London's Weather and Climate
LEVEL – Upper primary
LONDON’S WEATHER AND CLIMATE DESCRIPTION In these activities, students learn about the weather and climate in London and their local region. They locate and analyse climate data from a table, compare it to their local region and predict the weather conditions for London 2012.
These cross-curriculum activities contribute to the achievement of the following:
Studies of society and environment •
Identifies the types of data and sources required by the task and decides how they will be used to gain information
English •
Interprets and discusses some relationships between ideas, information and events in texts for general viewing.
Mathematics •
Interprets tables of data in a table, asking and answering questions about the information.
SUGGESTED TIME approximately 10-20 minutes for each activity (this may be customised accordingly)
WHAT YOU NEED • • •
class copies of Student handout examples of charts and graphs from newspapers etc Internet access for weather and climate data available from websites including: o http://www.wmo.int/pages/index_en.html o http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/ o http://www.bom.gov.au/index.shtml
ACTIVITIES The following activities may be completed independently or combined as part of a more comprehensive learning sequence, lesson or educational program. Please refer to your own state or territory syllabus for more explicit guidelines.
London weather and climate 1. Ask the class to describe the term “weather” and ”climate”. Explain that the term “weather” relates to wind, temperature, sunshine, clouds, moisture, pressure etc in the atmosphere and the term “climate” relates to the general weather conditions in a particular region over the years. Discuss how the weather can often affect activities we plan, such as a picnic or sports carnival. Ask the class think of ways to find out what the weather (and climate) is like in a particular area or region. Brainstorm these responses as outlined in the following sample: have a guess
Look up a library book
television phone a friend who is there
look out the window
newspaper Weather and climate information
use a thermometer
website
2. Explain that people who predict the weather often refer to previous data and other information about the weather patterns and climate in a particular region. With this and other information they then have an educated guess to predict the weather. 3. Ask the class how the weather and climate might affect team performance during London 2012. Discuss the impact of rain, hot and cold temperatures, wind and other factors on various sports. Sample questions: • • • •
What weather conditions are ideal during London 2012? What weather conditions might disrupt events? How? Will any sports be unaffected by the weather? Why? What might the Olympic organisers do the ensure competition is able to continue during all weather conditions?
Distribute student handout. Access the Internet and explore:
• http://www.wmo.int/pages/index_en.html • http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/ Locate data relating to the weather and climate in London, such a temperature and rainfall. Predict what the weather might be like during London 2012, based on the weather and climate data. Draw a picture to illustrate your prediction.
Your local weather and climate 2. Ask the class to describe the term “weather” and ”climate” (if needed). Explain that the term “weather” relates to wind, temperature, sunshine, clouds, moisture, pressure etc in the atmosphere and the term “climate” relates to the general weather conditions in a particular region over the years. Discuss local examples of weather the students might be familiar with: • do you wear a woollen jumper in June? • what’s the weather like during the summer holidays? • when does it snow in our town? • which months are the coldest? Ask the class to describe the weather and climate in your local region throughout the year. Brainstorm these responses as outlined in the following sample:
frozen lakes last June not too hot and not too cold
really hot last November
not too hot in September
Our local climate
cold and dry winters
snow in August
raining for most of August sunny during the January holidays
Compile a class record of the general weather conditions throughout the year in your local region. Distribute student handout. Access the Internet and explore the Australian bureau of meteorology website at www.bom.gov.au Locate data relating to the weather and climate in your local region. Compare the rainfall and temperatures of you local region to those of London. Predict what the weather might be like during London 2012, based on the weather and climate data.
REFLECT ON a.s.p.i.r.e. VALUES
Discuss how much individual responsibility can be expected from a person who predicts the weather, such as a meteorologist or a television weather reporter. Which aspects of predicting the weather are in their control and which aspects might they have little or no control over? What are some situations where the Australian Olympic Team might listen carefully to a weather report?
EXPLORE A LITTLE FURTHER • • • • • •
Draw some pictures of Olympic visitors from different countries and climates as they adjust to the weather in London. Would their usual clothing be suitable? Why or why not? Display your pictures on the classroom wall. Write a short poem to describe the different seasons and how they make you feel. Collect photos and illustrations of different climatic regions around the world. Research the methods used to collect weather and climate data around the world. Use a search engine to locate photographs of extreme weather conditions. Explore http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/ to find out more about the weather and climate of countries around the world.
