour (mph) Kilometers per Hour Wind Speed in (kph)
2 - 4 1 2
5 - 7 2 3
8 - 9 3 5
10 - 12 4 6
13 - 15 5 8
16 - 18 6 10
19 - 21 7 11
22 - 23 8 13
24 - 26 9 14
27 - 29 10 16
30 - 32 11 18
33 - 35 12 19
36 - 37 13 21
38 - 40 14 23
41 - 43 15 24
44 - 46 16 26
47 - 49 17 27
50 - 51 18 29
52 – 54 19 31
55 - 57 20 32
source:
Teacher Resource Sheet for Activity 3.2
Making a Wind Vane
Materials:
• tag board/used file folder/index cards • 1 pin
• 1 pair of scissors
• glue/tape
• pencil with unused eraser • plastic drinking straw
• modeling clay
• paper plate
Steps in making the wind vane:
1. Cut out an arrow point 5 cm long from the tag board/ file folder/index card. 2. Cut out an arrow tail 7 cm long.
3. Make 1 cm cuts at the ends of the straw.
4. Slide the arrow head and the arrow tail into the cuts in the straw.
5. Push the pin through the middle of the straw and into the eraser of the pencil. 6. Stick the sharp end of the pencil into a lump of modeling clay; this will be your base. 7. Mark north, south, east and west on the paper plate.
8. Put the clay on the paper plate.
9. Test out your wind vane. Blow on the vane and make sure that the arrow can spin freely. source:
Background Information for Teacher
The Clouds
The Clouds and the Weather
Clouds are the visible mass of droplets of water suspended on the air above the earth's surface. They are important indicators of atmospheric conditions. They form from warm, moist air that rises from the earth’s surface as it is heated. The warm, moist air is less dense than cold, dry air, so it rises relative to colder, drier air. As warm, moist air rises, it gives off some heat energy and cools. When it cools, the water vapor changes into droplets of water or crystals of ice. These droplets collect around tiny bits of dust floating in the air. As the drops condense, a cloud is formed. Clouds are not gaseous water vapor; rather, they are minute, condensed water particles. When the water droplets or ice crystals become too heavy to remain suspended, they fall to the ground in the form of precipitation.
Different clouds have their meaning to tell and they affect the weather. As clouds appear / disappear /change, the weather changes too.
Some Forms of Clouds
Cirrus Clouds are the thin, wispy clouds that you see high in the sky. They
sometimes look like curls of hair. If you see these clouds, expect a pleasant day with fair weather.
Cumulus Clouds are the fluffy, white cotton ball or cauliflower-looking
clouds with sharp outlines. They are "fair weather clouds" and they are fun to watch as they grow and change in shape and size. Cumulus clouds make beautiful sunsets. These clouds are harmless, but watch out! Cumulus clouds sometimes grow bigger and bigger throughout the day and push higher into the sky. If the soft fluffy sheep turn into towering mountains, you can expect a storm.
Cumulonimbus Clouds. Sometimes, the cumulus clouds build up to
tremendous heights and take the shape of anvils. These are called cumulonimbus clouds. That's when you really need to be cautious. These clouds bring thunderstorms.
Stratus Clouds are stretched-out clouds of various shades of gray lying
across the sky. These clouds generally mean that rain is on its way.
Nimbus Clouds are clouds that look like someone has smeared gray icing all
over the sky. They bring rain wherever they go.
The Sky Cover
The amount of clouds in the sky or Sky Cover tells something about the temperature and weather. Meteolorogists describe them as clear, partly cloudy, cloudy, generally cloudy and overcast. It is said to be clear if there is no or little clouds in the sky. It is partly cloudy if ¼ of the sky is covered with clouds. It is cloudy if ½ of the sky is covered with the clouds, generally
cloudy if ¾ of the sky is covered with clouds and overcast if whole of the sky is covered with
clouds. As the sky cover changes, so the temperature and weather changes. Clear sky has high temperature and the weather is sunny. Overcast sky has low temperature and there's a possibility of rain.
