TeachersFirst's Weather - Science Resources
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Explore this editor's choice list of resources related to the weather. Read the descriptions to find out whether a site sounds right for what you want to know. Some sites may be more challenging reading, while others may offer solid basic information. Be sure to try several sources.
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The Climate Explorer - globalchange.gov
Grades
8 to 12
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The Climate Explorer uses information from global climate models to create graphs and projections for future climate predictions. Also, this site displays weather observations from...more
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The Climate Explorer uses information from global climate models to create graphs and projections for future climate predictions. Also, this site displays weather observations from the 2000s through the early 2023s. Use filters to search by location, topic, or variables including temperature and precipitation.
In the Classroom
Bookmark and share this resource for student research into climate change anywhere in the world. Have groups of students work on different perspectives of climate change including rainfall, annual and monthly temperature change over time, population density, or flooding changes. Have students make an impressive, interactive poster, infographics, chart or multimedia presentation sharing their findings using Genially, reviewed here. Genially allows you to add polls, videos, embeds, web links, PowerPoint, PDfs, and more to any presentation.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Climate Kids - NASA
Grades
3 to 6
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Learn about climate change through games, articles, and interactives at Climate Kids. Choose from different aspects of climate change including atmpsphere, water (oceans) or plants...more
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Learn about climate change through games, articles, and interactives at Climate Kids. Choose from different aspects of climate change including atmpsphere, water (oceans) or plants and animals, or use links at the bottom of the page to choose the type of activity, video, games and more. In addition to student activities, this site features information and ideas for teaching about climate change.
In the Classroom
Include Climate Kids with any unit on weather, oceans, or climate change. Share the site on your interactive whiteboard to feature specific games and activities for your students. The entire site may be overwhelming for younger students; instead of creating a link to the main site, create separate links to games and activities on classroom computers and on your class website. Upon completion of your unit, enhance learning and modify classroom technology by having students create a simple infographic sharing information about climate change using Infogram, reviewed here. Extend learning by having students take pictures of your local environment, then create an annotated image sharing potential effects of climate change, including text boxes and related links, using a tool such as a tool such as Image Annotator, reviewed here, for younger students, or Google Drawings, reviewed here, for older students. Google Drawings allows you to annotate an image with links to videos, text, websites, and more. Not familiar with Google Drawings? Watch an archived OK2Ask session to learn how to use: OK2Ask Google Drawings, here.
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SciJinks: Its All About Weather! - NOAA/NASA
Grades
3 to 12
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SciJinks offers informative articles and games geared toward middle school students as they learn about weather, satellite meteorology, and Earth science. Use the list on the left side...more
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SciJinks offers informative articles and games geared toward middle school students as they learn about weather, satellite meteorology, and Earth science. Use the list on the left side of the page to choose from topics, answers, find games and videos, and much more. Select the Topics section to find many ideas for use in science classrooms including content aligned to Next Generation Science Standards. The videos reside on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, they may not be viewable.
In the Classroom
Although geared toward middle school students and educators, anyone who teaches weather will want to take the time to explore this site for student and teacher resources. From the top right menu find the Educators section for activities, science fair ideas, and content aligned to standards. Share a link to games and activities on classroom computers and your class website. Upon completing activities, have students create an online or printed comic about an element of weather, climate, meteorology, or any aspect of Earth science. Use a tool such as Printable Comic Strip Templates, reviewed here, for a nontech rough and final draft. If you're new to using technology with your students, or teach younger students enhance their learning and augment techology use with ToonyTool, reviewed here, for their final drafts. To to enhance learning and modify tech use in your class for more experienced, older students try Make Beliefs Comix, reviewed here.
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Weather-Ready Nation - National Weather Service
Grades
K to 12
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Weather-Ready Nation provides weather safety information and forecasts along with all of the latest weather news. Choose the weather Hazards link to learn about specific weather threats...more
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Weather-Ready Nation provides weather safety information and forecasts along with all of the latest weather news. Choose the weather Hazards link to learn about specific weather threats such as lightning safety and hurricanes. This site also includes seasonal safety campaigns featuring information and tips for dealing with seasonal weather. Be sure to check out the topics under the Educational tab! If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.
