Collecting Temperature and Precipitation Data

Part of the "Predicting Weather" Collection

Back to Collection

Goal

Students will analyze weather charts/maps and collect weather data to predict weather events and infer patterns and seasonal changes.

Estimated Time

2 Weeks

Setting Required

Outside

Standards

  • S4E4. Students will analyze weather charts/maps and collect weather data to predict weather events and infer patterns and seasonal changes.
    • a. Identify weather instruments and explain how each is used in gathering weather data and making forecasts (thermometer, rain gauge, barometer, wind vane, anemometer).

Materials

  • Large outdoor thermometer
  • Rain gauge

Procedures

  1. Install a large outdoor thermometer and a rain gauge in the school yard.
  2. For two weeks, each morning, visit the schoolyard with the class to collect precipitation data and each afternoon, visit the schoolyard to collect temperature data. Record this data on a line graph or line plot. Consider contributing data to a citizen science project like mPING.
  3. Analyze trends in the data that is collected, compare collected to data to that from the news, and discuss the difference between weather and climate.