Intro to Weather Unit Study

• Students will learn about how Earth’s relationship to the sun relates to the weather.
• Students will examine how weather and climate differ.

Day 1

Read – What’s the Weather? – Hot or Cold? (p. 6 – 7), The Secret Signs of Nature – Let the summer sun illuminate the way (p. 44 – 45)

Watch – Current Events

Day 2

Read – Geology for Kids – Through the Year (p. 8 – 9), The Secret Signs of Nature – Predict the changing seasons by tracking migrating animals (p. 34 – 35)

Watch – Seasons and the Sun

Day 3

Read – What’s the Weather? – Predicting Weather (p. 12 – 13), The Secret Signs of Nature – Watch a huddle of sheep to forecast the weather (p. 40 – 41)

Watch – How Do We Know When it Will Rain?

Day 4

Activity – Make a weather journal and track the weather each day

• Students will learn about climates and microclimates.
• Students will learn about types of clouds.

Day 1

Read – What’s the Weather? – Inventions (p. 44 – 45), The Secret Signs of Nature – Predict a rain shower by connecting with your senses (p. 10 – 11)

Watch – Weather Tools & Instruments

Day 2

Read – What’s the Weather? – Around the World / City Microclimates (p. 14 – 15; 38 – 39)

Watch – Climate Zones for Kids

Day 3

Read – What’s the Weather? – Clouds (p. 16 – 17)

Watch – Types of Clouds

Day 4

Activity – Make a DIY Weather Station

• Students will learn about each step in the water cycle.
• Students will learn about fog and wind.

Day 1

Read – What’s the Weather? – The Water Cycle (p. 18 – 19), The Secret Signs of Nature – Observe a rainbow to decipher its message (p. 4 – 5)

*Scientists have differing views regarding where water comes from. This is a good topic to investigate further and discuss with your student(s).

Watch – Where Does Water Come From?

Day 2

Read – What’s the Weather? – Fog (p. 48 – 49), The Secret Signs of Nature – Find your way with a puddle (p. 22 – 23)

Watch – Where Does Fog Come From?

Day 3

Read – The Secret Signs of Nature – Use the shapes of dunes to determine the wind’s direction (p. 12 – 13, Listen to the wind and watch the leaves fall (p. 24 – 25)

*Both of these are on wind. You could read one or both if you have the time.

Watch – Where Does Wind Come From?

Day 4

Activity – Water Cycle in a Bag

• Students will learn about thunderstorms.
• Students will learn about extreme weather, including tornadoes.

Day 1

Read – What’s the Weather? – Making Waves (p. 60 – 61), The Secret Signs of Nature – Trail the swell of the sea (p. 14 – 15)

Watch – What are Waves?

Day 2

Read – What’s the Weather? – Thunderstorms (p. 20 – 21), The Secret Signs of Nature – Look up at the clouds to predict a thunderstorm (p. 6 – 7)

Watch – What Causes Thunder and Lightning?

Day 3

Read – What’s the Weather? – Huge Storms / Tornadoes (p. 22 – 23; 58 – 59)

Watch – Severe Weather

Day 4

Activity – DIY Tornado in a Jar

• Students will learn about types of droughts.
• Students will learn about animals that have specific characteristics that make them weatherproof.

Day 1

Read – What’s the Weather? – Drought / Ash Particles (p. 36 – 37; 40 – 41)

Watch – Drought

Day 2

Read – What’s the Weather? – Weatherproof Animals (p. 56 – 57), The Secret Signs of Nature – Locate water in a desert (p. 20 – 21)

Watch – Deserts 101

Day 3

Read – What’s the Weather? – In the Rainforest (p. 50 – 51), The Secret Signs of Nature – Locate a spiderweb to catch the wind (p. 38 – 39)

Watch – Rainforests 101

Day 4

Activity – Make a rainforest or desert diorama

• Students will learn what the greenhouse effect is and how it relates to weather on Earth.

Day 1

Read – What’s the Weather? – The Greenhouse Effect / Heating Up (p. 30 – 33)

Watch – What is the Greenhouse Effect?

Day 2

Read – What’s the Weather? – Heatwaves / Big Freezes / Record Breakers (p. 42 – 43; 52 – 53)

Watch – Weather on the Go: Heatwaves

Day 3

Read – What’s the Weather? – The Weather News / Weird Weather (p. 46 – 47; 54 – 55)

Watch – 20 Strangest Weather Phenomena That Actually Exist

Day 4

Activity – Make a S’mores Solar Oven

• Students will learn about snow and the ice age.
• Students will learn about different sources of energy.

Day 1

Read – What’s the Weather? – Snow / Ice Age (p. 24 – 29); The Secret Signs of Nature – Study snow to find your bearings (p. 8 – 9)

Watch – Where do Snowflakes Come From?

Day 2

Read – What’s the Weather? – Early Weather / Planetary Weather (p. 10 – 11; 66 – 67); The Secret Signs of Nature – Learn to read a full moon (p. 46 – 47)

Watch – Weather in Space (the Rocky Planets)

Day 3

Read – What’s the Weather? – Weather Power / Future Weather / Making Changes (p. 34 – 35; 62 – 65); The Secret Signs of Nature – Keep discovering nature’s signs everyday (p. 44 – 45)

Watch – What are Sources of Energy?

Day 4

Activity – The Power of Sunlight!