In the Classroom
Share a link to Weather-Ready Nation on classroom computers for students to explore on their own. Include information from the site during your weather unit. Discuss weather threats that are specific to your area. Take advantage of the free flyer to print and include on a classroom bulletin board. Enhance learning by having students create annotated images of weather events including text boxes and related links using a tool such as Image Annotator, reviewed here, for younger students, or Google Drawings, reviewed here. Google Drawings allows you to annotate an image with links to videos, text, websites, and more. Not familiar with Google Drawings? Watch an archived OK2Ask session to learn how to use: OK2Ask Google Drawings, here. Alternatively students could create a word cloud of the important terms they learn from this site using a tool such as WordItOut, reviewed here. Extend learning by challenging cooperative learning groups to create daily weather forecast videos using Powtoon, reviewed here, and share them on a site such as TeacherTube, reviewed here.
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When Nature Strikes: Science of Natural Hazards - NBC Learn
Grades
5 to 12
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Explore the science behind the world's worst natural disasters. These ten videos are hosted by Dr. Marshall Shepherd of the University of Georgia and The Weather Channel in partnership...more
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Explore the science behind the world's worst natural disasters. These ten videos are hosted by Dr. Marshall Shepherd of the University of Georgia and The Weather Channel in partnership with NBC Learn and the National Science Foundation. Topics include Wildfires, Volcanoes, Tsunamis, Tornadoes, Space Weather, Landslides, Hurricanes, Flash Floods, and Earthquakes. Videos are approximately 5 to 6 minutes in length and include transcripts. Scientists' interviews explain the stunning scenes of nature's havoc. Although part of a larger site that charges for access, these videos are free.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Use this site as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce a unit or lesson on the weather. Divide students into cooperative learning groups to explore the site. Have each group choose a video to use as a launching pad for further study. Enhance their learning with the challenge to use YiNote, reviewed here, which is a Chrome extension for taking notes online on the video while watching it. Have students create an annotated, narrated image, including text boxes and related links, using a tool such as Google Drawings, reviewed here. Not familiar with Google Drawings? Watch an archived OK2Ask session to learn how to use it: OK2Ask Google Drawings, here. Place the videos on your classroom website or blog for students to explore on their own. Flip your instruction, and have your scientists watch the videos before class time to build background knowledge. Review nonfiction reading strategies with students before reading the transcripts. Have students investigate STEM careers by researching the jobs of the scientists interviewed in the videos.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Owlie's Skywarn Weather-Ready Educatioal Activity - National Weather Service
Grades
K to 5
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Learn Science and Weather Safety with Owlie Skywarn, a site produced by the National Weather Service. Participate in a Weather Ready Activity for emergency preparedness and a family...more
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Learn Science and Weather Safety with Owlie Skywarn, a site produced by the National Weather Service. Participate in a Weather Ready Activity for emergency preparedness and a family emergency plan. Master the weather game to become a young meteorologist or make a copy of Flat Owlie (use the search bar to find this) to take with you in any weather! Be sure also to check out the sections for parents and teens with many resources for teaching and learning about weather. You may want to read The Adventures of Owlie Skywarn and Sanctuary Sam (PDF) found here. You may want to create a guided reading activity for this using Read Ahead, reviewed here.
In the Classroom
Print and share Flat Owlies with your students to send on travels around the country and the world. Ask travelers to share pictures of Flat Owlie in different types of weather. Include activities from this site with your weather unit. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, substitute paper and pen by having students create weather blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Penzu, reviewed here. If you are teaching younger students and looking for an easy way to integrate technology and check for understanding, challenge your students to create a blog using edublogs, reviewed here. Take daily pictures of the weather outside your classroom and create an annotated image including text boxes and related links. Use a tool such as Image Annotator, reviewed here, for younger students, or Google Drawings, reviewed here. Google Drawings allows you to annotate an image with links to videos, text, websites, and more. Not familiar with Google Drawings? Watch an archived OK2Ask session to learn how to use: OK2Ask Google Drawings, here.
