S1 Unit Two Geography: Weather - Calderglen High Web viewS1 Unit Two Geography: Weather. ... DescriptionWeather or Climate?It was raining when we left school.Africa is much hotter

S1 Unit Two Geography: Weather

S1 SOCIAL SUBJECTS

GEOGRAPHY

WEATHER UNIT

Calderglen High School, Geography and Modern Studies Faculty, February 2013 Page 1


INTRODUCTION

In this unit we will be investigating aspects of the weather, focussing mainly on Scotland. We will consider exactly what is meant by this word weather and how it affects us in Scotland.

I can investigate the relationship between climate and weather to be able to understand the causes of weather patterns within a selected climate zone.

SOC 3-12a

Learning Intentions

By the end of this unit you should:

Be able to explain what we mean by weather and climate and the difference between them

Understand how the weather is measured Have gathered your own weather data and record the results Have had the opportunity to build your own weather instruments and

measure the local weather Be able to explain why weather can be so very different in other parts of

the world



WEEK ONE

Lesson 1: What is Weather?

The weather in Scotland is something that people talk about regularly and a lot of the time it seems to be very negative. What is it about this word weather in Scotland that makes everyone so miserable?


Activate Your Brain Cells

Task 1:

Write down a sentence defining what this word weather means. Start your sentence as follows:

I think that weather is___________________________________

Task 2:

People like to know what the weather is going to be like at various times as it can affect what they do. In order to find this information, they need to know the correct place to look!

Write down three places that people can find out weather information from

Thinking Skills

Task 3:

Why is it important for people to know what the weather is going to be like?


dreich dull roastingfreezing pouring

In this lesson we have thought about the different ways that we can describe the weather. Our ideas may have come from things we have heard from family members or friends, or even from teachers in school.

We will now move on to think about the different elements which make up the weather.


Work as a GroupTask 4:

Throughout our lives you will have heard various words used to describe the weather in our country as well as in others. For example, when we go on holiday you hopefully use words to describe how good the weather is.

a) In your groups, try to come up with a list of 10 words that you have heard used to describe the weather.

Everyone in the group must write this list down! (2 minutes to complete your list.)

b) We will now compare our lists as a class, make sure you add any that you have missed in your group!

Video Clip: Watch today's weather forecast

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/

c) Two minutes to try and come up with a further five words

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/


Lesson 2: What are weather elements?

As we discussed in the last lesson, there are different ways that we can describe the weather. In order to be more specific about which part of the weather we are talking about, we can divide the weather into 8 elements. Each of these elements focus on a different feature of the weather and by thinking about these we can build up a more complete picture.


Working as a Group

Task 1:

Your group will be given an envelope containing the 8 weather elements and the definitions of each of these. Try to match each element to the correct description. You will be given 5 minutes to complete this task.

Task 2:

Using the information from the PowerPoint, check that your answers are correct. If they are not then you should now arrange these into the correct order. Take the heading Weather Elements in your jotter and write down the 8 elements and the correct definitions.

Individual Tasks

Show Your Understanding

Task 3:

Go back to your list of weather words from yesterday. We will now try to match some of our words to the correct weather elements.

a) Write down five words from your list that you think are related to temperature

b) Write down five words which are related to precipitation.

c) Choose another element and try to do the same, if you complete this.


We have now expanded our knowledge of the weather and can use specialised words in order to classify different features of the weather.

Our next focus will be on trying to answer an important question, what is the difference between weather and climate?

Lesson 3: What is the Difference Between Weather and Climate?

Weather and climate both include the study of all weather elements, but they are not the same thing.


Extension Task:

Take the heading in your jotter, My Weather Description.

Using the information that you have learned about weather elements, write a few sentences, in your jotter, describing the weather in East Kilbride today.

You should refer to as many weather elements as possible and you may also use some of your weather words which you think are appropriate.


So we know what the weather is and how it is made up, but what is different about climate?

Weather and climate both include the study of all the weather elements, but they are not the same thing. Weather is the actual conditions at any given point in time. Weather can change from hour to hour and day to day.

Climate is the pattern of weather that we expect over a year (eg. spring, summer, autumn, winter). Generally speaking, the climate of a place does not change even if there are unusually hot or cold, or wet or dry years from time to time. Climate statistics are averages calculated over a period of at least thirty years.



