Weather Curriculum
Feb 11th, 2008 by Alicia
We host various science and history themed homeschool events at a local historic site and tomorrow we’re having “Sun, Wind and Weather” Day. I thought I’d post the agenda in case anybody wanted to incorporate some into their own homeschool. We use a lot of supplies like UV beads and electronic gadgets to measure wind speed, temperature and such (the temperature “gun” is really fun!) but a lot of it can easily be adapted for home.
Here’s part of the agenda, which is designed to work so there is something for all ages…
Capture the wind– have kids take plastic bags outside on windy day, capture wind. Bring it inside. Ask if it is wind or air? Why? Let them pop the bags.
Make wind–Place the balloon over the mouth of the bottle. Pour a few inches of hot water into a cup. Set the soda bottle in the hot water. After a few moments, the balloon will stand straight up as the air inside the bottle warms and expands into the balloon. Explain that as the sun warms air around the earth, the air rises. Colder air then moves in to fill the vacant spot. What is moving air called? Wind!
Bring ribbons so little ones can do wind dances.
Have kids be the states of water (cold– huddle together as ice, room temp– spread out but hold hands, hot– let go and be free as steam).
Make a wind spiral
Have kids decorate and cut out their spirals. Help them pull the needle and thread through the X on the spiral. Demonstrate how the spirals can turn in moving air. Hold one spiral up high by the string. Blow gently from underneath. Turn the lamp facing up. Let each child hold her spiral over the light bulb.
Make cloud finder wheels.
Make wind scale wheels (these may be online but ours were already made– you estimate wind speed by what you observe).
Use UV nail polish, see how strong UV rays are outside. It changes color from the UV rays outside– darker the more UV light there is. Shine UV light on them, shine regular light on them. Do they change color?
Make UV bead bracelets to take home. Kids can use these as a reminder to move to the shade or put on sunscreen if they turn darker colors. The beads can be purchased from a teacher supply store online.
Do UV experiments– put UV sunglasses in front of nails or UV beads, see if they protect. Do the same with sunscreen, light cloth, shadow.
Have each person get strip of paper with weather folklore, take turns reading. Talk about why they’re true if they are. We have lots of fun with this one and ask the kids to try them out after the class. If cows are lying down will it really rain soon? If there’s a red sky in the morning will it really storm?
Bring cloud book/poster.
Read weather books for little ones. Some that we like are silly like “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.”
We’re also going to be snowshoeing and making snow ice cream. If you don’t have snow for ice cream you can make ice cream in a bag and I don’t think you’ll hear any complaints!