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Interactives & Simulations: Weather, Climate & Atmosphere Education - UCAR Center for Science Education
Grades
5 to 12
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This site provides a small, but worthwhile, selection of interactives and simulations related to the weather and climate. Choose from interesting activities such as launching a virtual...more
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This site provides a small, but worthwhile, selection of interactives and simulations related to the weather and climate. Choose from interesting activities such as launching a virtual balloon to examining layers of the earth's atmosphere, or "building" a tree using different climate options. Each activity includes a full explanation and many include additional links or extension activities.
In the Classroom
Introduce Interactives & Simulations on an interactive whiteboard or projector then allow students to explore on their own. Be sure to provide a link on your class website or blog for students to explore at home. Enhance learning by having students create an annotated image including text boxes and related links to demonstrate information learned from this site. Use a tool such as Image Annotator, reviewed here, for younger students, or Google Drawings, reviewed here. Google Drawings allows you to annotate an image with links to videos, text, websites, and more. Not familiar with Google Drawings? Watch an archived OK2Ask session to learn how to use: OK2Ask Google Drawings, here. Alternatively students could create a word cloud of the important terms they learn from this site using a tool such as WordItOut, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Riding the Winds with Kalani - University of Illinois Extension
Grades
K to 3
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Take a Ride with Kalani, the weather balloon, to learn all about weather. Learn about the sun, seasons, and clouds. Start by clicking the weather vane to scroll through the ...more
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Take a Ride with Kalani, the weather balloon, to learn all about weather. Learn about the sun, seasons, and clouds. Start by clicking the weather vane to scroll through the site. You can stop at each feature and Choose from many different activities and games to supplement and enhance information in the weather story. Teacher Resources include suggested activities, links to worksheets and coloring pages, and correlation to Illinois State Standards. Choose from several language options to view and hear the site in English, Spanish, Chinese, or Korean.
In the Classroom
Riding the Winds with Kalani is perfect for use on your interactive whiteboard or projector. View the weather presentation together then allow students to complete activities as a Science Center. Use this site as a supplement to your current weather or seasons unit. This site is perfect for use with ESL/ELL students. Allow them to explore this site as it is presented to them in their native language.
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Sky Diary - Chris Kidler
Grades
2 to 7
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Sky Diary offers facts for students about hurricanes, tornadoes, lightning, and storm chasing. Choose the link to each of the topics to find quick facts such as how tornadoes or ...more
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Sky Diary offers facts for students about hurricanes, tornadoes, lightning, and storm chasing. Choose the link to each of the topics to find quick facts such as how tornadoes or hurricanes form, measuring intensity of hurricanes and tornadoes, or safety precautions. The storm chasing portion of the site offers insight into a typical storm chase, reality vs T.V., and how to become a storm chaser. This simple site contains a great deal of useful weather information for classroom use.
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This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Share information from the site on your interactive whiteboard during weather, career, or storm preparedness units. Challenge students to create an avatar using a photo or other image (legally permitted to be reproduced). The avatars can be used to explain the development of hurricanes or tornadoes, or severe weather safety instructions. Use a site such as Avatar Creator, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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WeatherSpark - WeatherSpark.com
Grades
6 to 12
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Find beautiful weather graphics from a location of your choice. Choose your location and NOAA data is populated on interactive graphs. View the current Doppler weather conditions. Also...more
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Find beautiful weather graphics from a location of your choice. Choose your location and NOAA data is populated on interactive graphs. View the current Doppler weather conditions. Also view the history going back up to a year. Click on "Select Graphs" to choose data to be shown such as Sun, Clouds, Precipitation type/amount/rate, Temperature, Humidity, and Pressure. Make comparisons among four different locations. Move the slider along the bottom to go back to various decades from 1950 on to view data. Switch tabs along the upper left between dashboard (contains map and graphs,) maps, or graphs. Click "More" to view Forecast, Reports, or Climate. Change the data between English measurements and metric along the top right of the site.