Task 1: Using your Student Work Booklet Complete this passage using the words from the box below:

Weather describes the state of the __________ (the air around us) at one ________ and at any one time. The weather can be ____________ in various parts of the country. It might not be the same today as it was yesterday or it will be tomorrow. In __________ people are always talking about the weather. This is because the weather is more ____________ in the UK than in other parts of the world. When we talk about the weather, we are actually talking about a number of different things, which we call the ___________ of the weather. MISSING WORDS: DIFFERENT; CHANGEABLE; ATMOSPHERE; PLACE; ELEMENTS; BRITAIN




Task 2: Read the passage on the previous page carefully and then answer the following questions in your jotter:

1. What do weather and climate have in common?

2. What actually is weather?

3. Briefly explain the difference between climate and weather.

4. How are climate statistics calculated?

Task 3: For each of the following statements, decide if you think it refers to weather or climate:

Description Weather or Climate?

It was raining when we left school.Africa is much hotter than Scotland.Canada is much colder than Scotland in winter.Several accidents were caused by the black ice.Deserts are hot, dry places.The rainfall is generally heavy in the winter and the summers are very dry.In the Glasgow hurricane, a lot of damage was caused to the old tenement flats.Tomorrow is expected to start cool and misty, but should be warm and sunny later when the mist clears.As I look out of the window, I can see a bank of strato-cumulous clouds building up in the west.We would expect winter to be the coldest, wettest and least sunny season.

Task 4: As we have already mentioned, the weather and climate of an area can have a huge impact. This often affects what people in the area are able to, not only on a day to day basis, but in the longer term. Can you think of any ways that the weather and climate can affect what people do? In your Student Work Booklet, complete the columns for this task. Try to come up with at least 2 ideas in each column.


Lesson 4: Factors Affecting Climate

So far we have learned that climate can vary from place to place. In this lesson we are going to try and think about why this is the case.

As we learned from the video, there are 5 factors which affect climate:

1. Altitude: the height of an area above sea level. The higher up you go the colder it gets.

2. Latitude: distance from the equator. The further away from the equator you are, the colder it gets.

3. Ocean Currents: warm ocean currents cause the air above them to be warm, cold ocean currents cause the air to be cooler.

4. Distance From the Sea: Oceans heat up and cool down more slowly than the land. Therefore, places on the coast tend to be cooler in summer and warmer in winter than places inland at the same altitude and latitude.



Task 1: Can you think of any places in the world that might have a climate different to Scotland’s? Try to write down 3 places.

Task 2: There are various factors which affect climate throughout the world.

Watch the video and answer the following questions in your booklet:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Y4ZASECPvE

1. What is the most important factor affecting climate?2. Which point of the earth receives maximum heat energy from the sun?3. What happens to the sea during the summer?4. What is meant by a maritime climate?5. What causes the prevailing winds?6. Where do the winds come from in Britain?7. By how much can the temperature change for every 1000 metres in height?8. Which ocean current affects Britain’s climate?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Y4ZASECPvE


5. Prevailing Winds: The direction from which the winds come from. Where these winds come from contributes to the climate of an area.

Now that we know the factors which affect climate, we can start to think about the climates of various places in the world.



Task 3: Collect a blank world map, an atlas and a ruler. Mark the following onto your map:

The Equator Scotland Ethiopia

Columbia Canada Russia

Once you have done this, write a sentence in your jotter, describing what you think the climate will be like in Ethiopia, giving a reason for your answer. Do the same exercise using Canada as an example.

Extension Task: Can you find 3 places with the same latitude as East Kilbride? Why can it be sunny in East Kilbride but snowing in another place on the same latitude? (Answer in Jotter)

HOMEWORK TASK (One Week to complete)

Complete a weather diary for the next week, using the sheet that you will be given.

On each day, briefly describe what the weather is like Use a weather symbol to sum up best what the day was like


WEEK TWOLesson 5: Scotland’s Weather and Climate

Many people in Scotland are obsessed with the weather. You hear things such as ‘We don’t get the winters we used to’ or ‘Remember the wonderful summers when we were growing up’.

But are these views actually accurate when we look at the evidence- the weather data collected over the years?

We are now going to learn about Scotland’s weather and climate and the factors which affect this.



Follow the Powerpoint's on Scotland’s weather and complete the tasks in your worksheet booklet as instructed.

Task 1: The first powerpoint looks at the Scottish Climate

Fill in the blanks in your work booklet task

Task 2: The second powerpoint starts with a video on Scotland's weather and then looks at the difference in weather between the East and the West of Scotland

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/science/weather.shtml

Answer the questions on the task in your work booklet.

