Weather and Climate
Learning Sequence
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Introduction
During this course, we’re going to be covering the subject of weather and climate in the Arctic region and discover how this affects the weather on the rest of the planet.
Firstly, our students will decode and comprehend a simple task card involving information with regard to the rotation of the earth and temperatures in the Arctic region.
With this basic level of understanding, the students will then start to create their very own global ocean conveyor belt diagram, which will then allow your students to receive and discuss their ten actions to help curb the effects of climate change.
During this course, we’re going to be talking all about the differences between weather and climate and how changes in these, can affect the way that all organisms on the planet live.
The Arctic regions of the Earth play a very important role in making sure that the weather all over the planet stays perfectly balanced for human and animal existence to thrive.
There are many people talking about saving the ice caps and stopping global warming, and this week we’re going to explore the different ways in which we can change the way that we live to help preserve this valuable resource. A resource which keeps the entire world working perfectly and harmoniously.
We’re going to look at the various ways in which we can change the way we live to help stop climate change. This week is all about making a plan and taking it forward.
Keywords
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Introduce the spelling word list and choose from this list of tasks that can be repeated and expanded upon if necessary.
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Copy the words into a spelling list/vocabulary book for later reference.
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Put each of the new words into a sentence and underline the new vocabulary in red pencil
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Place the words in alphabetical order in a list.
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Use a dictionary to define each of the words and place them into a vocabulary book.
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Try to represent each of the words using a picture or a symbol and play the guessing game. (which image is matched to which word)
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Write a paragraph containing all of the new vocabulary.
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Make a vocabulary wall containing all of the new words.
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Use a thesaurus to find synonyms for the words and create a synonym list.
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These words will help you during this short course. You may already know some of these words however practice makes perfect!
First, read the words and then try to define them as simply as possible.
An example has been completed for you. You can write these into your books, and draw a picture to match or simply complete the task card.
Read and Discuss: Warm-Up Activity
Introduce the spelling word list and choose from this list of tasks that can be repeated and expanded upon if necessary.
Copy the words into a spelling list/Vocabulary book for later reference.
Put each of the new words into a sentence and underline the new vocabulary in red pencil
Place the words in alphabetical order in a list.
Use a dictionary to define each of the words and place them into a vocabulary book.
Try to represent each of the words using a picture or a symbol and play the guessing game. (which image is matched to which word)
Write a paragraph containing all of the new vocabulary.
Make a vocabulary wall containing all of the new words.
Use a thesaurus to find synonyms for the words and create a synonym list.
Watch the introduction video with Daniel and use the following document to help you answer the following questions. Remember you can work together with your partner.
1.How cold can it actually become in the Arctic and which is colder, the Arctic or the Antarctic?
2.Why do some people describe the ice caps in the polar regions as giant mirrors?
3. How many months a year is the Arctic completely dark?
4.What is the difference between weather and climate?
5.Why is melting ice such a hazard for ships?
6.Why is salt so important in the ocean and how does it affect the weather of the entire world?
7.How can we use small icebergs to tell us about the weather and climate in the past?
8.Why is the equator warm and the polar regions cold? And what relationship do they have with the sun?
Plotting the Ocean’s Currents
Students may wish to stand up and share their accomplishments with the rest of the class. This is a great chance to reflect on how the challenge is going and how people in the classroom are coping with the success and the hurdles that the challenge entails.
Now we understand the importance of sea ice and the way that it affects the weather and climate all around the world. It is now your chance to design and develop your very own global conveyor belt to show exactly how the ocean creates the weather in every country on the planet.
Use this task card as an example to create your very own global ocean conveyor belt diagram and think about how the ocean affects the weather in your country. You may even want to label the various continents and colour-code them.
‘Now we understand why saving the ice is so important.’
Predicting and Preventing Climate Change
Allow your children to read about what will happen to the Earth if it continues to get hotter. Once you have discussed this, move onto the following activity where the children will get their ten-week action plan to save the world!
Scientists use ice to look into the past. They study ancient air trapped inside ice from the poles of the Earth to take a peek into what the climate looked like millions of years ago.
Take a look at the video opposite which explains how scientists use ice to predict the future and click the button below to see what might happen if the Earth heats up by just 1 more degree.
It starts with you!
It Starts With You! - Here’s Your Plan
Your students are going to receive ten clear actions that, if carried out collectively, change around the world, will happen.
These actions may seem small on an individual basis, but when carried out by thousands of children all over the world, small changes today will have a long-lasting impact tomorrow.
Teachers may wish to scaffold and assist children in achieving these goals by helping them to recreate this task card or printing them a personal copy to have in their folder and achieve over the next seven weeks.
NB – Each child will require their very own version of the task card. This can be printed for each student, however, if a printer is not available, students can simply create their own version of the document.
Your students will be watching you with a keen eye, so this can be a perfect moment for you to model the behaviour you wish to view in your students, by also carrying out the 10 actions too.
During this course, we’ve been talking all about Climate Change and the impact that it can have on the polar regions and the rest of the world.
Take a look at the following task card which gives you 10 clear actions to follow over the next seven weeks that will allow you to be part of the climate revolution.
Small actions that we carry out today will have a long-lasting effect on the future, and even though some of these things may seem very small, when many people around the world do them together, global change occurs.
Your objective is to print the task card or make your own version, and over the weeks ahead, after the course is finished, achieve all ten of these actions to help the push towards saving the ice caps and protecting the world that we live in.
The future is yours and it starts today!
Ongoing Follow-Up Activities
Extension Activity #1 - Leadership Program
We request that your older students over the age of eight buddy up, or partner up with a younger child in your school, and pass on the knowledge they have gained from this course and take it to the younger cohorts within your school and develop their own leadership skills
Please take a look at the very simple and child-friendly lesson plan. This should be read and understood by the students before they prepare their lesson and their learning for a younger child.
The reasoning behind this methodology is to develop leadership, confidence, responsibility and communication skills between the older and younger students within your school. This will bring the cohort closer together and build a sense of community throughout your entire educational establishment.
Charles S. Lauer said ‘Leaders don’t force people to follow—they invite them on a journey.’ It is now time for you to invite a younger child to take a journey with you. A journey of discovery!
We are asking you, as an older student, to buddy up with a younger student in your school.
We want you to pass on the knowledge you have gained in this course to a younger student whilst developing leadership mentorship and with the responsibility of working with the youngest student in the school.
You may think that this is a task which has no meaning. However, to the younger child in the school, it will have a huge influence on the way that they approach education and the way they feel within school.
You will be a continuous safety net, almost like a big brother or sister to a younger student in the school whilst also developing leadership communication and the confidence to be able to lead into the future.
Use this template to help you plan your lesson and gather your resources before you head down to the younger children’s classroom to reteach what you have just learned.
Extension Activity #2 - Make Your Own Weather Station
This activity allows your students to utilise unused recycled materials found in any garbage bin around school or their home, to create their very own weather station
There are many links to other subjects, including climate, weather, geography and even mathematics. With the gathering of data such as precipitation levels, wind strength and even observation skills when it comes to looking at nature outside and how it reacts to different weather patterns.
This fun activity can be carried out in school or at home as an extension activity.
During this extension activity, we are going to give you a chance to make your very own weather station from recycled materials that you can find in any garbage bin in the world.
This weather station will allow you to monitor the weather in your playground, in your school, or even in your back garden
You can use the weather station to monitor the weather over a period of time and then compare the data you have collected with previous data from other months or even years. Your mission is to see if you can spot any changes in the way the weather is behaving in your local area.