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This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Identify changes in average temperatures and precipitation. Compare forecasts and other data from the same location at different years or between more than one location. Identify trends, notice differences among other areas, and develop explanations for these differences. Research various factors that affect the climate.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Extreme Earth - Extreme Science
Grades
7 to 12
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This is a simple sub-page from Extreme Science. Learn factual information about the geologic history of the earth. On the right side of the page, there is a navigational list ...more
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This is a simple sub-page from Extreme Science. Learn factual information about the geologic history of the earth. On the right side of the page, there is a navigational list of topics that allows one to navigate between topics. The readings are fairly easy for early high school aged students and would work as a nice alternative to textbook readings. The hotlinks to extra information on specific terms and concepts are a very helpful and convenient touch. Be aware: there are some advertisements. Advise students not to click on the ads.
In the Classroom
Use this site as an alternative to a textbook in a one to one laptop science class. Add the link to the classroom web pafe or wiki as an informational resource for your students. Or, develop questions about the reading and use as a guided reading activity to help enhance reading across the curriculum activities. Engage students and enhance learning by using Read Ahead, reviewed here, to develop a digital guided reading activity. Have cooperative learning groups explore one of the specific topics and create multimedia presentations. Use Web Poster Wizard, reviewed here, or PicLits, reviewed here, to create online posters. Extend learning by having students use Google Drawings, reviewed here, to annotate an image with links to videos, text, websites, and more. Not familiar with Google Drawings? Watch an archived OK2Ask session to learn how to use: OK2Ask Google Drawings, here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Earth View - The Living Earth
Grades
K to 12
3 Favorites
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This very simple tool allows you to show how the earth's rotation affects daylight. By viewing different time zones, latitude, and longitude you can see where it is day and ...more
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This very simple tool allows you to show how the earth's rotation affects daylight. By viewing different time zones, latitude, and longitude you can see where it is day and night. The site does allow you to zoom in slightly, but not too close. There are many "custom" viewing options for current cloud cover, IR imagery, and much more.
In the Classroom
This tool is great for all levels. Use this as part of a science, social studies or geography lesson. Put this site up on your interactive whiteboard or projector. When using this with young students, use the zoom feature and zoom into different areas of the world to show them day and night. What a great way to teach about opposites. When using with older students show them how to find locations using the latitude and longitude feature. Use the different views with both younger and older students so they can see how the earth looks from the moon and from the sun.Use custom weather imagery as part of a unit on weather and global atmospheric patterns.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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National Snow and Ice Data Center - National Snow and Ice Data Center
Grades
6 to 12
2 Favorites
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Everything you wanted to know about snow, ice, glaciers, and anything cryosphere related can be found in this informative site. Click the Learn tab on the top menu to find ...more
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Everything you wanted to know about snow, ice, glaciers, and anything cryosphere related can be found in this informative site. Click the Learn tab on the top menu to find out what a cryosphere is, a glossary, and ask a scientist. Scroll down the landing page just a bit to find another menu with topics like Frozen Ground, Ice Sheets, Ice Shelves, and several others. The range of topics goes from blizzards to snow formations.
In the Classroom
Ask students to write their own questions about snow and ice and research the information on this site. This is a perfect site to include with any winter activities. Ask students to locate the places mentioned in the gallery on a map. Have students research a historic snowstorm from a specific geographical location and use an online mapping tool to tell the class about the winter event (and location). Try a tool such as Zeemaps, reviewed here. Use the site when teaching a unit on weather (or winter Olympics) for factual information about snow using the resources link. Extend the snow "storm" by investigating everything there is to know about snowflakes at Snowflake Bentley, reviewed here, and Snow Crystals, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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