STUDENT HANDOUT
My prediction: The weather during London 2012 will be _______________
STUDENT HANDOUT London, England
London 2012 Olympic Games Opening ceremony - 27th July 2012
______________, Australia
LONDON’S WEATHER AND CLIMATE DESCRIPTION In these activities, students learn about the weather and climate in London and their local region. They locate and analyse climate data from a table, compare it to their local region and predict the weather conditions for London 2012.
These cross-curriculum activities contribute to the achievement of the following:
Studies of society and environment •
Identifies the types of data and sources required by the task and decides how they will be used to gain information
English •
Interprets and discusses some relationships between ideas, information and events in texts for general viewing.
Mathematics •
Interprets tables of data in a table, asking and answering questions about the information.
SUGGESTED TIME approximately 10-20 minutes for each activity (this may be customised accordingly)
WHAT YOU NEED • • •
class copies of Student handout examples of charts and graphs from newspapers etc Internet access for weather and climate data available from websites including: o http://www.wmo.int/pages/index_en.html o http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/ o http://www.bom.gov.au/index.shtml
ACTIVITIES The following activities may be completed independently or combined as part of a more comprehensive learning sequence, lesson or educational program. Please refer to your own state or territory syllabus for more explicit guidelines.
London weather and climate 1. Ask the class to describe the term “weather” and ”climate”. Explain that the term “weather” relates to wind, temperature, sunshine, clouds, moisture, pressure etc in the atmosphere and the term “climate” relates to the general weather conditions in a particular region over the years. Discuss how the weather can often affect activities we plan, such as a picnic or sports carnival. Ask the class think of ways to find out what the weather (and climate) is like in a particular area or region. Brainstorm these responses as outlined in the following sample: have a guess
Look up a library book
television phone a friend who is there
look out the window
newspaper Weather and climate information
use a thermometer
website
2. Explain that people who predict the weather often refer to previous data and other information about the weather patterns and climate in a particular region. With this and other information they then have an educated guess to predict the weather. 3. Ask the class how the weather and climate might affect team performance during London 2012. Discuss the impact of rain, hot and cold temperatures, wind and other factors on various sports. Sample questions: • • • •
What weather conditions are ideal during London 2012? What weather conditions might disrupt events? How? Will any sports be unaffected by the weather? Why? What might the Olympic organisers do the ensure competition is able to continue during all weather conditions?
Distribute student handout. Access the Internet and explore:
• http://www.wmo.int/pages/index_en.html • http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/ Locate data relating to the weather and climate in London, such a temperature and rainfall. Predict what the weather might be like during London 2012, based on the weather and climate data. Draw a picture to illustrate your prediction.
Your local weather and climate 2. Ask the class to describe the term “weather” and ”climate” (if needed). Explain that the term “weather” relates to wind, temperature, sunshine, clouds, moisture, pressure etc in the atmosphere and the term “climate” relates to the general weather conditions in a particular region over the years. Discuss local examples of weather the students might be familiar with: • do you wear a woollen jumper in June? • what’s the weather like during the summer holidays? • when does it snow in our town? • which months are the coldest? Ask the class to describe the weather and climate in your local region throughout the year. Brainstorm these responses as outlined in the following sample:
frozen lakes last June not too hot and not too cold
really hot last November
not too hot in September
Our local climate
cold and dry winters
snow in August
raining for most of August sunny during the January holidays
Compile a class record of the general weather conditions throughout the year in your local region. Distribute student handout. Access the Internet and explore the Australian bureau of meteorology website at www.bom.gov.au Locate data relating to the weather and climate in your local region. Compare the rainfall and temperatures of you local region to those of London. Predict what the weather might be like during London 2012, based on the weather and climate data.
REFLECT ON a.s.p.i.r.e. VALUES
Discuss how much individual responsibility can be expected from a person who predicts the weather, such as a meteorologist or a television weather reporter. Which aspects of predicting the weather are in their control and which aspects might they have little or no control over? What are some situations where the Australian Olympic Team might listen carefully to a weather report?
EXPLORE A LITTLE FURTHER • • • • • •
Draw some pictures of Olympic visitors from different countries and climates as they adjust to the weather in London. Would their usual clothing be suitable? Why or why not? Display your pictures on the classroom wall. Write a short poem to describe the different seasons and how they make you feel. Collect photos and illustrations of different climatic regions around the world. Research the methods used to collect weather and climate data around the world. Use a search engine to locate photographs of extreme weather conditions. Explore http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/ to find out more about the weather and climate of countries around the world.
STUDENT HANDOUT
My prediction: The weather during London 2012 will be _______________
STUDENT HANDOUT London, England
London 2012 Olympic Games Opening ceremony - 27th July 2012
______________, Australia