Sky cover can be measured by using a big square mirror. Divide the big mirror into 16 equal parts with a pentel pen. Then bring it outside your room. Put it on the ground where you can have a good view of the whole sky but away from the sun, with the shiny part facing the sky. Count the number of squares on the mirror which you can see clouds. This determines the sky cover. If 4/16 or ¼ of the mirror reflects the image of clouds, then the sky is partly cloudy.
Weather affects us in many ways, from the food we eat and the clothes we wear to the activities that we do.
During sunny days, people do more outdoor activities since it is safer. They can travel, go to the beach for swimming to refresh themselves, fly kites, stroll and play outdoor sports and games. Fishermen can catch fish safely and its the most appropriate time for farmers to harvest and prepare their seeds for planting season. It is also the best time to eat/drink cold food/beverages and wear light clothes.
However, extra care should be observed when doing an outdoor activity to protect yourself from the heat of the sun or illness associated with this weather. Below are some tips:
1. Always use something which can protect you from the sun's heat like an umbrella, a hat/cap with sun visor, sunglasses and sunscreen lotion.
2. Drink plenty of liquids to avoid dehydration and minimize the attack of colds and other ailments.
3. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables to prevent cold and cough. 4. Stay indoor or under the shade most of the time.
5. Fly kites on open and wide fields and not near electrical wires, or on the streets. During rainy or stormy weather, most people choose to stay home or indoor. They avoid going out because it is cold, wet, slippery and dangerous . However, farmers find it very helpful if this weather comes because it is the best time to till the field and plant seedlings.
Safety measures on a rainy/stormy weather:
1. Use umbrella/raincoat/jacket/sweater/cap or hat to keep yourself from being wet or cold.
2. Use boots to protect your feet from getting wet or from germs which the water carries.
3. Take extra care when walking since the road is slippery.
Background Information for Teacher
Precipitation
Precipitation is any form of water that falls to the earth's surface generated in clouds. When water vapor droplets in clouds become so large that updrafts within the clouds can no longer support them, the water will fall to the earth under the force of gravity. It is measured by an instrument called a rain gauge in inches or millimeters.
Precipitation comes in different forms. Some of them includes the rain, snow, sleet and hail.
Rain is a liquid precipitation which we experience. When classified according to the rate of precipitation, rain can be classified into:
• Very light rain — when the precipitation rate is < 0.25 mm/hour
• Light rain — when the precipitation rate is between 0.25 mm/hour – 1.0 mm/hour • Moderate rain — when the precipitation rate is between 1.0 mm/hour – 4.0
mm/hour
• Heavy rain — when the precipitation rate is between 4.0 mm/hour – 16.0 mm/hour • Very heavy rain — when the precipitation rate is between 16.0 mm/hour – 50
mm/hour
• Extreme rain — when the precipitation rate is > 50.0 mm/hour.
Hail is a frozen form of precipitation which consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice generally associated with severe thunderstorms.
Sleet is a precipitation which usually occurs in winter. It is a mixture of rain and snow.
Teacher Resource Sheet for Activity 3.4
Making a Rain Gauge
Materials:
• a 2-liter plastic bottle (softdrink bottle) or a tall (about 12 inches) transparent plastic container,
• a ruler
• a pair of scissors
• a funnel that would fit the transparent plastic container
• marbles/pebbles Steps:
1. Cut the top off of the plastic bottle about 1/3 of the way down. The bottom part should be longer than the top part of the bottle.
2. Put some marble in it to keep it on its place. Then, add water until it is about 1 inch deep. Draw a line on the container to mark the base of the water level measurement.
3. Make a scale at the side of the plastic bottle. Get a ruler and mark off
every 10mm on the side of the plastic bottle starting from the line of the base level of water.
4. Turn the top part of the bottle upside down and stick it in the bottom. The top part is now a funnel. You now have a rain gauge.
