Unit 2 Earth and Space Science: Weather Dynamics

1 UNIT 2: Earth AND Space SCIENCE - Weather DYNAMICSSCIENCE 1206 CURRICULUM GUIDE45 Unit 2 Earth and Space Science: Weather DynamicsUNIT 2: Earth AND Space SCIENCE - Weather DYNAMICSSCIENCE 1206 CURRICULUM GUIDE46 Unit OverviewGlobal climate and local Weather patterns are affected by many factors andhave many consequences. This unit asks students to consider questions suchas What decisions do we face because of Weather conditions? ; How areour lives affected by changing Weather conditions (short-term) and changingclimate (long-term)? ; and What causes these Weather patterns?

2 In Atlantic Canada Weather patterns change frequently. Each season providesinteresting Weather conditions that influence how we dress, how we feelphysically and psychologically, and how we interact socially. The directionfrom which air masses move, and the atmospheric pressures andtemperatures in those air masses contribute to changes that can be quitesignificant in any given season. Rapid temperature rises in spring may causesignificant snow melt; clear and dry Weather in summer raises the risk ofgrassland/forest fires; autumn sees the arrival of storms from the Caribbean;winter snowfall and temperature variations depend upon the north/southdrift of the atmospheric jet stream.

3 These changes influence AtlanticCanadians in a variety of considering questions that teachers and their students generate, variouslearning and assessment activities will meet specific curriculum this unit focusses on decision making, there are opportunities forobservation and inquiry as well as problem solving and design in the unit ask students to consider heat energy and its transfer,energy exchange within and between systems, and to observe Weather dataand the impact of Weather forecasting. Weather Dynamics connects with other clusters across many grade levels,such as Populations, Energy Flow, Cycles within Ecosystems , Energyand Energy Transfer , The Earth and Its Atmosphere (primaryscience); Weather (elementary science); Heat Transfer , MeasuringTemperature and Oceanaography (intermediate science).

4 This unitwill support optional studies in high school such as Biology: Interactionof Living Things ; Chemistry: Thermochemistry ; Physics: Force,Motion, Work, Energy, Momentum, and Waves ; Earth Systems: The Earth s Systems .IntroductionFocus and ContextCurriculum LinksUNIT 2: Earth AND Space SCIENCE - Weather DYNAMICSSCIENCE 1206 CURRICULUM GUIDE47 Curriculum Outcomes(From the K-12 Pan Canadian Science Framework Document)Students will be expected toSKILLSI nitiating and Planning212-1 identify questions toinvestigate that arise from practicalproblems and issuesPerforming and Recording213-2 carry out procedurescontrolling variables and adapting orextending procedures whererequired213-3 use instruments effectivelyand accurately for collecting data213-6 use library and electronicresearch tools to collect informationon a given topic213-7 select and integrateinformation from various print andelectronic sources or from severalparts of same sourceAnalysing and Interpreting214-3

5 Compile and display evidenceand information, by hand or bycomputer, in a variety of formats,including diagrams, flow charts,tables, graphs, and scatter plots214-10 identify and explain sourcesof error and uncertainty inmeasurement, and express results ina form that acknowledges the degreeof uncertainty214-11 provide a statement thataddresses or answers the questioninvestigated in the light of the linkbetween data and the conclusionCommunication and Teamwork215-5 develop, present, and defenda position or course of action, basedon findingsSTSEN ature of Science and Technology114-6 relate personal activities andvarious scientific and technologicalendeavours to specific sciencedisciplines and interdisciplinarystudies115-2 illustrate how scienceattempts to explain naturalphenomena115-6 explain how scientificknowledge evolves as new evidencecomes to lightRelationships between Science andTechnology116-1 identify examples wherescientific understanding wasenhanced or revised as a result of theinvention of a technologySocial and EnvironmentalContexts of Science andTechnology117-6

6 Analyse why scientific andtechnological activities take place ina variety of individual and groupsettings117-10 describe examples ofCanadian contributions to scienceand technology118-2 analyse from a variety ofperspectives the risks and benefits tosociety and the environment ofapplying scientific knowledge orintroducing a particular technology118-7 identify instances in whichscience and technology are limitedin finding the answer to questionsor the solution to problemsKNOWLEDGE331-1 describe and explain heattransfer within the water cycle331-2 describe and explain heattransfer in the hydrosphere andatmosphere and its effects on air andwater currents331-3 describe how the hydrosphereand atmosphere act as heat sinkswithin the water cycle331-4 describe and explain theeffects of heat transfer within thehydrosphere and atmosphere on thedevelopment, severity, andmovement of Weather systems331-5 analyse meteorological datafor a given time span and predictfuture Weather conditions, usingappropriate methodologies andtechnologiesUNIT 2.

7 Earth AND Space SCIENCE - Weather DYNAMICSSCIENCE 1206 CURRICULUM GUIDE48 Elaboration Strategies for Learning and TeachingEarth and Space Science: Weather DynamicsOutcomesStudents will be expected toHow are changes in the hydrosphere and atmosphere observed and measured? relate personal activities andtechnology used with meteorologyin the design of a Weather station(114-6)To frame students thinking about this unit, they might work in groups todevelop concept maps about Weather and climate. Individually, they couldprepare a Know - Want to know- have Learned (KWL) chart aboutweather and its influence on outcomes will be attained throughout this unit.

8 Students will collectweather data early in the unit, but will make interpretations or should realize that the two terms Weather and climate aredistinct and not interchangable. Students should understand the variousfactors that influence should research and prepare a proposal for the construction of aweather station that will provide basic meteorological data. Consider thefollowing variables: air temperature; humidity; barometric pressure; windspeed and direction; level of precipitation. If feasible at the school,students should become confident in using available equipment tomeasure and record thermometer is well understood, but may require some practice inreading values.

9 Students can refer to the skills section at the back of thetext and focus on Observing and Recording , pages 679-681. Moreattention may be required on the other Weather instruments that studentsmay not have experience with. Teachers could explain how theseinstruments are used to record Weather data. A procedure for theconstruction of a simple anemometer can be seen on page 26 in the to page 512 for information on the barometer and to pages 558-563 for information on should apply their knowledge of Weather instruments to set up aschool Weather station.

10 Some schools may elect to purchase a kit and setup a local Weather station or one can be constructed out of changes in observed Weather patterns, and recorded data, studentsshould generate questions they wish to answer about changes in Weather ,or the techniques used to acquire data. Later in the unit, activities thatinvestigate heat flow in gases, and liquids and the effect of heat on matter,will help students understand the causes of the Weather changes theyobserve. use Weather instruments effectivelyand accurately for collecting localweather data (213-3)-identify and explain the functionof instruments used in a weatherstation.