Weather and Climate: What's the Difference?

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This lesson plan enables learners to explore the differences between weather and climate. They collect local weather data for a defined period of time, and then compare these data with longer-term climate data for their community.

Preparation Time:: Under 5 minutes
Learning Time:: 1 to 4 weeks
Estimated Materials Cost:: 1 cent - $1 per group of students
Age Range:: Ages 11 - 14
Resource Types:: Activity, Lesson/Lesson Plan
Language:: English

Materials List (per group of students)

Thermometer for recording temperature outdoors
A copy of the “Daily Weather Data” worksheet for each day of data collection
A copy of the “Instructions for Getting Climate Data (Daily Average Temperature)” for each learner or group of learners (optional: the educator can look up these data ahead of time and fill in the table to save time)
A copy of the “Instructions for Taking Weather Observations” for each group, plus one additional copy to post in the classroom
A copy of “Weather vs. Climate Summary” for each learner or group
A copy of the “Temperatures in the Contiguous 48 States, 1901 to 2011” graph
Graph paper for each learner
Pencils
Colored pencils
Computer and Internet access

Keywords

Subjects

Earth and Space Science
- Earth Processes
  - Weather and Climate
Mathematics
- Data Analysis and Probability
  - Data Analysis
  - Data Collection
  - Data Representation
- Measurement

Informal Categories

Nature and Environment
Outdoor Activity

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

see
read
use keyboard
use mouse
be mobile

Learning styles supported:

Involves teamwork and communication skills
Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

Includes alignment to state and/or national standards:

National Science Standards on page 1

This resource is part of:

EPA Student's Guide to Global Climate Change

Access Rights:

Free access

By:

United States Environmental Protection Agency