5. You may use a tall, transparent plastic container in case the plastic softdrink bottle is not available.
Steps in Using a Rain Gauge:
1. Bring your rain gauge outside away from trees/plants and buildings and put it on a level surface.
2. Wait for the rain to be completely over before checking the level of rain to get the full rain reading.
3. Determine the period of time that you want to measure the rainfall. Some people pour the rain out of their rain gauges at the same time each week to get an idea of the total rainfall for a week. Others check their rain gauge after each rainfall.
4. Read the height of the water. Top of the water should be at eye level to get an accurate reading.
5. Write down in a notebook the amount of rain in your rain gauge in order to track the amount of rain you receive.
6. Empty your rain gauge up to the line of the water level base so it's ready to collect the next round of rain.
Adapted from:
Teacher Resource Sheet for Activity 3.4
PrecipitationTable
Directions: Fill in the table with the needed information.
Day Amount of Rainfall (mm) Weather
1
2
3
4
Questions:
1. Which day has the biggest amount of rainfall? the least?
2. What does it indicate?
Activity 3.5
Weather Report
What to do:
1. Look at the weather report.
Weather Report
May 16, 2009
Places Temperature Wind Sky Condition/Cloud Cover
1. Davao 24 - 32ºC Light to Moderate East-Northeast
Mostly cloudy with scattered rain shower/thunderstorm
2. Zamboanga City 24 - 33ºC Light to Moderate East-Northeast
Mostly cloudy with scattered rain shower/thunderstorm
3. Baguio City 16 - 25ºC Light to moderate East
Partly cloudy with isolated rain shower and thunderstorm
4. Puerto Princesa
City 26 - 33ºC Light to moderateEast Partly cloudy with isolated rain shower and thunderstorm
5. Tagaytay City 21 – 30ºC Light to moderate East
Partly cloudy with isolated rain shower and thunderstorm
2. Answer the following questions.
(a) What information are included in a weather report?
(b) What is the importance of a weather report?
(c) From the weather report above, which place has the lowest
temperature? The highest temperature?
(d) Which direction does most of the wind come from?
(e) If you live in Zamboanga City or Davao, what kind of clothing will you
wear? Why?
Activity 4
Daily Weather
1st day 2nd day 3rd day 4th day 5th day 6th day 7th day
Time (8:00 a.m.)
Temperature (ºC)
Wind Direction (N, S, E, W)
Wind Speed (calm, slow, moderate, fast)
Kind of Cloud (cirrus, stratus,
etc)
Cloud Cover (cloudy, partly
cloudy, etc.)
Amount of Rainfall
Teacher Resource Sheet
Role Play Rubric
Criteria 4 3 2 1
Organization
Presents the information in logical
and interesting sequence which audience can follow.
Presents the information in logical sequence which audience can follow. Audience has difficulty following the presentation because members jump around.
Audience can not understand the
presentation because there is
no sequence of information. Presentation of Characters Convincing communication of character's feelings, situations and motives. Competent communication of character's feelings, situations and motives. Adequate communication of character's feelings, situations and motives. Limited communication of character's feelings, situations and motives.
Use of Props
Impressive variety of props are used in exemplary ways. It
reinforced the simulation.
Good variety of props are used in competent ways. which related to the simulation.
Satisfactory variety of props
are used in an acceptable way. They rarely support the simulation. Props are inappropriate or uses no props at
all.
Group Work
Works very well with others. Assumes clear
role and responsibilities.
Works well with others. Takes part
in most decisions and shares in the responsibilities.
Works with others but has difficulty sharing decisions
and responsibilities.
Activity 6
My Weather Journey
I learned that
I realized that
For the Teacher:
Translate the information in this Learning Guide into the following matrix to help you prepare your lesson plans.
Stage
1.
Activating Prior
Learning
2.
Setting the
Context
3.
Learning
Activity Sequence
4.
Check for
Understanding
5.
Practice and
Application
6.
Closure
Strategies
Activities from the Learning Guide
Extra activities you may wish to include
Materials and planning needed
Estimated time for this Stage