Work as a Group and Activate Your Brain

How good can you work as a team?Can you help one another remember some climate facts?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/science/weather.shtml


Task

East Versus WestEven in Scotland, as you will have seen from the powerpoint, the weather can be quite different depending on where you live.

• The weather in Scotland largely falls into an east/west split.• This is because of the landscape the air rises over the mountains forming

rain clouds.• By the time the air has passed over the mountains, much of its moisture

has been lost. • A rain shadow is created, bringing drier weather to much of eastern

Scotland. • As a result, Edinburgh receives only about half the rainfall of Glasgow.



WEEK THREELesson 6- Climate

Although we can say a lot about the typical weather a place might get, this is not to say that from time to time it will not experience unusual or extreme weather. In this lesson we will watch a programme about the Freezing weather that hit the UK in December 2010.


Activate your Brain

Video Clip

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-year-britain-froze/4od

Complete the section on your Work Booklet as you watch this programme

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-year-britain-froze/4od


Lesson 7: Climate Graphs

Climate statistics are usually shown in what is called a Climate Graph. Hopefully you will remember that the climate of an area is base don the average results gathered over the past 30 years.

A Climate Graph is really a Bar Graph and Line Graph put together. As you can see from the example below, the bar graph shows average rainfall for each month of the year in mm. This is always blue.

The line graph (always drawn in red) links average temperatures for each month (in 0C). You can see there are two Y-Axes so that the measurements can be shown on each side.




Develop a Skill

Now, using the climate information provided below, draw a climate graph for East Kilbride in your work booklet.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Temp (⁰C) 3 4 6 8 10 13

15 14 12 10 6 4

Rain (mm)

105 75 65 60 65 65

85 95 90

115 95 95


Once you have completed your climate graph and your teacher has checked it, complete the following tasks in your jotter. You may use a calculator to help you:

1. What is the maximum temperature for East Kilbride and which month(s) is it in?

2. What is the minimum temperature and which month(s) is it in?3. What is the range of temperature in East Kilbride?4. What is the maximum rainfall and which month(s) is it in?5. What is the rainfall in East Kilbride and which month(s) is it in?6. Is it likely to snow? Give at least one reason for your answer.7. What is the average total annual rainfall in East Kilbride?

Extension Task: Activate Your BrainHere is the climate statistics of a popular holiday island- Tenerife in The Canaries. Using these figures, answer the questions below in your jotter.

1. Using the Climate Graph information, why do you think Tenerife is a popular holiday destination?

2. Using the Climate Graph information, what time of year would you choose to go to Tenerife and why?


Revising for Written Assessment

You should go over the information in this booklet, your work booklet and your jotter and check you understand the following information, ahead of your short written assessment on this unit.

The differences between climate and weather The elements of the weather How we measure weather (you will be doing this in the next few lessons) The names of instruments to measure the weather Drawing and interpreting Climate graphs

WEEK FOUR


Homework Task 2 (One Week to Complete)

In your work booklet, complete the Climate Graph for Edinburgh and answer the questions that come with it.


Lesson 8: Measuring the Weather

As we have already discussed, it is extremely important for people to be aware of what the weather conditions will be like and there are various places that we can get this information from. What we want to examine now, is how exactly are these measurements of weather taken?

The science of measuring the weather is called meteorology. Weather scientists or meteorologists measure temperature, rainfall, wind, pressure, humidity, sunshine and cloudiness and they make predictions and forecasts about what the weather will do in the future. This is important for giving people advance warning about severe weather such as flooding or strong winds.

Fo


Investigate

In this lesson you will complete profile sheets for a

variety of weather instruments


Lesson 9: Build Your Own Weather Instruments

Work as a Group

In this lesson, we will be creating our own fit for purpose weather instruments. Once we have done this, we will be taking these outside to do some field work.

For this activity, you will be working in groups of three. Each group will be given the task of building two instruments.In order to do this you will be given an

instruction sheet and the relevant materials.

Lesson 9: Weather Fieldwork

We are now going to take our instruments outside and conduct some fieldwork, in order to measure the current weather conditions at Calderglen High School.



End of Unit Booklet

Climate Graph Assessment

1. Briefly explain the difference between climate and weather2. Write down two elements of weather we can measure and what instrument

we use to do this3. What are the two elements shown on a climate graph?4. Interpreting Climate graph data


Develop a Skill

Record your weather readings

Documents

S1 Unit Two Geography: Weather - Calderglen High Web viewS1 Unit Two Geography: Weather. ... DescriptionWeather or Climate?It was raining when we left school.Africa is much hotter